Jo Weldon's New York School of Burlesque

I saw a burlesque show produced by the Pontani Sisters and hosted by Murray Hill at the Slipper Room in 2002, when the current burlesque scene was just a sparkle in all our eyes. Now it's a worldwide phenomenon producing some of the most spectacular performers burlesque has ever known, and Murray and Angie brought together a group of those fabulous performers in New York City, where burlesque striptease once flourished, was outlawed, and has bloomed all over again. The Queens of Burlesque show on March 11 was held at Le Poisson Rouge, a gorgeous red and black venue with great sightlines. Featuring Murray and Angie as well as Immodesty Blaize , Dirty Martini , Michelle L’amour , Julie Atlas Muz , Miss Indigo Blue , Perle Noire and Catherine D’Lish , it was properly touted as the burlesque show not to miss. All of the performers were award-winners in the Exotic World/Burlesque Hall of Fame pageants, and they proved that these awards go to the most glamourous, charismatic, dedicated...

One of my favorite burlesque shows of all times was Sealboy and the Blondes at the Slipper Room in 2008, featuring Mat Fraser and Julie Atlas Muz. I was in a dark place and it brought me to the light. And it ended with this cream pie fight: Night before last they took this show to Fire Island--read all about it! Nardicio Presents Sealboy & the Blondes at the Palace, Burlesque for a Full Moon Night

Laura Herbert took these photos, and I love them so much I just snagged them all. The fan dance rehearsal. Leighton Meester with my cleavage. Hey, I didn't compose the shot! My roomie, Julie Atlas Muz, doing things to me on worldwide television. The fringy costumes in this scene are original Pontani Sisters Costumes, courtesy of Angie Pontani. Angie and Julie. Click here to watch the full episode online. We love the way it turned out! Blowing kisses to Tony Wharmby and all the Gossip Girl cast and crew. Posted by Jo Weldon, Headmistress of The New York School of Burlesque , for burlesquedaily.blogspot.com .

Well, if this isn't cute, I don't know what is. The DVD features a dozen burlesque performers (Angie Pontani, Anita Cookie, Bunny Love, Chicava Honeyscotch, Gal Friday, Harvest Moon, Julie Atlas Muz, Little Brooklyn, The Maine Attraction, Ms. Tickle, and Peekaboo Pointe, with Kit Cat as the card girl) dancing in front of a Yule Log to Christmas and Hanukka music played by Fisherman's Burlesque. It's pretty frickin cute. There is also a CD of the music without the dancers, which is a nice bonus for those who just want the music (weirdos). It's a fantastic DVD to play in the background at a holiday party, of course, but it's also a great way to steal a few moves for would-be holiday stripteasers. The performers are stellar, and they leave no feather unturned--there are glamourous numbers, sexy numbers, humourous numbers, and numbers that are all three. But of course my favorite part is the behind the scenes extra segment. Performers are asked where they go...

I had started this scrapbook blog , but it doesn't make sense to run two at the moment when I haven't had time to do one, so here's a scrapbook post for the holiday. Happy Halloween!! Julie Atlas Muz's feet backstage at Wanted! Wild Bandits of Burlesque. Gal Friday and Bambi the Mermaid backstage at the Slipper Room. Rudy balances on one finger on a strap-on dildo. Click to view larger.

Julie Atlas Muz at the Slipper Room. Photo by Jo Weldon (me). Honi Harlow at The Follies Fromage. Photo by Norman Blake. Me as a Kid. Photo by Allen Lee Here's another farm animal in addition to the goat action; my beloved Cherokee (who performed in my first-ever student showcase and who moved away to LA and just did a stint on tv teaching someone burlesque) as a lamb, backstage at Badass Burlesque. Photos by me.

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