Jo Weldon's New York School of Burlesque

"Jennifer Burke used to prize her breasts as her best feature. But it wasn’t until she had a double mastectomy that she found herself performing a burlesque striptease in front of an enthusiastic New York City crowd...." Read more: http://healthland.time.com/2012/01/26/pink-light-burlesque-breast-cancer-survivors-strip-down-and-celebrate/#ixzz1lBUioeaK

It's been hard to keep up with this blog while keeping up with Twitter, Facebook, and Formspring, and while writing and promoting a book! One thing I used to do frequently that I miss is sharing a few recent photos I've taken. I hope you enjoy these shots from backstage at the New York Burlesque Festival this past weekend! Amber Ray Miss Indigo Blue World Famous *BOB* If you use any photos from my blog, please link back to me. Or you're a fckin jerk.

Melody Sweets is one of the sweetest people in burlesque, and that's saying something! I've known her since the days when I hung out with The Toilet Boys (I appear in their videos for "Future is Now" and "Another Day in the Life") at Squeezebox, and used to watch her perform burlesque in The Bombshell Girls' show at Suite 16. She's a multi-talented lady--she not only, like most burlesque performers, creates her own costumes and routines, but she writes and records her own music as well! Melody, second from the right, on the set of the Victor/Victrola episode of Gossip Girl. Photo, choreography, and costume design by me! How did you come to be a New York performer? When I first moved to NYC I knew I wanted to sing & started singing right away. I started singing at open-mic nights, making my rounds in drag shows, lesbian cover bands & rasta metal nights... crazy combo, I know! That's NY for you. I QUICKLY got tired of being in th...

Do you love glamour, whimsy, and attention to detail? You must, if burlesque is one of your obsessions. The following shows aren't being advertised as burlesque, but they are precious, rare, and best seen live. If you're in the city, don't miss: Ballets Trockadero Press Image, The Seattle Times Victor Trevino , a friend of mine and brother of my very first and very beloved roommate, used to be a member of this troupe. He more recently founded Ballets Grandiva , which is also not to be missed but isn't running this Christmas. Meow to the World Image from PS 122. If you haven't seen Meow Meow, you've never seen anything like Meow Meow. I first saw her in her astonishing performances at Spiegelworld with Weimar New York and then followed her around with a camera for days, trying not to creep her out. Arias with a Twist Image: Sara Krulwich/The New York Times Joey Arias, seminal New York Performance artist and Cirque du Soleil alumnus, along with our dear a...