Burlesque: The Art of the Tease

Cecilia Bravo

Despite our nippy British weather, a dazzling array of international performers are busy packing their diamante pasties, tassles, feathers and corsets,ready to brace the cold in the name of Burlesque. The second international London Burlesque Festival opens with a Glitterati Gala on the 2nd April followed by four further nights of music and mayhem inspired by a bygone era.

Originating in 19th century music hall entertainment and vaudeville, Burlesque started out as a form of comic satire.
Productions often made fun of the upper classes, popular musicals and theatre shows of the time, with scantily clad ladies being only one element of the show.
 But by the 1930s,  the striptease sketch became the dominant crowd pleaser, as more and more attention was given to creating elaborate sets and costumes for the performers.
Dita von Teese, largely credited with bringing the revival of the burlesque scene back into mainstream entertainment, is famous for her decadent costumes and original set pieces.
She's performed routines in a lifesize martini glass, on a carousel horse, in a bath tub and even covered in $5million dollars worth of diamonds . Von Teese is herself a trained costume designer whose 1940's vintage style on and off stage has made her a regular on the pages of glossy magazines and designer advertising campaigns.
Like von Teese, many performers today take inspiration from the original stars such as Gypsy Lee Rose, Tempest Storm and Sally Rand, whose feather fan dance has become a staple on the stages of the modern burlesque scene.
The last couple of years have seen London burlesque take off, with events such as The Afternoon Tease at Volupte selling out weeks in advance, and venues including Bethnal Green's Working Men's Club hosting regular burlesque themed nights.
British- based stars such as Immodesty Blaize and Venus Noir have also brought the artform into the public eye, with routines, sets, costumes and talent which have impressed even the surliest of critics.
Its become so popular that you can now get a Burlexercise DVD workout (the routines are often energetic, to put it mildly!) or arrange a burlesque workshop for your hen night.
Burlesque has never lost touch with its comic roots, which always guarantees a fun night out. Most performers encourage crowd participation, and audiences will often be invited to dress up in vintage garb themselves to get everyone in the mood.
And if you’re planning on attending the festival-be brave! To blend in, then this really is the place to wear that see-through shirt/leather corset/sequinned catsuit you've been keeping at the back of your wardrobe for the right occasion.
Katie Antoniou caught up with Cecilia Bravo, who's headlining the burlesque festival in Rome before coming to London.
Neo- burlesque pioneer Cecilia has been performing since the 1990s and is the founder of the internationally acclaimed Fluffgirl Burlesque society.


How did you decide that Burlesque was the career for you?
 I really never gave it much thought. There was no Burlesque scene in my city (Vancouver) until I created one in the mid 90's. I decided to put together my first show in 1995. It took me a year to find others interested in my idea and after that first show, things just sort of worked out from that point on and I've been doing it ever since. I started to take it seriously as a 'career' after I began producing monthly shows and touring in 2000.
 
Who is your favourite burlesque performer of all time?
 That is hard to answer since there are so many great performers with different styles that I've been fortunate enough to see over the years and whose shows I enjoy watching! I like acts that are unique and incorporate good music mixes, humour, glamour, costuming and an element of surprise yet also maintain that traditional aesthetic of Burlesque. Some acts that I have enjoyed watching have stemmed from Erochica Bamboo from Japan, Stella Plumes from London, Little Brooklyn from Brooklyn, NYC, Venus Noir from Bristol, Dita Von Teese, La Cholita from L.A. to name a few.
 
How have family, friends and boyfriends in particular reacted to your chosen profession?
 My family doesn't really comment, friends and boyfriends love it and react positively. Even more conservative work related collegues have reacted positively. I have had many compliments on how tasteful my shows are and most people have an appreciation for the creativity and costuming that is presented in my Burlesque acts. I have come across a few people ( girlfriends of friends) who think it's degrading to women but otherwise I don't hear negative comments because I don't surround myself with people like that and those people wouldn't come to my shows any way. I find that this opinion usually comes from insecure women or religious people who protest about immorality on a regular basis.
 
Your performances are often very energetic-how do you keep fit and prepare for a show?
 I found that dancing is the best way for me to keep fit since I find gyms boring. When you are at a club dancing or rehearse over and over again, you end up doing at least 30 minutes of cardio without realizing it. I used to hula hoop with a bamboo hoop too until someone stole it in a move! I also chase my dogs around my yard.
 
Where do you get inspiration for new acts?
 From everything I see around me, music, costuming/fashion and past eras. Inspiration is never an issue for me, its the lack of funds to make it happen that sets me back.
 
You've been busy touring North America and Europe- does the audiences's reaction to the show vary much depending on the country or city you're in?
Yes! The audiences reaction can vary even within the same city.
 
Stars like Dita von Teese have done a lot to raise the profile of burlesque and bring it into the mainstream. Has this helped you as a performer, or do you feel there are misconceptions about the art?Is there anything about the image of the burlesque scene that you would change if you could?
  First of all, even though Dita has done a lot to raise the profile of Burlesque, her management team and the event producers for massive events who hire her and raised HER profile have also done a lot for Burlesque.
She was fortunate to be exposed to certain opportunities that other performers who are just as talented haven't had and I am happy that someone like Dita has become a mainstream 'Burlesque Star' because she does have the right aesthetic, lives it, breathes it and has worked hard for it.
She is extremely, smart, professional and one of the most charming people I have ever met. If people assosiate Burlesque with Dita that's great!
If they associate Burlesque with the Pussycat Dolls that's not great because they are not Burlesque.
 I wish more of the media would focus on performers other than Dita so that people get a broader picture of the scene. Other performers should have the opportunity to increase their own profiles in the mainstream but there's just Dita and then everyone else.
 In reality Dita doesn't even cater to the Burlesque scene any more because her fees make her unattainable for any promoter in Burlesque to hire her.
She has carved out a niche for herself as a performer for the rich and famous.
Burlesque is something that should be accessible to the average working man (or woman). Who can afford to put on a real Burlesque show if one performer is asking for £ 75,000?
Even though she emits a 'star quality' Dita has crossed over into the mainstream because she is also a model with a petite physique who is beautiful and great at what she does. Unfortunatley that is what it takes for mainstream success in an industry that focusses on sexuality and stripping. Would anyone pay £75,000 for a performer who is great but has small breasts or weighs 200 lbs and may not be so pretty?
Would a mainstream fashion magazine, or any popular publication focus on someone like this? Maybe if they dated a rock star, someone famous or commited some infamous crime. In other words...the idea of Burlesque is that it was the poor man's follies and all the girls who weren't talented enough or pretty enough to make it as a show girl would go into Burlesque. There were also comedians and live music and some of it was actually bad! That's the way it was but as with everything else that gains popularity, it warps into something else and I think the mainstream still needs to be educated so that there are no misconceptions at all. When Burlesque is bad, it's still good and when it's good, it's great!

What are your aims for Fluffgirl in the future?
  Right now I have no plans on relaunching a Fluffgirl show. I've spent 10 years focusing on this, am tired of touring so I want to focus on myself as a solo peformer and perform more in the UK and Europe.
 Everything is much more accessible here and it is cheaper to fly from city to city whereas in Canada or the US it is so spread out.
 I will be launching a new website and performing for a week in Rome this month before heading to the LBF.

What advice would you give to anyone looking to get into professional burlesque?
 Do your research. Everything is accessible online now. Google your chosen stage name, take a workshop, make sure you have a solid act and Burlesque inspired photos before approaching producers. Don't dance to Hey Big Spender or Fever.
Realize that Burlesque is an investment to fufill a fetish for fabulous costuming and lingerie and for heavens sake please know how to do your make up and hair in a glamourous, retro style. Keep your attitude in check...chances are you won't be the next 'Dita.’ Delusions of Grandeur are huge in the Burlesque scene. So if you’re a diva you better have something to back it up and oh yes,... have a sense of humour along with a Martini, preferably a dirty one!
 
London Burlesque Festival, 2nd - 6th April, various venues, check www.londonburlesquefest.com for details and tickets.

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