Dear Constant Reader,
Just a quick note that I am returned from BurlyCon and almost back to normal after an intense weekend of glitter and classes. I’ll tell you all about it in my usual day by day fashion. Perhaps next week.
All the badges! I only missed one year, when it conflicted with The Wrathskellar. BurlyCon seems to have settled down into early November where I hope it stays.
Dear Constant Reader,
(Read about The Rhinestone Revue, The Bordello, The Conference, and The Main Event.)
The Costume Exhibit is near & dear to my heart, because, well, costumes! BettySioux Tailor and Blizen von Schtupp do a fabulous job every year setting up a lovely display.
I love the panorama function!
Here were have, from left to right:
Here are 3 costumes courtesy of Angie Pontani: two vintage showgirl costumes (which were for sale and both of them were snapped up) and her “Madame Pompadour” costume. Next to them is a showgirl costume from maybe the 1970’s worn at the Primadonna Casino & Cabaret in Reno, NV, from Scratch’s collection.
And here we have:
I know there are better pictures out there, but until they surface, you’ll just have to suffer with my phone snaps.
Next year will be the tenth anniversary of The Expo, please consider making a contribution to make it super-amazing. And if you have a fabulous costume, modern or vintage, consider submitting it for the exhibit. If all goes according to plan, we should have a great on-line submission process for next year.
Dear Constant Reader,
(Read about The Rhinestone Revue, The Bordello, and The Conference.)
This is the big deal — the competition. Once again, I had the honor of being a judge and sitting right up front, along with the previous Howard Award winners: Scarlet Starlet, Red Velvet, Blaze, Whisper de Corvo, and Nina La Voix.
It’s so hard to choose the winners. There were so many good acts, but we only have a few prizes. I’d like to recognize a couple of acts I really liked that didn’t receive awards or honors:
(Photos by John Bilotti)
Just before the big announcement:
The Honorees this year were:
Bella Blue’s choice: Mika Romantic 
Angie Pontani’s choice: Zoe Ziegfeld 
Kitten Natividad’s choice: Jolie Stripes 
And the Howard Award winners:
Best Hybrid: Kiki Allure 
Most Humorous: Chérie Nuit 
Most Classic: Mika Romantic 
Most Beautiful: Gala Delicious 
Best Solo: Sailor St. Claire 
And then we all went to the pool party!
If you want next year to be even more amazing as this year, please consider making a contribution.
Dear Constant Reader,
(My slowly on-going reporting on The Great Burlesque Exposition. Read the previous entries here and here.)
One of the great things about The Expo is The Conference. Attendees get two days with multiple tracks of classes on so many different topics — dance, stage craft, business, costuming, &c. — taught by amazing instructors from all over. I try to take as many as I possible can. It’s such a valuable experience for improving all facets of our art.
Saturday
Get Tight: A Guide to Corsetry (me): I was surprised to have students at such an early hour! I educated them on this history of corsetry (with examples), different types, what to look for when you buy, tips for making, and of course, how to wear and remove. I’ve proposed it for BurlyCon, but with some changes so I don’t have to bring a shopping bag full of examples and tools.
#whatdatbootydo (Nina La Voix): This class was all about the butt. We started with a warm up of squats (mercifully she didn’t make us do lunges too). Then we learned the finer points of cheek isolations, twerking, and ass clapping. We wrapped up the class with a short routine. I’m rather booty challenged, as it turns out. I see you looking completely unsurprised, O Gentle Reader.
Floorwork (Bella Blue): I’m not sure what I was thinking, taking another intensely physical class right after Nina’s, but I was not going to pass up the opportunity to learn from one of our special guests! Someday I will master the stripper pushup, but not that day…
Big Hair, Don’t Care (Maggie McMuffin): We learned how to get enormous volume through fillers and through teasing plus the secret ingredients. I probably won’t even try it on my thin, fine hair, but The Wortown Bombshells took the lessons to heart for the Pool Party that night. (Photo by Beau Blush)
What Do I Do With These? Boa and Glove Strip Technique (Bella Blue): Two of my favorite accessories! (I say that, but my boas don’t actually come out & play much. I should change that.) I was particularly delighted to see some of my advanced students in the class. I think one of them added something she learned in this class to her performance the next night. I learned a few new tricks, was reminded of some that I haven’t taken out in a while, and found some inspiration. In other words, a good class.
Sunday
Introduction to Fan Dance (me): I didn’t actually expect anyone this early on Sunday. And that was indeed the case.
Stalking the Stocking (me): But I was surprised not to get anyone here either. Had I known, I would have taken Angie Pontani’s Master Class instead.
The Body of Work: Longevity in Burlesque (panel): I was supposed to be on this panel, but Scratch took my place to give me a break in the midst of what we thought was going to be 4 hours of solid teaching. It was fun listening to long-time performers talk about leaving a legacy and how to stay in burlesque for the long haul. Honestly, Scratch was probably a better speaker on the topic than I would have been.
Your Way Student Session (me, Scratch): This was a final review session to give the students in the Burlesque Your Way class some last-minute feedback before they performed that night. We don’t normally do this, but two regular classes *and* two make-up classes were canceled because of all the freaking blizzards we’ve had.
The Hands and Arms of a Dancer (Willy Barrett): I think I’ve taken this class 4 times now and every time I learn something new. I love Willy’s classes — there’s always a huge “ah-ha” moment for me. And it’s so much fun watching people’s minds get blown. I’m really excited that in a couple of weeks I get to take *nine hours* of class with him!
Go-Go Robics (Angie Pontani): This class is so much fun! Angie’s enthusiasm and the goofy moves almost makes one forget what a workout this all is. Those pony steps are killers! This time the song was Nancy Sinatra’s “The Last of the Secret Agents”, so we got to start in our favorite spy pose.
And just a reminder that this year was pretty terrible for The Expo’s coffers. You can help make next year amazing!
Dear Constant Reader,
On Friday night, after The Rhinestone Revue, we moved next door into The Bordello for some more performances in a cabaret atmosphere with a dessert bar. The chef really outdid himself on those desserts, in particular the pumpkin pie and the lemon bars, but everything was great.
I think I can recall everyone’s acts, at least a little, since I spent a fair bit of time socializing and didn’t always catch everyone. The show was hosted by Ruby Besler, teaching us all a few naughty lessons and saying “beaver” as often as she could.
Photos by Chuck Jones
 Clara Coquette |
 Doctor Vu |
 Delilah Spring |
I tend to change into a slinky black dress for the occasion. This was this year’s pick:
Don’t forget you can help The Expo with its first-ever fundraiser!
Dear Constant Reader,
I know I’ve taken forever — more than a month — to give you my Expo report, but I wanted to make sure it was lavishly illustrated and the photos have just begun trickling in. So, let us begin with the first event on the first evening.
The Great Burlesque Exposition kicks off Friday night every year with the Rhinestone Revue, a gathering of special guests and Howard Award winners from years past and the current title holders.
(All photos by John Bilotti for The Great Burlesque Exposition, except the photo of Blaze by Chuck Jones)
We were very fortunately this year to have the show hosted by The Buxom Foul-Mouthed Godmother of LA Burlesque, producer of Monday Night Tease, Lili VonSchtupp, bringing us a little #vagic all the way from Hollywood. Lili was also at the very first Expo which was held the same weekend in February and also had extreme weather. And yet she came back!
Femme Brulee, Most Beautiful 2013: Appeared as a giant bath puff, wrapped in the largest pastel tulle boa I have ever seen. A costume malfunction did not deter her from finishing strong.
Scarlett Letter, Most Classic 2007, Best Solo 2010: Slithered about the stage in a serpent gown. Audiences familiar with Scarlett’s performances can’t wait for the moment when she pulls her hair pins and four feet of red hair come tumbling down. She then rushed off to prepare to stage-manage The Bordello next door.
Scandal from Bohemia, Most Humorous 2010: She usually calls this act Minnesota Strip but in honor of our epic snowfall, she renamed it Massachusetts Strip. She came out all bundled up and proceeded to get less dressed and hotter to an appropriate Jimi Hendrix song.
Lucy Buttons, Most Classic 2009: She did a Jazz Age turn as Lucy The Mooch. I was kind of distracted at this point because I knew we were going on soon and I couldn’t give the stage my full attention. Too bad for me, Lucy’s a great performer, so I know I missed out.
JZ Bich, Most Humorous 2009: I missed this one completely because we were getting ready to head backstage. I could hear that it was to “Bohemian Rhapsody”, but that’s all I can tell you…
Taradise, Burlesque Idol NYC 2014: She welcomed us to Taradise on her private island. I was pretty impressed with her light-up fans and dancing en pointe, but the highlight (no pun intended) of the act what when she rubbed up against her palm tree suggestively and it suddenly lit up! I later learned the palm tree is named Peter. Of course.
The Boston Babydolls: We had just done a fairy tale-themed show, Bumps Upon a Grind and this was the finale. The Three Blind Mice (Devora, Evie, and Stella) are just minding their own business when a clever cat (Betty) and her not-very-bright friend (me) see lunch… Choreography credit goes to Stella Diamond for this one.
Angie Pontani, Miss Exotic World 2008: A graceful statue, Angie yearns to leave her pedestal and dance. Magically she’s is transformed into a living woman. She dances with abandon until, reluctantly, she must return to her frozen state. Angie’s a mesmerizing performer and I think there were some tears in the audience when she sorrowfully became a statue again.
INTERMISSION
Kitten Natividad: Our Legendary Guest this year was Russ Meyer Girl, Kitten Natividad. She was just a delight, on-stage and off. One of her songs was “Poetry in Motion” and it couldn’t have been more appropriate. She’s so graceful and full of charisma, yet earthy too — you can’t keep your eyes off her. We have so much to learn from our Legends.
Bella Blue: I’ve heard a lot about Bella Blue, but this was my first opportunity to see her perform. She commanded that stage from the moment the lights come up. The passion of her movements matched that of the song (“El Tango de Roxane” from Moulin Rouge) and her glove peel was particularly epic.
Blaze, Most Classic: A stunning vision in red, Blaze’s lavish costume was accessorized with “The Precious”: a vintage fox fur with three tails, embellished with rhinestones and dyed the same vivid color as Blaze’s hair. And it came into her hands that way; she didn’t change a thing. Some partnerships were just meant to be.
Scarlet Starlet, Best Hybrid: She calls herself “Miss Majorette of Burlesque” and began with very traditional baton twirling (the skill that brought her the trophy last year). Very quickly the mood & music changed to something a lot funkier. yet, the baton twirling remained excellent.
Whisper De Corvo, Most Beautiful: Whisper presented the beautiful act Forget Me Not which she used to propose to her partner. Her big reveal moment came when she swept her draperies aside to show her burgeoning baby bump.
Red Velvet, Most Humorous: She romped around stage as an orange cat and really nailed those feline mannerisms. What cat could resist all those feathers! Especially her boa tail.
Nina La Voix, Best Solo: Nina may have had a classic costume with gown & boa, but her style is much more high-energy. Of course, she showed us all #whatdatbootydo with an impressive range of butt tricks.
You can see more pictures and read Jimmy Berg’s account of the event in Burlesque Beat.
Don’t forget you can help The Expo!
Dear Constant Reader,
This was without a doubt the most challenging Expo since the first one.
Even if you’re not from the Northeast, you’ve probably heard of the crippling snowstorms that have hit Boston. As of today I think we’ve gotten about a hundred inches of snow and almost no thaw. There have been parking bans, collapsed roofs, total shutdown of public transit, giant icicles destroying cars, nowhere to put the snow — it’s a mess.
Trying to get tech gear from the various storage units to the hotel in the snow and bitter cold was a nightmare. No fewer than 2 dozen performers canceled. Some of our mainstay staff members, like Linda B., Mr. Wrong, and Marek, couldn’t make it for various reasons (and none of them were happy about it). Volunteers were scarce. Ticket sales were down. The hotel was not always so helpful and sprung some surprise charges.
And yet, we pulled it off again. And people seemed to have a really good time, despite the weather.
As predicted, the event lost quite a bit of money, but Scratch is doing it again next year, for the 10th time. He’s got all sorts of ideas to make it even more special. If you had a good time this year, if you want to come next year, please consider donating a little to the Expo fundraising efforts. Just a few bucks can add up, but if you’re a high-roller, there’s a special one-of-a-kind reward from Blaze & Red Rose Regalia.
Thanks for your indulgence and I’ll start my blow by blow report soon!
Dear Constant Reader,
My last BurlyCon missive is all about the shopping! This year vending started on Thursday and ended on Saturday (that being a one day shift from previous years). So, I had to adjust my strategy slightly, but still making sure to snap up what I couldn’t live without right away and then troll for bargains near the end.
And here’s my haul:
Roughly counterclockwise:
I had the idea of taking a silly picture of me wearing all of this stuff, but it didn’t come out so well. Just use your imagination.
This year BurlyCon also had a library of books, papers, posters, and other ephemera. I have to give a lot of credit to Indigo Blue and Jo Weldon for sharing books from their collections to the public (well, the con-goers, anyway). I’m not sure I could be so generous with the contents of my library!
And now I save my pennies to shop at The Expo in just a couple of months!
Dear Constant Reader,
(You can ready about the rest of the weekend here, here, and here).
Sunday I was actually going to sleep in, but completely failed. And there were no early workout classes, so I packed & puttered, checked out & checked my bag, and had a lovely relaxed breakfast in my favorite spot by the fireplace. Cherry almond scones are so good. Why have I never thought of making them at home?
Pattern Making: Triangle Bras, Shimmy Belts, Panel Skirts (La Rose Muerta): I was really looking forward to this class. I’m a self-taught seamstress and as such rely heavily on commercial patterns. I’m a terrible draper and a poor drafter. The material was excellent, but the class was a little frustrating. There were a lot of people who didn’t seem to understand that this was a pattern making class, not a costume construction class, and that it was an intermediate level class. So, we got bogged down in questions from students who were in over their heads. We did manage to get through all 3 garments in the time allotted and I have *pages* of notes, especially on the bra. I can’t wait to give it a shot. And the instructor promised to email some info out to us.
Then I got in line to sit for a while. Registration for next year opened promptly at 1pm and I was not going to miss out on those low-priced tickets. I had a book and lunch, so it was not an onerous wait. I was 3rd in line and easily got Scratch & myself all registered for next year. (Thanks, Red!)
The Art of Hosiery (Kisa von Teasa): I was torn between this class and the one on wigs, but I was 20 minutes late and I picked the classroom with the open door. There were some really good tips about working with hosiery, including one that could make my life so much easier. And a very nicely produced handout.
Merch and Promotional Items: Expanding Your Brand with Stuff (Siren Santina): This was easily one of the most valuable classes I attended all weekend. I am *not* a marketing person, but I got so many good ideas from this class. And she made her presentation available so I could share it with Scratch. Who *is* a marketing guy.
I went to closing ceremonies just long enough to watch the music video being filmed and find out if I won any raffle goodies (that would be no*) and instead stepped out to help with load out. I had oodles of time to kill before my red eye flight, so why not.
I’m an old hand at toting and carrying, after working on strike at the Expo for many years. Okay, so BurlyCon has a full-sized fridge, but at least there’s no black iron lighting supports. What’s the worst thing I had to carry? I thought it was going to be the dance room mirror, but I think it was the bread. Hospitality had so, so much bread left over. We *filled* someone’s car with baguettes, ciabatta, rolls, &c.
And when that was all done, I still had hours & hours before I needed to be at the airport. Fortunately, there were a few people around to chat with until it was time to head out.
The Jet Blue people do try to make overnight flights as comfortable as possible, but I only slept fitfully, even with my spiffy sleep mask. Not long after dawn broke, we touched down and thanks to the MBTA’s efficient system (in the case of traveling to & from the airport I’m not being sarcastic), I was home in no time.
Where I was met by this handsome, but cranky gentleman
who wanted his breakfast NOW thankyouverymuch.
And that was my BurlyCon 2014. I’ve got one more missive — all about the shopping!
* And too bad; the big winner got the contents of the VIP goodie bag and it had a cookbook in it. I love cookbooks.
Dear Constant Reader,
(Read about Thursday and Friday)
Again I awoke early on Saturday to take an 8AM exercise class.
Pilates (Peekaboo Pointe): Despite the 90-minute time slot, this was a traditional 45-minute mat class. Perfect! Exactly what I needed to wake up and get started. I love Pilates and really ought to find a regular class here in Boston. And Peekaboo is a wonderful teacher.
Then a little breakfast with the Las Vegas Burlesque Studio. Thanks, ladies!
Easy Tips for Burlesque Costuming (Bic Carrol): To be honest, I wasn’t going to go to this class. There was a chair dance class at the same time and I *love* chair. Plus, I’m a pretty experienced costumer. However, a conversation with Kitten DeVille reminded me what an important resource our Legends are and we should consider our time with them precious (last year’s Legendary Guest Wild Cherry passed away this year). I’m so glad I went! The class was really called “Stupid Tricks for Burlesque Costuming” and I learned so many short cuts and good ideas. I’ll never toss out coat hangers or empty spools again. And after the energetic classes of the previous day, it was nice to sit for a while.
Grace & Poise: Body Mechanics for the Stage (Kristina Nekyia): We focused on different muscles and how we move differently when they are engaged. I was glad to have the opportunity to tell Kristina that working with her DVD had measurably increased my flexibility. I still can’t do a split (yet!), but I can do a backbend now (up from the floor; I’m still working on the standing thing…)
The Mystery of Power, Stage Presence and Beauty in Gesture (Willy Barrett): I never miss an opportunity to take a class with Willy Barrett (aka Delsarte Master Joe Williams). This one was on the principals of a body in balance. I love watching people’s heads explode as they *get it*.
Burlesque and the Mob (Bic Carrol): This was a fascinating and uncomfortable talk about burlesque back in the day and how it was controlled by the Mafia. Bic kept repeating “They owned you.” It was chilling and made me feel so lucky that I perform today.
Then I had dinner with some old friends from school, A. & J. (I was a graduate student when they were undergrad) who were good enough to come all the way out to SeaTec. Well, they were headed for the airport anyway. After dinner, they went to the airport and I dropped in on the peer reviews. At least, I saw Ruby Lamb’s act plus feedback and Sam Antic’s act, but then A. texted me that she was back from the airport. We had coffee in the lobby for a while until I could see people in their jammies heading for the movie.
This was my outfit for the movie: silk slip, Catherine D’Lish ostrich-trimmed robe, and marabou mules. And no makeup. Then I realized there was no way I was going to make it through the entire movie. So I put my elegant self to bed. I guess the cold I had the week before had taken a lot out of me.
Only one more day!
Oh, The Glamourous Life! 
