I have lost count of how many times I have been asked this question.
“Oh… you mean the kitty dolls?”
Not quite…
Burlesque
Pronunciation: (ËOE)bÉ(TM)r-Ë^lesk
Function: noun
Etymology: burlesque, adjective, comic, funny, from French, from Italian burlesque, from mocked joke, from Spanish
Date: 1667
one : a literary or dramatic work that seeks to ridicule by means of grotesque exaggeration or comic imitation
two : usually mocked by caricature
3 : theatrical entertainment of a broadly humorous, often earthy character, consisting of short twists, comic skits, and sometimes striptease acts
Second thought…
Jokes aside, although it originated much earlier, burlesque probably began to catch on in Europe and the United Kingdom as early as the 17th and 18th centuries and was introduced to North America during the 1860s by Lydia Thompson and her company, British Blondes.
There are various definitions, but burlesque was basically a comedic imitation of a serious literary, political or artistic form, at least at first. These shows used comedy, parody, sexuality, and music to challenge the established and/or conventional way of looking at things. The general formula for a show would most often have consisted of the following:
The first part was made up of women singing songs and dancing, interspersed with comedy from male comedians. The second part was a diverse collection of acts and sketches including contortionists, jugglers, ventriloquists, wrestlers, acrobats, etc. The end of the show was a grand finale, often a one-act musical performance.
Due to its controversial and rather adult content, some companies would put up #1 shows and #2 shows, with the former being “clean” and the latter being “dirty.”
Burlesque had its ups and downs and its own evolution as it slowly changed from a scripted show of variety acts to simple performances focused primarily on striptease.
There were many fans, but also many protesters who felt that burlesque was corrupt and immoral.
In the 1920s and 1930s, the legal and social repression of burlesque ultimately led to the legendary raid on Minsky’s in Manhattan, and the gradual decline of burlesque in general. In 1937, Minsky’s license was revoked and burlesque performances in New York City were banned altogether. Burlesque struggled to survive after that, eventually fading away entirely, and it wasn’t until the mid-1990s that burlesque came back out of the woods and quickly began to pick up steam again.
While in burlesque today, there are a number of shows made up of just striptease, there are still plenty with the big band, comedians, acrobats, etc.
Personally, I find that producing a show where the striptease mixes with other variety acts helps keep the elements of provocation and surprise. But there are several formulas that work, and the choice of your poster will vary depending on your target audience.
Today, the burlesque community is flourishing and there are shows everywhere from Chicago to Berlin to Tokyo. There are a handful of international burlesque festivals organized in Los Angeles, New York, New Orleans, Paris, Toronto, Montreal, Amsterdam, Vancouver, and London, to name a few. All of these boast a pretty impressive roster of artists, including Dita Von Teese (Hollywood, CA), Catherine D’Lish (Northridge, CA), Dirty Martini (New York, NY), The Pontani Sisters (New York, NY ), Michelle L’amour (Chicago IL), Oui Oui Encore (Montreal QC), Miss Indigo Blue (Seattle, WA), The World Famous BOB (New York, NY), Tanya Cheex (Toronto, ON), Sauci Calla Horra (Toronto ON), Julie AtlasMuz (New York, NY)Kalani KoKonuts (The Vegas, Nevada)Diamondback Annie (Los Angeles, CA), Cecilia Bravo (Vancouver BC), Miss Sugarpuss (Montreal QC) Immodesty Blaize (London, UK), Neptune Kitten (Toronto, ON), Amber Ray (New York, NY) Bunny Love (New York, NY), not to mention many, MANY plus…
And in answer to your previous question, no. Not “I mean pussycat dolls”.
Burlesque definition courtesy of http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Burlesque Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary