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Midnite Martini was named #33 in 21st Century Burlesque Magazine’s TOP BURLESQUE 50 2011! Big thanks to Holli Mae and the whole 21st Century crew for counting the votes and bringing so much to the community . . .
” The Burlesque TOP 50 2011
Well, here we go again! Thank you all for your patience – I have counted, confirmed and written up the results as fast as I possibly can, and here they are.
A record number of you voted this year, and the results are very interesting. There are several new entries in the TOP 50 this year. There are also a few tied positions, so there are more than fifty people acknowledged in this list, but we see it as an excuse to celebrate even more people by sticking to fifty positions, rather than fifty individuals.
2011 was an amazing year for burlesque, and I think the TOP 50 reflects its variety, creativity and quality. I had the pleasure of enjoying some incredible performances, and interviewing many beautiful and talented people. I am thrilled to see some new faces make the list after the fantastic contributions they have made in 2011.
Please feel free to leave comments below, and discuss the results on our TOP 50 Facebook page, or on Twitter with the tag #burlesquetop50″
Holli-Mae x
(Tired but happy Editor-in-Chief)
At New Year, we will announce the TOP 50 Burlesque Industry Figures of 2011 – as voted for by you!
You nominated in your thousands in 2009 and 2010 – and after such an exciting year we can’t wait to see the results for 2011. Let’s celebrate our community at the end of another fantastic year of burlesque!
You can vote for performers, troupes, a burlesque legend, producers, stage kittens, photographers, artists, writers, costumiers, stage managers, event organisers – anyone that you think has made an outstanding contribution to burlesque this year. We would encourage you to nominate non-performers as well as your favourite performers.
This is not a competition, or something that should encourage frantic voting campaigns. It is simply a chance for you to nominate the people who have impressed, excited, nurtured, inspired or entertained you in 2011.
We will count up your votes, and then count down from 50 to 1 at New Year!
Go here to vote http://www.21stcenturyburlesque.com/the-burlesque-top-50-2011/
See Midnite featured in the new book on Burlesque!
Book Summary: “Throughout Burlesque: The True Art of Seduction, author Michel Grondin paints a vibrant and extensive portrait of this up and coming art, helping the reader to better understand its roots and stunning vitality. Burlesque pays tribute to all the distinguished female performers of the past, while celebrating its newest and most-skilled practitioners. Through in-depth and impassioned research, the author recounts a captivating slice of history in the process. In his rich exploration of the subject, Michel Grondin is supported by his co-author Scarlett James, the French Canadian muse of burlesque. Scarlett, sporting a physique reminding us of a 1950s pin-up artist, delivers exclusive insight into the wondrous global art of seduction. Enjoy a voyage filled with color, sensuality and elegance. Allow your senses to be titillated as you delve into this delightful fantasy experience . . . And yes, that is Scarlett featured on the cover!”
Purchase in english here: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/burlesque-michael-grondin/1103017813
CBF 2011
As myself along with the other CBF producers (Fannie Spankings, Honey Touche, Lola Spitfire, and Bunny Bee) answer millions of emails, interview for articles, send out press releases, coordinate classes, update performers, finalize with venues, search for any last minute sponsors and volunteers, and the list goes on and on and on . . . We are growing giddy with excitement and anticipation for 2011′s Colorado Burlesque Festival JULY 7TH – 10TH!!!!
This year is a big blow out folks (that may never again be duplicated!) We have, count them, FIVE headliners this year! All of our fabulous headliners from last year (Michelle L’amour, Tigger!, Trixie Little and the Evil Hate Monkey) are reuniting again with us this year! But we just couldn’t help ourselves but to also invite 2 other hard hitting headliners, World Famous BOB and the Reigning Queen of Burlesque Miss Indigo Blue! As well as guest emcee Foxy Tann coming in to sass up CBF the same way she did last year!
The festival will also be featuring performances from some of the top notch burlesque stars from around the country! We feel so blessed because performers who usually headline festivals elsewhere actually applied to our festival to perform in the lineup this year. With five incredible shows to catch with amazing lineups each night, this festival is truly star studded and rhinestone encrusted 
See lineups below . . .
But the shows aren’t all folks! Oh no, we have classes and special workshops Friday and Saturday during the day at The Curtis Hotel (the official hotel of CBF). There you can learn how to tease with Miss Indigo Blue, Shimmy with Michelle L’amour, act with Tigger!, samba with Kellita, improv with Trixie & Monkey, tassel twirl with Frenchie Kiss, and so much more! Click here for details and directions on how to sign up!
We also have a Beach Blanket Pool Party Sunday afternoon, where you can eat brunch with your burlesque favs and take a dip in the pool to wash away that hangover. Located at the Burnsley Hotel and only $5 admission you can hob nob and hang with all of the performers from the festival! A live DJ and live performances will keep everyone entertained and the party going from 12noon-4pm!
Not convinced? Well how about this . . . Michelle L’Amour is debuting a BRAND NEW ACT at Saturday night’s show. Miss Indigo Blue is performing the routine that won her the crown this past June in Las Vegas on Saturday as well! I’ll be performing the routine that got me in to compete in Las Vegas with the amazing Indigo Blue on Saturday and will be dancing with local boy-lesquer and my partner in life Buster in a duet for Friday’s VIP. Fannie Spankings will be performing the same routine that won her the trophy at the Jim Thorpe competition in the VIP show too. We have more boy-lesque performers in our festival than any event in Colorado before, not to mention more performers and fuller lineups of burlesque, singers, and variety than last year!
So DO NOT delay! Friday night’s shows are already close to selling out! Get your tickets, mark your calendars, and get ready to party. We’ll be throwing feathers and glitter all around town, you don’t want to miss this! 
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Sunday Beach Blanket Pool Party – 12pm-4pm – The Burnsley Hotel
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2011 CBF Class Schedule!
All classes will be held on the 2nd floor of the Curtis Hotel
Prices reflect pre-registration, there will be an additional five dollars for day of. Please use the following paypal link cbfclasses@gmail.com to register. Please note which classes you would like to sign up for and include your stage name. Contact Fannie Spankings at fannie@coloradoburlesquefestival.com with any questions.
Friday July 8th
12:00 – 2:00 Ultimate Self Confidence with World Famous BOB $40 Jax Room
1:00 – 2:00 World Cabaret/Samba Burlesque with Kellita $20 Keep Away Room
2:30 – 4:30 The Art Of The Tease with Miss Indigo Blue $30 Keep Away Room
2:30 – 3:30 Belly Dance for Burlesque with Evilyn Sin Claire $20 Jax Room
Saturday July 9th
11:00 – 1:00 Theater for Burlesque with Tigger! $30 Keep Away Room
11:00 – 12:00 Tassel Twirling with Frenchie Kiss $20 Jax Room
12:00 – 1:00 How To Talk to the Booth and Other Theatrical Mysteries Explained with Foxy Tann $20 Jax Room
1:00 – 3:00 Ultimate Self Confidence with World Famous BOB $40 Jax Room
1:00 – 2:00 The Art of the Shimmy with Michelle L’amour $20 Keep Away Room
2:00 – 4:00 Structured Playtime with Trixie Little & The Evil Hate Monkey $30 Keep Away Room
3:30 – 4:30 Tease Technique with Michelle L’amour $20 Jax Room
Miss Exotic World 2011 Miss Indigo Blue: The Art Of The Tease: The Building Blocks of Desire
Women in the Golden Age of Burlesque refined teasing to an art – the art of strip-tease! This workshop includes historical examples of Burlesque legends and exercises to practice the skills they developed. In this class, students are empowered to explore and discover their own inner tease-artiste in a safe and friendly environment. Gloves and boas are provided, no dancing or dance skill required. Learn the who and what of the how and why from your very own Reigning Queen of Burlesque, Miss Exotic World 2011, Indigo Blue!
World Famous BOB: Ultimate Self Confidence
Ultimate Self Confidence is the radical and astonishing workshop that everyone is talking about! As seen in the Village Voice “Best of New York 2008″ guide. World Famous *BOB* has created a workshop to encourage women (the class is currently women-only, though a co-ed version is planned to be offered in the future) to take larger steps towards who they ultimately want to be – whether it is on stage or in everyday life situations. Confidence is something that is only true when it is created by ourselves and *BOB* will guide you through a series of fun and sometimes challenging exercises to create “courage references” that are guaranteed to stay with you long after you’ve left class. Come ready to work and be prepared to amaze even yourself!
Nothing is hotter or more powerful than self-confidence. *BOB*’s intense and astonishing, boundary-shattering class is known for changing lives and opening minds. You will be exposed and your body fears will be challenged and you will prevail. *This class has limited space, pre-registration is recommended.*
Michelle L’amour: The Art of the Shimmy & Tease Technique
The Art of the Shimmy: Learn all about the shoulder shimmy and the booty shimmy and all the various ways to do both. There will also be some toning exercises for the hips and glues. Be prepared to work it!
Tease Technique: Expand on the basics of burlesque: walk, bump, grind and shimmy. Finish those body lines and learn how to transition from each move. Brings heels!
Tigger!: Theater for Burlesque
Set the stage on fire! Go from talented to TNT! Build a larger-than-life Burlesque Persona with Tigger! and take your shows and your stage identity to the next level – with Personality Plus. Tigger! is a recognized pioneer of the current burlesque scene but has been an actor all his life, “acting like a stripper” for almost 20 years. Using his degree in theatre, his experience teaching acting, and over 30 years on the stage (both Shakespeare & Shimmy), he employs his theatrical training & perspective to break down what makes a burlesque performer stand out from the herd.
Whatever you do in front of any kind of an audience, You are an Actor. Learn techniques and tips to make the most of what you’ve got.
Trixie Little and the Evil Hate Monkey: Structured Playtime
In this amazing class, Trixie and Monkey have combined their training in physical theater, clowning and burlesque to lead a structured playtime for the purpose of discovering new ideas, taking risks, playing, increasing connection to an audience, letting go of self-consciousness while improvising, thinking on your feet and utilizing your whole body. Perfect for anyone who wants to have a new kind of fun while performing!
Frenchie Kiss: Tassel Twirling
No matter what your size, you too can learn to twirl! Frenchie Kiss will walk you through the A-B-C’s (and DD’s!) of tassel twirling, starting with how to properly put on your tassels, and ending with how to get them moving in all directions. You can buy Frenchie’s tassels at the workshop. You’ll want to make sure to have these specially-made tassels for optimum twirl-ability. Tassels will be sold for $30, and will include tassel tape. (Or you can bring your own tassels.) Please wear yoga or dance clothes, and be ready to take off your top.
Kellita: World Cabaret/Samba Burlesque
Raise your temperature (and that of your audience) with saucy and articulate shoulders, chest, hips and booty! Learn a variety of approaches to Showgirl Samba from SF’s Queen of Carnaval, Kellita! Absorb Brazilian, Cuban, Middle Eastern dance vocabulary, all couched in a cabaret/burlesque aesthetic. We will focus on both rhythm and musicality, so you can express yourself deliciously with isolations as well as nuanced and extended limbs. Imbue your movements with ease, verve, polish, sensuality and grace. Don’t just dance the music, BE the music. Come in comfortable form-fitting clothes and bare feet!
Evilyn Sin Claire: Belly Dance for Burlesque
Burlesque & Belly dance share more than just the shimmy! Mastering basic techniques of isolation and staccato vs. flow adds grace, confidence and power to your burlesque routines. Belly dance is a gateway for many women who have been turned off or away by other dance forms. Learn strength and control over each part of your body as you develop power in other aspects of your life and your sexuality!
Foxy Tann: How To Talk to the Booth and Other Theatrical Mysteries Explained
Theatre has it’s own universal language. Learn the vocabulary of theatre technicians and be able to communicate what you want to any booth, tech, stage hand or producer world wide. Have lighting concepts explained and learn about special effects that can make your effect even more special! Foxy Tann has over 25 years of experience in professional theatre and can help you take your act or troupe to the next level and endear you to stage hands and technicians everywhere. Bring pencil, paper, questions and conundrums, dress comfy and be prepared to move about the stage and find your light!
Midnite Martini is Miss January for a 2nd time in the Colorado Burlesque Calendar! Have your 2012 filled with your favorite burlesque stars and order your calendar now!
We’ve made it back from our yearly pilgrimage to the mecca of Burlesque Hall of Fame! And we have a new queen!!!
Huge congratulations to Miss Indigo Blue, our Reigning Queen of Burlesque 2011! It is well deserved and goes to an inspirational lady who is a fantastic performer, strong advocate for burlesque, and intelligent producer and business woman. There are so many things I admire in this woman!
Also exciting is that Indigo will be making a trip to Denver soon, as she is one of our headliners at the Colorado Burlesque Festival! Make sure to mark your calendars and come check out Burlesque’s Queen along with all of our other fabulous performers!
More congratulations and celebrations to send out to all of the incredible winners from BHoF! The show was incredible and the performances were stunning. It was the best show of spectacle and tease that I’ve seen in a very long time! Thanks to all the performers, producers, volunteers, crew, audience, lovers, movers, and shakers. It’s the best family reunion a girl could ask for!
BHoF Winners 2011
Reigning Queen of Burlesque 2011: Miss Indigo Blue
First Runner-Up: Anna Fur Laxis
Second Runner-Up: Lily Verlaine
Reigning King of Burlesque: Captain Kidd
Best Debut: LouLou D’Vil
Best Group: The Stage Door Johnnies
Most Dazzling: Captain Kidd
Most Classic: Miss Indigo Blue
Most Comical: The Dolls of Doom
Most Innovative: Jett Adore
After many hours of all nighter rhinestoning, the never ending repeat of my song in the car, me staring at the lineup in disbelief that I once again have a chance to perform with such incredible artists, and slow breathing techniques to calm down my nerves that want to scream, freak out, rejoice, and cry all at the same time! . . . THE TIME HAS COME!
Tomorrow we head out to Las Vegas for the Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekend, the mecca, the World Series, the Academy Awards of burlesque! Buster and myself are carpooling with the lovely Sweet Lily Bee and sassy Foxy Tann and her beau Aaron all the way to Sin City. There I shall join the celebration and scandalous good times in the best family reunion ever!
I am truly honored to share the stage with the likes of such talent! I am also so excited to have the chance to share my aerial work with the community this time around (hopefully last year’s Queen Roxi D’Lite will approve!)
Some have brought up the argument that aerial burlesque is not the same as regular burlesque. Because we fly in the air and use a piece of equipment it is seen as gimmick-y or should be in a different category than other burlesque performances.
I respect this opinion, but hope to persuade some that aerial burlesque has a place on the regular burlesque stage. Yes there is a flying piece of equipment, but we strive to use that as a dancer would use a big prop. My goal is to always use my aerial technique as a vehicle for burlesque, combining and blurring the two. Where moves or “tricks” are used and blended with striptease and clothing removal. If nothing else I am honored to have the chance to try and prove this in front of such a respectable crowd this year at BHoF. That is reward enough for me!
Me at BHoF 2009
And what a fantastic lineup of events and performers!
Thursday Night (hosted by Foxy Tann)
Bee TinyTot (Tokyo, Japan)
Clams Casino (New York, NY)
Inga Ingenue (Seattle, WA)
The Itty-Bitty Tease Cabaret (Helsinki, Finland)
Iza la Vamp (Los Angeles, CA)
Hazel Humdinger (Colorado Springs, CO)
Jonny Porkpie (New York, NY)
Kitty Bang Bang (London, England)
Kitty LaRue and Moxie Rhodes (Madison, WI)
Leroi the Girl Boi (New York, NY)
Lulu Lollipop (Philadelphia, PA)
Meka La Creme (Durham, NC)
Miss Charlamay (Las Vegas, NV)
Miss Mary Cyn (New York, NY)
Nina Nightshade (Portland, OR)
Olivia Rouge (Tampere, Finland)
Ray Gunn (Chicago, IL)
Siren Santina (Knoxville, TN)
Surlie Temple (Denver, CO)
Sweety J (Grosseto, Italy)
Waxie Moon (Seattle, WA)
Friday Night
The Cosmic Queen of Burlesque, Camille 2000
Catherine D’Lish, Miss Exotic World ’92 & ’93
Dusty Summers, The Nude Magician
Erochica Bamboo, Miss Exotic World ’03
Gina Bon Bon
The Grant Avenue Follies
Haji, co-star of Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!
Holly Carroll
Joan Arline, The Sexquire Girl
Judith Stein
Kitten Natividad, Miss Nude Universe ’70 & ’71
Marinka, Queen of the Amazons
Satan’s Angel, The Devil’s Own Mistress
Tiffany Carter, Miss Nude Universe ’75
Toni Elling, The Duke’s Delight
…and featuring the first-ever Burlesque Walk of Fame, staged by Grant Philipo (Las Vegas Showgirl Museum) and starring: April March (The First Lady of Burlesque); Big Fannie Annie; Dee Milo (The Venus of Dance); Ellion Ness; Georgette Dante; Gypsy Louise; Holiday O’Hara (The Lady Who Loves To Love You );Lottie the Body; Tammi True; Val Valentine (Cupid’s Cutie); Viva La Fever and Bob “Rubberlegs” Tannenbaum!
Saturday Night (hosted by Miss Astrid)
BEST DEBUT
Angelique DeVil (Portland, OR)
Charlotte Treuse (Portland, OR)
Ginger Valentine (Dallas, TX)
Imogen Kelly (Sydney, Australia)
Iva Handfull (Seattle, WA)
LouLou D’vil (Tampere, Finland)
Minnie Tonka (Brooklyn, NY)
Miss La Vida (Auckland, New Zealand)
Randi Rascal (Seattle, WA)
Stella LaRocque (Chicago, IL)
BEST BOYLESQUE
Bazuka Joe (Chicago, IL )
Captain Kidd (Brisbane, Australia)
Jett Adore (Chicago, IL)
Mahogany Storm (Toronto, Canada)
BEST GROUP
Brown Girls Burlesque (New York, NY)
The Dolls of Doom (Chicago, IL )
Melody Sweets & The Candy Shop Boys (New York, NY)
Razzle Tassel Tease Show (Vancouver, Canada)
The Schlep Sisters (Brooklyn, NY)
The Stage Door Johnnies (Chicago, IL )
MISS EXOTIC WORLD, REIGNING QUEEN OF BURLESQUE
Anna Fur Laxis (Yorkshire, UK)
Coco Lectric (Austin, TX)
Miss Indigo Blue (Seattle, WA)
Kristina Nekyia (Los Angeles, CA)
Lily Verlaine (Seattle, WA)
Lux LaCroix (Los Angeles, CA)
Melody Mangler (Vancouver, Canada)
Midnite Martini (Denver, Colorado)
MsTickle (New York, New York)
Nasty Canasta (Brooklyn, New York)
Ophelia Flame (Minneapolis, MN)
Sparkly Devil (San Francisco, CA)
Sweetpea (Minneapolis, MN)
Vicky Butterfly (London, England)
Sunday Night(hosted by Nadine DuBois and Naughty Pierre)
The Chicago Starlets, Best Troupe, ’10
Dirty Martini Miss Exotic World, Reigning Queen of ’04
Gigi & Pop, Best Variety ’09
Hot Toddy, Best Boylesque ’09
Julie Atlas Muz Miss Exotic World, Reigning Queen of ’06
Kalani Kokonuts Miss Exotic World, Reigning Queen of ’09
Kitten DeVille Miss Exotic World, Reigning Queen of ’02
Michelle L’amour Miss Exotic World, Reigning Queen of ’05
Mimi Le Meaux, Most Classic, ’10
Tigger!, Best Boylesque ’06
Trixie Little & The Evil Hate Monkey, Best Duo, ’06
A sneak preview of Burlesque Assassins, starring Amber Ray, Armitage Shanks, Kiki Kaboom, Koko La Douce, Kellita, Renea LeRoux, Roxi Dlite, Scarlett Martini and Xarah von den Vielenregen
…with special appearances by our 2011 Sassy Lassy honorees, Billie Madley, Michelle Carr and a tribute toTease-O-Rama founders Alison Fensterstock, Baby Doe von Stroheim & Debbie Mink.
For more information go to www.burlesquehall.com
Me at BHoF 2010
My business, stage, & romance partner is from Joplin, MO and we were devastated to hear this past Sunday night that an E5 tornado had ripped through his hometown and destroyed 75% of the city.
Luckily his family is all okay, but his mom and stepdad’s home was completely leveled and crushed in the storm. We are asking for positive energy and loving thoughts to be sent their way and to all the victims of the tornado. And if you feel inspired to donate financially you can do so here
Thank you to everyone for your love and support and we hope to bring Jason’s family and Joplin a little relief to rebuild!
I am truly honored and excited to have been awarded “Best Soloist” and Legend great Joan Arline’s “Top Pick” at this year’s Great Burlesque Exposition!
They festival was filled with amazing classes, performances, and incredible opportunities to meet and mingle with amazing Legends Dusty Summers (seen in picture), April March, Joan Arline, and Bambi Jones!
Many thanks to all the incredible participants, instructors, and performers who made it so wonderful and I can’t wait to go back next year!
The Great Burlesque Exposition is an annual gather of burlesque performers, enthusiasts, costume designers, artists, vendors, and instructors from all over the world. It is held every Easter weekend in the Greater Boston area.
