Bastard Keith
(host) Bastard Keith is the quadruple threat singer-host-performer-writer who can be seen providing his unique volatile charm to burlesque shows, saucy readings and theatrical stages around New York City.
photo by Paul M
GiGi La Femme
(performer/producer)A fantasy made flesh & blood, GiGi La Femme is a delectable feast for the eyes, heart and soul. One of the most active performers on the New York Burlesque scene, she is a mainstay at many of the city's most critically acclaimed shows and best loved venues from the Bronx to the Battery and beyond. A multi-level threat, GiGi is a striptease artist, go–go dancer, pin-up model, chanteuse, host, and producer.
GiGi has appeared in shows including Le Scandal, Pinchbottom Burlesque, Revealed, Starshine Burlesque, Sweet & Nasty Burlesque, and is the star and host of Wasabassco Burlesque. She has graced stages at The Brooklyn Academy of Music, Coney Island, The Cutting Room, Galapagos, The Slipper Room, The Palace of Wonders in Washington D.C. and a multitude of venues near and far. GiGi is also a founding member of The Burlesque Alliance, producers of some of the east coast's largest burlesque events. GiGi La Femme, the girl dreams are made of!
http://gigilafemme.com
Photo by Luke Ratray
Arms O'Neil
The Limb-Licking Good Girl.
Gal Friday
"After years of desk jockeying for "the man", this Gal Friday decided to take her talents and apply them to the stage. The lady that once typed 70 words a minute, equipped with a clever quip playing on her lip, is now one of New York's top Burly-Q bombshells. Ms. Friday has come along way since her 2006 debut: Recently she had the honor of performing at Miss Exotic World for the title of 'Best Debut' and Gal Friday is also extremely proud to hold the title of 'Miss Coney Island.' She will soon be seen, crowned and sashed, in "The Immortals" a book/photo exhibit about New Yorkers living their dream! In between being glamorous and fabulous, Gal enjoys co-producing 'The Skullduggery & Skin Show" in D.C. and teaching for the New York School of Burlesque. Truly, hiding a gal like this behind a desk would be a crime!"You can stalk Gal Friday at www.myspace.com/galfridayburlesque
or learn about her classes at: www.schoolofburlesque.com
Harvest Moon
Harvest Moon, otherwise known as the sultry siren of burlesque. Harvest has been dancing on the burlesque circuit since 1995, when she started out in San Francisco. Her troupe, the Cantankerous Lollies, earned a star at the Exotic World Burlesque Museum ( now in Las Vegas). She is also a circus enthusiast/performer and has performed in several national circuses. Harvest performed with Matthew Barney in New York and Manchester in 2007.photo by Jeff Forney
Kobayashi Maru
Kobayashi Maru was born in Okoge (Japan). With her parents, researchers for the Daystrom Institute, she has travelled internationally, first arriving in America on 17 September 1978. A student of science, she visits New York City regularly, where she is honored to perform the burlesque dance with many fine people.Kobayashi Maru は 燃やされた米 (日本)で生まれた。彼女の親と、
Daystrom の協会のための研究者、彼女は国際的に旅し、1978 年9 月17日にアメリカで最初に着く。科学の学生、彼女は多くの良い
人々とのダンスを行うために彼女が名誉を与えられるところで、
ニューヨークシティを規則的に訪問す
Photo by Noonien Soong
Madame Rosebud
Madame Rosebud is Burlesque's Gibson Geisha Girl. Hailing from the salons of Paris (where she earned her name), she comes to New York via a self-imposed exile to the Asiatics, where she apprenticed in the arts of dance, fascination and mysticism. Currently, you can find her teasing and go-go-ing at the Slipper Room, co-producing and performing in Bastard Keith Bachelor's Hunting Lodge, stage kittening nude at Revealed Burlesque and taking off her clothes on the floor at Dressler's. She has previously appeared at Rififi, Corio, Lucky Cheng's, Orchard Bar, the Spiegeltent, and in The World Famous Bob's New Revue. She will soon be performing in Great Britain with the Slipper Room family.Sapphire Jones
Sapphire Jones is a sensational new addition to the burlesque scene. A wide-eyed and fresh faced graduate of the School of Burlesque, Sapphire has taken to burlesque like a pastie to a nipple, and audiences have certainly taken to her. Her mix of sex appeal and wacky comedy can be seen in shows and venues across New York including the Slipper Room, Corio, Monday Night Burlesque, Pinchbottom and Wasabassco Burlesque. A tall drink of water with a brilliantly quirky sense of humor that makes her a feast for your eyes, brain, and heart.photo by Beau Allulli
Ekaterina Sknarina
Ekaterina Sknarina is a model, actress, contortionist, aerial artist and former international gymnast. She was born in Russia and competed at world championship level for the Russian rhythmic gymnastics team. She later trained as an aerial artist with Cirque du Soleil. After re-locating to New York she began working as a contortionist in the burgeoning new burlesque scene. She also began working as a model and appeared in magazines including FHM, One World, and GQ. She added the role of target girl to her portfolio after meeting knife thrower The Great Throwdini. In 2005 she was one of the stars of the off-Broadway show Maximum Risk, during which she helped set two world records for the number of knives thrown around a human target in a minute. She was Miss Coney Island 2007.Vikki Likkerish
This red-headed vixen thrills the crowds in Boston with her modern take on classic burlesque, but she's quick to point out that she learned it all in New York City. Vikki has a passion for bringing burlesque to new audiences, which happily coincides with her passion for all things glamorous and glittery. Her current dream is to tour the world, taking off clothes in as many venues as will have her.Nikki Le Villain
A professional belly dancer specializing in gothic fusion and serpent dance, Nikki has performed at numerous gothic events (such as Endless Night and Convergence XII) in the NYC area as well as New Orleans. She has been featured in the documentary "Vampires Among Us" which aired in 2003 on TLC, the music video "Embrace the Gutter" by The Autumn Offering and "Gothic Bellydance:Revelations". In addition to belly dance, Maiiah is becoming more involved in burlesque performance and has been featured at various events in the NYC area including Starshine and Wasabassco.http://www.myspace.com/maiiah
photo by Ted D’Ottavio
Ms Tickle
Ms Tickle has been hypnotizing audiences as the pinnacle of style and elegance in modern burlesque. She delivers an inventive and unique twist on this classic form. Creating art with a wink and a knowing smile. Her unparalled costuming and props have crowned her queen of gags and gimmicks. As writer, director, choreographer and costume designer she is half of the team that created" The Bombshell Girls and most notably the Off Broadway hit "Tickle Bombs Mantasia". She is currently directing and performing in a piece for "Broadway Bares".http://www.myspace.com/mstickle
Ruby Valentine
Miss Ruby Valentine embodies the spirit and essence of classic striptease. Since 2003 she has been a mainstay on the New York burlesque scene. This cake eaters’ dream has performed with the top burlesque stars at premier exhibitions and venues including: The New York Burlesque Festival, Pinchbottom Burlesque, Starshine Burlesque, Wasabassco Burlesque, MAO Magazine parties, Le Scandal, the Va Va Voom Room and various weddings, parties and other private events. Ruby is also a founding member of Big Apple Burlesque. Ruby has appeared in various publications including, BUST magazine, UK's Bizarre magazine, V magazine, The Village Voice, The New York Press and more. She has also worked extensively with artists and photographers in both fine art and pin-up setting. In 2006 Ruby landed a role in the hit TV show "Madmen" on AMC. She played a glamorous 1960's burlesque bombshell. Ruby Valentine creates most of her own costumes. All original designs, ruby envisions a dream costume then does her best to construct it. She also takes the time to adorn her costumes with a lavish amount of Swarovski crystals, sequins and other adornments.
Miss Valentine mesmerizes her audiences with her lyrical fan dances, and flirtatious striptease routines. Her hobbies include baking her famous cupcakes, eating truffles whilst sipping champagne, throwing lavish parties, and day dreaming. She resides in Manhattan.
www.missrubyvalentine.com
photo by Paule Saviano
Perle Noire
Perle Noire: The Black Pearl, is a naturally gifted actress-singer-dancer who helped shape New Orleans Burlesque Nouveu. As a dancer, she has won numerous awards in ballroom and Latin dance from dance studio leader, Arthur Murray including" Best Debut" Title at the 2008 "Burlesque Hall of Fame Pageant"
She is fully committed, dances like she knows what she's doing, and looks like she's having a great time. She was clearly born to be onstage. When Noire is up there, something is always happening.
myspace.com/perlenoire
Creamy Stevens
Born in a creepy Northwestern logging town full of drifters, Creamy Stevens tunneled her way out of a juvenile facility and straight into audiences' hearts! This anti-social sexy gal co-produces the long-running and respected Starshine Burlesque, and can be seen performing her unique brand of cheerfully disturbed striptease all over NYC and beyond. Winner of two coveted Golden Pasties Awards at the New York Burlesque Festival, Creamy loves to crush the dreams of the young in her spare time. She is available for birthdays, funerals, and vendettas.www.creamystevens.com
www.myspace.com/creamystevens
photo by Ted D’Ottavio
BB Heart
BB Heart is a Brooklyn-based artist and a founding member of Storybook Burlesque. She graduated with a BFA in studio art, but has since then taken her art out of the studio and onto the burlesque stages of New York City, Boston, San Francisco and beyond. She loves bringing her expertise in movement, dance and vocal training to the burlesque stage and fusing the art of strip tease with her love of the dramatic.Peekaboo Pointe
Peekaboo Pointe, The Delinquent Darling of Burlesque, the Fastest Tassle-Twirler from East to West... is the perfect combination of books and brains...and bumps and grinds. She began as a classically trained modern dancer, studying under Bill T. Jones and the Mark Morris Dance Group, among many others, received a BFA in choreography and performance in 2002. Along with modern dance she has extensive training in classical ballet, tap, as well as Afro-Cuban dance. She studied Salsa and Afro-Cuban dance in Cuba with the dance group Cutumba and is also an accomplished trapeze artist. Peekaboo began performing burlesque five years ago is a favorite performer of New York nightlifers, performing at shows and venues such as Corio, the Slipper Room, Le Scandal Cabaret, Starshine Burlesque, Pinchbottom Burlesque, Sweet and Nasty, and Wasabassco Burlesque.http://peekaboopointe.com
photo by Ted D’Ottavio
Amber Ray
Amber Ray's pageantry is reminiscent of many iconic genres of the past and present and a major force in the evolving future culture of popular art. Her chameleonic qualities measure vast differences and are sure to startle with grace, confrontation and fantastical flamboyance. She embodies the dream of other mythical worlds, revealing her stature as a provocative and exotic creature. Known for her many characterized adventures based on collaborations with style makers such as Anti-gravity, Susanne Bartsch, Thierry Mugler, ChiCHI Valenti and Johnney Dynell of Jackie 60 Fame, and a thrivingly talented New York City Performance community composed of the freak chic, theater, fashion world, and burlesque. You will find her most often musing the masses through various stage productions, art installations, sitting for several talented painters, photographers and designers as well as dazzling at High end events to which she ardently shares her love of style, luster, and her brand of spiritual artistic expression of the whimsical and the real. Amber Ray is an artist, costume designer, singer, entertainer and all around creative force of nature residing in NYC. Brace Yourself for her power-packed manifestations of absolute fabulousness.photo by Marla Rutherford
Tigger!
The Original Mr. Exotic World! - Best Boylesque 2006 at The Burlesque Hall of Fame in Las Vegas. Winner of Four Golden Pastie Awards including "Performer Most Likely to Get Shut Down by the Law" and "Most Unpredictable Performer." Called "the King of Boylesque." The New York Times called me a "hysterical and acrobatic man in drag," Next Magazine called me "the taboo-defying dynamo," and San Francisco tried to ban his striptease. One of the most respected performers in the burlesque community , Tigger! is everything they say and more.
photo by Don Spiro
Bird of Paradise
A mild mannered corporate whore ruffles her feathers and transforms into the wicked burlesque artist Bird of Paradise! Bird's feathery display shows off Japanese influences peeking out from under her kimono. Barely a chickadee in the disco era, she gained her groovy wings and soared into the decade of decadence influenced by Jennifer Beals' sexy confidence in Flashdance, Barry Manilow's saucy lounge style and Michael Jackson's genderbending moves. After ten years of playing with salsa, swing, hustle, tango, hula, bellydance and traditional Japanese dance, she weaves them into a festive nest of burlesque expression.
www.myspace.com/birdofparadise
photo by Ted D'Ottavio
Dirty Martini
International burlesque sensation, Miss Dirty Martini, is one of the most recognized names in new burlesque. Miss Martini spearheaded the new burlesque revolution in NY with her bawdy humor, over the top physique and classical dance training. She has been featured in venues as diverse as Carnegie Hall and Broadway Bares to infamous New York City drag clubs where she has been awarded a Glammy for her performances. She proudly performs every summer in Coney Island at "Burlesque by the Beach" has been involved in the Los Angeles review The Velvet Hammer, Margaret Cho's "The Sensuous Woman", and is a member of the All American European touring show Cabaret New Burlesque. Miss Martini is often featured at private corporate events such as Marc Jacobs Christmas Masquerade Ball, Coco de Mer's NY Launch Party and the Miami Winter Music Conference. She holds numerous burlesque titles including "Best Body in Burlesque".photo by Ted D'Ottavio
Sizzle Dizzle
Photo by Michael Menard
Jezebel Express
Miss Jezebel Express is a burlesque artist, teacher and pinup. Miss Jezebel holds a BA in Dance Choreography from the University of Iowa, and has been awarded State of Iowa, University of Iowa, and Department of Dance grants for her artistic work. She served as artistic director of Iowa City's Amalgam Dance Company from 2001-2003, creating works of dance theatre, performance cabaret, and modern dance.Since moving to New York, Miss Jezebel has been fortunate enough to work with some of the best names in the biz. She is honored to have been January 2008's featured performer in The “World Famous *BoB* Presents” series. Past regular engagements include hosting Ixion Burlesque’s “Down & Dirty Lounge” as a singing, stripping, wisecracking dame, twice-monthly performances at The Slipper Room, and appearances at well-known weekly shows such as Starshine Burlesque, Monday Night Burlesque, and Sweet-N-Nasty.
Minnie Tonka
MINNIE TONKA is a NYC-based burlesque performer and producer who originally hails from the Midwestern Land of 10,000 Lakes. Combining her Jewish pride and love of burlesque, in 2004 Minnie Tonka co-founded and continues to produce Kosher ChiXXX the all-female Jewish Burlesque Revue. Since 2003, Minnie Tonka has been dazzling audiences at well-known stages in New York and across North America bringing Jewish culture and humor to strip tease. To see more of Minnie Tonka, visit www.myspace.com/minnie_tonka.Photo by Roxi Dlite Photography
Clams Casino
Miss Clams Casino is the daughter that Dolly Parton and Charles Nelson Reilly never had! She's honored to have twirled her tassels at some of the finest venues in NYC and all over the country. Clams is also the co-producer and one of the stars of Burlesque Speakeasy, Live in New York!Game Show's Greatest Hits and burlesque events, including Smells Like Tease Spirit and Jump the Shark, all around the greatest city in the world. Check out all the latest Clams-Digging news anytime at www.missclamscasino.com.photo by Paule Saviano
Darlinda Just Darlinda
Darlinda Just Darlinda has been working as a Burlesque Performer in New York since 2003. She coined the term "Polyester Performance", an inspiring mixture of Burlesque, Modern Dance, Performance Art, Comedy Sketch, and Drag Queen Ballet. She holds a degree in Teledramatic Arts and Technology from California State University, Monterey Bay. In this program Darlinda was given the tools to integrate many art forms,Theater, Film, Video, New Media, and Radio. Focusing on live performance she's produced Burlesque events in New York City and California. Since October 2005 Darlinda has continued to produce her own brand of burlesque show, most recently "GREEN WITH ENVY BURLESQUE" in February of 2008 as part of her "living art project" called A Year in Rainbow www.yearinrainbow.com. In February 2007 Darlinda was honored to perform with Julie Atlas Muz at PS122 Divine Comedy of an Exquisite Corpse. In October of 2007 Darlinda participated in the Feminist Neo-Burlesque Symposium at The Central School of Speech and Drama at the University of London.The Village voice calls Darlinda "A Mastermind of Bizarre Extravaganza". USA Today says "It's hard to top Darlinda"
photo by Halston Bruce
Schaffer the Darklord
(Guest Host)
Schaffer the Darklord (or STD) is a New York City-based rapper and comedian with subversive material best-suited for brainy audiences. With manic energy, verbose vocabulary and cartoonishly commanding stage presence, STD skewers such topics as religious zombies, sci-fi sex fantasies, grammar snobbery and obsessive cat-enthusiasts. Imagine a Frankenstein-esque monster assembled from equal parts Bill Hicks, Eminem, Prince, Ozzy Osbourne and Darth Vader, stitched together inside the shell of a maniacal heavy metal ex-patriot.
http://schafferthedarklord.com
http://myspace.com/schafferthedarklord
http://youtube.com/schafferthedarklord
http://sonicbids.com/schafferthedarklord
Pinkie Special
Pinkie has dazzled audiences at NY venues such as The Slipper Room, Le Scandal, Coney Island, Galapagos, Starshine Burlesque, Sweet N Nasty, Hulapalooza, Sugarshack Burlesque and Revealed. She has performed for audiences at many venues across the United States and Canada including The Pink Door, Seattle, and The Palace of Wonders, DC and Meow Mix, Montreal, and with great bands like I Love You Airlines, Fisherman's Vibraphonic Orchestra, The Choke, and Matt Muscleman and The Syncopators. Pinkie performs extensively with the Hula Hoop and makes custom hoops and teaches a weekly hoop/exercise class. She also twirls baton, plays guitar, sings, and is full of jokes. She has been coined 'The Monty Python of Burlesque' by Julie Atlas Muz and 'Genius Retard' by Tigger!. Recently Pinkie started a special dance troupe, The Animal Crackers Eccentric Dancers, featuring Miss Saturn, Aimee Animal, Darlinda Just Darlina. Eccentric dance evokes old school vaudeville with the clowny, burlap style of movement.photo by "corporal tunnel"
Jo Boobs Weldon
Jo Weldon, Headmistress of the New York School of Burlesque, was a featured performer in Margaret Cho's variety show, the Sensuous Woman. She recently served as coach and consultant on the Victor Victrola episode of Gossip Girl. In 2007, the Village Voice named her Best Teacher in their Best of New York issue in Arts and Entertainment. In 2006 she was voted Best Burlesque Teacher and Mentor at the New York Burlesque Festival, and in 2005 she was voted Best Bump N Grinder. She is the judging co-ordinator for the Miss Exotic World Pageant and has been producing at Coney Island's Burlesque at the Beach series for five years. Going back a ways, in the early 1990s she was a feature dancer, traveling across the country with trunks full of props and costumes to headline at strip joints across the US and Canada; she performed her first fan dance in 1991. She also maintains a burlesque blog featuring backstage photos, news items, and interviews at burlesquedaily.blogspot.comhttp://www.schoolofburlesque.com
http://burlesquedaily.blogspot.com
photo by Don Spiro
Anita Cookie
Sun-baked off the shores of the pacific, Anita Cookie has taken The Big Apple by storm and her love of tequila, being the product of those San Diego origins, is nothing compared to her insatiable hunger for cookies! Anita's bubbly voice and sultry dance moves have graced the stages of such fine New York and Brooklyn establishments as the Cutting Room, South Paw, Rafifi, Galapagos, BB King's, Don Hill's, Mo Pitkins and The Derby (LA). When Anita's not shakin' her hips and smackin' her lips, she's whippin' up the finest and most delectable goodies in her kitchen.
With the innocence of a lush and her fondness for baked goods, Anita hopes to spread her philosophy of "Cookies, not war" all around NYC and maybe even the world.
Everyone always needs A. COOKIE!photo by Elise Dawson
Lil' Miss Lixx
Lil' Miss Lixx innocently wandered off a playground in Baltimore Maryland into the whirlwind of New York City. Immediately, she became enthralled in the wonderful world of burlesque. A classically trained ballerina, Lixx traded in her pointe shoes for pasties! She hypnotizes audiences with her cute sass, flirty smile and naughty Lolita-like look. Lixx has had the honor of gracing such stages as The Slipper Room, Webster Hall, Mo Pitkins, The Bowery Poetry Club, Galapagos Art Space, Corio, and Coney Island's Sideshows by the Seashore. She also headlined the World Famous *BOB*'s monthly show in June 2007, was crowned Starshine's 2008 Summer Starlet and is a regular performer Ixion Burlesque and Kitty Nights. When she isn't acting "time-out" worthy on stage, she can be found eating ice cream cones and lollipops...and don't worry about those bruises on her knees! She got them when she tripped in a game of hopscotch!!!photo by Marlo Gamora
Stormy Leather
Stormy Leather.... burlesque performer, go go dancer, and model. She got her start in Chicago, go go dancing at Berlin and performing with Eve's Parlor Burlesque at Ozzfest in 2004. Once this tempestuous redhead arrived in NYC, she ripped through the burlesque scene with her tumultuous performances that have been seen all over NYC... The Slipper Room, Corio, Webster Hall, and the Box just to name a few. She is also a regular at Kitty Nights, Hotsy Totsy, !BadAss! and the Rouge Coquette. Stormy now cohosts Dirty Bomb, a monthly NYC rock party, with producers Supermorgan and NYC Live Rock... www.nycliverock.com.photo by Monty Leman
Ferro
self-portraitVictoria Privates
(stage kitten / door)The Adorable Badass of Burlesque! Born of a violent chemical reaction between Love Potion No.9 and ramen noodles, Victoria Privates has been preying on the unsuspecting souls of those foolish enough to trust her seemingly innocent face. By day, she prowls the streets in search of literal and metaphorical disguises, but by night, she is a pasty-clad terror on a hell-path to nudity. Super powers include Laser Eyes and Ass Shakin'. Cupcakes are her only weakness.
Photo by Leland Bobbé
