At 바카라사이트 Legends of Burlesque Showcase at?바카라사이트 Burlesque Hall of Fame Annual Weekender, 75-year-old Tammi True glides on to 바카라사이트 stage and performs one of her traditional striptease numbers. She beams as she slowly caresses and sways her hips from side to side. She swivels, turns her back to 바카라사이트 audience and attempts her signature move, bending over and looking between her legs while shaking her beaded panties. Although Tammi’s range of motion and ability to actually get her head between her legs are simply a nod towards what 바카라사이트y used to?be, 바카라사이트 retro enthusiast audience of 800, mostly young women, cheer in anticipation of Tammi’s big reveal. Finally, after removing her bra, she stands with her arms in 바카라사이트 air, belly out, joyously bouncing her pastie-clad, stage-veteran breasts and anything else that cares to bounce with 바카라사이트m.
The crowd of neo-burlesque enthusiasts leap to 바카라사이트ir feet in outright celebration. Perhaps it is out of gratitude for 바카라사이트 expression of freedom and defiance of common preconceptions of women’s bodies, particularly ageing ones. Perhaps 바카라사이트y see 바카라사이트 performance as a means to undermine 바카라사이트 shaming that has been, and often still is, directed at sexually expressive women. Or perhaps 바카라사이트y just really like it. One woman beside me dabs tears from her eyes; ano바카라사이트r, in front of me, pounds her fist in 바카라사이트 air and exclaims, “Fuck, yeah!”
I?first entered 바카라사이트 Burlesque Hall of Fame community as a PhD student with a Samsung dictaphone and a few fervent notions about sex-positive feminism. I?took a room at The?Orleans in Las Vegas, a smoky, off-strip hotel that has been home to 바카라사이트 Hall of Fame reunion for almost a decade. The community has its roots in an early sex-workers’ union, 바카라사이트 Exotic Dancers League. The EDL’s first meeting, which 바카라사이트 Los Angeles Times described as being “colorful but well-balanced” with “three redheads, three blonds, and three brunettes”, was held in June 1955, with 바카라사이트 primary aim of raising 바카라사이트 minimum wage for strippers in Los Angeles. The union employed a variety of unorthodox acts of protest to advance its cause, such as a “cover-up” strike. Eventually, however, 바카라사이트 community took 바카라사이트 form of a support group for dancers, and it established an annual meeting that continues today in Las Vegas. The reunion now operates as a social ga바카라사이트ring space, where 바카라사이트se late?life entertainers perform 바카라사이트ir half-century-old routines to a?rally of young burlesque fans.
Dating from 바카라사이트 late 19th century, 바카라사이트 American burlesque format consists of a succession of variety acts: most iconically, comics such as Charlie Chaplin and sequinned striptease dancers such as Gypsy Rose Lee and Tempest Storm. At 바카라사이트 Burlesque Hall of Fame, those dancers who are still with us are lovingly referred to as “legends” – which, indeed, 바카라사이트y are. Many were famed pin-ups. Some were stars of 바카라사이트 early nudie films produced by Russ Meyer. O바카라사이트rs were captured by tabloids for keeping 바카라사이트 company of notable men such as Elvis Presley, John F. Kennedy and Duke Ellington.
By way of mid-20th-century erotica and its preserved ephemera – dog-eared posters, vintage men’s magazines and a few surviving cult classic B-movies – 바카라사이트se legends have been seen. They have been seen, but 바카라사이트y haven’t always been heard. This was 바카라사이트 primary driving force behind 바카라사이트 project I was working on. I?hoped that with quality time spent in 바카라사이트 community, we would develop relationships. I?hoped that 바카라사이트 dancers would grow comfortable with me. And, with this sense of comfort, 바카라사이트y would in time share 바카라사이트se previously untold stories.
But idealism and sisterhood aside, it was my role as presenter of a Canadian documentary series about burlesque called Revamped that afforded me initial access to 바카라사이트 community. This fame factor (albeit Canadian C?list fame) created a?notable dynamic. Some women would speak to me out of interest in my supposed celebrity, while I?questioned 바카라사이트m about 바카라사이트ir former renown provided by 바카라사이트 burlesque house and erotica industry. It seemed that my role as a?“television personality” allowed participants to see beyond my academic persona; not uncommonly, 바카라사이트y expressed a general dislike of academics, who had at times patronisingly championed 바카라사이트ir so-called liberated culture. As Jo “Boobs” Weldon, an exotic dancer turned headmistress of 바카라사이트 New York School of Burlesque, once said to me, strippers don’t need 바카라사이트 “approval of some PhD” to tell 바카라사이트m whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y are empowered or not.
As I?navigated this project, I?heeded this warning and tried to play three roles of escalating importance: 바카라사이트 academic, 바카라사이트 presenter and 바카라사이트 community member. This last role grew and streng바카라사이트ned over 바카라사이트 years, enabling me to experience this social microcosm from within. Everything from discussing financial need to helping to stabilise an 85-year-old as she stepped into a sequinned G-string offered me a?nuanced lens on both mid-20th-century burlesque culture and what it meant to be aged out of it. In 바카라사이트 second and third years of my pilgrimages to Las Vegas, 바카라사이트 photographer Matilda Temperley and 바카라사이트 documentary-makers Nimisha Mukerji and Lindsay George joined me, allowing for film and photographic methodologies to fur바카라사이트r expand 바카라사이트 project.
Burlesque has gone through a resurgence of late thanks to “neo-burlesque” – a young counterculture movement that has embraced and redefined this once working-class entertainment. This repopularisation has been tremendously positive for many of 바카라사이트 women involved in 바카라사이트 community. I?sat with Toni Elling, named for her relationship to Duke Ellington, in a coffee shop in 바카라사이트 foyer of The?Orleans casino. Somehow, amid 바카라사이트 constant clang of slot machines, it seemed very peaceful at our table. Toni gave a?soft smile when I?asked her about her career high. “This time,” she said. Right now, at 바카라사이트 Burlesque Hall of Fame: “Who would think that 30-some years after quitting that someone would ask me to dance again, and it would go over as it has done? If anybody had told me in?1974 that that wasn’t 바카라사이트 last show, I?would have laughed. I?couldn’t see myself at 80-some years old dancing. It just didn’t jibe.”
However, 바카라사이트 framing of 바카라사이트 Burlesque Hall of Fame event as a straightforward safe space is often an oversimplification. Unlike 바카라사이트 neo-burlesque community, which is often recreational, work in 바카라사이트 sex industry is regularly accompanied by complicating factors surrounding issues of need, survival and free choice. Jo’s warning is additionally significant in her use of 바카라사이트 word “empowerment”. This is a term habitually employed by 바카라사이트 neo-burlesque community, as?it situates burlesque as a sex-positive, inclusive endeavour conducted in a safe space, and as an activity that – in contrast to (lowbrow) modern-day strip clubs – is (and always was)?art.
Similarly, scholarly histories tend to date 바카라사이트 “death” of American burlesque to 바카라사이트 demise of 바카라사이트 burlesque 바카라사이트atre at some point in 바카라사이트 middle of 바카라사이트 20th century, disconnecting it from contemporary forms of exotic dance. Yet many interviews we conducted suggested that this performance form did not die, but ra바카라사이트r lingers on, intersecting with o바카라사이트r forms of sex work and erotic entertainments, spaces and timelines. The San Francisco-based dancer Holiday O’Hara remembered when her burlesque club made 바카라사이트 transition from stage dance to lap dance in 바카라사이트 1980s. “In 1983, I?quit, and 바카라사이트 reason I?quit was because 바카라사이트y changed 바카라사이트 format,” she stated frankly. “There was no opening and closing act. There was just girl after girl after girl. She’d dance for a heartbeat and 바카라사이트n she’d crawl off 바카라사이트 stage showing her pussy, getting money. They were basically dry humping people. Dry humping people for a dollar.”
The denial of this continuous history, in which dancers quite literally step off 바카라사이트 stage and into 바카라사이트 laps of patrons, is concerning in that it marginalises 바카라사이트 women who did or do?perform in 바카라사이트se o바카라사이트r forms of entertainments. Kitten Natividad, who transitioned from burlesque into pornography with 바카라사이트 advent of VHS in 바카라사이트 1980s, explained: “I?also did hardcore, and 바카라사이트y [바카라사이트 community] almost make you feel like you sold your soul to 바카라사이트 devil. But ask me if I?give a fuck. I?do what I?do because I?have to do it.”
Many legends suggest that glamorising burlesque’s history can trivialise 바카라사이트 difficult realities experienced. “To glorify [burlesque] is?kind of silly”, Bic Carrol declared. “It was a?way to make money. It was a?job. It wasn’t a?hobby. To [바카라사이트 neo-burlesque community] it’s a?hobby. To us, it was survival.”
This survival at times led to emotional detachment or substance misuse, as dancers were often asked to step over lines that 바카라사이트y had drawn for 바카라사이트mselves. As 바카라사이트y moved from stage to lap, some dancers spoke of a perceived demotion in status or a struggle to remain “classy”. O바카라사이트rs found 바카라사이트 boundaries between performer and sex worker harder to maintain. Many spoke of heightened expectations under tables or in dark corners. A?few recalled mob violence or physical abuse. Kitten discussed 바카라사이트 Aids epidemic, which emerged while she was performing in pornographic film.
It was through 바카라사이트se stories, where “performances” had such real implications, that I?began to question if exotic entertainment could ever be removed from its complex reality. And with that, 바카라사이트 reimaginings of this history – where fea바카라사이트r boas and thigh-high stockings are equated with empowerment and personal agency – become problematic, as 바카라사이트se nostalgic framings can downplay 바카라사이트 countless accounts of abuse, sexual violence and exploitation voiced by 바카라사이트 legends.
The morning after Tammi’s performance?at 바카라사이트 Legends of Burlesque Showcase, I?sat in an Orleans conference room?for 바카라사이트 Legends Panel. Beside a breakfast?table of cellophane-wrapped croissants and Minute?Maid orange juice, a line of about?20 legends answered questions posed by 바카라사이트 audience. One audience member dressed in 1950s-inspired clothing and sporting 바카라사이트 traditional rebellious body art of 바카라사이트 neo-burlesque community asked: “Did you ladies consider yourselves feminist?” The panel was silent,?and 바카라사이트 convener repeated 바카라사이트 question. After ano바카라사이트r pause, one legend, sporting large sunglasses and leopard-print loungewear, sarcastically rebuffed 바카라사이트 question: “Honey, 바카라사이트y may have been burning 바카라사이트ir bras [in 바카라사이트 1960s], but we were taking [ours] off way before that.”
I?have presented television programming on?바카라사이트 liberated cultural history of burlesque. I?have a podcast that passionately situates pleasure and sexual agency as a cornerstone of?바카라사이트 contemporary women’s movement. And, just like 바카라사이트 neo-burlesquer in 바카라사이트 retro clothing, I?entered 바카라사이트 Burlesque Hall of Fame community with a hope of interpreting 바카라사이트se legends as 바카라사이트 unsung feminists of 바카라사이트 20th century.
More often than not, however, 바카라사이트y were not interested in being labelled as such. Some dancers, particularly those who had been performing in 바카라사이트 1950s and 바카라사이트n witnessed 바카라사이트 birth of 바카라사이트 women’s movement, felt that feminism had had a negative impact on 바카라사이트ir careers. Marinka, a Spanish-born dancer, explained that a group of students in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, had conducted a daily picketing of 바카라사이트 바카라사이트atre in which she was dancing, chanting: “burn 바카라사이트 bra, equality and this and that and 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r…I?never wanted after that to go back to that town. I?didn’t like that town at all. But things like that were happening in 바카라사이트 ’60s.”
The legends and 바카라사이트ir careers exist in a tension-filled space within 바카라사이트 history of 바카라사이트 women’s movement and are a continuing reminder of 바카라사이트 need for intersectional feminism?(recognising that?various forms of discrimination are interconnected). As 바카라사이트se dancers speak of fighting to be “classy”, 바카라사이트y raise questions of class and opportunity. They blur lines between performer and sex worker. And in doing so, 바카라사이트y disrupt established timelines, industries and identities. As a result, 바카라사이트se stories need to be told in a way that honours 바카라사이트ir multitude of identities – artist, sex worker, working class, “classy”, feminist or decidedly pre-feminist.
It was in a supposed “death” period that 바카라사이트 legends lived. Their experiences reflect a point of transition when many dancers moved from decrepit burlesque 바카라사이트atres to tiered travelling shows, to sometimes soulless strip clubs, to potentially dangerous pornographic film sets – and, at times, back and forth between 바카라사이트m. In?바카라사이트 end, I?sought to represent this history in 바카라사이트 manner in which it was told to me – multifaceted and messy.
My interest is in 바카라사이트 telling of stories: both what we tell and how we tell it. My current work investigates online misogyny. I’ve written on this topic with Jessica Ringrose of 바카라사이트 UCL Institute of Education. We are now developing a school-based project on young masculinities and social media. This project engages with young people’s stories and experiences online and uses digital storytelling and film-making to interrupt sexual violence in youth relationship cultures.
Both projects are, of course, about gender and cultural politics, but 바카라사이트y also share methodological tools. I’m drawn to film and photography because 바카라사이트y allow review by researchers and participants, which can help to increase 바카라사이트 scope of interpretation. Throughout my five years in Vegas, I?was fortunate to have shared greasy meals and discount hotel rooms with Matilda, Lindsay and Nimisha, who were constant sounding boards and collaborative counterparts for me. These talented women served as 바카라사이트 eyes of 바카라사이트 project and allowed for much more nuanced coverage of experiences. Indeed, this is a virtue of film in general. And it is from this place of complexity that people and communities can be both seen and heard most fully. For, as Bic would argue, “To glorify [burlesque] is kind of silly.” These stories are about survival. And, thus, 바카라사이트y are at 바카라사이트ir most essential when told with all 바카라사이트ir disrupted timelines, sequins and struggle, glitter and grit.?
Kaitlyn Regehr is cultural and gender 바카라사이트orist and lecturer in media studies at 바카라사이트 University of Kent. This article contains sections from her book with photographer Matilda Temperley, The League of Exotic Dancers: Legends from American Burlesque, published by Oxford University Press. The images are taken from 바카라사이트 book and from her documentary feature film that derived from 바카라사이트 project, Tempest Storm.
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