Creative Alliance, the Baltimore arts non-profit, is set to host its 3rd annual Burlesque and Variety Festival from Sept. 26-27.
The two-day festival will consist of performances, classes, panels, and lectures that explore the rich history of burlesque in Baltimore and celebrate the medium’s diverse artistry.
The term burlesque, first appearing in the 19th century, originally meant a theatrical production that imitates or mocks a serious subject. In the U.S., burlesque has its own variations, combining comedy, theater, magic, drag, and aerialists to the shows.
Burlesque dwindled here in the 1960s but made a comeback in the 90s through the “neo-burlesque” movement.
“Burlesque means to turn things on its head,” said Maria Bella, co-producer of this weekend’s show and founder of Gilded Lily Burlesque. “Our festival combines burlesque, drag, sideshow, circus, belly dance and other variety arts.”
Bella said the show continues the neo-burlesque movement in Baltimore, highlighting the history of burlesque in the city.
“Burlesque in Baltimore is dominated by ‘The Block,’ a notorious stretch of East Baltimore Street that housed a thriving burlesque and vaudeville scene in the early to mid-20th century,” she said.
In a city known for its “eclectic arts culture,” performing burlesque acts as a reminder of “preserving and celebrating the city’s long history of creativity, performance, and self-expression,” she said.
Burlesque provides a stage for artists to combine talent and storytelling in ways that honor the historical significance of the practice, but also “push boundaries of modern performance,” Bella said.
Host of the show, Jennifer Eden, known as “Mx. Eden,” said burlesque was first introduced to them from their mother, a show girl and stage singer.
Since a young age, Eden has been a fan of burlesque, and the meaning behind it.
“Burlesque has always been inclusive in a lot of forms of art and entertainment…. It has always been for people of color, for people of different sizes, different abilities,” Eden said. “Burlesque can really be an example to other forms of art and entertainment on how to really be inclusive and how to exemplify diversity.”
The art form doesn’t require formal background in dance or performance, Eden said, making it accessible to all.
“We don’t all have a ballet/tap/jazz dance background,” Eden said. “And burlesque doesn’t require that.”
With few barriers to enter the burlesque space, Eden explained that burlesque relies on DIY crafts and creativity. Props and costumes for the upcoming show are created, Eden said, with paper mache, hot glue and a jewelry adhesive known as E6000 .
“Folks will get together and skill-share and … sew and rhinestone together…. There are some people in the community who are like really amazing costumers and sewers and do very professional level stuff. But a lot of it is handmade,” Eden said.
In addition to the artistry, burlesque shows have evolved to become a gender expression outlet, giving space for audience members and performers to celebrate gender nuances.
“It’s not all feminine performance. And I think that that’s really beautiful and really subversive,” Eden said. “There’s folks who do all sorts of like gender bendy stuff in their acts.”
“As much as burlesque is pasties and curves and feathers and all sorts of beautiful things that we associate with femininity, there’s also real people under there who live their lives in all sorts of expressions of gender,” they said.
To learn more about the burlesque show, visit creativealliance.org.
