A brief history of burlesque:
At 23, I started getting into Burlesque, and I loved it. The sensuality, the weirdness, the freedom. The variety shows and bar shows. I also began connecting more with queer artists and political activists.
Burlesque originated from poverty and the need to express oneself. Initially called „burleske,“ a funny, weird theater, it evolved into „burlesque,“ a more erotic show. The term „burleske“ comes from the Italian word „burlesco,“ which apparently means something like „fun.“ It moved to Broadway, and suddenly women who otherwise had to prostitute themselves had an opportunity to earn good money and be independent. Of course, patriarchy didn’t like independent women, so it was banned in the 1930s.
Luckily, after the Second World War, it made a comeback. It became less about removing clothing and more about the artist’s personality, presence, costume, and interaction with the audience. It questioned patriarchal structures. In modern times, it isn’t as popular because the fashion and beauty industry gained more popularity with a new beauty standard of skinny top models.
Fotographers:
Cornelius Schiffmann
Menno Design
Jürgen Gocke