BluntTruthGentleman

OP - what kinds of burlesque are available in your city?

As an ex-boylesquer and the first in my city (6 years ago) and have had quite a bit of experience.

I need to clarify something important. Contrary to what people may believe, and what OP has summarized, burlesque is not just about taking your clothes off. OP may have simply glazed over this without intending to make it seem so or may be less exposed to the many fantastic interpretations of burlesque, but that's not important. I'm not here to flame but to help educate about what burlesque and boylesque are really about :)

Being succinct, every troupe I've ever performed with, and nearly every performer within that troupe has their own interpretation of burlesque. If you've ever attended steampunk events or been immersed in another subculture (like 'goth', metal, w/e) then picture it similarly; each subdivides into dozens of interesting and distinct ways. And as the subculture develops, the groups that make it up diversify as well. I personally find this beautiful - it happens with musical genres, subcultures, and everything in between and makes us who we are.

In burlesque, I've noticed many interpretations that were not centrally focused on stripping. While the OP's style and many others involve stripping, many leave it as an afterthought or not at all. The best troupes and performances I've been part of were more performance art centered, where we'd act out a scene (like the slaying of medusa by perseus, or aladdin and the genie) but put a very sexy twist on it. Sometimes it involved stripping, sometimes it was just in a vintage, burlesque setting and got steamy.

Other types include live music. I actually started out MCing and drumming for the first troupe in our city before being pulled into some of the sets as a "human prop", joining routines, and then doing my own sets. I was the only guy in a group of 12 other women.

I could probably list quite a few performances that I liked that were all different, but off the top of my head my favorite non-stripping groups were nerd-lesquers, a type of steampunk burlesque, and a bdsm group who focused more on the sex and less on the act of stripping. I would give the names of these troupes but if I did you would know what city they are from, and given the rarity of guys on the scene here you'd know who I am pretty quickly, so that will do for now :)

OP - thanks so much for starting this great thread. I just want people to know that burlesque is more than stripping in lingerie and is as interpretive as any other art form, regardless of if you're a guy or a girl.

Edit: Proof http://imgur.com/wawTOk2

How closely are you working with Erowid, its staff and/or its supporters?

Why do you make a distinction between civilians and Isaelis? Does your group have a special interest or agenda to give priority treatment to Israelis?