Burlesque Appreciation 2022 - An Introduction

In February of 2020, before the world changed, I challenged myself to write mini-essays every day to ponder and reflect upon ideas, institutions, but mostly people in the burlesque community who have made an imprint on me.  If you care to read any of those entries, you can find the whole blog here.

I planned to do it again in February 2021, but the time came and went. I thought I'd get it done in March, then April or May, but my professional life was been both busy and unpredictable. As it stands, I hope to publish this in December, which will mark my first in-person attendance at a burlesque show in almost two years, at the Savannah Burlesque Festival. I appreciate how so many performers have pivoted to producing virtual content, sometimes making work that could never exist in a live theatrical environment. However, as others have noted, burlesque is a markedly different experience absent a crowd, and, speaking only for myself, I have not been as fulfilled or inspired watching acts on a screen.

Acts are what this exercise will be spotlighting this time around. Last year, though I tried to mix it up, it became easier to write about specific performers I've spent time with and gained some insight into their process. This time, in 2022, I'm going to write about 22 specific burlesque acts that I've enjoyed. I'm not claiming these are my 22 favorite routines, though I certainly enjoy each one featured, so I'll just say these are 22 acts that I love and for which video is publicly available online.

Please read, watch, and enjoy, and I hope to see you at a live show in 2022!