Spectacles of Agency and Desire: Dance Histories and the Burlesque Stage

The Burlesque Companion: Families to Exotic Pets

Constantly touring and performing night and day, being a stage Burlesque dancer can be a very lonely profession. Some performers have had husbands and children that support them, whereas others have gone through publicly scandalous divorces. Some even turned to exotic pets such as cheetahs and snakes for companionship. This path explores the variety of companions that Burlesque Dancers have chosen to care for. It also goes into the idea of the “Burlesque Celebrity” and how exoticism and power can come from outrageous animals and public displays. I will explore the idea of persona, the need to constantly reinvent oneself, and how a Burlesque Dancer is received and perceived by the media and public positively and negatively will.

Exotic animals have appeared in the burlesque world as early as the 1930s. Watch here Dances with Doves, a performance by Rosita Royce in involving her exotic pet birds. 

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