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

Women Watching Women

People rarely agree on one idea or on one side of an argument. This is no exception with opinions about the burlesque art form. Some women feel burlesque allows women power over their own body and the ability to make confident choices for themselves. Others feel the art form causes men to think of women as only physical creatures and not as intellectual beings. Burlesque throughout the generations has shifted from an art form consumed by a male heavy audience to an art form attainable by women as well. Women slowly became more familiar with burlesque and were seen in burlesque shows more and more often. Burlesque dancers have also shifted their material and acts to entice and impress audiences of all genders and all avenues of sexuality. 
 
Though even today, censorship and negative stigmas still are associated with burlesque. Throughout burlesque's history the art form has morphed to include a more diverse audience but has continued to rely on its foundational characteristics. 


 

This page has paths:

Contents of this path:

This page has tags: