The Candy Gram: Sahara Dunes

In our ongoing Q&A series --"The Candy Gram"-- we ask the same quirky questions of burlesque's various performers. If you want to be added to the mix, drop us a line at kellydinardo AT gmail DOT com. Today, say hello to Sahara Dunes.

What is your hometown?
Portland, Oregon by way of Kingstown, St. Vincent, West Indies

How long have you been interested in burlesque/performing?
I have always been somewhat of a performer. Whether it was on the sands of the West Indies or under our awning on our porch or in the club on stage, I was always trying some kind of new dance or come up with new moves. I starting performing burlesque in 2004, shortly after my son was born. However, motherhood took precedence to burlesque until 2006. That was when I had the opportunity to start performing more and more local and regional gigs.

How many pairs of pasties do you own?
Oh my. I'd have to say about 20 pair.

What three items could you not live without as a performer?
Fishnets, body/face/hair glitter, and baby wipes.

Who had the biggest influence on your career?
Non-performer, I'd say that has been my friends and family. They have given me lots of support and help in my burlesque career. Encouragement from them has helped greatly. As far as performers go, I'd have to Miss Indigo Blue. She really takes the time to share her knowledge with you and makes the effort to help performers coming up behind her.

Who is your favorite burly queen?
I'd have to say Dirty Martini. She's such an inspiration.

What is your favorite item of clothing?
My black cowgirl boots.

What's the last movie you saw?
Old School

What's on your must-see-TV list?
Well, I don't have a TV so that's hard. But when I did have one CSI and WWE were definitely programmed in my TV.

What book is on your nightstand?
The Ethical Slut and The Dummy's Guide to HTML.

If you could go anywhere for vacation, where would you go?
On a cruise to the Greek Isles.

If you could have any superpower, which one would you want? Why?
I would want to be able to change into any form or object at any point and time. Think about all those things you could do if you were able to twist, bend, shrink, flatten.

Satisfy your appetite for more Candy Grams: Mimi Rockafellar, Baby Le Strange, Rose Darling, Satan's Angel, Ophelia Flame, Panache La Plume, Ginger Valentine, Madame Rosebud, Little Brooklyn, Victoria Veneance, Sauci Calla Horra, Penny Starr Jr., Gemma Parker, Darla DeVine, Sparkly Devil, Vivienne VaVoom, Lux LaCroix, Charlotte La Belle Araignee, Bunny Love, Amber Topaz, Amelie Soleil, Red Hot Annie, HoneyLu, Kimberlee Rose, Vicky Butterfly, Dominique Immora, Yasmine Vine, Cherry Bomb, Millie Dollar, Joanie Gyoza, Bonbon Vivant, Lola Martinet, Frankie Boudoir, Vixen Violette, Ravenna Black, Veronica Lashe, Amber Ray, Beatrix von Bourbon, Angie Pontani, Tanya Cheex, Bloody Belle, Clams Casino, Trixie Little, Michelle L'Amour, Margaret Cho, Miss Dirty Martini, Princess Farhana, Miss Delirium Tremens, Paris Green, Jo Boobs, Jack Midnight, Heidi Von Haught, Diamond Minx, The Titillation Twins, Scratch, Creamy Stevens and Gina Louise.

Talking with Dita: Part Three

In the October issue of the Canadian magazine Glow, I wrote a piece about the history and revival of burlesque. Not all of my interview with Dita Von Teese made it into the story so I'll be serving up occasional outtakes.

Why do you think the neo-burlesque movement has gained momentum in the last few years? What's behind the increased interest?
The media gave it a lot of attention, and so the interest grew.

What is burlesque's appeal for people today?
I think a lot of women see it as a way to feel beautiful and sexy without fitting into the typical modern day standards of beauty, where the emphasis seems to be on natural, bikini-model, so-called healthy looking tanned slim bodies. Burlesque embraces artifice and fantasy and it's an image that can be created and emulated. It's about sensual freedom, and the enjoyment of sex and fun of a playful nature! Seduction and feminine prowess! And I would say that the men, for the most part, are enjoying the benefits of this.

Is that different than its appeal to audiences fifty years ago?
I think that the emphasis was more on titillation for a predominantly male audience, but I think its also quite interesting that it was more acceptable back then in many ways than it is now in the United States. I perform a lot more often in Europe, and there is an entirely different attitude toward burlesque as art, whereas in the US, sadly, most people don't know the rich history of burlesque in America, where it was truly invented and perfected. Americans have taken steps backwards with regard to sex and nudity, and that's a shame.

~Part One of Talking with Dita
~Part Two of Talking with Dita

Video of the Week

Have a spooky, shimmy-licious Halloween.

The Candy Pitch Wants YOU!

The Candy Pitch is heading out of town on assignment and looking for guest bloggers. Interested? Drop me a line at kellydinardo AT gmail DOT com for details.

All The News That's Fit To Strip

Miss Coco La Crème seduces audiences with Toronto’s Skin Tight Outta Sight Rebel Burlesque. She tells Shameless that she's driven "by an intense need and desire to create work that connects with an audience. Whether that means bringing to life an incredible costume, creating a challenging performance piece, or teaching women about their bodies and sexual power - it all works for me. I love to see people’s reactions to my work and get feedback. Plus, if I didn’t have an outlet I’d probably explode!"

In other news ...

The Chicago Sun-Times talks to Tura Santana and The Japan Times chats with Annie of Murasaki Babydoll.

A drag queen threw a condom at Leonardo DiCaprio at a burlesque show.

Burlesque heats up a long, cold winter in Alaska.

If you're in Chicago on Oct. 30, don't miss Barry R. Bone's Burlesque Brothel at The Darkroom. The show is going where no other murder mystery has gone before.

The Candy Gram: Mimi Rockafellar

In our ongoing Q&A series --"The Candy Gram"-- we ask the same quirky questions of burlesque's various performers. If you want to be added to the mix, drop us a line at kellydinardo AT gmail DOT com. Today, say hello to Mimi Rockafellar.

What is your hometown?
Midlothian, Texas

How long have you been interested in burlesque/performing?
I've been interested in burlesque for two years now ever since I found the audition notice, I've been interested in performing since I was around five and would watch musicals and got to perform at my dance school's recital

How many pairs of pasties do you own?
I don't own any, only because we don't use them in our show but I have always been curious to buy a pair for personal reasons.

What are your three favorite songs to perform to?
If Loving You is Wrong, Rag Doll and Big Spender.

What three items could you not live without as a performer?
Fishnets, caffeine, and eyelashes

Who had the biggest influence on your career?
My sisters. My oldest sister for being blunt and honest with me and not sugar-coating things, which I always hated but loved at the same time. Lindsay because she has always been my biggest supporter, and my last sister Jamie because if it wasn't for her I wouldn't have ever gotten into dance

Who is your favorite burly queen?
Gypsy Rose Lee, there is one particular routine I saw and the whole time she is talking about thinking of Shakespeare or a painting by Monet while barely taking anything off and I love that because even the men in the crowd were fascinated and applauded her at the end of the routine when even though she took stockings, garters, and her bra off she still had her dress on.

What's the last movie you saw?
Mama Mia. I saw the musical years ago and I was a little hesitant to go see the movie version, but I was actually quite pleased with it

What's on your must-see-TV list?
With the busy schedule that comes with performances, rehearsals and what not it's really hard to get to watch anything. Thank God for Tivo. I love Mad Men and The Girls Next Door. I love comedy and I love crime scene shows. For the most part I'm a re-runs kind of gal of old shows that don't come on anymore

What book is on your nightstand?
I'm a sucker for steamy romance novels so everything in my nightstands are different ones that I have been told to read, sometimes I'll stay up till 5 a.m. because they're so good.

If you could go anywhere for vacation, where would you go?
Either to a tropical destination like Bora Bora or on a cruise.

If you could have any superpower, which one would you want? Why?
Mind reader. I'm so curious about what is going in certain people's heads.

Satisfy your appetite for more Candy Grams: Mynx D'Meanor, Baby Le Strange, Rose Darling, Satan's Angel, Ophelia Flame, Panache La Plume, Ginger Valentine, Madame Rosebud, Little Brooklyn, Victoria Veneance, Sauci Calla Horra, Penny Starr Jr., Gemma Parker, Darla DeVine, Sparkly Devil, Vivienne VaVoom, Lux LaCroix, Charlotte La Belle Araignee, Bunny Love, Amber Topaz, Amelie Soleil, Red Hot Annie, HoneyLu, Kimberlee Rose, Vicky Butterfly, Dominique Immora, Yasmine Vine, Cherry Bomb, Millie Dollar, Joanie Gyoza, Bonbon Vivant, Lola Martinet, Frankie Boudoir, Vixen Violette, Ravenna Black, Veronica Lashe, Amber Ray, Beatrix von Bourbon, Angie Pontani, Tanya Cheex, Bloody Belle, Clams Casino, Trixie Little, Michelle L'Amour, Margaret Cho, Miss Dirty Martini, Princess Farhana, Miss Delirium Tremens, Paris Green, Jo Boobs, Jack Midnight, Heidi Von Haught, Diamond Minx, The Titillation Twins, Scratch, Creamy Stevens and Gina Louise.

Talking with Dita: Part Two

In the October issue of the Canadian magazine Glow, I wrote a piece about the history and revival of burlesque. Not all of my interview with Dita Von Teese made it into the story so I'll be serving up occasional outtakes.

How is today's burlesque different than burlesque fifty years ago?
Well, burlesque was basically dead fifty years ago! The golden age of the burlesque theatre ended in the late 1940s when nightclubs became more popular. But in the '30s and '40s, when burlesque theatres were thriving, burlesque audiences were mainly working class men looking for a thrill. You had the grand theatres, like Minsky's, and the audiences of men AND women came out to see the really big stars, like Gypsy. But in your average burlesque show, in the golden age of burlesque, you would have seen a lot of men.

Now, we have a much more diverse audience. I can say that the majority of my own fan base is comprised of young women who are embracing glamour and are getting in touch with their inner bombshells by either performing burlesque in their hometown or for their lovers, or simply enjoying the style of dressing that was popular at the time. And I also think that many of today's dancers are performing for their own empowerment rather than to please their audience and make a living.

What is the difference between stripping and burlesque?
Well, if you ask me, I would say that there isn't technically a difference! Burlesque dancers WERE strippers! They used this term in burlesque. So burlesque is the show, and the dancers were strippers. Okay, so I know that what you really want to hear is what makes me different from a modern day pole dancer/stripper. Well, we are all one in the same, but burlesque is where this whole idea of removing clothes to music in front of an audience started, and pole dancing is where it has evolved to. I refuse to say that I'm "classier" or "better" than any other exotic dancer. I essentially do the same thing - perhaps with more spectacle, and with retro flair. I like the fact that burlesque alway has been risque, and I am confident with myself enough to say that I am proud to be a stripper.

Who are your burlesque role models? What is it that appeals to you about them?
Gypsy is a big role model for me, because she managed to become a major mainstream star, against the odds. Anyone can be an actress or a singer - it's acceptable. But to be a world famous stripper is an entirely different feat! So she did it, and that gave me the hope that if did my very best work, and stuck by my dream and didn't falter or change my path according to what the modern "formula" for success is, that I may have a chance to succeed as a burlesque dancer. I always understood that what makes someone unique is what makes them stand out, and I think that there are a lot of people that don't get that concept. They think that they should follow someone else's game plan.

~ Part One of Talking with Dita

Video of the Week

Talking with Dita

In the October issue of the Canadian magazine Glow, I wrote a piece about the history and revival of burlesque. Not all of my interview with Dita Von Teese made it into the story so I'll be serving up occasional outtakes.

How would you define burlesque?
I usually describe burlesque as a form of live entertainment that was popularized in the 1930s and '40s in America. It was a bit like Vaudeville, which was a variety show, but in Burlesque, the comedy sketches were more sexual in nature, and in burlesque, the headliners were striptease artists. You had all kind of burlesque queens, some were very elegant - like Gypsy Rose Lee, Sally Rand and Lili St. Cyr - and then again you had some really racy dancers too.

How did you get into burlesque?
I was obsessed with films from the '30s and '40s. When I was a teenager, I worked in a lingerie store, and I became very interested in the history of lingerie, and began collecting vintage lingerie and clothes. I wore my hair and makeup in vintage style, and later, when I was 18, I wanted to be photographed pinup style for my boyfriend. It became a hobby for me, making these cheesecake pics, and I started one of the first adult websites on the internet in the early '90s, and it was all retro fetishism and pinup. I was also working in a strip club in 1991, and of course, wearing my corsets and stockings and that is basically how I learned about burlesque. I always wanted to to know the complete history of everything I loved. I developed my profile over the years, so basically, it took me over a decade to get where I am now.

What are the trademarks of a good burlesque performer?
Individuality has always been a key factor, along with charisma and stage presence. But I think the real trick is when it looks effortless and fun, and when the dancer doesn't look like she is trying to be sexy. And above all, because the great burlesque stars were all self-made, I think that it's key that a burlesque dancer creates her own act. It takes some major ambition and desire behind a burlesque act to make it great. It doesn't work when it's just a girl being put in a costume and learning choreography, you lose that individuality and the power behind the performance when it's contrived like that. It's the biggest mistake I see in some of the commercialized burlesque clubs. It looks sanitized and cheesy and there is no heart in the act. It just becomes a pretty girl dancing around, and that isn't enough to be a star. With any performance, this is true, actually. Historically, the best entertainers aren't always "technically" the best when you think about it.

All The News That's Fit To Strip

Dita Von Teese cops to a lingerie habit.

"I have trunks full of lingerie," says the burlesque star. "I have a whole room that is solely for my lingerie. I have three vintage Armoires full of vintage lingerie and then I have things in storage and a corset box too. I've no idea how many I have. It's just too many to count."

In other news ...

A London writer heads to a dance studio to learn the easy-teasy moves of burlesque dancing.

BlackBook names burlesque club Forty Deuce a Las Vegas hot spot.

A global collective of burlesque, variety and circus performers is sensation in London.

The Candy Gram: Mynx D'meanor

In our ongoing Q&A series --"The Candy Gram"-- we ask the same quirky questions of burlesque's various performers. If you want to be added to the mix, drop us a line at kellydinardo AT gmail DOT com. Today, say hello to Mynx D'meanor.

What is your hometown?
I was born in the Philippines, but generally raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, California.

How long have you been interested in burlesque/performing?
My mother, once a locally famous singer (in the Philippines and some Filipino-American communities in California), desperately wanted to push my little sister and me onto the stage. At that time, however, I was unbelievably timid and hid behind the video camera in order to stay in the background. I've always been a fan of old Hollywood musicals and the retro lifestyle, and somehow through the years, I found that my love for dance, performance -- and yes, stripping -- was much greater than my shyness.

How many pairs of pasties do you own?
Not sure. I often make single-use/disposable pasties or use electrical tape in a lot of my acts.

What are your three favorite songs to perform to?
These can change at any time, but for now the are:
Insane In The Brain by Richard Cheese
Malaguena Salerosa by Chingon (Kill Bill Soundtrack)
It's Oh So Quiet by Bjork

What three items could you not live without as a performer?
Mascara, foundation, and glitter (or a vodka and tonic).

Who had the biggest influence on your career?
Bombshell Betty, for almost literally pushing me on stage. She was the first person to teach me that even shy little ol' me (I'm 4'11") has something to offer the audience, given enough encouragement, support and creativity. She's been a good teacher and friend of mine for about four years now.

Who is your favorite burly queen?
Oooh. Hard to decide. I'm a big fan-girl of lots of performers. The ones that come to mind at the moment: Satan's Angel (SO bad ass!); Catherine D'Lish (sultry/sexy to the utmost); Bombshell Betty, Coconuts and Banana Peel (uber silliness!); Cherry Lix (rawr!); Amber Ray (so creative); Renea' Le Roux (just plain fun); and Flame Cynders (living pin-up). I *could* go on and on...

What is your favorite item of clothing?
At the moment: My guy's Asian-print shirt, which I've been using as a backstage robe.

What's the last movie you saw?
I watch a lot of movies via Netflix and online while taking care of business. This morning I watched Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy while doing paperwork. Skyrockets in flight!

What's on your must-see-TV list?
I'm really bad about watching TV online, too. My guilty pleasures are crime/mystery series, like Bones, NCIS, etc.

What book is on your nightstand?
Minsky's Burlesque by Morton Minsky and Milt Machlin and Much Depends on Dinner by Margaret Visser.

If you could go anywhere for vacation, where would you go?
Salvador da Bahia, Brazil! In college, I met a woman who (until she moved to the Bay Area) lived in a house she built with her husband in Brazil. I always fantasized about doing that as well. I'm especially enamored with Bahia because it's been home to so many wonderful musicians and dancers.

If you could have any superpower, which one would you want? Why?
I'm afraid of heights, so naturally I'd like to be able to fly.

Satisfy your appetite for more Candy Grams: Rani Rhinestone, Baby Le Strange, Rose Darling, Satan's Angel, Ophelia Flame, Panache La Plume, Ginger Valentine, Madame Rosebud, Little Brooklyn, Victoria Veneance, Sauci Calla Horra, Penny Starr Jr., Gemma Parker, Darla DeVine, Sparkly Devil, Vivienne VaVoom, Lux LaCroix, Charlotte La Belle Araignee, Bunny Love, Amber Topaz, Amelie Soleil, Red Hot Annie, HoneyLu, Kimberlee Rose, Vicky Butterfly, Dominique Immora, Yasmine Vine, Cherry Bomb, Millie Dollar, Joanie Gyoza, Bonbon Vivant, Lola Martinet, Frankie Boudoir, Vixen Violette, Ravenna Black, Veronica Lashe, Amber Ray, Beatrix von Bourbon, Angie Pontani, Tanya Cheex, Bloody Belle, Clams Casino, Trixie Little, Michelle L'Amour, Margaret Cho, Miss Dirty Martini, Princess Farhana, Miss Delirium Tremens, Paris Green, Jo Boobs, Jack Midnight, Heidi Von Haught, Diamond Minx, The Titillation Twins, Scratch, Creamy Stevens and Gina Louise.

Revealing Images: Pinchbottom Burlesque

In Revealing Images, photographer Don Spiro dishes up sweet photographic treats and the stories behind them. Today, Don aims his lens at Pinchbottom Burlesque.



Pinchbottom Burlesque is doing a James Bond send up, You Only Pinch Twice, and asked me to shoot their promo poster, lampooning the new 007 film, Quantum of Solace. I’d shot the poster for their adventure show and am a huge fan. I’m also a huge fan of James Bond (I’ve seen all the movies and read all the books, including the short stories) so I couldn’t say no.

Jonny Porkpie would do the post production for the poster. Movie posters are usually a composite of a variety of images taken by a photographer, skillfully combined with graphics by a digital artist for the publicity campaign. The photographer on a movie set will take hundreds of photos for this purpose. I know because that’s my day job.

We started with the posters from the actual film’s campaign. Our parody would use this as a template for composition, color, lighting and thematic design. Knowing in advance that the image would be retouched let me concentrate on the models, Jonny Porkpie and Nasty Canasta.

A white backdrop was hung behind them to make separation of the subjects easier to composite. The background would be replaced later so I didn’t care if I shot off the set, I only cared about the area immediately behind them. While Nasty and Jonny got into wardrobe I studied the official poster for light and contrast and saw that the main light was coming from the right side of frame and was hard enough to throw defined shadows. I set one strobe light high and to the right of my frame as my key light, then set a softer light with an umbrella to my left to fill in shadow details and bring out the light in their eyes. I set a third light behind them aimed at the backdrop to blow it out, giving them a nice crisp white background.

Nasty and Jonny posed in positions to match the official poster and I directed them regarding hand placement, weight shift and eyeline. The idea was not to be an exact copy but to give the impression of the actual poster, nonetheless we wanted to get as close as possible. I set the camera at a level between knew to waist, which appeared to match the original. Looking at the perspective of the figures it seemed that the original was composited from images shot with a telephoto lens, so I got as far back as I could and zoomed in. We shot dozens of shots before we were satisfied that we got enough that would work. I shot high resolution RAW format and gave all the images on a dvd to Jonny for immediate editing.

Jonny pulled the elements of Nasty and himself and combined them with other elements, including new graphics (just like theydid for the original Bond poster), and created a masterful parody exactly as I knew he would.

~Don Spiro

Video of the Week

The burlesque documentary A Wink and a Smile is shimmying, shaking and high-kicking its way through the festival circuit. Learn more about the film here and get a glimpse in this week's video of the week.

All The News That's Fit To Strip

After an historically insensitive federal holiday, we're back with more Dita Von Teese. The burlesque queen admitted she started stripping before she was eighteen and that in the '90s she was a raver. "I used to be a rave girl in the early '90s, so I have a pink Adidas tracksuit somewhere that I've worn," Dita told reporters. "But it's a lot of effort to do up all those zippers I feel much more comfortable when I have my slip on."

In other news ...

The Stage looks at Bette's burlesque and New York burlesque.

Jo Boobs posts a few pix from Tease-O-Rama.

The Candy Gram: Rani Rhinestone

In our ongoing Q&A series --"The Candy Gram"-- we ask the same quirky questions of burlesque's various performers. If you want to be added to the mix, drop us a line at kellydinardo AT gmail DOT com. Today, say hello to Rani Rhinestone.

What is your hometown?
Toronto, ON, but originally from Victoria, BC

How long have you been interested in burlesque/performing?
I've been interested in performing for as long as I can remember. When I was six years old I used to put on tapes (eek, the eighties) of popular musicals like Cats or Cabaret. My sister and I would make programs and "sell tickets" to our family, then we'd make them sit and watch us lip-synch and dance to the whole thing.

How many pairs of pasties do you own?
I keep making more, so my burlesque toolbox is always full. Right now I have about 15, but only because I recently gave a bunch away.

What are your three favorite songs to perform to?
I like to take classic burlesque numbers and set them to modern music. Right now, my three favorite songs to perform to are:
The Ocean by The Bravery
Still Raining by Johnny Lang
A View to a Kill by Duran Duran

What three items could you not live without as a performer?
My white ostrich feather fans for an updated fan dance
Double-sided tape for attaching pasties quickly during costume changes
A good pair of heels that are easy to dance in, and show off my 'great gams'

Who had the biggest influence on your career?
Tim Curry in all of his movies, but especially in The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Muppets Treasure Island. I always looked up to Monty Python, Margaret Cho, and Eddie Izzard.

Who is your favorite burly queen?
I love Michelle L'Amour's fan dance, and I love the way Dirty Martini can be political and sexy at the same time. I wouldn't be where I am today without my burlesque mentor, Bettina May from Victoria BC, and I adore the ladies I perform with in the Cinnamon Hearts: Ginger Marquee, Lady Cupcake, Betty La Bomba, Cherry Temple, and our little helper Jennie Boheim.

What is your favorite item of clothing?
My red rhinestone-studded pasties and g-string that I use in my fan dance.

What's the last movie you saw?
Wall-E, who doesn't love Pixar movies?

What's on your must-see-TV list?
I don't have a TV, but if I did I'd watch So You Think You Can Dance.

What book is on your nightstand?
Pretty Things by Liz Goldwyn.

If you could go anywhere for vacation, where would you go?
London. I love the way the old world combines the old and new in unique and exciting ways

If you could have any superpower, which one would you want? Why?
Teleportation. That way I could get myself and all my costumes to gigs so much more easily.

Satisfy your appetite for more Candy Grams: Baby Le Strange, Rose Darling, Satan's Angel, Ophelia Flame, Panache La Plume, Ginger Valentine, Madame Rosebud, Little Brooklyn, Victoria Veneance, Sauci Calla Horra, Penny Starr Jr., Gemma Parker, Darla DeVine, Sparkly Devil, Vivienne VaVoom, Lux LaCroix, Charlotte La Belle Araignee, Bunny Love, Amber Topaz, Amelie Soleil, Red Hot Annie, HoneyLu, Kimberlee Rose, Vicky Butterfly, Dominique Immora, Yasmine Vine, Cherry Bomb, Millie Dollar, Joanie Gyoza, Bonbon Vivant, Lola Martinet, Frankie Boudoir, Vixen Violette, Ravenna Black, Veronica Lashe, Amber Ray, Beatrix von Bourbon, Angie Pontani, Tanya Cheex, Bloody Belle, Clams Casino, Trixie Little, Michelle L'Amour, Margaret Cho, Miss Dirty Martini, Princess Farhana, Miss Delirium Tremens, Paris Green, Jo Boobs, Jack Midnight, Heidi Von Haught, Diamond Minx, The Titillation Twins, Scratch, Creamy Stevens and Gina Louise.

Cho-mazing

Margaret Cho chats about her new tour, doing Sarah Palin and sexism in the comedy world. On gaining confidence from burlesque and her show The Sensuous Woman, she said:

"I think when you learn how to move, that makes you a confident person. It gives you confidence naturally. The belly dancers in general are very confident in their bodies. It's not just dancing, but you're really supposed to relate that you're happy in your body. I've found that (to be true) because I spent so much time as a performer using only words."

Video of the Week

All The News That's Fit To Strip

Dita Von Teese reveals what she knows about men. She tells The Guardian:

"I admire men who have a personal style that doesn't change or falter depending on what I'm wearing, because in relationship after relationship I find that men change to accommodate the way I dress. But I like someone who's comfortable in their own style. I'm just as happy with the guy in a polo shirt as with the guy in a suit."

In other news ...

Sixty-one years ago yesterday Mike Wallace interviewed Lili St. Cyr.

Check out pictures from Tease-O-Rama here and here.

The Candy Gram

This weekend's Tease-O-Rama includes performances by several past Candy Gram interviewees:


* Dirty Martini
* Satan's Angel
* Jo Boobs
* Vivienne VaVoom
* Miss Delirium Tremens
* Ravenna Black
* Amber Ray
* Sparkly Devil


Need more? Well, Tease-O-Rama will be live webcast for the first time ever. And, as always you can satisfy your appetite check out all of our Candy Grams: Rose Darling, Satan's Angel, Ophelia Flame, Panache La Plume, Ginger Valentine, Madame Rosebud, Little Brooklyn, Victoria Veneance, Sauci Calla Horra, Penny Starr Jr., Gemma Parker, Darla DeVine, Sparkly Devil, Vivienne VaVoom, Lux LaCroix, Charlotte La Belle Araignee, Bunny Love, Amber Topaz, Amelie Soleil, Red Hot Annie, HoneyLu, Kimberlee Rose, Vicky Butterfly, Dominique Immora, Yasmine Vine, Cherry Bomb, Millie Dollar, Joanie Gyoza, Bonbon Vivant, Lola Martinet, Frankie Boudoir, Vixen Violette, Ravenna Black, Veronica Lashe, Amber Ray, Beatrix von Bourbon, Angie Pontani, Tanya Cheex, Bloody Belle, Clams Casino, Trixie Little, Michelle L'Amour, Margaret Cho, Miss Dirty Martini, Princess Farhana, Miss Delirium Tremens, Paris Green, Jo Boobs, Jack Midnight, Heidi Von Haught, Diamond Minx, The Titillation Twins, Scratch, Creamy Stevens and Gina Louise.

Revealing Images: Mia Vixen

In Revealing Images, photographer Don Spiro dishes up sweet photographic treats and the stories behind them. Today, Don aims his lens at Mia Vixen.



Mia Vixen is a burlesque dancer based in Southern California, and early one October we decided to do a Halloween photo. She wanted to be in a tub filled with candy corn. This was many years ago and I was shooting medium format film, so we couldn’t fake it with Photoshop.

After spending an evening at the grocery store buying all the bags of candy corn we could find and went back to her place. She did her hair and makeup while we figured out how to set up the shot in the bathtub. The bathroom was white so I took one open faced 1000 watt light and banged it into the ceiling, flooding the room with a soft even fill. I didn’t want anything directly over the tub in case it might fall, and besides, I didn’t want to see my own shadow. I wanted a bit of modeling and texture so I added a very diffused soft light just to one side. If you look closely you can see both lights reflected in her eyes.

We had about two dozen bags and quickly realized you would need about ten times that. The tub was big! When Mia was ready she lay down in the tub and we added a few pillows and towels around her to take up some of the volume of the tub, then buried them with the candy corn. What you see is all candy corn, no digital manipulation was done to add them.

We shot two versions, one with her nude holding plastic pumpkin containers in front of her breasts, and another with candy corn stuck on her like pasties. In the behind the scenes still of me with my Mamiya camera you can see just how we did it. She modeled in several poses and later chose the best to print.

Since the image was first published we’ve seen many other models and photographers copy it, proving that Mia’s concept was as good as we expected. It’s one of those shots that we knew would be iconic.

~Don Spiro

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