Video of the Week

All The News That's Fit To Strip

Sauci Calla Horra, a member of Toronto's Skin Tight Outta Sight, is on a mission to shimmy, shake and spread the love of burlesque clear across the country.

"I was always a bit of a showboat. I had a fantasy of wanting to be a glamorous lady. I had this image of a very exotic-looking woman in a fur coat and high heels and an evening gown," she said. "But I don't think I ever imagined I'd be going across the country and taking off my clothes."

In other news ...

The New York Times chats with the last surviving Ziegfeld Girl.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal looks at Peepshow, the city's newest girlie show, which Lindsay Lohan is apparently in talks about.

All The News That's Fit To Strip

Tanya Cheex and Sauci Calla Horra, left, of Skin Tight Outta Sight chat with Toro Magazine about wardrobe malfunctions, punk burlesque and retro and revisionist burlesque.

"When I started collecting vintage men's stag magazines and watching stag reels in my late teens, I was fascinated by the fierceness of the strippers, they didn't look like mainstream women," Tanya told the magazine. "They had an edge, all those trappings of hyper-feminism – the stylized makeup and hair, the heavily constructed foundation garments, the curvier bodies."

Sauci added, "In some ways, I see revisionist burlesque ... as a more accurate portrayal of what classic burlesque was doing in its prime. This doesn't seem to make sense until you think about how the narratives of burlesque in its heyday were very much about challenging the status quo. The performance was a send-up of the upper classes. ... [Today,] we attempt to go one step further, and capture the spirit of old school burlesque by being theatrical provocateurs. Those women back then were fierce, independent and what they were doing onstage was challenging the mainstream."

In other news ...

Meet Little Miss Risk.

Say hello to Miss PussyKatt.

The Candy Gram: Sauci Calla Horra

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 Sauci Calla Horroa, who is performing in the Toronto Burlesque Festival, this weekend.

What is your hometown?
Toronto

How long have you been interested in burlesque/performing?
Six years

How many pairs of pasties do you own?
I can't even imagine! Maybe 30?

What are your three favorite songs to perform to?
These change from time to time, but current favorites are The Lemon Song by Led Zeppelin, The Hall of the Mountain King by Grieg (classical) and Barbra Streisand!

What three items could you not live without as a performer?
My glitter, my oversize clam shell prop for my Venus act, and my boyfriend - he's the best!

Who had the biggest influence on your career?
I would have to say Tanya Cheex, my partner-in-crime with Skin Tight Outta Sight. She helps me with creative direction for my routines, and we know each other so well now that we finish each other's sentences.

Who is your favorite burly queen?
From the early days, I'd have to say Jennie Lee. I admire her charisma and her community organizing skills. For modern day, I'm very fond of Michelle L'amour, Kitten DeVille, Angie Pontani, Little Brooklyn and Diamondback Annie. If I take a literal translation of the word, "queen," I also love Tigger! and Rose Wood.

What is your favorite item of clothing?
I love my vintage pearl bra that I use for my Venus show. It was found in a bin at a retro store in Kensington Market in Toronto. The bra eventually started to disintegrate with age, but Torchy Taboo restored it for me - thank you, Torchy!

What's the last movie you saw?
I can't remember since it's been so long. I've been working too hard....

What's on your must-see-TV list?
Old re-runs of the Japanese version of Iron Chef - I love food! I also enjoy the sick humor of South Park and The Family Guy.

What book is on your nightstand?
The Biggest Modern Woman of the World by Susan Swan. It's about a woman who works with P.T Barnum at the turn of the century. I'm also part way through a detective novel!

If you could go anywhere for vacation, where would you go?
I'm going to Estonia and Finland in the summer - I can hardly wait!

If you could have any superpower, which one would you want? Why?
Right now, I would like to be able to clone myself so I could do more work and still have time to sleep. But what if the clone doesn't want to do my laundry and dishes, and doesn't want to sleep, and just wants to do more burlesque and dance, like me????

Satisfy your appetite for more Candy Grams: Honey B Hind, 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.