The Art of the Tease
Burlesque became a major attraction in New Orleans in the 1940s and throughout the '60s. Today, the tradition has held firm roots and maintained its long history as a thriving live performance art industry; however, it's not just an industry—it is a community.
Giselle Janae
Burlesque performer Kalia Roberson, a.k.a. Giselle Janae, is new to the scene but has come in fast and furious. She first got her foot in the door after taking a class with performer Trixie Minx, and, after that, she found the courage to reach out to local venues, such as Big Couch, to host her own shows. Though Giselle Janae has only been performing for one year, she's already produced several shows, tapped into the local scene, and collaborated with performers across the city.
Her style, as she describes it, is the best version of herself. One of the first shows she produced was a literary-character-themed show, where dancers costumed themselves as storybook characters. She said the New Orleans burlesque scene values both traditional classic glam and fantastical, out-of-the-box styles.
She said new performers often experiment boldly, blending drag, theater, dance, and unexpected character work to create shows that feel distinctly local. "I feel like New Orleans has a really good grasp on what burlesque historically was, but also what it is, and what it will continue to change into," Janae said. "The same people who are really good at classic tease also hold space and will play with very silly neoclassical burlesque ideas."
Janae has noticed artists in the scene pushing for new, quirky performance styles. "I feel like people are challenging themselves or allowing themselves grace to just have fun and build community," she said. Janae said New Orleans values "the weird," and that someone could be dressed as Mike Wazowski and receive the same respect as a traditional blonde bombshell. Burlesque, she added, gives her a safe place to exist in the world as a woman.
"Giselle is very much my dream woman. Like the woman I've idolized my whole life: very hyper-femme, sensual, confident," she said. "I never thought I could look at myself and find myself appealing and sexy and feel safe. It always felt like I was being observed or judged or watched. Now, I feel very appreciated and valued, and I'm not just my body, but my body is a tool for me to create really beautiful art." Janae believes this preserved art form is not just an industry, but a reflection of the quirk, creativity, and Southern hospitality of New Orleans.
Where can one find shows? From small neighborhood stages to grand downtown theaters, performers helped shape a uniquely New Orleans style. Popular burlesque venues include AllWays Lounge, the Original Night Cap, the House of Blues, Oz, and several pop-up locations, if you're in the know. There are occasional shows at Saturn Bar, the Domino, and Big Couch Comedy Club. Flyers posted around town and on social media are the best ways to find showings. Don't be misled—these shows are not just for tourists. They are for everyone. Well, everyone of age, of course.
Ramona Rose
Step through local performer Ramona Rose's door and rhinestones, fluttering feathers, and bedazzled costumes burst across the room. She proudly calls her front room a dazzling showcase of showgirl chaos. For her, burlesque is more than the art of striptease. It is the art of exploration and self-discovery, as well as a playful expression of the silly within. "Burlesque has helped me discover my goofy side for sure. It's helped me to become more confident in myself. I love it so much."
She said the stage gives her permission to play, to exaggerate, and to craft moments that feel both deeply personal and joyfully absurd. At her improv show, her character went undercover in a fooling disguise—a mustache. By the end of the number, she had Groucho Marx-style glasses wrapped around her panties—for those unaware, Groucho glasses have a large nose with bushy eyebrows and a mustache. "It's fun, it's satire, it's ridiculous."
Rose also challenged herself with a drag king number. She was tasked with something against her norm—not taking her clothes off. "It was like, how do I entertain people for four minutes without stripping? That was a new challenge within itself. I did it. I made it work. It was so fun," Rose said.
In addition to a full-time burlesque performer from Louisiana, Ramona Rose is co-owner of Foxy Rose Productions. Rose started dancing in 2016 at Boso on Frenchmen Street and made her official burlesque debut in 2018 at Oz on Bourbon Street. She now produces shows all around the city, including Diamonds and Pearls at the Original Night Cap, All Hallows Tease, Champagne Dreams, and Cannabis Cabaret. Her most booked number of the year is the Bride of Frankenstein dancing to Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On."
"You're getting up there and you're taking your clothes off for strangers and an audience, but you're doing it through art. You're doing it through storytelling and through comedy and through sometimes even sadness or political commentary," Rose said.
Burlesque opens up doors for hard conversations surrounding identity, sex, gender, LGBTQ+ issues, abortion rights, and diversity. Entire shows have been dedicated to abortion rights, trans rights, and mutual-aid fundraisers for those in the community who need support. In New Orleans, burlesque has become a platform for social commentary and advocacy and has grown into an inclusive, diverse, body-positive, and woman-run industry.
