Burlesque vintage

To me, the word Burlesque describes an atmosphere of decadence. Decadence, like the one I imagine was experienced in, dark, underground clubs in Berlin and Paris in the 1930`s, where the people partied in spite, defiance, denial, or fear of the ragnaroch that was inevitable and hastily approaching.

It was, of course, also a rebellion against the puritanism of Victorian times and the frivolity always has elements of female nakedness, however small. The decadence of the 1930`s, coincided with the American jazz music, that came to Europe, as a strange new form of movement, but decadence has of course been known in opulent bordellos and the Maison de Tolerances in France, since the middle ages, where it was seen as a natural part and element of society.

Burlesque was, perhaps, also a way of making fun at the male gender, as they were so easily entertained by a little dance and the sight of little female flesh. In fact, the word Burlesque could come from the Italian, Burla, which is a joke, mockery and teasing.

I haven`t personally, seen much Burlesque. I have seen some Crazy Horse shows, in the Bahamas and Paris and some Cirque du Soleil meets Striptease in Las Vegas . The strangest club I have visited, is called the Bush Company, in Anchorage, Alaska. It is about as far from opulent, decadence you can possibly come. It is created for the, native, lumberjacks that works for three months in the woods and when they get their salary, much of it is immediately spent at the Bush Company. It is a large timber hut, without even the tiniest streak of daylight, and sand on the floors. I didn`t see any spittoons, but I am sure they are available upon request.The dancers prefers the dim lights and so did I, as the empty decay would have been too depressing, had it caught any form of natural lights. Not even strategically placed paillets and pompons could change the facts of lives, wasted.

The paillets and pompons of the Burlesque have another kind of promise and joie de vivre, than in the dark and filthy clubs of the world. The Burlesque is a tease, joy and even sometimes used as a political statement of womens liberation. I have never felt the need to be publicly liberated in that way, I just dance quietly at home, at a table wearing the curtains, of course, but still at home.

In the days of a pandemic, lockdowns, confinements, job losses, new vaccines and vaccineprogrammes the thick fear of the future is evident. We can`t go out and drown our angst and weltschmerz , with likeminded when confined, but we can practice our burlesque moves and try our costumes on, in the privacy of our homes. At this moment we don`t know if we will have to wear masques forever, when outside, a Victorian wide skirt to keep distance or maybe even hazmat suits. Some of us have been confined for so long that we hardly remember how to behave and small talk in society, so maybe the Burlesque costumes are to remain for our own, private, amusement for the time being. Personally, I feel an urge to be as feminine and flirtatious, as I possible can, when we get back out and I hope that the new-puritanism, that was fast approaching, a year ago, when the pandemic began, will be forgotten and laughed away. I will not join the social media trends, where everybody seems to show their, synthetically, inflated, bodyparts. have always preferred the discreet hint of a suggestion. Who knows, we might return to a world where people dress up, have fun and are dancing in the streets ?