Random Sexy Pic

This week's sexy pics belong to Flame Cynders  co-producter of the Fishnet Follies in the San Francisco and Los Angeles areas. You can find more of her at http://www.flamecynders.com/  Enjoy!

Random Sexy Pic ** Halloween Edition ** 4 of 4

  Here is the last burlesque related Halloween picture. Miss Dita Von Teese sporting a skeleton inspired corset lingerie piece for the Jean Paul Gaultier's fashion show

Very exquisite. Have a very Happy Halloween. No Dem Damn Dames events til December but we will be hard at work making awesome costumes so our One Year Anniversary show is the best of the year!

When stripping is deadly

So about a month ago, I was looking for images for Halloween and I came across a website about Italian horror comics. In this website, I came across a comic strip that shows the ultimate in stripping. I call it, "When stripping ain't enough." This was the tamest of the images I saw. I tried to go back and find the website but I could not find it. So if you are interested happy hunting. Anyways, there was also a music video by Robbie Williams that is related. I am not saying anything more. You will have to look for yourself. But be warned it is rather gory.






                              Be warned gory content included, watch at your own discretion.

This one is cool. Nice effect.

Didn't think burlesque could have a gruesome side.

Remember Friday 10/28 is Discoween at the Continental Club with

The Dem Damn Dames opening for Disco Expressions.

Saturday 10/29 we are performing at the Mink Halloween Extravaganza at 3718 Main St

For further info check facebook at   http://www.facebook.com/demdamndames

Have a safe, creepy, and Happy Halloween.          xoxo Midnight Joy

Random Sexy Pic ** Halloween Edition ** 3 of 4

  Vampire Queen Rosie Lugosi. I always thought vampires were super sexy.

Random Sexy Pic **Halloween Edition** 2 of 4

I love vintage pictures. The costumes were so original. This is Marion Martin, she was an movie and stage actress in the 1940s. She played Alice Angel, a dizzy showgirl, in the murder mystery Lady of Burlesque with Barbara Stanwyck.

Join us in three days for 
 Kiki's Sordid Sideshow at Boheme for Cultured Cocktails Sideshow Edition spacetaker.org.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Happy Hour starts at 5, the show starts at 7pm.

Boheme Cafe & Wine Bar

307 Fairview

Houston, TX

A very twisted, sexy, and sordid way to spend your Happy Hour! 

The Devil in the Details

So at the last couple of practices we have been preparing for the up coming Halloween shows. I have had so much fun dreaming up routines and creating costumes. But it is not just the dancing or costumes you also have to have the right song. After pouring over tons of ideas, I found many burlesque-able songs with the Halloween twist. Here are seven I would like to take a stab at ;) :

Feed my Frankenstein -- Alice Cooper
Little Red Riding Hood -- Sam the Sham and the Pharoahs
Love Potion No.9 -- any version
Human Fly -- (but personally I think most of their songs are good)  The Cramps
Werewolves of London - Warren Zevon
Black magic woman - Santana
After dark - Tito and Tarantula

I think any song would be appropiate as long as you had a solid performance to back it up.


We also had fun thinking up cool pasties to go with our performances. I have included a little taste of the truely awesome pasties available on the net. I found all of these on etsy. The makers names are included with the picture.

Dirty Pretty Thingz

Sex on a Stitch

VOLAC Designs

Hexotica

This last one I found at random. I could not find any info on the maker.

I think if you can dream it up you can make it. Go to your local craft store and get creative.


Coming up next week  Thursday, October 20, 7pmDem Damn Dames join Kiki's Sordid Sideshow at Boheme for Cultured Cocktails spacetaker.org.

Till then    kinh chao                      Midnight Joy  oxox

Random Sexy Pic ***Halloween Edition***

I am a huge fan of Halloween so here is the first of four spooky burlesque photos to get you in the mood.

One of my favorite performers Dirty Martini.

Follow this link to see the routine pictured above

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meCzRWF3i0w&feature=related

Boobs Rock!

  

Just in case some of you are not aware October is Breast Cancer awareness month. I thought it was a very appropriate topic since boobs are one of the main focuses in a Burlesque show.

A little pole dancing anyone?

Verticality Pole Fitness takes pole dancing, burlesque, zumba, with a dash of hip hop and belly dance (and more) and turns them into a fun filled way of conditioning and strengthening the body. I signed up for a month, after trying a zumba class, and fell in love with the dance aspect of the classes. The instructors were friendly and enthusiastic, which is very important in motivating someone after a long days work. The Dames dropped in on the Burlesque class and had loads of fun learning a sexy routine. What a way to burn calories.

Here is a clip of all the sexy fun:

 

Verticality Fitness always have some kind of event to look forward to, along with offering all kinds of parties and private sessions. Check them out at http://www.verticalityfitness.com/.

I just found out about the Houston Vintage 2011 after after party. These girls don't just party they party after the after party. I like. If you are interested I have listed the 411 that I stole off of their facebook. Yes that's right I stole it. :)

Dem Damn Dames performing at the Heights Firehouse at Houston Vintage 2011

"Please join us this Friday at Beatniks from 6 - 8:30pm. We will have some wine and snacks for you to enjoy. We also have plenty of mixers leftover from Houston Vintage so come with a flask of your favorite 'poison'.

We look forward to celebrating with you and hearing your ideas and suggestions for how to make next year an even bigger success."

Viva la Vintage!
Dawn, Diana, and Maria
Coronation Vintage & Beatniks

	Friday, September 30 · 6:00pm - 8:30pm

	Heights Beatniks 709 East 11th Street Houston, TX

More information is on the way about events and Dem Damn Dames shows. I will hopefully launch a handy dandy calendar here on the blog or right on the website. Next month, I am planning a whole month full of thrills, chills, and sex appeal.

Hágoónee'  (Navajo)     xoxo Midnight Joy

Double your Fun : Random Sexy Pics and Dames show

Since I haven't posted any awesome pics in a while I found a burlesque performer whose costumes are out of this world.

Immodesty Blaize is a British Burlesque performer who won the title Queen of Burlesque 2007 at the Burlesque Hall of Fame pageant also know as Miss Exotic World.

http://www.immodestyblaize.com/




Speaking of costumes, we have been non-stop busy with two weekend shows in a row. Last week's show was awesome and we have tons of picures to go through. We have started a flickr page and invite any photographers to upload their pictures. We would love to see them and know who you are. Just go to www.flickr.com/photos/damndames

Immodesty Blaise on her signature Rocking Horse

Also, I am working on a one stop events calendar that you will be able to access here on the blog once or twice a month. There are a couple of Halloween shows on the horizon so stay tuned.

Til then ... this weekend at the Heights Firehouse, Saturday September 24 is Houston Vintage 2011. I thought the Houston Press blog did a great job explaining the event and where to get tickets. Check it out at Houston Press blog.

Here is the event schedule so you don't miss a thing:

Doors open to over 25 vintage vendors at 10am

11am- Dem Damn Dames..Family friendly teaser.

12pm- Retro Hair Demo.. The Do Bar----(special $25.00 rates for HV2011 attendees)

1pm- Lecture w/ First lady of Vintage, Loretta Dixon(Color Explosion) Special guest: Diane Hester. (These ladies will speak about 40 years of collecting, selling and caring for your collection!)

2pm- Susana Tango...Tango performance w/Noe.

3pm- Dance Force Productions Extreme Swing Team....Lindyhop performance.

4pm- Pin-up Makeup Tutorial w/ Iryna Petrovska

5pm- Dem Damn Dames...Family friendly teaser.

6pm- Hepcats Dance Performance.. Lindyhop, jam circle, and social dancing.
Plus several vintage cars on display!

9 pm - Dem Damn Dames night show

Come check it out!

Pastie: The exotic nipple cover

Breasts. There I said it. They have been the point of fascination for men since the beginning of time. In burlesque, they made an appearance in the early part of the 20^th century and were quickly covered up. So, what was the burlesque performers answer to this cover up? Well of course the pastie. A pastie is a piece of cloth that covers the nipple. At first, women tried to use nipple looking pasties or nude colored so it would look like the performer was still going topless. But the police enforced the law by requiring that the pasties be able to be seen from the back row. Since then, the pastie has become more and more elaborate. One thing led to another and the tassel was born. Once the tassel was introduced it was no time at all before someone figured out how to turn them into a showstopper.

Carrie Finnell was the top stripper of the 1920s. She is also credited as introducing the first nipple tassel. She had this magical ability to be able to pop her breasts out of her costume at will. She could point her breasts in different directions and twirl her tassels in different directions.

In the present day, performers are constantly upping the ante. Everything from setting the tassels on fire to hanging lights, and other strange objects. Satan’s Angel has been setting her tassels on fire since the 1960s. This has earned her the distinigshed title of the Devil’s Own Mistress, Queen of the Fire Tassels. After being called out of retirement, she still travels around setting her tassels ablaze. Visit her at http://www.satansangel.com/.


Join me next week for a super sexy video featuring the Dem Damn Dames, at a new sassy and fun fitness studio called Verticality Pole Fitness.

再见 (see again) Midnight Joy xoxo

Random Sexy Picture

I saw this and thought it was amazing. There was not much information available, since the website it was on had been deleted.

Well looks like burlesque and the old school bygone performance styles are back in Houston. Between Houston's Dem Damn Dames, Ruby Revue and the Jigglewatts, Houston has been flooded with some awesome performances. We are going to keep that ball rolling with Miss Kiki Maroon tonite, Viva La Inependencia  (I have dubbed freedom from clothes) and Houston Vintage 2011.

     Kiki's Sordid Sideshow!

Location: Boheme Cafe & Wine Bar

Time: ‎Doors: 7:30PM, Show 9:30PM Saturday, September 10th

     

Viva La Inependencia Tx Tour

Saturday, September 17, 2011 at 8:00pm

The Continental Club, Houston, TX

 

    Houston Vintage 2011

Location: Heights Firestation Yale and 12th St.

Time: ‎ After party at 9:00 Saturday, September 24th

Step Right Up, Folks!

If you are looking for Burlesque moves, I have had to delay that posting til a later date. But I promise something extra special.

This weeks blog was inspired by a show a fellow Dame has been trying to put together for several months. Finally, the stage is set for Kiki's Sordid Sideshow, Boheme Sat. Sept. 10th, check out our facebook for more information.

Your basic sideshow was exactly that, a show off to the side of the main event (usually a circus) to attract the townsfolk to the area. A sideshow could consist of many different acts. From the weird and unusual to the exotic and daredevil.

I was overwhelmed by all the wealth of information. I found Sideshow World a good source for interesting articles and pictures. I read one about the old girlie shows. Basically, girlie shows have been around since the days of the harem. In the 1800s, the girlie show of the carnival would have huge production numbers with many girls, fancy costumes, and huge bands. By the 1930s, girlie shows became small and pushed the exotic to the limits of what was legal.

Here is an example of a contemporary grinder and his spiel:

"They're going to do the hootchie kootchie for you inside, and you will see things you never dreamed were possible. They will wiggle and waggle and shake and shimmy, and they're going to show you everything you want to see. They are going to let you see how they can move every muscle in their beautiful little bodies. "This is the show you've heard about. This is the one that they're all talking about. You will never forget what you see inside that tent tonight. Here they come now, gentlemen. Let's give 'em a big hand and bring them out here. Here they come, and aren't they beautiful! There's Tammy and Lola, and the firey little redhead Fanny, and here comes Angel and little Debbie. They're excited and they're ready, and they can't wait to show you just what you want to see. Right inside the tent in just a few minutes..."
 www.whithaydn.com  (interesting fellow check him out sometime)

Pop Hayden -

I couldn't resist learning a little carny speak while I was at it.

From http://www.goodmagic.com/,

 　

"Carny," also known as "Ciazarn" or "Carny Latin" — it's a special "cant" (secret mode of encoded speech) used when carnies don't want anyone outside the business to know what they're saying.
A little like pig-latin, and so closely related to "Double Dutch" as to be almost identical, you insert an invariant nonsense syllable after each consonant. In Carny, the syllable is always "eaz", pronounced "ee-uz." For example, to say, "Can we take this hick?" It would come out (hard C) "Ceaz-an weaz-e teaz-ake theaz-is heaz-ick?"
You can hear quite a stretch of it in the old disco record "Double-Dutch Bus", and it seems to be one (among many) components of ghetto "gangsta slang."

Join me next week for my surprise blog.

Geaz-ood Beaz-ye  Midnight Joy xoxo

Random Sexy Picture

Here is another fabulous burlesque gem.

Promotional photograph for an article about London Burlesque

Upcoming shows: Sept. 17 at the Continental Club Houston and Sept. 24 at the Houston Vintage 2011 event at the Heights Fire Station. Also, support our fellow Dame, Kiki Maroon, on Sept. 10 at Kiki's Sordid Sideshow, Boheme Cafe. Look us up on facebook www.facebook.com/demdamndames and our website http://www.damndames.com/ 

Ten ways to tell if I am a stripper or a burlesque dancer

I was talking to a friend the other day, and it came up that I was going to be in some upcoming Dem Damn Dames shows. When I mentioned burlesque, her eyes grew wide and she exclaimed, "You're a stripper!" Her comment got me thinking. Yeah, one of my numbers is a complete striptease, but I don't consider myself a stripper. I take my costumes off piece by piece, but I consider myself an artist. So I wanted to see what someone else thought.

I remembered an article in Shimmy Magazine (Issue 2 Spring/Summer 2006) by Jo Boobs, who is a performer, and teaches at the School of Burlesque in New York. She was a commerical stripper before she started burlesque and these are ten ways she defines a stripper versus a burlesque performer:


1. Strippers usually mingle with the customers / Burlesque performers generally aren't expected to
2. Strippers play to whoever has the money / Burlesque performers to whoever cheers the loudest
3. Stripping is about the sales and interpersonal skills / Burlesque performers perform with exotic glamour and dance skills
4. Stripping is a job / With Burlesque performers income is rarely the primary motivation
5. Strip joint customers are often concerned about discretion / Burlesque audiences rarely are
6. Strip joint customers pick one or a few girls to interact with / Burlesque audiences sit and watch the whole show
7. Strippers usually have their credits in adult entertainment /  Burlesque performers usually have a theatrical background
8. People who go to strip joints are customers / People who go to Burlesque shows are audiences
9. Stripping is mostly about the nudity / Burlesque is mostly about the costume
10. Strippers look for individuals to entertain / Burlesque performers want the attention of the whole darn room!

*"There are many situations were none of these differences apply, and many burlesque performers are in it for the money."

As Dita Von Teese once said about being called a stripper, "If it was good enough for Gypsy Rose Lee, it is good enough for me."

Next week - Burlesque moves every burlesque performer should know about*

Sayonora - Midnight Joy xoxo

Random Sexy Picture

Old and new photographs play a huge part in costuming and inspiration for future shows.

Here is Gypsy Rose Lee in all her glory.

Make sure to check back often for more Random Pics of Sexiness and visit http://www.damndames.com/ for event information and other sexy pics.

What is this thing called Burlesque?

My name is Midnight Joy, and I will be one of your many hosts in this wonderful world of vaudeville, burlesque, and anything pertaining to entertainment in general. I hope to educate both performers and the audience on not just upcoming shows but history, costumes, places of interest, and anything else of curiosity. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the blog.

The Dem Damn Dames have been a performance group for about 10 months now. We have had two performances, and while starting out as a variety hour, our girls are embracing the burlesque side more and more. The lure of sexuality can be powerful. So, on more than one occasion the question has come up

What exactly is burlesque?

So I go to my good ole dictionary and came up with: “Mockery by ludicrous imitation: the mocking of a serious matter or style by imitating it in an incongruous way.”

Ok, not what I expected, but you have to think back to a life without TV, phones, or internet. People got their information by word of mouth, letters, etc. Shows would travel from town to town, and carry their ideals within the entertainment.

In A History of The Musical Burlesque by John Kenrick (Copyright 1996-2003) I feel they captured the modern notion of burlesque…“Most people think that 'burlesque' means female strippers walking a runway to a bump and grind beat. But that only fits the form in its declining years. At its best, burlesque was a rich source of music and comedy that kept American audiences laughing from 1840 through the 1960s."

I liked how the Black Orchid Burlesque defined burlesque: “Directly translated, Burlesque means 'in an upside down style.' Burlesque does just that, it turns societies' opinions on their heads.”

So with these definitions of burlesque in hand here are some modern examples of burlesque:

• Anyone who tells a joke with a double-meaning
• Saturday Night Live poking fun at politicians and movie stars
• Movies such as Young Frankenstein, Space balls, and the Austin Powers (they make fun of well-known entertainers, social mores, etc.)

According to A History of The Musical Burlesque "Shriek 2 (2004) is a superb example of the kind of comedy original burlesque performers like Lydia Thompson and her British Blondes offered in the 1860s, getting in good natured jabs at a wide variety of comic targets while challenging audiences to look beyond appearances—finding true beauty and bravery in unlikely characters.”

They go on to point out that The Jerry Springer Show is a tawdry version of the yester-year of burlesque.

There is so much information out there, I could literally write a novel on the subject. So, I encourage everyone to look up the many tantalizing articles written about the history of Burlesque. I can only give you an amushe bouche. (small one- or two-bite portion to tickle the tastebuds.)

For next week, one idea about burlesque that a modern performer cannot escape and comes up over and over is the difference between a burlesque dancer and a stripper.

Laura Herbert, the executive director of the Burlesque Hall of Fame in Las Vegas, is quoted saying: "There's a joke that's more truthful than I'd like it to be," she said. "What is the difference between a burlesque performer and a stripper? Strippers make money. Still, I believe that if your outfit can fit in your closed fist, you're probably not a burlesque performer." From Michelle Baldwin’s Burlesque and the New Bump-n-Grind



So next week’s blog is entitled: Top Ten Ways to Tell if I am a Stripper or a Burlesque Dancer

Ciao—Midnight Joy xoxo

Dame Auditions

We're having evening auditions on Tuesday, August 30, at the Continental Club, Houston! We're going to keep the auditions private and schedule interested dames .5 hours apart.

Please prepare a solo number (~2 minutes) and a brief biography including your relevant experience (dance, song, costuming, etc.). There are no constraints on the music. Our goal is to have variety and include neo-burlesque, burlesque, singing, comedy, or something unique to you.

Currently we practice/costume/drink on Tuesday evenings for 2 to 4 hours in the Montrose area. Ideally, we'd love every dame to come to every rehearsal, but that's proven difficult. We try to be accommodating to everyone's unique lifestyle. Additionally, occassionally we have mini-rehearsals or gatherings throughout the week as needed.

Please email demdamndames@gmail.com if you would like to be a part of our growing troupe.

Dress Rehearsal Tonight

Our final dress rehearsal is tonight!
Getting the finishing touches perfected. See you Saturday!