bur-lesque - noun
1.  An artistic composition, esp. literary or dramatic, that, for the sake of laughter, vulgarizes lofty material or treats ordinary material with mock dignity.

2.  Any ludicrous parody or grotesque caricature.

3.  Also, bur-lesk. a humorous and provocative stage show featuring slapstick humor, comic skits, bawdy songs, striptease acts and a scantily clad female chorus

What Is Burlesque?
Burlesque has experienced numerous incarnations over the years.  From its beginnings in the mid-1800's with Lydia Thompson and her ribald parodies that controversially featured women in the roles of men to the Hoochie-Coochie dancers that appeared in side shows and carnivals around the turn of the century.  In the early 20th century it appeared as a form of variety show (a 'blue' cousin to the popular, family oriented vaudeville that played in theatres around North America as well as the variations flourishing around the world including on the Moulin Rouge and in the cabarets of Berlin.  The 1940's to 1960's brought the 'Golden Age of the Striptease.'  Recently a new resurgence has started that has brought about a brand new incarnation of burlesque.
Modern Burlesque takes much of its influence from its earlier eras:  borrowing the exotic and erotic elements of the Hoochie-Coochie and classic striptease to blend it with the comedy and the variety of its theatre days.  Neo-burlesque is also heavily spiced with references from modern music, contemporary dance and pop-culture.  The ability to comment on gender, politics, sexuality and body positivity makes also makes burlesque a potent and powerful performance medium.  Men are evening getting into the act with Boylesque!  There is more variety in Burlesque than ever before but what it all has in common is that it is a fun, sexy, hilarious celebration of women's empowerment.  Last but not least, it is obvious that Burlesque is no passing hipster fad:  it's ever evolving and here to stay!
 

History of Vancouver Burlesque
The Neo-Burlesque scene in Vancouver began truly in the mid-90's when underground shows were staged at the WISE Hall.  Over the last 8 years, Vancouver's burlesque scene has been growing in leaps and bounds. With a community of innovators and booty-shakers, Vancouver Burlesque has developed a world-class reputation for stellar, professional and gorgeous acts.

Hence, the first Vancouver International Burlesque Festival was created in 2006 by Screaming Chicken Theatrical Society and Sweet Soul Burlesque. This ambitious celebration was held over 3 days at the Red Room, the Chinese Cultural Center and the Burr Theatre.  The festival's success and popularity led to its second incarnation in 2007 in a jam-packed weekend with two stages and workshops at the Croatian Cultural Centre.

It was evident at this point that the festival had to grow in order to accommodate the teeming local and international talent attracted by this celebration.  In addition, the festival production was returned to the grassroots community, leading to the founding of the Vancouver International Burlesque Festival Association (VIBFA). The VIBFA is a not-for-profit organization with the primary goal of creating a festival that reflects the many aspects of the world of Burlesque and draws attention to the incredible Vancouver scene.
 

There were abundant opportunities to cross collaborate, participate in work shops and produce events such as movie nights, discussion panels and fashion shows all featuring Burlesque!  Hence in 2008, the 3rd VIBF featured over 100 singers, dancers, comedians, musicians, filmmakers, and costume designers from around the world over 10 days at venues throughout Vancouver.  The festival included variety shows, a theatrical production, parties, classes, workshops, film screenings and more.
Following the heels of this fabulously well-attended and celebrated 10-day extravaganza is the 4th annual festival, which promises to be as big and certainly even better than before!