Legends of Burlesque
Honoring the legends of burlesque allows them to teach us how to pave the way for the next generation. At Red Hots Burlesque we highlight one of our favorite performers from the golden age of showgirls every single week. Please enjoy these biographies written by Kitty Von Quim.
Legend: Tejla Ates
It’s a new week, and our legend is Red Hot! NEJLA ATES Romanian-born belly dancer Nejla Ates, whose name means “sunset fire,” led a life as notorious for her many romances as she was for her infamous bumps and grinds. Born in March of 1932, Nejla reportedly was self-taught in the art of dance that […]
read moreLegend: Jadin Wong
JADIN WONG A burlesque dancer who grew up to be featured in the New York Times as one of the most glamorous grand dames of New York, Jadin Wong ran away to Hollywood at the age of 17, against her parents’ wishes. She had dreams of singing and dancing as a youth, and joined the […]
read moreLegend: Val Valentine
Happy Monday. Let’s celebrate it the best way we know how, with Red Hots Burlesque’s legend of the week… VAL VALENTINE Billed as “Cupid’s Cutie,” burlesque legend Val Valentine grew up in dance. While growing up in Toledo, her mother expected her to go to summer camp, Val Valentine wanted nothing more than to join […]
read moreLegend: Little Egypt
Let’s take it way back and meet Red Hots Burlesque’s legend of the week… LITTLE EGYPT This week we honor a legend that ripped open hoochy coochy dancing for burlesque dancers everywhere, and she’s not just one woman: Little Egypt was three. Three women were famously attributed to the moniker Little Egypt, who first gained […]
read moreLegend: Camille 2000
Can we just say that this lady is most definitely a Red Hots Burlesque favorite? She literally puts the red hots in burlesque! CAMILLE 2000 The out of this world bombshell that is Camille 2000, well known as “The Girl for Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow” during her career in the ’60s and ’70s, is recognized […]
read moreLegend: Ricci Cortez
This week’s legend of the week at Red Hots Burlesque passed away five years ago tomorrow, but her legacy lives on… RICCI CORTEZ November 3, 1924 – September 3, 2008 One of the first burlesque performers of the 1940s, Ricci Cortez was known as the “Sleepy Time Girl” in her performing days. She grew up […]
read moreLegend: Carrie Finnell
As a part of Dixie Evans Week, Red Hots Burlesque twirls a tassel to a legend who revolutionized burlesque for many gals to hit the stage. CARRIE FINNELL Described as “one of the most novel and most startling acts in show business,” Carrie Finnell began her burlesque career in 1917 as a Ziegfeld girl. While […]
read moreLegend: Dee Milo
This legend blows us away every time we see her perform. Red Hots Burlesque wishes her a happy birthday… DEE MILO b. August 16, 1930 While tending bar at San Francisco’s Barbary Coast in the late ’40s, Dee Milo noticed that they were hiring dancers. When she said that she would like to apply, the […]
read moreLegend: Haji
This weekend we lost another beloved legend. Today at Red Hots Burlesque we tribute…HAJI January 24, 1946 – August 9, 2013 Cult film goddess and burlesque legend Haji passed away this weekend at the age of 67. Her early years are shrouded in mystery — just like the performer, herself — but was born in […]
read moreLegend: Dixie Evans
Today we honor one of our beloved legends that has influenced us at Red Hots Burlesque so much… DIXIE EVANS d. August 3, 2013 This weekend the burlesque community lost more than the “Marilyn Monroe of Burlesque.” Dubbed such by Harold Minsky, Dixie Evans served as a bridge between the classic bump and grind and […]
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