FRI & SAT | SEP 27 & 28 | Times Vary
Burlesque is many things. It is sexy. It is sly. It is seductive. It shines a light on the morals and foibles of modern life and mocks them openly. In Baltimore, burlesque is all of those things, and it is also unabashedly weird, strange, dark, funny, and a little bit twisted. The Charm City Burlesque & Variety Festival celebrates all.
FRI SEP 27 | 8PM | Filthy Gorgeous Variety
A celebration of the weird and twisted side of Baltimore area’s burlesque and variety scene. Expect to be both titillated and uncomfortable in the most delicious way possible.
Headliner: GiGi Holliday
Hosted by: Delilah Dentata & Jim Dandy
SAT SEP 28 | 8PM | The Tell-Tale Masquerade
Masquerade with us through the eerie ambiance on Saturday night. Don your finest attire and join the sinister mischief makers and the dreamers as we take you on a journey into all that is dark and whimsy. Stick around after the show for a dance party with DJ Villainess as she spins dark beats and hypnotic rhythms.
Headliner: Audrey Love
Hosted by: Eden
10AM | Shimmy & Strut w/ Naimah
This fun and sassy workshop is for burlesque performers who want to explore belly dance movement. Spice up your act with thunderous shimmies, ooey gooey undulations, eye-popping isolations, and more.
11AM | Hosting Diverse Audiences w/ Mx. Eden
Burlesque audiences are just as diverse as the world we live in. And it’s a host’s job to make every attendee of every race, gender, and body size feel welcome. In this workshop, we’ll discuss gender-neutral greetings and other inclusive language every host should have in their vocabulary.
12PM | Dance Like a Diva w/ GiGi Holliday
In this class, you’ll be guided through a 2-4 minute routine that covers aspects of a burlesque star performance. From learning choreography that complements your style to mastering the art of costume removal with flair, you’ll acquire the skills and stage presence to captivate any audience.
1PM | Makeup Tips & Tutorial w/ Kit Valentine
Drag Queen Kit Valentine, the current reigning Miss Western Maryland, shows you the art of contouring, brow definition, achieving a dramatic look for the eyes, and more!
2PM | Beyond the Basics: Burlesque Costuming for All Levels w/ Bebe Bardeaux
Learn the art of creating stage-ready costumes that enhance your performance and captivate your audience! From corsets and feathers to rhinestones and appliques, discover how to craft costume “regalia” that tells a story and elevates your burlesque, drag, and other performance art to new heights.
FRI OCT 25 | 8PM | Essential Tease Burlesque Student Showcase
Essential Tease instructors Jacqueline Boxx, Ruby Rockafella, and Tempete La Coeur are proud to welcome a bevy of brand-spanking-new burlesque performers to the stage! After completing an 8-week-long workshop that transformed them from the inside out, these students are ready to bring their acts and assets to the stage for the first time ever! Featuring guest MC Sitara Sin (an Essential Tease grad) and special performances by Essential Tease instructors! The show will stream virtually as well as being live on stage!
FRI & SAT | OCT 4 & 5 | Times Vary | VIP Ticket Options! | Chocolate Covered Rocky Horror
Come up to the lab, and see what’s on the slab with a live shadow cast performance of cult classic Rocky Horror Picture Show, featuring innovative choreography and crowd participation. Costumes encouraged! Since 2015, Chocolate Covered Rocky Horror has been a tribute to the queer experience while showcasing and exposing minorities to liberating art forms.
FRI & SAT | JAN 17 & 18 | Five Shows! | Elvis’ Birthday Fight Club
This January, the 14th Annual Elvis’ Birthday Fight Club is “all shook up ” with “Elvis” welcoming a NEW co-host to the commentators box. Audiences will get even more of the unexpected in this glamorously sleazy evening of combat. Seven blistering rounds of cartoon-like violence and below-the-belt comedy are interspersed with Elvis-themed burlesque, creating the underground fight club’s magical mix of flim-flam fisticuffs and hot tah-tahs!
SAT DEC 14 | Glitter Ball
Award-winning burlesque performers Jacqueline Boxx & Ruby Rockafella team up to bring you Glitter Ball—a fully immersive burlesque & variety celebration of all things sparkly, shimmery, and shiny! Starring “Sin in an Hourglass” Miss Exotic World 2017, Medianoche! Featuring a Sparkle Market, two stages of entertainment, and a glistening dance party you don’t want to miss!
THURSDAYS | AUG 15 – SEP 26 | 6:30-7:30PM | Belly Dance w/ Naimah Dances
Learn classic and modern Middle Eastern style belly dance. Both a social dance and a form of entertainment, belly dance is a great way to meet amazing people and learn about Egyptian history and culture. Pick up the foundational moves and vocabulary of belly dance, while learning about ethics, etiquette, music, and history of belly dance. And be ready to MOVE! We’ll explore isolations, spatial awareness, strength, flexibility, and some use of props. All experience levels welcome!
A Queer Climate Workshop Series
Presented by Vital Matters
SAT SEP 7 | Drag King 101 w/ Pretty Boi Drag
SAT SEP 28 | Writing with the Elements: A Generative Workshop
SAT OCT 19 | Climate, Queerness, and Performance 101
Save the date for Vital Matters Presents: A Queer Climate Cabaret at Creative Alliance this October! In the two months leading up to the Cabaret, we welcome you to join our community conversation in an embodied, creative exploration of climate, queerness, and performance over three workshops.
