Performer Spotlights

American burlesque history is usually traced to Lydia Thompson’s “British Blondes” in New York, but the Hyers Sisters were already performing burlesque‑style operettas on the West Coast by the late… Read more: The Hyers Sisters: Early Burlesquers

Born in 1926 in Kansas City, Missouri, Iretha Tucker—née Greer—was a firecracker on stage and a force in midcentury Black entertainment. Known as the “Shake Dancer Supreme” of the Ebony… Read more: Iretha “Pepper Pot” Tucker

In the heart of Kansas City’s vibrant Black entertainment scene, a dazzling troupe emerged in 1950 that blended rhythm, spectacle, and unapologetic showmanship: The Ebony Dancers. Composed of eight to… Read more: The Ebony Dancers of Kansas City

In the golden age of jazz and burlesque, Madeline Jackson, professionally known as Sahji, emerged as one of the most mesmerizing performers of her time.Born in around 1919, Sahji rose… Read more: Sahji: Queen of the Shake Dancers

Aida Overton Walker (1880 – 1914) was a transformative figure in American performance history. As a dancer, singer, choreographer, and cultural advocate, she elevated African American artistry in an era… Read more: Aida Overton Walker: Queen of the Cakewalk

In a sepia publicity portrait dated circa 1911, a poised young woman named Saidie Sellyna (Thompson) gazes confidently at the camera. Preserved in the Sullivan Family Papers at the Smithsonian’s… Read more: Uncovering the Lost Legacy of Saidie Sellyna

In the late 1930s, as tensions escalated in East Asia and the United States edged toward war, a young woman named Lin Tsen Chan arrived in America under circumstances that… Read more: Lin Chan: Chinese Dancer

Jayne Mansfield didn’t grace the stage of Minsky’s or twirl pasties under marquee lights, yet her influence on burlesque—and vice versa—is undeniable. With a persona that screamed camp and curves,… Read more: Jayne Mansfield: A Bombshell in Burlesque

In the dust and dazzle of America’s mid-century circus culture, Florence Jensen — better known as “Dainty Dotty” — stood out not just for her size, but for her ink.… Read more: Florence “Dainty Dotty” Jensen

Carmen Holiday was a Mexican-American dancer whose career blurred the lines between striptease, theater, and social commentary. Born and raised in Los Angeles, she trained in Latin, jazz, and belly… Read more: Carmen Holiday

In the world of mid-century burlesque and drag performance, few figures were as visually arresting and artistically daring as Lestra La Monte. Born Lester LaMonte in 1900 in Cincinnati, Ohio,… Read more: Lestra La Monte

Long before the world knew her as a poet, memoirist, and civil rights champion, Maya Angelou was a nightclub performer. Her journey through nightclubs, opera houses, and international tours reveals… Read more: Maya Angelou: The Calypso Dancer

Before she became a household name as Lily Munster, Yvonne De Carlo was a determined young woman chasing dreams from the dance halls of Vancouver to the glittering studios of… Read more: Yvonne De Carlo AKA Lily Munster

We’ve covered the fan dancers of the 1930s and 40s but I’m here to dive into another performance art that took the burlesque stage by storm:aqua acts or performances in… Read more: Aquatease & the Oyster Girl

In the twilight of the 19th century, as Japan opened its doors to the world, one woman stepped through them and onto the global stage with unmatched grace and audacity.… Read more: Sada Yacco: Geisha and Global Icon

Lola Falana was a force of nature, transforming every stage she touched into a showcase of glamour, grit, and brilliance. Born Loletha Elayne Falana in Camden, New Jersey, in 1942,… Read more: Lola Falana: Showbiz Trailblazer

The Serpentine Dancer Born in 1862 in Fullersburg, Illinois, Loïe Fuller was a performer who defied categorization. She began her career in the rough-and-tumble world of American vaudeville, burlesque, and… Read more: Loïe Fuller

The Moulin Rouge Era In 1992, La Toya Jackson became the lead revue performer at the famed Moulin Rouge in Paris, starring in a show titled Formidable. This wasn’t just… Read more: La Toya Jackson

In the golden age of vaudeville, when corsets reigned and propriety was the law of the land, one woman dared to defy gravity—and society’s expectations. Her name was Charmion, and… Read more: Charmion: The Strongwoman

In the golden age of television—where cowboys roamed and space rangers soared—there was also a spear-wielding queen who swung through the jungle with fierce grace. Her name was Irish McCalla,… Read more: Irish McCalla

In a swirl of sequins and shadowy spotlight, Yolanda Montes—the woman the world came to know as Tongolele—stepped onto the stage and redefined what it meant to be an “exotic.”… Read more: Yolanda Montes AKA Tongolele

In the glittering world of early 20th-century entertainment, few performers embodied the extravagance and allure of the era quite like Rosie and Jenny Dolly. The identical twin dancers captivated audiences… Read more: The Dolly Sisters: Burlesque Twins

Dixie Evans was more than just a burlesque performer—she was a living tribute to Hollywood glamour, a curator of burlesque history, and one of the driving forces behind the burlesque’s… Read more: Dixie Evans: The “Marilyn Monroe of Burlesque”

Noel Toy was a pioneer of Chinese American burlesque, known for her stunning fan and bubble dances that captivated audiences from San Francisco to New York. Born Ngum Yee Hom… Read more: Noel Toy

The world of circus is built on spectacle—graceful acrobats defying gravity, fearless performers taming wild beasts, and daring equestrians commanding the ring with effortless precision. Among these legends stands Struppi… Read more: Struppi Hanneford aka “Princess Tajana”

In the dazzling world of mid-century entertainment, few acts captured the imagination quite like Sirena, the Underwater Ballerina. From 1950 to 1959, she toured across the United States, mesmerizing audiences… Read more: Sirena, the Underwater Ballerina

Tura Satana was a Japanese-American actress, exotic dancer, and cult film icon, best known for her fierce portrayal of Varla in Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! (1965). Her life was marked… Read more: Tura Satana

In the shimmering world of ballet and Broadway, few figures stand out quite like Sono Osato. A pioneer in dance and performance, she defied societal barriers and redefined what it… Read more: Sono Osato

Anna May Wong (born Wong Liu Tsong on January 3, 1905) was a trailblazing Chinese American actress and the first Asian American film star in Hollywood. Her career spanned silent… Read more: Anna May Wong

The art of burlesque has long been a stage for bold self-expression, dazzling creativity, and fearless individuality. Yet, beneath the sequins and spotlight, history often overlooks the contributions of Black… Read more: Burlesque Dancers of Color

On the night of February 11, 1963 members of the Aviation Post 1729, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), gathered at 1901 E. Locust St. in East Omaha, NE, for a… Read more: The Cases of Robin S. Hood

Thida Loy was a San Franciscan-born Chinese performer began dancing as a burlesque fan dancer in the 1930s. The earliest newspaper advertisements for Loy were in December 1935, though she… Read more: Thida Loy

“The Snake Dancer” Neryda was an exotic dancer who performed with a 6-foot python named “Allah.” She danced in night clubs in New York City and Chicago during the 1920s.… Read more: Neryda

Marie Amelia Nebel was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on October 10, 1910. Though she went by Mary, her stage name was Fay Baker. She was one of the best fan… Read more: Fay Baker

Michelle Devereaux Michele Devereaux was born around 1941 in Cheyenne, Wyoming. She was an exotic dancer who, like many others, are only mentioned in the newspapers when being arrested for… Read more: Vampira

Nancy Dorcas Miller Nancy Dorcas Miller was born in Hardinsburg, Kentucky on November 14, 1913 to her mother, Nannie Hendrick, and her father, Dennis Miller. She was the youngest of… Read more: Nancy Miller

(Nebraska Daily News Press. “Now Argue.” Page 11. February 8, 1925) [Caption reads: “If you think that Sally Rand isn’t one of the most beautiful women in the world you… Read more: Sally Rand in Nebraska

Roxanne Carmine was born as Golda (or Goldie) Glickman in Chicago to the “Maxwell Street Glickmans”, a Jewish family, around 1915/1916. She went by Rosie as a child. Her father… Read more: Roxanne Carmine

Tarza was a Black burlesque dancer from the 1940s through the 1960s. She was born Pauline Young in Detroit, Michigan, though newspapers stated she went by Pauline Oliver later on.… Read more: Tarza

This article explores the popular “Little Egypt” dancers in burlesque history. There were several performers at the turn of the 20th century that adopted the stage name and performed various… Read more: “Little Egypt” in Nebraska

Princess LaHoma was born Oteka Lahoma Willingham on October 5, 1931 in Gregg, Texas. Her father, Richard, was 26, and her mother, Kaliteyo, was 21. Lahoma lived and grew up… Read more: Princess Lahoma

Lotus Marjorie Corrington (1913-1954) Rosita Royce was born Lotus Marjorie Corrington in Tecumseh, Nebraska on August 9, 1913.* She went by Marjorie in her day to day life. Marjorie grew… Read more: Rosita Royce “The Dove Dancer”

Dawn Diano was a topless burlesque dancer through the 1970s. She was deemed ‘The Italian Demon’ because of her signature performance using a gun and whip while stripping! She traveled… Read more: Dawn Diano “The Italian Demon”

Erna Alene Hoover was born in Harlan, Iowa on April 12 or 13, 1912. Her father, Clinton Hoover, 33, and her mother, Pearle Pool, 33, moved to Omaha, Nebraska sometime… Read more: Alene Hoover

Special thanks to Silky The Body in Ohio for providing supplemental research and photographs for this article!  (The Spence Twins. Exotic Dancers. Rhythm and Blues Top Ten Review Program Book.… Read more: The Spence Twins

Amy Spencer was a Black actress and fan dancer born around 1909 in East Orange, New Jersey. Her father was also from New Jersey, while her mother was born in… Read more: Amy Spencer | The Lady with the Fan

Noma was a famous fan dancer in the 1930s. She lived and worked in Chicago, IL mostly. Noma was born in Bombay, East Indies (India) in 1910. Her mother’s name… Read more: Noma