I was scrounging around for some gaming news today and coming up woefully short – but then I stumbled across some videos being marketed as Cosplay Burlesque which I thought sounded pretty solid so I clicked play… well this isn’t Burlesque.
I thought maybe I was missing something so I asked the team what the difference between Burlesque and a strip show are, and was given the following quick-fire definitions
Darryn: Class
Zoe: burlesque is old school and classy – corsets and dance routines and whatnot
Geoff: BOOBIES
But no I had it spot on and after watching these NSFW videos I can guarantee that this is definitely more strip show than it is burlesque.
First up we have Maya from Borderlands 2. Last warning: they take their clothes off
And then it’s the turn of Ellie er I mean Moxxi
Who finished watching that one? Next up we have Vega from Street Fighter
And then we close off with Sailor Moon
All these shows were from the AnimeNEXT convention and this group is apparently a travelling group. So in this day and age where we are constantly being harassed about being sexist and hating on feminists let me ask you a question:
Are these videos just more of the same sexist rubbish we see everywhere or is this the peak of feminism where a woman can feel empowered to be sexy no matter their size or how they look?
Last Updated: July 11, 2013
Lardus
July 11, 2013 at 13:05
BASTARD I am at work and can’t view this now! But what better way to test my LTE connection when I get home.
loftie
July 11, 2013 at 15:10
nah its not that bad. you are safe bro.
Captain Minion TallTwit
July 11, 2013 at 13:06
Some of those <– can't be unseen.
Andre116
July 11, 2013 at 19:01
Yeah…I got a low budget biker rally vibe from some of those strippers…I mean burlesque dancers. And yes…I’ve attended a few of those.
Why, damnit, why do I always insist on taking pictures.
Sir Rants-a-Lot Llew
July 11, 2013 at 13:08
Why am I not surprised at Geoff’s answer?
Airborne
July 11, 2013 at 13:10
Geoff, you b@$tard, you stole my answer.
“Last Warning, they take their clothes off”… REALLY? you mean “Last invitation…”
John Ambitious
July 11, 2013 at 13:12
This is really weird
BacchusZA
July 11, 2013 at 13:17
Oh, bless you Gavin.
I’ve not even watched them yet, but seriously, bless you 🙂
John Ambitious
July 11, 2013 at 13:18
Didn’t watch them myself either, don’t think I will though.
BacchusZA
July 11, 2013 at 13:40
Actually, I just finished watching them.
I’ve always loved burlesque, & think it’s fantastic. Sensual rather than erotic. It’s a show, rather than a display.
A PC vs a console (whichever you’d like to compare to which :P), if you will.
And a whole lot more accessible / acceptable, for the performer & viewer both, than a regular “steak, egg, & strips” at The Med on the beachfront.
These may not be the best performers of the art I’ve ever seen, but still decent entertainment value 🙂
Exalted Overlord Geoffrey Tim
July 11, 2013 at 13:19
Dammit! I forgot to put the Banana Hammock warning on the Vega one. Sorry, folks.
Lardus
July 11, 2013 at 13:24
Yeah, I think I will skip that one
Trevor Davies
July 11, 2013 at 13:59
Uh huh “forgot” O_0
Admiral Chief Groot Wors
July 11, 2013 at 13:25
MY EYES!!!!!!!!!
X_X
Umar Kiiroi Senk?
July 11, 2013 at 13:35
VEGA …. MY EYES!!!!!!!!
Amanda Nomlanga Acton
July 11, 2013 at 14:26
That was… special. But I suppose cosplay, by its very nature is an “attention seeking” activity. It was only a matter of time before some really serious exhibitionists took it to the next level… a very weird weird level…
Marc O Polo
July 12, 2013 at 06:08
ok… only watched half of the first vid so far but this chick is either the worst burlesque dancer or worst stripper i’ve ever seen… think i should be off to teazers to do some research
Heidi
July 19, 2013 at 18:09
Feminism in this day and age is sex-positive, ESPECIALLY if the person doing it is doing it for themselves (some women like to strip because they personally enjoy it! I know, SHOCKER!). Women are allowed to be sexual and have free agency to do this. What is not ok is when cis-men (or anyone for that matter) try to take away that agency and tell women what they can and can’t do with their bodies, which is what you are seeing when feminists talk about sex in a negative light. That goes for all women of any shape and size. They aren’t performing for your specific tastes, so if you don’t like it, don’t watch.
Furthermore, burlesque is all about the striptease. Just because it has vintage, “classy” roots doesn’t mean those girls weren’t stripping. A basic Google search will find you some vintage black and white photos of performers in pasties. Then and now, some performers remove their underwear and some don’t. Both ways can work.
Furritus
July 19, 2013 at 19:16
Not really sure what your working definition of “burlesque” is, but it sure as hell ain’t Christina Aguilera. Heidi has it right. As a performer myself, I’ve always seen it as a balance-of-power thing. Burlesque puts the power in the hands of the performer, rather than the audience. She isn’t just shaking it for whatever schmuck puts down the most money. And yes, striptease has always been a part of it– google Sally Rand or Josephine Baker! It’s funny and sexy and silly, and puts much more emphasis on the tease, rather than the simple showing of parts.
Liz
July 20, 2013 at 09:44
It’s kinda stupid that I should have to refer to wikipedia of all things, but since it would have been so easy for you to take 5 minutes to do so and it seems you didn’t, I’ll post a link for you.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neo-burlesque
On top of things, I really have a pet peeve for people who just bash shit for the sake of bashing and putting it on public display. If you’re going to crit something, for one, know what you’re criticizing. Asking your friends and coworkers doesn’t count. We have the internet for god’s sake. Take an hour out of your life to research something first before you say what is and isn’t. For two, instead of just bashing, maybe make some educated explanations as to how something could be better, with referrals to actual bits of information to back it up.
Also there’s a big difference between girls who wear a skimpy cosplay at a family event vs a scheduled event that’s labeled as 18+. No one’s being subjugated or force fed. You don’t want to be involved, just don’t go to the event. The people who perform and the people who attend are there because they’re into it.
And for those who think this is weird…..then you must have never been to a burlesque show before. They come in LOTS of varieties and themes.