Bebe Bardeaux

What does it mean to be a soft femme?* Tender, radically vulnerable , dainty, "girly", gentle, peaceful, nearly maternal. In the realm of...

Recently, a performer made a controversial statement online that threw the burlesque community into a tizzy. Check it out: Prostitutes do...

Recently, I was connected to a wonderful burly historian in Columbus, Ohio named Silky the Body . Silky focuses on Black entertainment...

While Shake Queens mainly focuses on femme shakers, there was a straight cis male shaker named "Snakehips" Tucker that revolutionized...

Hi everyone! Bebe Bardeaux here, and I have super exciting news for you all! clears throat, waits for folx to gather : I'M HAVING A...

What exactly is burlesque plagiarism to an art form steeped in history and inspiration?

Earlier this week, I transcribed the1956 Afro-American newspaper article called "Do Women Enjoy Watching Shake Dancers?" for my Patreon....

Hi again! Here's another short video featuring five more popular shake and burlesque dancers. This one showcases dancers from films in...

Hi everyone! I'm still hard at work finishing Shake Queens. If you're interested in what I've found while digging around in online...

It's International Women's Day, and I'm tired. As a woman and an artist, I ask... who am I if I'm not proving my worth to anyone and...

To view the Black Burlesque History Timeline: 1880-1929, click here. I've previously mentioned this, but I think it bears repeating: my...

Since finding out that Miss Topsy passed away, I've been a bit of an emotional wreck. Because I never actually met Miss Topsy, she is...

Yesterday, Miss Topsy's family friend commented on an older blog post I wrote about her, letting me know that she had recently passed...

Although I try my best not to broadcast too much of my personal life on my blog, I can't help but to show certain aspects of my "true...

A very introspective White guy who loved making up quotes once said "Art begins in imitation and ends in innovation." I think about this...

Ooo-wee, I'm on fire!! Two posts in one week? I told y'all the Burly Blog is back! (Happy Halloween, brought to you by this creepy...

Hello friends, old and new! I started this blog to document my burlesque and vaudeville journey. I wanted a personal and intimate record...

I recently had an existential burlesque crisis. Perhaps, looking back through this blog, I'll discover that I've had many existential...

Originally published on Patreon. All proceeds go towards the publication of the forthcoming book "AMERICAN SHAKE QUEENS". I wanted to...

Hello out there!! It's a not-so-shiny but totally-brand-new year, and I recently realized I'm slowly inching up on my four-year burlesque...