Devora Darling

Devora Darling has recently discovered a love of Burlesque. She is trained in classical ballet, and has been dancing and performing most of her life. Devora lives in Boston, where she teaches ballet and enjoys performing with the Boston Babydolls.

Dr. Wilson

Dr. Wilson is a magician, sideshow performer, and escape artist. As a solo performer, he has developed an old-time medicine show for Dr. Wilson's Memory Elixir, a fantastical nostrum for memory improvement. He is also the proprietor of a flea circus and the exhibitor of several incredible sideshow attractions. For the past five years, he has collaborated with fellow magician Professor Miller and other performers on Theater of Marvels, a Victorian Orientalist show featuring western magic, Middle Eastern dance, and Jadoo, the street magic of India. Dr. Wilson is also a furious publicist, whose work has achieved regional and national coverage in print, radio, and television. In 2009, he was awarded the Candlelight Award by the Circus Historical Society in recognition of his work at keeping the circus and sideshow tradition alive.

Dusty Summers

Dusty Summers started as a bikini go go girl in about 1966 in Phoenix, AZ. Less than a year later, she was doing her first strip in a theatre in downtown Phoenix that was trying to revive burlesque under the guidance of Chris Starr, a burlesque queen from the 50’s.
After getting an agent and becoming a full time “exotic” she was booked into Surfside Seven in Ft. Walton Beach, Florida, where she met and later married the comic/magician “Professor Turban” who taught her magic.
Around 1975 Dusty was booked at the Royal Las Vegas in a show called “Olde Tyme Burlesque.” In the years following she worked in several showrooms in Las Vegas and toured the rest of the United States and Canada.
In 1983 she opened my own burlesque club, Dusty’s West in San Angelo, Texas. Dusty retired from entertainment in 1992 to work at Circus Circus in Las Vegas, first as a dealer, then as a pit boss. For the past few years she has started performing again and enjoys meeting all her fans at burlesque gatherings around the world.

Elizabeth Kelly

Elizabeth Kelly is a Principal Systems and Software Engineer who works as a subject matter expert on large scale web application development and digital security. She holds a wide variety of professional certifications as well as a Master's Degree in Computer Science. When she's not integrating and breaking large scale systems on government contracts so big that Obama has preached against them, she is a a performing Burlesque dancer. Her career aspirations include becoming the Nerd to the Stars and America's Geekiest Burlesque Dancer.

Elsa Sjunneson

Elsa Sjunneson (also known as Lydia Ransom) is a rogue burlesque scholar. She has a BA in theater and history, and is completing her MA in women's history at Sarah Lawrence College, where she is writing about burlesque and obscenity law. She is the daughter of Paula the Swedish Housewife and has been a member of the burlesque community at large for quite awhile.

EmpeROAR Fabulous!!!

Since his Debut in 2008 with Tempest Burlesque, EmpeROAR Fabulous!!!, The Exposing Composer, has taken Seattle by storm with his unique amalgamation of singing and songwriting with Boylesque. He has appeared on National television, toured Europe, and has been a panelist at BurlyCon two years in a row.

Erin Lovett

Erin Lovett Sherman, Artistic Director, is a dancer, choreographer, educator, and artistic experience facilitator. She earned a BFA from The University of the Arts, and has danced and choreographed for several dance companies including Group Motion Multi Media Dance Theatre in Philadelphia. Erin created ARTSFEST in 1999 and is building a retreat center for artists in Quebec. She creates multi-disciplinary work by encouraging collaboration between artists of all genres and by exploring and celebrating improvisation. She has been recently named Artistic Director for the Wolfeboro Creative Arts Center Summer Theatre in NH. Erin has performed and directed all over the world including India, Quebec, Russia, Lithuania and throughout the U.S. Erin teaqches classes in all genres of Dance including Hip Hop, Jazz, Musical Theatre, Lyrical and Burlesque as well as Performing Arts classes in all genres of the Theatre Arts.

Evie Sphinx

Evie Sphinx's winning smile and wholesome good looks will have you thinking she's sweet and innocent, but inside her friendly demeanor lurks a fitness demon and a dance goddess. Having recently come to the stage with the Boston Babydolls in the Wrathskellar, Hot Dates, and Mr. Cupid's House of Love, Evie jazzes up her bumps and grinds with killer kicks and jaw dropping splits using her classical Ballet roots. In addition to dancing, Evie is currently attending college here in Boston. When not dancing or in class, Evie can be found tearing up the streets of Boston on her bicycle. Watch out! This lady is danger whether she's on two wheels or high heels.

Glamour Puss Burlesque

Glamour Puss Burlesque has been putting the class back in ass for 2 and a half years with their extravagant costuming, over the top theatrics and show stopping dance numbers. They have produced over 10 original productions in Toronto and have worked for companies such as Alliance Atlantis, Steam Whistle, and Universal Music. Glamour Puss was honoured with the “Best Troupe” award at the Great Burlesque Exposition 2010 in Boston, MA.

Jo Weldon

Jo Weldon is the Headmistress and Founder of the New York School of Burlesque. Internationally renowned as burlesque personality Jo Boobs, she's rounded her heels on stages from Coney Island to Las Vegas. She's the winner of such exotic titles as Best Bump N Grinder, Best Teacher and Mentor, and Biggest Cougar in Burlesque! She has worked with performers from Leonard Cohen to Spinal Tap, and has been featured on television shows from CBS Sunday Morning to Gossip Girl. Her book, The Burlesque Handbook: A Backstage Guide, featuring a foreword by Margaret Cho, was released by HarperCollins/ItBooks in 2010.

Joan Arline

Joan is happy to be Back in Burlesque, where she was a headliner over 5 decades ago, as JOAN ARLINE, “The Sexquire Girl”™. She was inducted into the Burlesque Hall of Fame as a LEGEND, and currently performing, as such, in the exact costume she wore 57 years ago in Burlesque.
Recent credits include “Gypsy” as Miss Electra, choreographer of “La Cage Aux Folles”, and in “GiGi” as Aunt Alicia. She also appeared on TV in Bret Michaels’ “Rock of Love” as a dance instructor. She has performed as a Showgirl/Dancer in the Branson Follies, the Palm Springs Follies and, in the Golden Girl Follies, she recreated a vintage Burlesque act (song and strip tease).
She owned and operated a dance studio where she specialized in classical Russian Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Ballroom and Modeling. She keeps very busy performing her one woman cabaret and theater act of comedy, songs, tributes, etc.

Joe Paul Williams

Joe is considered the world expert in the Delsarte body language system which shows how Body, Mind and Spirit become visible in specific parts of the body and in movement. He teaches this method for the Dalcroze Institute at Juilliard, and in Master Classes for dancers and actors around the country. He is especially well known for his Delsarte for Middle Eastern Dance, and is on the faculty of Morocco and the Casbah Dance in New York. A long time fan of burlesque, he might well be remembered for bringing burlesque to Dayton, Ohio in the 80's, with his comic stripping gorilla routine which he performed for several years.

Jonny Porkpie

Jonny Porkpie is a New York City-based writer, director, and performer in neo-burlesque. So called for his pork pie hat, Jonny Porkpie creates and hosts scripted theme-based burlesque shows as part of his production company, Pinchbottom, as well as solo productions under the title "Jonny Porkpie's Bad Ideas". His work has been touted in New York Magazine as the "best burlesque" in the city. He has been highlighted as a pivotal player in New York City's burlesque renaissance, bolstering his claim to the title "Burlesque Mayor of New York City" On August 3, 2009, he announced his candidacy for "actual" mayor of New York City, targeting "The Naked Cowboy" as his main opponent. He lost.

Kim H. Carrell

Kim is an actor, director, and fight choreographer with over 20 years of experience in theatre, film, and TV. He has performed in regional theatre, national tours, off-Broadway, and was the resident fight director for the New England Shakespeare Festival. He was most recently seen in the Academy Award winning film "The Fighter".

Kristen Augenfeld

Kristen Augenfeld is a Boston-based costume designer and recent graduate of Lasell College with a degree in Fashion Design and Production who has fallen head over heels with every aspect of burlesque costuming. She has been involved with the Boston Babydolls for the past year and is also currently costuming a 1950's throwback space spoof film and an early century-themed museum staff while producing her own vintage-inspired lingerie and millinery and building up a collection of vintage pieces for styling.

Lucy Buttons

Lucy Buttons "the Queen of Rock and Roll Burlesque" has a background in dance ranging from ballroom to belly dancing to hip hop. She has been a part of the Burlesque scene in NYC for 5 years. This is her third time at the Expo, where she took home Legend's Choice and Most Classic in 2009. She has also performed at NYBF, Coney Island Rockabilly Festival, Ant Fest, and The Windy City Burlesque Festival.
Lucy shared the red carpet with the legendary Dita Von Tease and has been featured in magazines, film, and television including the two episodes of Pants Off Dance off that made her infamous. Her sultry moves have solidified her as a "Professional Temptress" and though this is her first time teaching burlesque, she has been teaching dance and and working as a choreographer for years.

Miss Mina

After the job market for glamorous archaeologists dried up, Miss Mina abandoned her Ivory Tower to become co-founder of The Boston Babydolls (awarded "Best Dance Performers, Sexy" by the Boston Phoenix) and Headmistress of the Boston Academy of Burlesque Education (B.A.B.E.). Known for her "Ivy League brain in a Combat Zone body", she delights audiences with her elegant performances, award-winning costumes, and occasional flashes of unexpected humor. Miss Mina is a Master costumer (ICG) and was educated in Museum Studies at Harvard.

Ms. Red Snapper

Ms. Red Snapper regularly performs throughout Southern California, and has performed in Las Vegas, Denver, Dallas, San Antonio, Austin, Boston and New Orleans. Known as "The Go All the Way Girl," she never fails to charm. Red's repertoire varies from classic 1940's elegance to rock & roll, tongue-in-cheek, naughty good girl. Sometimes she shares the stage with puppets or large, silly props built by Mr. Snapper. She's been involved in theatre for the better part of three decades and co-founded Theatre Unleashed in Los Angeles. She currently teaches burlesque privately and specializes in teaching men.

Scandal from Bohemia

Scandal from Bohemia (Seattle) has performed burlesque in North America and Europe and was 2010's Most Humorous at the Boston Burlesque Expo. When keeping on her clothing, she writes and performs sketch comedy and sometimes even does shows that have been published and everything!

Scarlett Letter

Scarlett Letter, awarded Most Classic at GBBE 2007 and best soloist at GBE 2010, has been a professional dancer for over a decade and been doing taxes and book-keeping for even longer. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Performing Arts Management from Scripps College and is also an award-winning costumer. Scarlett's dance experience encompasses a wide variety of styles, genres, situations, and venues. She can regularly be seen producing and performing at burlesque venues throughout Southern California, as well as burlesque events across the continent and in Europe. Four feet of red hair, a vintage flair, and very calculating feet are her calling cards.

Scratch

The "King of Boston Burlesque", this Mephistophelean madman has been a fixture in the national burlesque scene since 2005. The founding chair of The Great Burlesque Expo, he has also taught at BurlyCon, Arisia, Intercon, and other festivals. He is the director of The Boston Babydolls (www.BostonBabydolls.net).

The Shanghai Pearl

The Shanghai Pearl is The Tantalizing Temptress from Taipei and Princess of Pulchritude! The Shanghai Pearl is an international burlesque performer and instructor based out of Seattle, Washington. Her range is broad; spanning the burlesque gamut from tantalizing tongue in cheek tease to irreverent vaudevillian vignettes. This exotic firecracker is known throughout the burlesque community for her opulent accoutrement.

Tracey DiLascio

Tracey M. DiLascio, Esq., is a small business and intellectual property attorney in Framingham, Massachusetts, who also teaches composition, literature, and sociology courses at several area colleges. Ms. DiLascio is a graduate of Boston University School of Law and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

Zehara Nachash

Based in Boston, Zehara Nachash is a professional belly dancer, side show performer, and Boston's Resident Snake Charmer. Zehara has been performing professionally since 2005 bringing her unique brand of Side Show Belly Dance to audiences across New England. She currently teaches workshops and classes throughout New England. She is the Troupe Director of The Daughters of Eden and Alankara. Zehara is also the Proprietress of Bostons very own Coney Island inspired show, "Kalliope's Karavan: An Evening of Side Show Delights and Vaudeville Theatre." Aside from belly dancing, Zehara is also a professional fire eater, glass walker and fire dancer.