Have you been naughty or nice this year? Why not both? The Cheesecake Burlesque Revue are going to prove it’s possible to be both as they shimmy on stage on December 5 for their annual Naughty but Nice Peepshow.
The 11-member troupe have been performing various takes on burlesque since 2006; The Naughty but Nice Peepshow will be a Christmas-themed event, and performer/MC Betsy Bottom Dollar cheekily says that it’s “a show full of Santa issues, instead of Daddy issues. This might melt your icy heart just a little bit.”
The show, which will feature a variety of acts, musical numbers, and festive costumes, might even feature an appearance from Santa himself… if the audience has been very, very good, says Bottom Dollar.
Bottom Dollar and other Cheesecakes also teach occasional burlesque workshops, where aspiring tease artists can learn about the history of burlesque, feather boa and glove techniques, how to bump and grind, and, of course, tassel twirling.
According to Betsy, a wonderful side effect of workshop participation is a sense of empowerment and body positivity.
“I have to say that the most benefit that I personally get is when we teach workshops,” she says. “The tassel twirling part is that moment… a lot of people have never been naked in front of anybody else except maybe their partner. Nobody’s ever forced, some people just put them on on the outside of their shirt, but quite often what happens is when the first person goes, we participate too, and they go, ‘I’m doing it, here’s my chance,’ and then the whole room has their tops off, and they’re looking around and at themselves and realising how great they look. Having that moment that’s so personal, and watching that empowerment come over people in the workshop is more amazing than any applause.”
As a troupe of women whose ages range from those in their 20s to those in their 40s, and showcasing a diverse set of body shapes and sizes, the Cheesecakes are a refreshing break from current media that typically exhibits only an idealized type of sexiness.
After all, burlesque, as Bottom Dollar says, is about “portraying everybody in their best light.”
The Naughty but Nice Peepshow
7:30 pm Saturday, December 5
$25 The Roxy Theatre (no minors)
cheesecakeburlesque.com