Burlesque has its origins in nineteenth century music hall entertainments and vaudeville. In the early twentieth century Burlesque then emerged as a populist blend of satire, performance art and adult entertainment, that featured strip tease and incorporated broad comedy acts that derived their name from the low comedy aspects of the literary genre known as burlesque.

In burlesque, performers who are usually female, often create elaborate sets with lush, colourful costumes, mood-appropriate music, and dramatic lighting, and may even include novelty acts, such as fire-breathing or demonstrations of unusual flexibility, to enhance the impact of their performance.

In simpler terms, Burlesque means literally "imitation" - to satirize or parody. Burlesque is a style of live entertainment that encompasses pastiche, parody and wit. The genre traditionally encompasses a variety of acts such as dancing girls, chanson singers, comedians, mime artists and strip tease artistes, all satirical and with an overall saucy edge. The striptease quotient of Burlesque is not akin to modern day strippers; one is theatre, the other is not. Burlesque focuses more on the artistic aspect of the act.

Development of Burlesque

Originally, burlesque featured shows that included comic sketches, often lampooning the social attitudes of the upper classes, alternating with dance routines. It had developed alongside vaudeville and ran on competing circuits.

Possibly due to historical social tensions between the upper classes and lower classes of society, much of the humour and entertainment of burlesque focused on lowbrow and ribald subjects. For example in the early years, ducks were revered amongst these folk as gags.

The genre originated in the 1840s, early in the Victorian Era, a time of culture clashes between the social rules of established aristocracy and a working-class society. The genre often mocked such established entertainment forms as opera, Shakespearean drama, musicals, and ballet. The costuming (or lack thereof) increasingly focused on forms of dress considered inappropriate for polite society. By the 1880s, the genre had created some rules for defining itself:

• Minimal costuming, often focusing on the female form.
• Sexually suggestive dialogue, dance, plotlines and staging.
• Quick-witted humour, lacking complexity.
• Short routines or sketches with minimal plot cohesion across a show.

Into the 1930s, a social crackdown on burlesque shows led to their gradual downfall. The shows had slowly changed from ensemble ribald variety performances, to simple performances focusing mostly on the strip tease. The advent of various forms of pornography had gradually replaced titillation. That's not to say that burlesque is dead as it has been undergoing a revival in some places in North America. Younger generations are starting to partake in new-age burlesque shows which attract larger audiences young and old.