Upon hearing that MalTease - a variety and Burlesque show is coming up at Spazju Kreattiv, Undine LaVerve, the producer, and Malta's very own Burlesque star says that people often ask her "but what exactly is Burlesque?" Why don't we dive into this FAQ and discover more together.
Despite Undine, Malta's Burlesque pioneer, laying the groundwork for the art of Burlesque for about a decade now and due to the term being such a buzzword, the general idea does not go beyond feathers and glamour, which is close but not close enough.
Burlesque is the art of tease, the art of seduction. And while that may sound intimidating, it actually isn't. Burlesque is a playful, tongue in cheek, fun dance form with cheeky elements of artistic disrobing. Acts often range from comical to mystical, sometimes political with a message, other times poetic and mesmerising, silly or stunning. And sometimes all of the above.
Burlesque comes from the Italian word burlesco, which means to "make fun of" which is what it originally was - a form of comedy in Vaudeville theatres in the early 1900s, then dancing girls took over the noisy music halls mid century, no doubt dancing up a storm... since then Burlesque had died down but experienced a revival in the mid-90s and has evolved into the diverse world of showgirls and showboat we enjoy now in theatres, restaurants and bars from Vegas to Cape Town, from Seoul to Valletta.
Burlesque is an important art because it celebrates performers of all types; there is no discrimination based on body shape and size, gender, race, age... it is wonderfully inclusive and diverse.
MalTease is committed to celebrating exactly that - the beauty and variety of Burlesque, bringing top foreign performers to Malta from all around the world, to join local artists in creating a magical experience. This year the production is celebrating its fourth edition thanks to LaVerve, in collaboration with Spazju Kreattiv.
What to expect?
A colourful group of individuals coming together, sparkling together in magnificent costumes. They will captivate you, make you laugh, make you smile, make you feel.
The local cast consists of Colin Fitz - the master of ceremonies and host for the evening, Gwilym Bugeja - the embodiment of when magic and silliness come together, velvety smooth sounding singers - Larissa and the "Singing Dutchman" Henk Wolswijk. Malta's very own Undine LaVerve will bring you flirty and fabulous classical Burlesque and leave you feeling empowered with her infectious confidence. Dancers from BAM - the Burlesque Academy of Malta, all mentored by LaVerve will perform too and one such up-and-coming Maltese Burlesque starlet from BAM - Bella Stardust will display a joyous act that is bound to resonate with the audience.
But that is not all - we have the pleasure of some top foreign artists gracing the stage at the beautiful theatre at Spazju Kreattiv. One of these is a German performer - Elsey Marley "the singing Chameleon" dazzles the crowd with her wide range of quirky characters, all the while singing and dancing herself into the hearts of her audience. From Slovakia with love comes Miss Lotta Love - an elegant dancer with stunning costumes and "a lotta" personality! She will leave you mesmerised without a doubt. And finally, bringing masculine energy, high flying excellence (quite literally) and incredible show of physical strength, the current UK aerial performance champion - Kain Soma.
Sounds like a show not to be missed... there is a good reason why MalTease is an acclaimed production. The event will follow all the necessary Covid-related protocols and due to the socially-distanced theatre seating, there are limited tickets available to enjoy this year's edition.
The show will be happening on 23, 24, 25 July at the Theatre at Spazju Kreattiv. Bookings at kreattivita.org