Burlesque is not strip tease. Strip tease is obvious. Burlesque is about titillation and subtleties; a variety of figures and shapes. Not one mold of sexuality. Not one mold of human skin. Strip tease is skinny in its interpretation of the sexuality of the world. Burlesque is thick and far-reaching in its sexy satire. Exhibit A: Burlesque As It Was. The Denver troupe, Burlesque As It Was, is intimately involved in a tradition of dance, movement and social commentary that is affluent and varied, unlike any other form of physical expression in the western world. And while there a multitude of modern Burlesque troupes, this artful style of dance is not new. No, Burlesque is a mountain that was founded nearly a century ago. In its essence, Burlesque is about pulling from a variety of roles and traditions. From the early days, Burlesque made its mileage as a satire of classical dance. It incorporated elements of vaudeville and it adapted elements from the belly dancing tradition. From its provenance in the 1910-1920’s, Burlesque bent the gender roles – by having women often times parade on stage in male roles. But as is the case with any artful form, there has been an evolution. From the elements of Old Time Burlesque, modern forms of Burlesque have adapted. Evident in the playful stages of dance has always been the fundamental component of humor. As Old Time Burlesque came from a deliberate satire and vaudeville tradition, Burlesque is incessantly pushing and moving and unearthing new boundaries in their performances, and humor is a great mechanism to enable this necessary growth. Another holdover from the Old Time tradition is the gimmick. The spectrum of gimmicks have included such things as dancing with fans, tassel twirling and anything else that can create a catchy headline on a playbill, like being the Oyster Girl, or performing as Marilyn Monroe. And while the contemporary forms of Burlesque have drawn from the first half of the 20th century, there are clear differences. The most notable being that modern Burlesque is much dirtier, sometimes raunchier. In the 1930’s there was a crackdown on this form of dance all throughout the nation – spurred by the Puritanical values and fears of those uncompromising to the fearless limits of sexuality and dance. But, as the limits of sexuality and expression have expanded in the 21st century – Burlesque has seen an upsurge and revitalization ins its unique form of dance. Michelle Baldwin, a.k.a Vivienne VaVoom, has fronted Burlesque As It Was (B.A.I.W.) since its inception in 1998. With a rotation fluctuating between 5-10 women, B.A.I.W. has solidified their run as one of Denver’s strongest Burlesque troupes by providing a variety of theme-based acts. They are sprightly and wildly entertaining, due in large part to the element of dance which involves the women engaging every audience member with seductive eyes and trance-like movements around the stage, choreographed wondrously to yesteryear’s music. With no announced dates for upcoming performances, B.A.I.W.’s website is the best location to find out about when the ladies are going to be on stage next. Likewise, B.A.I.W.’s site hosts a wide collection of information and links pertaining to the history, and current state of their art. Go to the Burlesque As It Was website to stay in-touch with their upcoming acts: www.burlesqueasitwas.com