Best Troupe
Lydia Thompson and The British Blondes were a prominent burlesque troupe active in late Victorian Britain. The group’s performances showcased elaborate costumes, intricate choreography, and comedic routines, becoming notable for their sophisticated aesthetic and theatrical presentation within the bu...
The Stage Door Johnnies are an established Chicago-based all-male burlesque troupe formed in 2007. Featuring performers like Jett Adore, Ray Gunn, and Bazuka Joe, the trio delivers a unique brand of boylesque entertainment. They represent a significant presence within the city’s vibrant burlesque sc...
Founded in 1995 by Keith Nelson and Stephanie Monseu, the Bindlestiff Family Cirkus is a New York City-based variety troupe. The production blends traditional circus arts like juggling and acrobatics with elements of vaudeville, sideshow acts, and neo-burlesque. It is designed for adult audiences se...
The Pontani Sisters represent a distinctive tradition within American burlesque. This New York-based troupe performs classic-style routines with intricate, synchronized choreography. Their work is notable for its contribution to the neo-burlesque movement and appeals to audiences interested in vinta...
The Vau de Vire Society is a San Francisco-based cabaret and circus collective founded in 2005, recognized for its avant-garde performances and creating the annual Edwardian Ball.
The Velvet Hammer Burlesque is a Los Angeles based theatrical troupe established in the mid-1990s. Founded by Michelle Carr, it played a crucial role in revitalizing American burlesque. This neo-burlesque group brought a sophisticated and daring aesthetic to the scene, influencing subsequent perform...
Geekenders is a Vancouver-based burlesque troupe specializing in parody performances inspired by popular culture and science fiction. The group’s unique blend of burlesque technique with nerdy themes has garnered significant recognition within the Canadian burlesque scene. Geekenders primarily enter...
Banquine is a traditional circus performance showcasing advanced hand-tossing acrobatics. It involves a flyer being launched into the air by a catcher team through intricate interlocking handholds. This technique allows for spectacular aerial vaults and rotations. The act is primarily performed by t...
Imogen Kelly Productions is an Australian entertainment company founded by acclaimed burlesque performer Imogen Kelly, recognized for creating elaborate theatrical shows.
Company XIV is a Brooklyn-based performing arts troupe founded by the director and choreographer Austin McCormick. The ensemble is recognized for its elaborate, neo-baroque productions that fuse a variety of performance disciplines, including classical ballet, contemporary dance, opera, circus arts,...
Briefs Factory is an Australian production company and performing arts collective recognized for its boylesque shows. Founded in Brisbane, the group blends male striptease, contemporary circus, comedy, and theatrical performance. They are best known for the international hit show "Briefs: The Second...
A three-high column is a group-acrobatics formation in which three performers are arranged vertically, with the upper performers supported on the shoulders or body of the performers below them. Variations appear in circus arts, acrobatic gymnastics, and traditional human-tower practices, although te...
Lydia Thompson's British Blondes was a pioneering theatrical troupe that introduced Victorian burlesque to American audiences upon arriving in New York in 1868. Led by actress and dancer Lydia Thompson, the all-female cast performed comedic sketches, musical satires, and dances in revealing costumes...
The Atomic Bombshells are a neo-burlesque performance ensemble based in Seattle, Washington, that was established in 2003. The troupe is recognized for staging highly choreographed, glamorous theatrical productions that blend classic striptease with modern dance and comedy. They frequently produce e...
Founded in 2004, Wasabassco Burlesque is a New York City-based production company that stages large-scale theatrical revues. The organization is an active participant in the contemporary neo-burlesque scene in the United States. The company focuses on producing immersive vaudeville-style variety sho...
The Boston Babydolls are a well-known neo-burlesque troupe founded in the 2000s, recognized for their theatrical productions and classic striptease performances in Massachusetts.
The Pussycat Dolls began as a Los Angeles burlesque troupe founded by Robin Antin in 1995 before becoming an internationally successful pop group.
Les Femmes Fatales is a New York City-based neo-burlesque showcase dedicated to celebrating and highlighting the diverse talents of women of color in the modern striptease scene.
New York-based burlesque trio of sisters Angie, Doris, and Helena Pontani, active since the 1990s and known for blending classic burlesque with diverse dance styles.
Sinner Saint Burlesque is a theatrical production company and performance troupe based in Seattle, Washington. The group specializes in neo-burlesque, a modern revival of the classic art form that frequently integrates contemporary dance, theatrical storytelling, and political comedy. Their performa...
The Stage Door Johnnies are a Chicago-based boylesque troupe known for their theatrical and humorous performances centered on the male striptease. The group has gained recognition within the neo-burlesque community for its elaborate choreography and character-driven routines. They have performed at...
Bombshell Burlesque is an American performance troupe recognized for producing classic and contemporary cabaret shows, contributing to the regional revival of burlesque.
Chocolate City Burlesque and Cabaret is a Washington, D.C.-based performance troupe that emerged during the American neo-burlesque revival. The group specifically centers performers of color, reflecting the demographic history of its home city, which was historically nicknamed "Chocolate City." Thei...
Le Cirque Rouge is a notable burlesque and variety troupe based in Atlanta, Georgia, recognized for staging elaborate, theatrical neo-burlesque performances in the American South.
Brown Girls Burlesque is a women-of-color neo-burlesque troupe founded in 2007, focused on race, gender and sexuality onstage.
The Jigglewatts Burlesque Revue is a neo-burlesque performance troupe based in Austin, Texas. The group specializes in combining traditional striptease with modern comedy, theatrical storytelling, and classic jazz aesthetics. They are recognized within the local arts scene for producing regular stag...
Founded in Seattle around 2010, The Love Show is an American burlesque and cabaret company that blends classic striptease with contemporary dance and comedy.
The Hollywood Jane Revue is a California-based burlesque troupe founded by Jackie Hollywood, notable for blending classic striptease with horror and pop-culture themes.
Black Hearts Burlesque is a modern neo-burlesque production known for staging dark, theatrical, and horror-inspired striptease performances for alternative subculture audiences.
Pinchbottom Burlesque was a New York City performance company founded in 2004 by Jonny Porkpie and Nasty Canasta. Its productions combined neo-burlesque acts with theatrical plots, recurring characters, and genre parodies, giving complete shows a narrative structure rather than presenting only a seq...
