Stockholm Burlesque Festival’s astonishing line-up! We have a stunning range of styles and aesthetics from 16 countries…
FESTIVAL HEADLINER
Imogen Kelly (Australia)
Reigning Queen of Burlesque / Miss Exotic World 2012
Imogen Kelly is notoriously known as Australia’s Queen of burlesque and has been making provocative whoopee for a quarter of a century. A free-lance performance artist well known for her disembowelling of showgirl genres. She is a pioneer of women’s performance movements in Australia and is globally celebrated for her work.
Photo credit: Caveboy Studios
FESTIVAL HEADLINER
Luminous Pariah (US)
the Luminous Pariah is a Seattle-based international interdisciplinary boylesque character, model, fitness enthusiast, and performance artist. Luminous has been sharing his effervescent style since early 2009. He tours extensively and has performed in over 100 international productions throughout Europe, Canada, and Australia. Lumi performs as a soloist and as producer of boylesque troupe Mod Carousel. Mr. Pariah draws upon his extensive background in physical theatre and dance.
Photo credit: Ernie Sapir
FESTIVAL HOST
Lili la Scala (UK)
Lili la Scala Songbird of Trafalgar Square www.lililascala.com – “ravishing retro glamour” The Telegraph – “Pure joy” Adelaide Advertiser – Lili will be our fantastic compere for the weekend.
Photo credit: Neil Kendall
The Amazing Knicker Kittens Burlesque Revue (Sweden)
Swedens first and finest burlesque troupe, putting the OH! in showbiz since 2005! They were the initial house troupe for the famousHootchy Kootchy Club, the founders of the Stockholm Burlesque Festival, and in 2009 they were awarded the “Most Classic” trophy at Burlesque Hall of Fame.
Photo Credit: Eva Hildén Smith
Asha Jones (Switzerland)
I’m Asha Jones… Baby! Everything rings in my name and sounds like a promise of Sexyness, Glamourous & Happyness Moment I’ll Share on stage with the Audience! I dance since 3 years, creating my own solos and my Burly path, step by step by step, fun by fun!
Photo credit: Dollhouse
Carolina Ramirez (Chile)
Carolina Ramirez is a young and gifted artist form the New-Burlesque world.
True showgirl, this hot Latin chick mixes the authenticity of Parisian cabarets with New Orlean’s Jazz and Rumba beats. She uses her dancing skills to transform traditional burlesque into a burning flame of desire. The mood promises to be electrifying!
A must see!
Photo credit: Bruno Gasperini
The Duncans (Italy)
There is no music that can not be danced , there is no body immune to ideas.
These are the Duncans: bodies as revolutionary weapons, souls like the battlefields on which Apollo and Dionysus , Christ , Nieztche and Wagner are competing for.
Duo Vilja (Sweden)
An extraordinary talented duo who perform all around the globe. Swedish twin sisters Jenny and Sara Haglund form Duo Vilja, an acrobatic contortion headlining international aerial duo.
Photo credit: John-Paul Bichard
Fifi von Tassel (Norway)
Fifi von Tassel is an international burlesque artist, because of that one time in Ireland, and is making you love your body one curve at a time! She also describe herself as a “politicial happy pill, wearing a thong”.
Photo credit: Kristian Kittelsaa
Fräulein Frauke (Sweden)
Fräulein Frauke is one of Sweden’s top burlesque stars renowned for her beautiful singing, extravagant and lavish costumes and intellectual creativity on stage. This dark beauty combines jazz and striptease with the glamour of Broadway and the decadence of the early twentieth century.
Photo credit: Neil Kendall
Gonzalo de Laverga (Italy)
Gonzalo De Laverga is known as the Italian Matador . He embodies the archetype of Italic Masculinity languid look and grotesque sensuality .
Winner of Vienna Boylesque Festival 2015. Resident performer at Micca Club in Rome and Headliner at Salone Margherita in Rome, a vaudevillian theatre in Rome. He is a professional Latin Dancer and a Choreographer.
Photo credit: Yildiz Photo Lyon
Hannie Helsden (Australia)
Living doll Hannie Helsden is a real life circus sensation all the way from Melbourne Australia. Specializing in Hula Hoops, she is known and loved for her comedic and clever character work, combined with high level circus skill. She has performed extensively in circuses, cabaret, variety and burlesque shows.
Photo credit: Brad Vertigo
Ivoncita in the DRAMA KINGS (Sweden)
This is a duo that has performed together in different constellations but never in this kind of package that you’re about to see tonight… They’re known for putting on humorous and well choreographed shows.. and this brand new act is a tribute to the 90s and coming out of the closet..
Photo credit: Maria Enecker
John Celestus (UK)
John Celestus is a vaudevillian Creature based in Glasgow. Juggling with different forms of entertainment such as dance, contortion and boylesque. He is considered as one of the Cabaret’s darkest darlings.
Photo credit: John-Paul Bichard
Katrin Gajndr (Russia)
Russian burlesque diva, fetish icon and glamour girl. Katrin began her career a burlesque perfomer in 18 years old. When she was 21 years old Katrin was recognized “Queen of Classic Burlesque” in Russia! Katrin professional dancer and graduated from art school.
She entices the audience into the world where the beauty governs!
Kenta & the BeeBees (Sweden)
Twisted queerlesque trio with glamouros looks and very dirty minds! Featuring the international star Lady Francescca, the not so much home wife Ester Winchester and of course the Swedish gentleman Kenta.
Photo credit: Bernie Go-Go
Kiki Beguin (France)
Kiki Beguin is a heteroclite and eclectic artist.
The world she creates, makes classical dance blush, whispering in its ear the new rules of burlesque with Burtonian accents. She travels around Europe with her burlesque vision: Palais Mascotte, Rasputin, Golden Arrow, Zebra Belleville Theatre Adyar, the China, private events… also burlesque festivals: Amsterdam, Londres, Roma, Vienna, Berlin, Fringe festival Brighton, Avignon festival…
Her awards include ; breakthrough award at the Boylesque Vienna Festival, Most original at the Bruxelles festival.
Photo credit: Alyz Tale
Kitty Willenbruch / Evilyn Frantic (Hell)
This devilish duo combines the sultry sexiness of striptease together with the macabre art of side show. The duo consists of the Finnish side show and burlesque artist Evilyn Frantic and the demon goddess, hostess and burlesque performer Kitty Willenbruch from Austria. Let them tantalize you with their dark eroticism and step in to a world of wonder that only true escapism can bring!
Photo credit: Egon Johan Vencour Graphic Mark Freier
Lady Laverna (Finland)
From jazz singer to burlesque performer, Lady Laverna covers it all. Before burlesque made its grand entré in Lavernas life she had been seducing audiences with her bubbly voice for years. Lavernas repertoire stretches from sassy sweetness to gender bending queerlesque and she refuses to leave her audience chilly.
Photo credit: Ask Jonathan Photography
Lady Wildflower (UK)
Internationally acclaimed Neo-Burlesque performer and producer, Lady Wildflower is known for her fierce, high energy, extravagant acts combining her impressive dance skills, sharp musicality and strong characters. A highly in demand performer, she was voted in the Top 20 UK Burlesque Performers of 2014 & 2015 by 21st Century Burlesque.
Photo credit: Neil Kendall
Leo and Teo (US & Brazil)
“Mind-boggling Artistry & Athleticism!” This dynamic acrobat duo have spread laughs, gaffs, and broken hearts in over 70 countries. Indulge your curiosity and enjoy minute after muscle-popping minute of circus, shenanigans, and song.
Photo credit: Eric Walton
Lila Chupa-Hoops (France)
Lila Chupa-Hoops brings circus to the burlesque scene ! She is an international innovator, showing off special tricks with her hula hoops mixed with a bit of teasing… that’s what she calls Hoop-Tease !
Photo credit: Valentin Perrin
Lola the Vamp (Australia)
Australia’s Burlesque Icon, Penthouse Pet, PhD in Burlesque. A vintage beauty cast in the mould of yesterday, Lola The Vamp has the figure of Brigitte Bardot and the smile of Vivien Leigh (Cnn.com). She has supported Nick Cave and Grinderman, was the first Australian to perform at Burlesque Hall of Fame and has headlined the Australian Burlesque Festival, Perth International Burlesque Festival and the legendary Tease-o-rama in the USA.
She has inspired the opening of several of Australia’s first burlesque clubs and features in the two seminal books of the contemporary burlesque era, Burlesque & The New Bump and Grind, and The Happy Stripper: Politics and Pleasures of the New Burlesque.
Mamz’elle Plum’ti (France)
Classically trained dancer, Mamz’elle Plum’ti, was the youngest dancer of a music hall troupe near Bordeaux. Then Paris; she became a well known costume designer, Lily Verda. Her passion for costumes and glitter brought her back to the stage! Mamz’elle Plum’ti is a fan dancing specialist. She ‘s a pin up showgirl with some rock’n’roll, humour and poetry touch.
Photo credit: Patrick Siboni
Mara De Nude (France)
Evanescent beauty with a doll face, Mara de Nudée will captivate you at a glance. Don’t get fooled by her apparent gentleness and her cheeky eyes, she knows how to be fatale when she wants something!
Genuine aesthete, Mara creates and stages herself with poetry and mischief in refined burlesque acts. She draws inspiration from the start of the XXth century and her fascination for the great feminine icons.
Welcome to the world of the pearl of parisian chic and let yourself be charmed by the beauty and the retro elegance of the Nudée!
Photo credit: Justine Maillard Photography
The Merkins (Sweden)
The Merkins started as a collaboration between Freja Futch and Duchess of The Amazing Knicker Kittens in late 2013, and is a dance-focused queer feminist glam-bomb drag neo-burlesquey troupe with a passion for tease, raunch, and loud lewd lasciviousness. Or, as Reuben Kaye put it, The Merkins are “post-modern showgirls”.
Photo credit: Bernie Go-Go
Frau Rivka Rossweise (Sweden)
With her sultry sensibility and notorious voice, Rivka Rossweisse has been seducing ears and hearts all over Scandinavia for many years. A true renaissance woman, singing is merely one string to her bow. This is her debut at Stockholm Burlesque Festival, and she couldn’t be more excited.
Theodora Rex (Finland)
I am a burlesque and drag artist performing with names Rhea Gone (burlesque) and Theodora Rex (drag burlesque). I love vintage Hollywood, film noir, underground cinema, surrealism and you can see these influences in my art work.
Photo credit: Heidi Sandborg
Sonny & Miss Cool Cat (Czech Republic)
Miss Cool Cat is like a cocktail of sexiness, style and humour. Cheeky, yet sophisticated. Whether she’s holding up a Bible or taking a bath in a giant holy grail, she remains an unholy woman (her popular act). “An Unforgettable Redhead” – the woman you just can’t take your eyes off. She’s starring at the famous Prague Burlesque Show every week and also has many experiences with solo-performances abroad.
Photo credit: Adam Holy
Vaudevillains Burlesque Variety (Sweden)
What happens when a colorful carny, a femme fatale and a leading lady meet and start to create some magic? Vaudevillains Burlesque Variety is a fun and fabulous burlesque troupe who have enchanted audiences and created events since 2014. They are thrilled to do their grand festival debut at SBF 2016!
Photo credit: John-Paul Bichard
Yvette Les Fesses (Sweden)
Yvette Les Fesses “The Dame With The Deadly Derriere”. This lady is part of Swedens cremé de la cremé of burlesque and crowned Queen of Classic Burlesque at The Amsterdam Burlesque Awards 2014. She is a renowned bellydancer and a fiery seducer with Wicked moves and real life exotica.
Photo credit: Stephan Cornelis
DJ Damón Zurawski (Sweden/Berlin)
Sweden’s cool music export Damón Zurawski is visiting his home land bringing fantastic muic to dance the night away to! This sexy beast promises a wild mix of recognizable tunes and some swinging rock ‘n roll!
Photo credit: John-Paul Bichard