10 Unforgettable Burlesque Shows Worldwide You Need to Experience
Burlesque: Power, Storytelling, and Seduction
From Chicago to Paris, New York to London, these shows prove that burlesque is one of the most captivating, boundary-smashing art forms alive today.
✨ Whether you want to watch, learn, or step into the spotlight—you can.
The Evolution of Burlesque
Burlesque began as a cheeky way to poke fun at polite society’s uptight rules. Over the decades, it’s transformed from satirical sketches to dazzling vaudeville, from golden-age showgirls to the global neo-burlesque revival still thriving today.
Today, every shimmy, strut, and stocking peel tells a story. And for me? That story starts in Chicago—with Vaudezilla, the show I founded and poured my soul into for over a decade.
10 Burlesque Shows That’ll Leave You Breathless
1. Vaudezilla! Burlesque Spectacular – Chicago, USA
At the beating heart of Chicago’s burlesque scene is Vaudezilla!—a powerhouse of performance art founded by Red Hot Annie in 2008. With a legacy of bold acts, original choreography, and community-centered shows, Vaudezilla! blends old-school seduction with modern myth-making. This is where classic tease meets radical self-expression, and where performers don’t just entertain—they electrify. If you want to feel the pulse of real burlesque in Chicago, this is where you start.
Vaudezilla Official Website
2. The Slipper Room – New York City, USA
This ain’t your grandma’s burlesque (unless your grandma was a stone-cold legend). The Slipper Room mixes burlesque with circus and cabaret, serving up some of the most outrageous, avant-garde acts you’ll find. It’s gritty, it’s gorgeous, and it’s New York through and through.
Slipper Room Official Website
3. Crazy Horse Paris – Paris, France
Parisian chic at its most sinful. Crazy Horse has been around since the ‘50s, turning the art of the tease into a damn-near religious experience with precise choreography, jaw-dropping lighting, and dancers who move like liquid sex.
Le Crazy Horse Paris Official Website
4. House of Burlesque – London, UK
This show flips traditional burlesque on its head, mixing glamour with guts in a way that’s as much about the message as it is the moves. Expect bold, interactive performances that have you questioning what’s real and what’s fantasy.
House of Burlesque Official Website
5. Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekend – Las Vegas, USA
This is where legends are made, baby. A four-day event that pays tribute to the past, present, and future of burlesque. If you love this art form, you owe it to yourself to make this pilgrimage at least once.
6. The Shanghai Pearl’s Burlesque Revue – Seattle, USA
Shanghai Pearl is an absolute icon. Her revue takes classic burlesque and gives it an extra kick of storytelling, sensuality, and precision. It’s the kind of show that sticks with you.
7. The Burlesque Show at Teatro Zinzanni – Seattle, USA
This ain’t just burlesque—this is full-scale theatrical seduction. Think Cirque du Soleil meets a Parisian cabaret with a splash of vaudeville, all served up over dinner. If you want a full-on immersive experience, this is it.
8. Le Crazy Coqs – London, UK
An offshoot of Paris’ legendary Crazy Horse, this is where cabaret and burlesque meet in a perfect storm of old-school elegance. Think jazz, candlelight, and just enough scandal to keep things interesting.
9. The Box – New York City, USA
I ain’t gonna lie to you—The Box is not for the faint of heart. This place pushes every limit you didn’t even know you had. Burlesque, performance art, raw sexuality—it’s all here, and it’s wild.
10. Black Cat Cabaret – London, UK
Think vintage meets dark, delicious decadence. This one has an old-world mystique that makes you feel like you just stepped into some secret, seductive underworld. Burlesque at its most hypnotic.
Ready to Step Into Burlesque Yourself?
You’ve seen the icons. Now it’s your turn.
✨ Join Chicago Burlesque Classes
✨ Plan a Burlesque Bachelorette Party
✨ Download the Becoming Burlesque Workbook
What Students Say
“I flew into Chicago and booked one of Annie’s classes—it changed something in me. It wasn’t just a class, it was an initiation.” — Celeste M., Los Angeles
“Every session felt like a homecoming. I didn’t realize how much I’d abandoned myself until I came back into my body.” — Rachel T.
Read 23+ 5-Star Google Reviews
Based in Chicago. Seen worldwide. Thousands of women served.
💫 Limited spots available for Feminine Energy Coaching
