The Vancouver International Burlesque Festival is Making Safety Sexy with Online Festival

Vancouver, BC - Innovative performance art prevails through the pandemic as the Vancouver International Burlesque Festival (VIBF) enters its fifteenth year of entertaining audiences through dance, comedy, and striptease. This year burlesque fans from all over British Columbia can enjoy a front-row experience from home as the VIBF presents shows, parties, artists talks, and workshops online from April to May 2021.

People can experience the spectacle by watching the Anti-Showcase or get a taste of the tease by participating in body-positive workshops where they can learn how to take the perfect selfie or make their own pair of pasties. On April 30, 2021, VIBF will present T.I.T. Talks (short for teach, inspire, transcend), a cheeky take on TED Talks. This evening will feature artists sharing ideas including establishing access for people with disabilities in performance spaces and navigating nudity while living in a fat body. The festival will close with a live, interactive after-party on May 1, 2021, offering DJs, dancing, fashion shows, and games in several break-out rooms over zoom.

“A burlesque festival running for fifteen years is a milestone and it’s important to commemorate that. Vancouver has been so supportive of this art form that we wanted to find a way for audiences to interact with it in a whole new way.” says La Dame Derriere, VIBF President, “The Anti-Showcase is a perfect way to share performances that you could never experience in a theatre.”

The featured event dubbed the Anti-Showcase happening on May 1, 2021, is a celebration highlighting the resilience of burlesque artists across the continent. This year, performers are challenged to deliver a digital fantasy by creating acts that transcend the stage. Thirteen different short films will feature a new dimension of burlesque through political striptease numbers, sultry home videos, and even a tribute to Sailor Moon. Spectators will see virtual burlesque acts against the stunning backdrop of the West Coast, inside the wrestling ring, as well as intimate settings including the performer’s bedrooms.

“Burlesque is inherently a do-it-yourself artform. Performers are their own artistic director, choreographer, and costume designer,” explains Ruthe Ordare, VIBF Artistic Director, “This year artists are now adapting their work to a digital platform and have since learned how to storyboard, film, and edit their acts so they can continue to entertain.”

A new addition to this year’s programming is the Anti-Oppression Progressive, which encourages burlesque producers, instructors and anyone who wishes to learn more about equitable arts leadership. This three-day workshop series begins on April 13, 2021, and is facilitated by Shanique Kelly, founder of LEVEL UP, Vancouver's only QTBIPOC-centred hip hop dance party. Topics covered include the fundamentals of diversity, unlearning anti-blackness and disrupting unconscious biases.

Festival passes and individual tickets to all events and workshops are on sale now through vibf.ca. Learn more about the VIBF including shows and accessibility information on their website or find them on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

About the Vancouver International Burlesque Festival

The Vancouver International Burlesque Festival was founded in 2006 with an aim to expose Vancouver audiences to the art of burlesque. For over a decade and counting, our annual festival has grown into a world-class experience. Each year the VIBF presents engaging talks, educational workshops, and other fun and fabulous events featuring many of the world's most sought-after burlesque performers, and the best of Vancouver's own glitterati.

Event Details:

Anti-Oppression Progressive

Tuesdays, April 13, 20 & 27 | 6pm PST

An opportunity for the burlesque community to access meaningful ways we can evolve as industry leaders, producers, and teachers. This series will cover topics including fundamentals of diversity, equity, and inclusion, disrupting unconscious bias, and unlearning anti-blackness.

VIBF Workshop Series

Thursdays, April 15, 22 & 29 | 6pm & 7pm PST

Find six different workshops to help elevate and inspire you. Whether you're a dazzling burlesque artist or simply looking for tips and tricks to feel like a star, we have something for you to learn. Find workshops that will help with character development, moving your body, enhancing your selfie game and more.

TIT TALKS: Teach. Inspire. Transcend.

Friday, April 30 | 7pm PST

TIT Talks is a one-of-a-kind event offering unique perspectives on burlesque. This intimate evening encourages compelling conversation and shares dimensions of being a burlesque performer that are seldom discussed publicly.

The Anti-Showcase

Saturday, May 1 | 7pm PST

The Anti-Showcase is a celebration that highlights the resilience of burlesque artists across the continent. This will be no ordinary burlesque showcase! These stripteasers will be sharing performances that go beyond the confines of the stage showing you burlesque you would never experience in a theatre.

VIBF After Party

Saturday, May 1 | 9pm PST

The After Party will be filled with themed breakout party rooms happening LIVE via zoom. Spend some time dancing away in our DJ Dance Room, spend some downtime in the Chill & Chat Room, or get naughty in the Freaky Games Room, plus VIBFA Members get access to an exclusive Members-only Room!

Media Contact

Laurie Buckley

Publicist

Phone: 778-239-1002 | Email: lauriedbuckley@gmail.com