Stella Starr BABC Brighton Oct 2009

Stella Starr from bob on Vimeo.

Bea DeVile BABC Brighton Oct 2009

Bea -witched from bob on Vimeo.

Therese La Tease BABC Brighton Oct 2009

Therese La Tease from bob on Vimeo.

Honour Mission BABC Brighton Oct 2009

(Let's go) Honour Mission from bob on Vimeo.

Burlesque Against Breast Cancer 2009 from bob on Vimeo.

Guest Blogger: Khandie Khisses

My name is Khandie Khisses and I am proud to support Burlesque Against Breast Cancer.

I’m on my way home on a rather lovely Virgin train (first class, oo la la) on my way home from a fabulous burlesque war: Cold War Burlesque, to be exact. Among the fabulous sponsors was my dear friend Peski DeVille who owns Missy Changos and MonkeyBrand. Her performance of a Russian Bride was hilarious.

There were so many great performers. I will list them all once I checked spelling (burlesque names have some funny spelling not least mine). Candee Handful and Honey Wilde had me in fits of giggles with their acts from Thatcher to Adam Ant, what more could you want from a night?!

Whilst the Russian side defeated the British it was lovely to lose to such a talented lot. My fab moment for the night was the sound of the audience chanting my name. I was so taken back by it. You lot certainly know how to make a burlesque girl feel proud. Thank you.

My trip to Oz (Sydney and Melbourne to be precise) is looming and I can't wait. I have plans to shop like a crazy lady at all the corset/pinup shops and see as much Australian burlesque as possible. My own board treading is in Melbourne but more of that nearer the time. I feel sorry my poor folks who I am supposed to be visiting following their recent immigration. I mean they are gonna have to be dragged along to the shows. Though I am sure they won't mind. They like them. I think my folks are my biggest fans, my mom is forever talking about her
burlesque daughter.

Anyway I am going to have to speak to the lovely Jac Bowie to see what shows are on. Burlesque appears to be a universal language... LOL... I can't think of a
country that doesn't have it.

Monday is a modelling shoot, then Wednesday is Burlesque Against Breast Cancer, Dirty Dicks, Liverpool Stn, London. Come along and have a giggle.

Remember to donate generously as statistically one in three of us will get cancer at some point in our lives apparently. Some of us have been touched by it already and some have yet to be. The least we can do is help those who are suffering and make life a little easier.

Love Khandie xxx

Khandie Khisses will be performing for Burlesque Against Breast Cancer at Dirty Dicks, near Liverpool Street on Oct 21st. For more info, go to: www.khandiekhisses.com

Guest Blogger: Calico Cadillac

Tobacco, asbestos, arsenic, radiation, x-rays, sunshine, aspartame, benzene, lack of regular exercise, alcohol abuse...the list goes on, it seems you can't sneeze these days without getting cancer even if you are clean living.

Three years ago my Grandmother was sent to hospital, she had a strange rash on her chest and bizarre dimpling of the skin around the nipple. This had been something she'd noticed some time ago but had put it down to old age. A strong minded Russian woman and someone who had both of her children at home, she was the type to suggest honey and lemon for tonsillitis and a cup of tea for shock. Failed by the system, she'd never received sex education let alone been informed of the dangers of breast cancer or how to check herself. Stubborn, bossy and perhaps a little rude to hospital staff, she came in expecting to receive a course of antibiotics for what she assumed to be an allergic reaction. Little did we know how harrowing the years to come would be.

It emerged that she had breast cancer. For two long years, I watched a once strong woman go through rigorous chemotherapy and radiation treatments- one of the most painful thing was watching how ill both treatments made her. In that time we also lost my grandfather. I cannot begin to imagine how painful it must have been to lose one's life partner whilst trying to battle one of the biggest killers to date but she made it and fought every step of the way. It was hard to smile through tears when all of this was happening but her strength was inspirational, as someone who was meant to be there for her it was very hard to keep it together.

Three years on and a mastectomy, she is back and better than ever. As much as we moan about the health care in the UK, we have a lot to be thankful for. This year she went on a cruise on her own. She played a nun at a play touring the London Fringe Theatres and even sung at the Vauxhall Tavern, she is one of the lucky few who got a second chance and a fresh outlook on life. Not everyone is so lucky.

Breast cancer is now the second most common cause of death from cancer in women after lung. It remains to be a predominant cause of death within the human race. More must be done to raise awareness, it is lack of knowledge, research and funding that is failing us. I am massively impressed at the effort that has gone to organising this wonderful event, please think of these women and give generously.

Self Proclaimed fashionistas Ms Calico Cadillac and Ms Farrah Fontaine have been creating burlesque loveliness from the second they met. With Farrah's exquisite teeth and Calico's bountiful bosoms and oh so distinctive wiggle, together they hold the ingredients for a tantalising tease of a performance! Fontaine, a keen costume designer creates visual brillance beyond compare with every act holding something more special than the last. Teamed with Cadillac's strong focus on bringing classical burlesque and regency into slightly more out of the norm performce art; they cater for every sense and every occasion.