Burlesque: Heart Of The Glitter Tribe

XLRator Media presents "Burlesque: Heart of the Glitter Tribe." Directed by Jon Manning, it is a one-hour, sixteen-minute documentary about the members of a burlesque troupe in deepest, darkest Los Angeles. Viewer be warned: Here there be boobies. Gorgeous male performers are also included in the film, but the majority of screen time is given to female performers in states of undress. If free-range breasts aren't your bag; this featurette will not be either.

"Glitter Tribe" welcomes its audience into the world of neo burlesque. We are shown traditional American staples such as glove and stocking removal, the bump and grind, as well as fan dancing. The "neo" element means non-traditional performance styles. Babs Jamboree has a naughty burrito number; Ivizia Dakini dances with a Jesus puppet; Sandria Dore' incorporates modern dance into her stylized work. Then there are the assels (ass + tassels = assels). These are a fleshy delight that deserve to be witnessed firsthand.

Fans of drag may enjoy "Burlesque: Heart of the Glitter Tribe." These disciplines are similar in form and function. The makeup, costuming, and live performance is the same. Instead of dressing up as the opposite sex, burlesque performers impersonate heightened characters (of any gender) while teasing their clothing off one layer at a time. Burlesque gives performers the opportunity to run wild with their fantasies just like drag. The main difference being that women take center stage. That is not to say that men do not titillate as well.

Male burlesquer performers Isaiah Esquire, the Stage Door Johnnies, and Russell Bruner were also interviewed for this documentary. We learn less about them than the ladies. We see fewer moments of their performances. The editing does give us a small peep into Esquire's teaching career and home life. We briefly meet his supportive mom. We see an even briefer clip from Esquire's stint on "America's Got Talent." It's a shame that because we do not see nearly enough of the routines from any of these talented, scaldingly hot men.

No one goes into and stays in the performing arts for the money. Burlesque is no different. The stars of this documentary, Angelique DeVil, Zora Von Pavonine, Babs Jamboree, and Violet Ohmigod calmly and clearly explain that the majority of the time, money, and effort goes into rehearsals, travel, and costume creation. Sandria Dore' appreciates the respect she's given while she expresses her creative carnality. Gentlemen trio, the Stage Door Johnnies, exclaim that humor and cleverness "sell better than sex." It's attitude and ingenuity that make fans excited.

The editing of "Glitter Tribe" doesn't capture the tension and drama of live performance. This is because the viewer is given only small snippets of performance sandwiched between backstage banter. Instead, we get to know the performers as people. They have day jobs, families, and significant others who know they come second. While "Burlesque: Heart Of The Glitter Tribe" doesn't offer an entire performance to its viewers, It is easy enough to buy a ticket the next time you're in LA. It would be accurate to call this documentary a tease.

"Burlesque: Heart Of The Glitter Tribe"
Directed by Jon Manning
XLRator Media