New York City is the undisputed home of va-va-voom this fall, thanks to the returning New York Burlesque Festival.

Now in its 17th year, the Big Apple mainstay will bring more than 120 performances to the stages of five Manhattan and Brooklyn hotspots over four nights before a combined audience of thousands.

Angie Pontani, the Trenton-native and Brooklyn-based performer and impresario who produces the festival with Jen Gapay of Thirsty Girl Productions, knows how badly the world needs burlesque.

Pontani got her start in the business during New York City's counter-culture burlesque boom of the mid-1990s and said that her chosen artform has the power to bring audiences together during culturally divided times.

"It really is a performance that is very celebratory and it makes people feel good and it makes people take a look at their inhibitions and maybe something that they’re a little unsure about or a little scared of," said Pontani. "But then once they get into the show they realize that it’s just really fun and positive, has a great energy and no fourth wall, so it kind of brings everyone together.

"No matter where you walk in life, when you sit down at that burlesque show it’s like you’re having a great time, you’re engaged, you’re enjoying it and you’re on the same ride as the person sitting next to you.”

The roots of burlesque run back to the 19th century, with the modern iteration of the movement showcasing a beautifully eclectic array of performance styles, body types and genders.

Burlesque also transcends national borders, with the New York Burlesque Festival roster featuring performers from Japan, Italy, Brazil and beyond.

When a performer like, say, Bonita Bonbon, comes from Japan to take the stage Saturday, Sept. 28, at Manhattan's Sony Hall or Italy's Sophie D-ishtar performs the previous night at Brooklyn Bowl, it represents an enticing opportunity for both the performer and the audience, Pontani said.

The performers get to showcase their talents in front of a New York City city crowd — "both the toughest audiences in the world and the most loving," Pontani said — while the attendees experience a fresh international spin on a classic art.

"Burlesque changes from zip code to zip code," she said "Burlesque in New York City is a little edgier, a little grittier than burlesque in LA, which is a little Hollywood and very Marilyn Monroe and very produced and beautiful.

"So when you bring in acts from other countries, it’s amazing to see how they impart their culture on this distinctly American, super-sized art form. It’s so amazing to see someone from Japan come and present an act that has tremendous Japanese cultural references and present it like a striptease.”

17th annual New York Burlesque Festival

The Teaser Party, 6:30 p.m. VIP and 7 p.m. general admission Thursday, Sept. 26, The Bell House, 149 7th St., Brooklyn, $18 to $35, www.thebellhouseny.com.

The Premiere Party, 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27, Brooklyn Bowl, 61 Wythe Ave., Brooklyn, $15, www.brooklynbowl.com.

The Saturday Spectacular, 6 p.m. VIP, 6:30 p.m. general admission Saturday, Sept. 28, Sony Hall in the Paramount Hotel, 245 West 46th St., Manhattan, $35 to $65, www.sonyhall.com.

The Burlesque Bazaar and Showcase, 2 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 29, The Tippler, 425 West 15th St., Manhattan, free admission, www.thetippler.com.

The Golden Pastie Awards, 6:30 p.m. VIP, 7 p.m. general admission Sunday, Sept. 29, Le Poisson Rouge, 158 Bleecker St., Manhattan, $20 to $50 in advance, $25 to $55 day of show, www.lpr.com.

For tickets, weekend passes ($155 to $275) and more information, visit http://thenewyorkburlesquefestival.com.

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