A mix of stand-up comedy and sexy burlesque numbers is all about women comfortable in their skin and brave enough to show it.

By Chelsea Coli

It’s flashy, it’s racy and it’s not for the faint of heart. It’s the type of show where cheers grow louder and hearts beat faster as the costumes wither down to strings and tassels. It’s burlesque and though attitudes on the R-rated show range from high to low, the dancers say it instills in them a sense of beauty and empowerment.

“Technically we are the most feminist people in the world because we own this,” says dancer Private Tails as she points to her body after her performance in “Burlesque and Belly Laughs”Thursday night.

The show was part of the 2012 Fall Fringe Festival and opened Nov. 2. It was a mix of five burlesque dancers and the stand-up comedy group, The Monochromatics.

Tails says that the provocative show is a reflection of what she’s feeling at the time. Her two performances during the show, one of which was to Rihanna’s “Shut Up and Drive,” were improvisational and make her feel empowered.

“All of the little acrobatic flips and things, I don’t do that for you,” says Tails. “I do it for me because that’s what I feel.”

Tails says that it’s imperative for a woman to love every imperfection that makes up her body, regardless of age, race or shape and that she shows this through her confidence when she performs burlesque.

“You can’t tell me I’m not owning myself,” says Tails. “I take off my corset and show you that I don’t have a love handle, I’ve got everything and it jiggles and I love it.”

The dancers make some money from the show but it’s not the reason they perform. Burlesque is their avocation and art and they work other jobs so they can perform. Tails is a pet sitter but is so dedicated to the art of burlesque that she stays up late to make her own costumes and sometimes gets less than four hours of sleep.

Though some may criticize the girls for taking it all off, the audience had a positive reaction to the performance Thursday. Sarah Weber’s favorite part of the show was Glam Gamz’s Bella Bijou’s dance to Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs’ “Li’l Red Riding Hood.”

“I just thought it was so sexy and so awesome,” Weber says. “And she was so into it and beautiful and just such an awesome woman in that moment.”

Weber also thought the comedians were just as entertaining as the dancers.

“I thought the comedians were great,” says Weber adding that a small audience can be difficult to work with. “In that situation I think they did very well. I was cracking up the whole time.”

The performances included a variety of music with artists ranging from Jim Morrison and the Doors, to Brad Paisley and even Michael Jackson. The dances ranged in style as well but didn’t fail to include classic burlesque moves that are sexy in their simplicity – moves like the slow, sensual removal of stockings and the caressing of a gloved hand straight above the dancer’s head.

The show closed Nov. 17 but the dancers left the audience with a final message of confidence and self-worth.

“The spectrum of beauty is infinite,” says Tails. “So love yourself.”

Click for more shows from Capital Fringe.