Dita Von Teese on revitalising burlesque, activism, and her first New Zealand show

Dita Von Teese, for TimeOut. Supplied by Nicole Thomas

"Queen of Burlesque" Dita Von Teese is bringing her Glamonatrix show to New Zealand next week for her first live performances on our shores. The uber-glamorous cabaret will feature a Swarovski crystal-smothered reinvention of the classic "surprise cake" routine and an erotic twist on vintage circus chic. She speaks to George Fenwick about the revitalisation of burlesque, meaningful activism and how Glamonatrix is the "biggest burlesque show in history".

You've been credited with having a powerful impact on culture and revitalising burlesque. That's a huge achievement — what's your reaction when you hear that acclaim?

It means a lot, especially in the way that burlesque has unfolded into this incredible community that is so much bigger than I ever could have imagined, and that it holds meaning for people. I know it sounds funny to say, and probably looks even funnier on paper, but it seems frivolous; it's burlesque, it's striptease. In the 1930s and 40s, burlesque was the popular entertainment in America for men and it was women dancing for men. It's so different now; the script has flipped. It's diverse — I have just as many men in my show as I do women — the audience is predominantly female and LGBTQ and it's just something that has a far different purpose and meaning for people than it did in the 1930s and 40s. So it means a lot to be part of this, and I never could have dreamed when I was first starting to do it that it would become my career and something that I was known for.

Do you find that those prejudices — that burlesque is a frivolous thing — do you still come up against that?

Every once in a while, you get smacked in the face with: "What does this person do anyway?" And I'm thinking to myself, what do I do? Well, I've written a New York Times bestseller and I've written several books, and I play theatres that are full of 2500 plus people that are all like-minded, and it has meaning for them to be in a room like that. So I come across it sometimes because there's always going to be people that do not like what you're doing — and listen, I don't like what's being played on the radio either. I think to myself, how can people listen to this shitty music? But we're all different kinds of people and millions and millions of people think I'm wrong.

Your audiences are often strongly queer, and I find, as a queer person, very theatrical examples of femininity are captivating to myself and to lots of other gay men that I know. Do you think that's what's behind that popularity?

I think so. I always think about when I was starting out, how I was searching for a place that seemed exciting and vivacious. In the early 90s I found the LA nightclub scene, the club kids and the drag queens, and that's where I first found a place for me and a place of eccentricity and fun and theatricality, a place where I could go out in my corset and wear feathers in my hair, wear a top hat, and I found all these other like-minded people in the early 90s. And it's what sparked everything for me, I've always been looking for my own people that embrace each other's eccentricities. So for me, the burlesque show is an extension of all that, a place where you can be whoever you want to be.

Dita Von Teese says "the script has flipped" on modern burlesque. Photo / supplied

I want to ask about your activism because often it feels like lots of corporations get behind Pride movements with what seem like token gestures, but I feel like you've actually walked the talk and advocated for people living with HIV and Aids. From your perspective, what are people not understanding about activism and how can people learn how to appropriately participate?

I've always wanted to be more active and do more charity, but I've always had a hard time navigating what is appropriate for me to do. I got involved with the M.A.C Aids Fund maybe 10 years ago and that taught me so much about the Aids crisis, and then I became more involved with amfAR, the Foundation for Aids Research, and the Life Ball and all these charities and companies that are fighting for people living with HIV and making drugs available and finding a cure. It's been fascinating to watch the strides that are made and that's what motivates me. We're so close to a cure. Now the most important message, of course, is prevention. It's always been important to me to do something that I feel is right for me and I have a passion for, so I think that's always been my favourite cause for a number of reasons. If it wasn't driven by organisations like amfAR and the M.A.C Aids Fund, where would we be now? The [US] Government certainly wasn't doing anything about it.

This show will be your first in New Zealand — are you excited?

I'm so excited. I didn't think we were going to make it to New Zealand and now I'm over the moon about the response to tickets, because I never know if it's going to be embraced. So I'm excited about how it's unfolding and I always love coming to that side of the world. I'm glad I didn't hang up my G-string too early!

How would you describe the Glamonatrix show for people who haven't seen a burlesque show before?

Well, it's the biggest burlesque show in history. I bring the best of burlesque with me and there are just as many men in the show as women in the show — in fact, I think this time we have more men in the show than women. So I think it's not what you might imagine. I think people who've never seen a burlesque show, this is the show that will change your mind about what you think it is.

THE LOWDOWN

Who: Dancer, singer, actor, clothing designer and author Dita Von Teese
What: Burlesque extravaganza Glamonatrix
When: The Civic, Auckland, December 12 and 13, then Wellington and Christchurch

BASIS OF BURLESQUE?

With roots as far back as Ancient Greece, burlesque developed via 17th-century comic interludes in Italian opera and 19th-century satire mocking the upper class in British music halls.

Exported to the US in the mid-19th century, it became a style of variety show featuring young women in what were, for those days, titillating outfits.

Burlesque boomed on both sides of the Atlantic around the turn of the century, with the French developing their own take via the cancan and Moulin Rouge.

Back in the US, striptease became part of the show as theatres and clubs sought new attractions to stave off the impact of the burgeoning film industry. Between the world wars, self-appointed moral guardians thundered and authorities clamped down.

As is often the case, the mainstream appropriated the underground, with Hollywood using burlesque costumes and routines to sell stars and films. The scene went underground, making it easier for critics to dismiss it as sleaze.

The growth of pornography and nudity in films meant striptease seemed outdated and burlesque was all but confined to the routines and wardrobes of Las Vegas-style showgirls.

Until Dita Von Teese and others revitalised the form for a new generation hankering for the glamour and spectacle of old-style shows. Her cabaret features singing, dancing and — yes — some striptease (it's R18 after all), but in a way that makes it a celebration of sensuality and the human form.