Culture

Imogen Kelly, 'Australia's first lady of tease' is coming Leura to perform as part of the Wild Warrior Women Festival at The Fairmont in Leura! This is more than kind of a big deal and an honour that she is visiting our "city of the arts". Over the years Imogen has become renowned as Australia's Queen of Burlesque and was also crowned World Queen of Burlesque in 2012 (Burlesque Hall of Fame, Las Vegas).

Imogen Kelly has travelled with Gypsy Circus tours in Europe, dazzled at Mardi Gras extravaganzas, is a La Clique/ La Soiree veteran and co-creator of award winning burlesque theatre shows Tarnished (2005-2010), is the writer/ producer/ performer of her one woman shows Herstory (2013/14) and The Undressing Room (2008/09).

Imogen has performed in The Sydney Opera House several times in the grand operas as well as directing or performing several shows in The Opera House Studio (The Studio launch, Sleepless Beauty, Music for The Eyes, Close you Little Eyes, La Soiree and Club Swizzle).

Also of note, Imogen Kelly has headlined at The New York Burlesque Festival three times, The Noumea Burlesque Festival, The Burlesque Hall of Fame three times, Helsinki Burlesque Festival, New Orleans, Dallas, Austin, Toronto, Hamburg, Berlin.

The Wild Warrior Women Festival is bringing the highest calibre of burlesque performance to the mountains with a cast full of award winning performers including the A.C.T's Artemis Seven and Jazida; who will be joined by acclaimed international pinup model and Burlesque Idol Newcastle 2014 Winner Berlin von Black and the Blue Mountains own Miss Pinup International 2013 Porcelain.

Pic: Imogen Kelly, Caveboy Studios.

The upcoming festival will also include a highly anticipated performance from the mountains very own Stone Cold Fox Burlesque Collective (recently nominated in the top 10 Burlesque groups in the country in The Busties National Burlesque awards.).

Show producer, festival performer & body postitivity activist Porcelain says "it is an honour and a dream for my Stone Cold Fox students to get the share the stage with some of the best burlesque performers in the country... and with Queen Imogen herself. What could be better than that? It is an experience of a lifetime that none of them will forget in a hurry."

Not only will Imogen Kelly be performing but she will be running her favourite workshop "Going Big" where dancers and other performers can learn what Imogen describes as "sharing tips on movement, costuming, prop work stage presence that will take you from Va Va Voom to "Holy Crap! Who was THAT?.”

Tickets to "Glitter in The Air" can be found at glitterintheair.eventbrite.com.au and to the "Going Big" workshop at goingbigworkshop.eventbrite.com.au but book quickly!

These two events are only two of the six Wild Warrior Women Festival events showcasing a diverse array of dance, circus and vocal performers and including a panel with local and visiting performers, writers and screenwriters all on the 2019 festival theme "Warriors". The Wild Warrior Women Festival is a festival celebrating strength, resilience and the empowerment of women and celebrating femininity in all-of its forms.

Main Pic: Imogen Kelly live in show. Captured by Leslie Liu.