It's All That Glitters: Portraits of Burlesque Performers in Their Homes Hardcover – April 28, 2012

All that Glitters Definitely Isn’t Gold, But It Can Be More Attractive! My favorite thing about this excellent photo collection is the wonderful selection of stage names used by the various burlesque performers. They are even more creative than the names of little league baseball teams and those team names are super original. While none of the stage names fit exactly like O.J. Simson’s infamous gloves, some of the names fit their subjects as tight as those gloves. Everyone has different opinions as to beauty, but it only takes a quick glance through this book to cause the viewer to question whether all the included burlesque stars could possibly make a living performing on stage. That question must be high on everyone looking at the book's list because it is answered in the book’s Foreword. “Although some of the performers make a living in burlesque, the majority of the performer make their living through other means. These are librarians, marketing executives, graphic designers, actors, bartenders, psychologists, dance instructors, artists, lots of musicians, and more. Burlesque provides these performers with a means to express the erotic, irreverent, and subversive aspects of their personalities within theater.” Since each of these entertainers are photographed in their own home or apartment, the viewer learns something about their individual lives by observing what they consider important to keep in their abodes. Why do 95% of the rooms shown have lovely hardwood floors and only a couple show wall-to-wall carpet? My guess is because the dancers find it easier to practice on wood flooring and of course, it looks much better than old, stained, dirty carpet. Many of the photos include the subject’s pets. Cats are by far the favorite pets for around 95% of the burlesque entertainers. Dogs follow, but in at least one case (Roxy Red Rockets) a black and white pet rabbit named Edvard Munch can be seen sitting on the purple sofa. In each of the individual photos the names of the pets are also listed. Since many of the entertainer’s design and make their own costumes, one or two dress forms or a manakin can often be observed within the photos. Hula Hoops seem to be a necessary piece of exercise equipment in many of the homes. This reviewer’s favorite photograph in the book is of Burlesque Dancer Wham Bam Pam on page 212. That may be due to the fact that Pam has chosen to pose lying on her back on her bed with her hands and arms on the floor like she is going to attempt doing a handstand in order to get off her quilt-covered bed. Her pink stocking covered legs are up in the air with her matching yellow garter belt and high-heels shoes. Part of the charm of this photo may simply be due to the fact that she is the only dancer who is upside down in the entire book. GiGi Animaliscious from Grand Rapids is shown sitting on her four-poster brass bed advertising her dancing specialty. Male Burlesque Performer Paco Fish is shown bouncing on his bed and almost crushing his top hat on the freshly plastered ceiling of his still under construction new pad. Hai Fleisch is getting ready to cook and eat the decapitated head of some guy in her oven. La La Vulvaria with Mr. Happy Pants is doing a split while hanging on a red rope handing from the ceiling. Backdoor Aly is jumping high off the floor while playing a guitar in her Chicago apartment or home. There are several other musical instruments in the background. Jeez Loueez seems content to just spin her tassels while she faces the camera. Siren Jinx also seems to be flying while jumping four feet above her bed. Tomahawk Tassels displays her archery skills in her Minneapolis bedroom. Sir Pinkerton with Lady Ambrosia performs a juggling act with red bowling pins while dressed in his devil costume and make up. Lady Ambrosia is in two different pictures and locations in the book. A couple of the belly dancers and burlesque stars are photographer with their children. At least three of the photo subjects have Merry Go Round wooden horses in their pictures. One photo even shows the photographer reflected in a background mirror. Readers can find that photo themselves. Charlotte Treuse’s photograph is on the cover. She is shown in her Portland, Oregon home in front of one of those wooden carousel horses and wearing a sequin and rhinestone covered neckless, ear rings, pasties, G-string and shoes. She definitely glitters. The photographer of this collection and his wife traveled 14,000 miles across the country gathering these pictures. He was also making a video that will be released later. As he says, “Just as an atom is the basic unit of matter, so glitter is the basic unit of burlesque.” Okay, if he says so. This is a fun page turner of a photographic essay. Its beautifully photographed and printed in color on high quality printing paper. Its coffee table quality although a slightly smaller format.

Please notice, two of the five star reviews for this book are posted by girls who are actually IN this book or by a relative of a girl IN this book - seriously, can you have an unbiased opinion or offer an unbiased review if you are featured in a book of photography? Just wanted to point that out.Really expected a lot more out of this book given the premise and the cover photos - once more, you can't judge a book by it's cover. I do boudoir photography (and photography in general) as a hobby, which is why I really like these books, and I live in New Orleans, so there are lots of pretty ladies here to do modeling. Schiffer usually turns out very high quality books, and this one is very well-made, it's just that the photographs themselves and the "eye" isn't there.Good premise - go to burlesque performers' houses, photograph them in costume in some quirky room and ask them simply "What does burlesque mean to you?" Good idea, bad execution. Mr. Janes says up front that he traveled 14,000 miles (as I recall) flying across the country to shoot these photos, but he must've done it on business trips for other purposes, because a very high proportion of the models in this book are in the Midwest; specifically, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio - all the typical places one thinks of as "hot spots" for burlesque (tongue firmly planted in cheek). He has two photos taken in New Orleans, one of an obese older woman I've never heard of, wearing her "I'm going to Wal-Mart" clothes in a completely blah room, and another who looks to be an overweight drag queen I've also never heard of. There are a number of EXTREMELY good burlesque clubs in New Orleans, and Ms. Bella Blue down here runs perhaps the finest burlesque studio in the South, and the mere fact that neither she, nor ANY of her entertainers (probably a crew of over fifty) are in this book tells me Mr. Janes didn't research his topic very well. And, I'm equally sure such icons also exist in New York, Los Angeles, St. Louis, Vegas, and other cities widely known for burlesque.Other BIG problem with this book - guys. Yes, we know there are ring masters and stage men in burlesque, but does anyone really want to look at them? There's probably a dozen photos in the book of burlesque emcees and hosts, and honestly, no offense, but who cares about them? Last big problem with the book is simply that Mr. Janes doesn't seem to have the "eye" for what he was after. Most of the photos completely lack any imagination and are just pics of ladies standing in their bedrooms, or bathrooms, or kitchens, sometimes wearing a dance costume, sometimes fully clothed in completely drab attire. There's no real interesting lighting, no artistic poses, no moody shots, not much playfulness; they almost look like over-glorified snapshots. Honestly, the photo on the cover is the best one in the whole book.If you can get this one cheap, pick it up, as about 1/4th of the photos are decent and have merit - the rest aren't very impressive at all. Hate to say, had high expectations for this book and it's a good idea, somebody just needs to go do a better job of it.

This is a terrific book that is exactly what it says...a behind-the-scenes look at people we might ordinarily just fantasize about. Who ARE these people? And it turns out they are like the rest of us...some quite normal, others quite quirky and a few that are pretty much off the wall. But all are shot beautifully and each tells their own story of what Burlesque means to them. I loved poring over the photos at the way the rooms were decorated and laid out. And of course the people themselves (many with pets) showed their own personality in their costumes...or lack thereof! If you're a fan of the genre you must have this book! Kudos to Brian Janes for a stellar and enlightening effort, and to all the performers comfortable enough to let us take a peek at their real lives. Great fun!

It's a good book for burlesque fans. I just wish it were thicker!

Disclosure, I'm one of the girls in the book.When I was asked to be a part of this project I didn't know much about BCJ and looked him up online. I was so impressed by the images, I immediately said yes.I couldn't be prouder that I am included, but moreover I can't believe how amazing the images and stories are. BCJ captures the heart of the performers with his images, and with the interviews he lets them speak in their own words about burlesque. You get the story and the back story. Its pretty awesome to get to see so many comtemporary performers who've come into this resurgent art form.