Former Xtra West columnist launches Burlesque West

Book looks at Vancouver's heyday of strip tease

Former Xtra West columnist Becki Ross launched Sep 10 her much anticipated book on Vancouver’s heyday of burlesque and strip tease.

Burlesque West: Showgirls, Sex, and Sin in Postwar Vancouver took UBC professor Ross a decade of research, including in-depth interviews with former dancers and strippers. Vancouver could boast one of the top strip-club scenes in North America for decades, a reflection of its status as a major port and a tourist destination. Dancers could make two-and-a-half times the income of a secretary or clerk at the time — but in exchange had to put up with moral judgment, attempts to impose shame, and racism. The book launch attracted some 147 people to the central Library, including former dancers and practitioners of neo-burlesque.

Read More About:
Culture, Vancouver, Arts, Nudity

Keep Reading

Charli XCX

Music, fashion, film, mess

Charli XCX’s new album is infinitely more fun to talk about than to actually hear

Tim Hortons and the no good very bad ‘Harry Potter’ collaboration

Tim Hortons licensing “Harry Potter” in 2026 essentially means directly funding J.K. Rowling’s anti-trans crusade
Makayla Couture, Juice Boxx, Aurora Matrix

‘Canada’s Drag Race All Stars’ Episode 3 recap: Reset to the mean

After starting the season with a bang—or two—this episode gets back to business as usual

Elliot Page is great in ‘The Odyssey.’ Let’s talk about that

Despite online controversy, director Christopher Nolan casting him is not a “woke” psy-op. It’s just the right actor for the right role
Advertisement