Dear Lillith: Personal vs. Professional

Lillith Grey has been lighting up the stage for over five years as a burlesque and fetish performer, musician, and emcee, and can frequently be found performing in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. She holds a master’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in education, and is currently completing her Ph.D. in psychology. She has worked as a psychotherapist, educator, and social justice... [Read more]

That’s My Boa Betch!

Editor’s Note: New Year’s is a time for resolutions and goal setting.  Why not make better communication and improving backstage demeanor one of them?  When we heard about Lori Madison’s “That’s My Boa Betch!” presentation at Burly Con 2011, we thought she would be the perfect gal to teach us how to reach that goal. That’s My Boa Betch!: Your Inner Diva Strikes... [Read more]

DIY: Building an Effective Website

January is time for new beginnings, self-improvement, resolutions, and a fabulous time to focus in on your burlesque business. What’s the number one representation of you and your business? Your website! Here are the basics to developing an effective DIY website in five manageable steps: 1. Step One: Realize that you need an actual website. Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, and whoever else does... [Read more]

Building a Portfolio Vol.I

As a photographer, burlesque producer, and magazine editor, I have a lot of experience with photographs.  Here are a few tips and tricks for building a quality portfolio that will get you noticed!  I have divided the information into two volumes.  This article focuses on burlesque entertainers, while Vol. II, which will be published in the February Issue, focuses on portfolio building for pin-up... [Read more]

Basics of Music Licensing

Some Basics of Music Licensing for Burlesque Performers The popularity of live burlesque performance has exploded in a major way in recent years, and music is a central element.  But how do performers, producers and venue owners/managers get permission to use all of that music, ranging from jazzy standards to show tunes to current pop songs to classic rock and beyond?  Music licensing–a fairly... [Read more]

Model’s Rights

Cyan Banister, founder of Zivity.com talks safety nets for models. Too often, female models don’t understand their rights nor do they feel confident to say “no” to a photographer when asked to do a compromising pose.   One of the most pervasive misconceptions about a photo shoot is that the model is in control. The reality is, too often the model releases creative control when she signs the... [Read more]

Starting Your Own Business

Black Mariah in Alice in Wonderland Shoot. Photo: Through the Looking Glass www.DallasPinUp.com April is tax month, so we thought it would be a good time to ask local burlesque entertainer Black Maria, who just started her own company — Fastenating Things, to share what she’s learned about entrepreneurship. Starting your own business By: Black Mariah So you have a good idea, a business, and... [Read more]

Copyright Law: Myths vs. Facts

Vol. I: Almost Everything You Need to Know About Copyright Law Regarding Photography Article: Shoshana After receiving a degree in photography, and taking an entire year in photo business and law, I thought I knew all the answers to folks copyright questions regarding images. Then I started receiving a ton of questions that I couldn’t answer, so I started researching for this article. I was surprised... [Read more]

Audition Checklist

Photo of Pixie by Skip Shook of Blue Moon Photography We recently asked Pixie O’ Kneel, co-producer & stage manager for Bewitching Burlesque to give us her tips and recommendations for auditioning for burlesque shows. Here’s her list: Music Put your music on a CD and bring 2 copies. Make sure you use the blank discs that say “CD-R” on the packaging. Have the music for your audition... [Read more]