Beginning in 2004 VK producer/choreographer Jana Edele began choreographing burlesque dance numbers, presenting this particular dance style to DFW at select venues and shows.  Before a burlesque revival arrived in the metroplex, seasoned choreographer Edele wanted to expand her career and explore the lost genres which dance was an integral part of mainstream entertainment.  Before movie houses, before radio or television, live stage shows were society’s key form of entertainment. 

From hoofers to jazz dancers, musical acts, and comedians, these performers competed and showcased their talents in variety show formats under commonly known genres, such as music hall, vaudeville, burlesque, and cabaret.  As each of these existed, and some co-existed, the variety of performers often included singers, dancers, comedians, and a variety of talent.  Edele’s beginning efforts led to her first full-length, mainstream showcase of dancers, singers, and comedians located in the heart of Fort Worth at Hyena’s Comedy Club, the Red Light Burlesque Revue.

The Red Light Burlesque Revue presented an exciting opportunity to provide an on-going show featuring talented and skilled performers who had elected working in the performing arts as their chosen professions.  But most alluring of this showcase was the light-hearted presentation of the artists.  Years of pounding the pavement to perform on Broadway, years of auditions and theater shows, concert dancing, ballet companies, surviving the harshest of comedy stages…all these performers merged in one show performing their chosen fields and providing an evening of entertainment that was no longer a part of Texas main stage entertainment.

From this show led to the formation of Le Cabaret Burlesque, and the theatrical musical production of “Cirque de Amore” at the Hubb Theater in Dallas, and then the beginning of the Velvet Kittens of LCB.  And just as the music hall, vaudeville, burlesque and cabaret genres of entertainment have all existed and evolved, so have the Velvet Kittens. What began as an endeavor of bringing the jazz styles of dance back to the main stages of DFW, a variety show of talent had emerged.  From chanteuses to comedians, jugglers to belly dancers, musicians to actors, as well as hip hop, ballet, fire dancers and opera singers…the Velvet Kittens have continually offered a stage for DFW talent to showcase their abilities in a collective diverse stage show.

As we continue providing live stage shows, we have evolved beyond the burlesque genre, and into the classic Cabaret genre of entertainment.  We will continue our design of dancers, singers, comedians, actors, and variety acts, and welcome the challenge of presenting DFW with a new variety showcase.  We invite you to explore this new phenomenon of, as Edele likes to refer to as, “vintage nightclub entertainment.”

We will continue to provide the best of area talent, and present a stage for the career performers of DFW.  We invite you to journey with us into Cabaret, and look forward to continually expanding our repertoire.  For those new to the burlesque revival and wanting to divulge into the burlesque scene, we suggest you visit the local burlesque website for performers and shows in the area (dallas burlesque dot com).  We also wish the best to our burlesque contemporaries and their endeavors in burlesque in DFW.

We will continue to offer burlesque classes at the Verandah Club in Dallas, and workshops throughout DFW.

And as we’re back in the dance studio, and adding new performers to our showcase, we are preparing to premier the Velvet Kittens’ Cabaret Show!!

Stay tuned, DFW!

Dance number choreographed in 1940’s Hollywood musical style, with small tap combination.

Rehearsals tba, and scheduled around availability of dancers.

Rehearsals and shooting will take place at Las Colinas Studios.  Shooting tba, as early as March 26 and as late as March 30^th, based on the availability of the dancers.  All dancers will receive a copy for their reels, and craft service on day of shoot.

Please send headshots/resumes to le_cabaret_burlesque@yahoo.com (le underscore cabaret underscore burlesque at yahoo dot com) and include availability beginning on the date of March 18^th, and through March 30^th.   Please include any online video links if available.

Feel free to contact us with any specific questions.

We are only casting professional level dancers at this time.  If you have extensive training and are looking to build your professional resume, you may submit your resume for the professional company for consideration as an apprentice.

If you are interested in becoming a performer, but are neither at a professional level nor looking to begin a professional career, we will have additional opportunities at a later time.

Submit to le_cabaret_burlesque@yahoo.com

Dancers must be at a professional level, with classical training and abilities to perform jazz style dance numbers.  Dancers must be able to learn choreography quickly, and have a performance background, including references in the industry if requested.  Dancers must be weight/height proportionate.

We are only auditioning professional dancers at this time.  Please contact us with a headshot, resume, and brief bio to le_cabaret_burlesque@yahoo.com.  Please include in the subject line that you are applying for the professional dancer audition.

About the professional group: 

Rehearsals are currently worked around dancers’ current rehearsal, teaching, and work schedules.  Dancers commit on a show-by-show basis. Dancers are encouraged to continue performing with concert dance companies and contract performer jobs in their fields.

If you would like to see a performance prior to auditioning, visit us at our next show on March 26.

If you are not at the professional level, and would like to audition for upcoming opportunities, you may submit your resume at this time and we will contact you when we schedule other auditions.  Please write in subject line that you are submitting for the additional dancer auditions.  If you would like to wait, we will be posting additional audition information in the future.

Feel free to contact us with any questions.

Las Vegas style Burlesque Show!

The Velvet Kittens of Le Cabaret Burlesque will be performing Friday, March 26^th at J. Gilligans! Tarrant County burlesque fans enjoy burlesque at this Arlington location! We will be posting performers and additional information regarding this show soon!

Show time is 9:00 pm.

Reserve the date, DFW!

Skye Vega

On:  March 27^th

Time:  3:30 – 5pm

At:  Talyor Dance Center (1434 N. Central Expwy., McKinney TX 75069)

Cost:  $15  (House of Funk Dancers:  $13, House of Funk Members $10)

RSVP by 3/26, or $20 at the door.

Ages:  16 and up (under 16 must have written approval from your studio director on studio letterhead)

For more information and to RSVP, visit HOF at houseoffunktheatrecompany.com

We have a variety of women as students in the VK classes, at different ages, and all shapes and sizes.  I aim to provide a fun, relaxed atmosphere for everyone participating in class.  I also have a wide variety of interests from my students:  for some this is a hobby, others a part of their exercise program, there are those who want to study the art of burlesque dancing, and I even have a singer who takes burlesque class to help work on movement for when she performs on stage.

For more information about the creation and background of the VK burlesque classes, please visit here.

Velvet Kittens' Burlesque Classes (photo by Vizual Group)

Please also visit these links for additional interviews and class video footage by clicking on one of the links below.  And don’t forget to see what our students are saying!

Read about us! 

Dallas Child                  Dallas Voice               Dallas Morning News

Watch us! 

CBS channel 11            Channel 33

Most importantly any dance class should be an enjoyable experience.  If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.

Burlesque Body Sculpt Class, Photo by Vizual Group

Coming Soon:

3/27/10 – Al Watson / KRUMPING

a World Premiere by Mark-Brian Sonna

The play will be presented at the Stone Cottage Theatre, 15650 Addison Road, Addison, TX 75001, March 18 through April 10, 2010. 

Tickets can be purchased online here, or by calling 214-477-4942.

A young woman, Persephone, is picking flowers one day.  The earth opens up and she’s abducted by Hades, Lord of the Dead, and taken to the underworld to reign over the souls of the dead.  As Persephone is toured through her new domain she arranges her own rescue, but Hades devises a counter plan to keep her for an eternity.  Based on the classic Greek Myth, this play is a tour of the ancient view of what the underworld looked like.  The play is intended for mature audiences due to violence, and partial nudity.