The artists of the International Berlin Burlesque Festival

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Only 14 days left until the start of the Berlin Burlesque Festival

Feather- and glamour-show on a high level

What is successfully celebrated in London, Paris, Rome, New York, Sydney and Tokyo, is of course a must in Berlin’s nightlife scene: For the third time the Berlin Burlesque Festival takes place in the capitol, bringing various world class burlesque artists on stage of the historic ‘Heimathafen’ and the famous ‘Wintergarten’. Berlin looks back on a dazzling and fascinating history of cabaret, varieté and erotic entertainment. Be ready for glamour and glory, suspense and pleasure! From Grotesque to Glamour Burlesque, from the roaring 20s to the future, from silent to crazy, from romantic to furious! Be part of these exciting nights and indulge yourself into a world of dreams, passion, love, and laughter!

Donation for charity

Festival initiator and burlesque artist Marlene von Steenvag uses the spotlight for a good cause and has started a fund raising campaign for the refugee relief without further ado. “At the Burlesque Festival we will celebrate, dance and laugh together,” says Marlene von Steenvag. “In doing so we should think of those, who so urgently need our help.”

Burlesque-Queen Marlene von Steenvag on stage

The collected donations of the festival’s shows are going to help three organisations: ‘Hilfe für Flüchtlingskinder’ (Help for refugee children), ‘Hilfe vor Ort in Syrien’ (Help onsite in Syria) and ‘Hilfe für Flüchtlinge in Berlin’ (Help for refugees in Berlin). “The donators therefore will exactly know where their donations are going and that they will arrive and help refugees in need!” Well done, Marlene!

Join thrilling acrobatics and wonderful comic vaudeville performances

Win with MyStylery

First come first serve: The shows of the ‘International Burlesque Festival’ are almost sold out. Press the ‘like-button’ of MyStylery’s Facebook page and win! https://www.facebook.com/mystylerycom. Among all new ‘likes’ MyStylery will raffle two tickets for the desired Burlesque-Show ‘Odd Night’ on Friday, the 18th of September. Good luck! BvH

Burlesque-artist Marlene von Steenvag takes a bath of champagne

Eventtips:

Thursday, September 17th, 2015
The Grand Opening Night
door is open 9pm, show starts 10pm
HEIMATHAFEN NEUKÖLLN
Karl-Marx-Str. 141
12043 Berlin-Neukölln

Friday, September 18th, 2015
The ODD Night
Wild and twisted shows by world class performers!
Door is open 10:30pm, show starts 11:30pm
WINTERGARTEN
Potsdamer Str. 96
10785 Berlin-Tiergarten

Games of fire

Saturday, September 19th, 2015
The EVEN Night
Glamour and grace, rhinestones and feathers!
Door is open 10:30pm, show starts 11:30pm
WINTERGARTEN
Potsdamer Str. 961
10785 Berlin-Tiergarten

Sunday, September 20th, 2015
The FAREWELL Brunch
For performers, friends and lovers
From 1pm
ALBERTS
Karl-Marx-Allee 35
10178 Berlin-Mitte

Allusive promises and high expectations

More information:

www.berlin-burlesque-festival.com

The post International Berlin Burlesque Festival appeared first on My Stylery.

Visiting Else Edelstahl’s Berlin apartment is a trip to another era: “The things find me, I’m not looking for them.”

When you enter the old building of Else Edelstahl in Berlin-Friedrichshain one starts a journey through another time:
Antiquities next to flea market findings, draped fabrics at windows and walls, a canopy in the bedroom, chandeliers, gramophones, old telephones, pillows and chests. Else Edelstahl seems to love it museal. It’s an approach to life. Else brought the golden twenties back to Berlin with her “Gesellschaft für mondäne Unterhaltung” (society for classy entertainment) and when she invites to “Bohème Sauvage”, the legendary Berlin nightlife and the culture of the Bonvivants and Dandies starts to thrive again. Stylish, of course. Nowadays it’s already such a success that the Bohème Sauvage already takes place in Hamburg, Cologne, Vienna and Zurich.

“I’m the Salonnière”, says Else Edelstahl, who also takes part in the organisation of the Berlin Burlesque Festival

MyStylery: Else, under your regime revived the twenties scene of Berlin. Since then the people cultivate the Golden Twenties and everything that has something to do with it. How did that happen?
Else Edelstahl: I always had a passion for costumes in a historical context. As teenager it has been the middle age and sward fights fascinated me. With 18 I was interested in clothes, etiquette and the historical dance of the Rococo. A book about the Paris salon-culture brought me to the idea of the “Bohème Sauvage”. This was ten years ago and there wasn’t a revival of the 20s scene in Berlin by then.

Else took over her stage name and a violin case from her grandmother. “The surname Edelstahl (stainless steel) was a crazy idea.”

MS: To your events that take place in Berlin in the Wintergarten or in the Konzerthaus (concert house) are coming hundreds of guests and in Cologne were already over 1000. Why turn people into tail and Charleston dress?
EE: Curiosity for the unknown and desire of the old times. And the fun of dressing up as well as the role reversal. To be once someone else: Prostitute or Diva, Mafiosi or Gigolo. Everything is possible at ours, from Gentleman to Revue-dancer. Guests can’t be overdressed enough. Get the stole out, the pearls and for the gentlemen gaiters and menjou-beard. Cheap carnival costumes aren’t welcome. We attach value for good, quality style.

“The interior and all those things didn’t cost a lot for me.”

MS: And who doesn’t follow the dress code has to stay outside.
EE: That can happen. (laughs)
MS: You’re coming from Dusseldorf, spent your childhood in the Eifel, later studied German and Scandinavian. What brought you to Berlin?
EE: My spontaneity. Directly after finishing my Abitur with 18 years I visited a friend and stayed. Berlin is also a good place to organise parties. As a balance to my 20s-years-cosmos I like to go to 80s years and New Wave / Post Punk Parties or sometimes also to Berghain.

The camera with the stand and the lace doily is from 1908: “Of course I needed it.”

MS: In terms of interior you remained yourself absolutely faithful. Here’s only one computer – as concession for modern times?
EE: (laughs) This is pure necessity. I also never had a television. I love those old curiosities; you’ll always find a piece of history in it. I’m mostly attached to my inherited chest, a dowry chest from 1732. During those days you would have found fine linen in it, nowadays I put my letters and photo albums into it. My interior style wasn’t a profound decision. Such things will find themselves.  BvH

The only modern thing concerning her interior is Else’s MAC on her desk

Else shows me how a mini microscope functions. It’s a heirloom of grandfather Josef. On the box it says: “Microscopes for every job”.

Else’s partner Coco wears the tail, as the men also come in style to the salon events

The apartment of Else Edelstahl is a wonderful Wunderkammer: everywhere there are new treasures …

… such as the ancient gramophone or the telephone …

… guarded by cat Pauline …

A small nasal douche complacent? Else knows how it’s done

Else – who likes to read Tucholsky – in the corridor in front of her bookcase

Hats and headgear for any occasion

The apartment of Else Edelstahl acts as a perfect film set. And then this light: Thank you lovely sunshine, you made everything more enjoyable!

A flea market finding and not the shoe from Else’s childhood

If one knows about Berlin’s nightlife, it’s her!
Four ultimate Berlin tips by Else Edelstahl exclusively on MyStylery:

1.) Wild sixties years music will be played at Bassy Club
www.bassyclub.com
2.) Else’s favorite bar: Primitiv Bar
Simon-Dach-Straße 28, 10245 Berlin
3.) Pub in original look from 1877
“… with real, authentic publicity”:
Leydicke, Mansteinstraße 4, 10783 Berlin
4.) Vegan restaurant:
Kopps, Linienstraße 94, 10115 Berlin

At Else’s parties dressing up is a must: no matter whether Bohemian, Cabaret, Dandy, Decadent, Diva, Crook, Gigolo or Vaudeville. Creativity is being asked

Tip:
Interested in disguise?
Else Edelstahl opened together with her colleague Tilda Knopf the costume rental Le Boudoir.
Here you’ll find everything you need:

Le Boudoir
Boxhagener Straße 110
10245 Berlin-Friedrichshain

Contact:
www.boheme-sauvage.net

Featured pic by Frederic Schweizer

The post Else Edelstahl’s secret Wunderkammer in Berlin appeared first on My Stylery.

“I do not feel naked on stage. On the beach, people are more naked. My costume and the makeup are my protective shields. “*

How does a well-educated literary scholar decide to become a burlesque dancer? And overall, Burlesque isn’t that Peepshow with a lot of fuss… Questions over questions were running through my head, as I pressed the bell of a flat in a beautiful old house in Berlin- Pankow. Marlene von Steenvang opens smilingly. She is a petite, blonde woman and in her brown skirt and the black sweater looks like the nice next-door neighbour. She serves tea in green Villeroy & Boch cups with hunting motives. Marlene, whose real name of course isn’t Marlene, tells how she grew up in the States, both parents teaching at the USC University in Los Angeles. Marlene was dreaming of Cinderella and Co, wants to become an actress. But both of her parents wish for their intelligent daughter to learn something ‘decent’. After graduation Marlene goes to London to enrol at the renowned drama school “East 15 Acting School” and works at a Café as a side job to finance her studies. She takes her chance and breaks through. Since 2009 she is living in Berlin and is considered the German answer to Dita von Teese.

Everything in white: Marlene poses on her bed

MyStylery: Marlene, you are considered “the star” in the burlesque scene. What brought you into the burlesque scene?
Marlene von Steenvag: At first I didn’t have a clue what Burlesque actually was. After my studies I was in London, where I worked as a substitute waitress and at the time my boss asked me if I could fill in for a sick stage actress. And there I was on stage, couldn’t really sing and had a German accent. And to compensate, I had the idea of changing my clothes while singing. The stripping came later… (laughs)

Fotoshooting for the “Teaser Magazin”. Foto by Esther Haase

MS: There’s still the persistent cliché that Burlesque was a variant of striptease…
MvS: …and that is completely wrong. The difference to striptease is, that stripping should animate in a sexual way. The dancers are giving you the feeling that you can have them. Burlesque is an art that demands acrobatics and body control and shouldn’t be reduced to getting undressed. It is to move in the head and not in the pants.

Marlene in her living room and study. She loves to mirror herself

MS: Marlene von Steenvag is your stage name –that sounds very noble and nostalgic. How did you come up with it?
MvS: When I started dancing, I was in England and needed a Nordic, German sounding name, especially since I was singing in German. The “von” in addition creates a little distance.

Sugar bowl and milk jug by Villeroy & Boch date back to the hunting lodge of the parents

MS: You teach at the Akademie Burlesque, which was founded by you. What do your pupils learn?
MvS: For my performance I create a real story, that’s why story- telling appears on my timetable as well as the development of an own character, next to choreography and directing. A great Burlesque dancer captivates the audience and causes them to watch the show- attentively.

An 18.000 Dollar dream gown embroidered with Swarovski stones by Roberto Cavalli. “I discovered the dress in Hollywood and it should remind me of what I have been doing.”

MS: What kinds of women are in your class?
MvS: We train young artists, but also just normal women that want to explore their femininity or want to learn how to stage themselves. Often these women lack the sense of confidence and a feeling for their body. They complain about not having any hips or too small breasts. I always tell them: “Girl you got it! Just stand upright.”
We also frequently get booked for bachelorette- evenings, like we just did by five women from Abu Dhabi.

“The Disney characters and their costumes made a big influence on me when I was a child,” says Marlene. “Snow White and Cinderella were my dream princesses.”

MS: How long can you generally practise Burlesque? That’s not until retirement, right?
MvS: Physical attraction has nothing to do with age but with charisma. I don’t want to be on stage all time long. I see myself as entrepreneur and Marlene von Steenvag as a brand. Besides the academy I also founded the Burlesque festival that takes place this year in September for the third time in Berlin.

Marlene having a small breakfast in her kitchen … always elegant!

MS: I always wanted to know, how do those round things that cover the nipples actually hold?
MvS: (laughs) You mean the pasties? They are applied with glue. Either with theatre-glue. But toupee glue also holds very well even when you sweat.

Marlene retains many of her treasure-costumes and stage outfits in her closet, everything is minutely sorted, because keeping order is a must

MS: You’re a person of stage and therefore public. What does your home mean to you?
MvS: Home means protection. There’re two places where I feel secure, the stage and my home. There I like to be surrounded with antiques as I’ve been raised in such an environment as a child.

The living room with a total of five mirrors, a fireplace and an antique cabinet that comes from Marlene’s studies in Freiburg

MS: You have got lots of mirrors hanging all around. Even in this room are five…
MvS: Yes, I have to admit, I’m narcissistic. (laughs) I just love to mirror myself. In the past I always argued for “space enlargement”. Today I stand by it. Burlesque is a dream world, also maybe the other side of the mirror… who knows. BvH

“Burlesque doesn’t intend that someone from the audience gets an erection.”

Showtime in Champagne! Berlin Burlesque Festival 2014**

Contact:
www.marlene-von-steenvag.com

Berlin Burlesque Festival:
17 to 21 September 2015, in “Wintergarten”
International performers present Burleque shows at high level
For more information and tickets www.berlin-burlesque-festival.com

*Photo by Deniz Akgüntüz
** Photo by Verena Gremmer

The post At home with Germany’s Burlesque Queen appeared first on My Stylery.