Burlesque icon Dirty Martini joins Choose the Bear for a powerful, hilarious, and deeply inspiring conversation about confidence, creativity, and claiming your body on your own terms. From the Vegas stage with Dita Von Teese to intimate performances around the world, Dirty shares how burlesque became her path to visibility, artistry, and radical self-love.

We talk about:
✨ How Dirty went from being told she’d “never be a dancer” to becoming a global burlesque star
✨ Burlesque as a political act—and why stepping onstage in your body matters
✨ Body pride vs. body positivity
✨ The magic of seeing real, diverse bodies onstage
✨ Advice for beginners who feel scared, uncoordinated, or “not dancer enough”
✨ Why taking a burlesque class can transform how you see yourself
✨ Gen Z, cringe culture, and the courage to try new things
✨ Dirty’s upcoming European tour and her work coaching performers

Whether you love burlesque, are burlesque-curious, or just want to feel more powerful in your body, this conversation is a gift.

🩸 Guest: Dirty Martini
Instagram: @DirtyMartiniNYC

🎙 About Choose the Bear
A podcast for women building joyful, bold, independent lives—single, childfree, and fully themselves. Hosted by activist and author Kat Calvin.

💬 Tell us:
What’s one thing you’d try if you weren’t afraid of being “cringe”?

Burlesque isn’t just feathers and striptease, it’s comedy, politics, gender rebellion, and a century of artists rewriting the rules of who gets to be seen.In this episode, Kat Calvin sits down with Dustin Wax, anthropologist and executive director of the Burlesque Hall of Fame, for a masterclass on the real history of burlesque: from Lydia Thompson and Josephine Baker to Lottie the Body, Coby Yee, Jadin Wong, and Marenka.They dig into how burlesque has always played with gender, race, sexuality, drag, and power, and why this “lowbrow” art form is actually a vital archive of queer and feminist history.In this conversation, we talk about:How Dustin went from teaching gender, race, and class to running the Burlesque Hall of FameWhy burlesque is closer to political comedy and theater than to strip clubsThe deep history of gender-bending, drag, and trans performers in burlesqueLegendary performers you should know: Lydia Thompson, Josephine Baker, Coby Yee, Lottie the Body, Jadin Wong, Marenka, and moreHow burlesque intersected with Motown, Hollywood, and the music industryWild and wonderful artifacts from the museum: Gypsy Rose Lee’s trunk and pin cushion, Dita Von Teese’s martini glass, an 8-foot devil head, and moreThe bizarre and repressive laws and censorship rules that shaped what performers could wear (and take off)How anti-drag laws also threaten burlesque—and why Dustin thinks the future of burlesque is more queer, angry, and defiant than everWhy we need way more movies, books, and TV series about burlesque legendsAbout my guestDustin Wax is an anthropologist and the executive director of the Burlesque Hall of Fame, an organization dedicated to preserving, celebrating, and inspiring the art of burlesque. Through archives, artifacts, exhibits, and community events, the Burlesque Hall of Fame keeps the stories of performers, famous and unsung, alive.👉 Learn more: burlesquehall.com👉 Follow the Burlesque Hall of Fame on Instagram & YouTube (links in show notes)If you liked this episode…You’ll also love my other burlesque conversations with modern legends like Perle Noire and next week's surprise guest, where we talk about healing, body sovereignty, and the power of performance for women and queer communities.About Choose the BearChoose the Bear is a podcast about women who choose their own path—often single, often childfree, always bold. We talk to artists, activists, athletes, scientists, and weirdos (the very best kind) about building a life on your own terms.🔔 Subscribe for more conversations on independence, art, gender, politics, and joy.👍 If this episode taught you something new about burlesque, please like, comment, and share it with a burlesque lover or theater nerd in your life.Hashtags#Burlesque #BurlesqueHistory #BurlesqueHallOfFame #DustinWax #QueerHistory #FeministHistory #Drag #GenderStudies #ChooseTheBear

Burlesque icon Perle Noire joins Choose the Bear for a luminous, soul-level conversation about the power of burlesque as an art form, a healing practice, and a path to personal liberation.

Perle shares her journey from discovering burlesque to becoming one of the most celebrated performers and teachers in the world. We talk about how burlesque can help women reclaim their bodies, pleasure, confidence, and voice, and how this art form can be a powerful tool for emotional healing, creativity, and self-ownership.

If you’ve ever been curious about burlesque, the history behind it, or why it resonates so deeply with women, especially women choosing bold, independent lives, this episode will light you up.

In this episode:
✨ Perle Noire’s extraordinary career in burlesque
✨ How burlesque can be a practice of healing and self-transformation
✨ Reclaiming the body and feminine power
✨ Why burlesque is an art form made for women
✨ The connection between sensuality, confidence, and liberation
✨ The joy and discipline behind burlesque performance
✨ What it means to honor yourself through movement, ritual, and art

ABOUT PERLE NOIRE
Perle Noire is a world-renowned burlesque performer, choreographer, and mentor known for her powerful stage presence, artistic innovation, and deep commitment to healing through movement. She has inspired thousands of women through her workshops, performances, and her signature healing-through-burlesque methodology.

ABOUT CHOOSE THE BEAR
Choose the Bear is a podcast for bold, independent, single or childfree women who are building full, joyful, meaningful lives on their own terms. Hosted by author and activist Kat Calvin.

If you loved this episode, please like, subscribe, and share—it helps the movement grow.