Boylesque is on the rise! But, it’s anything but new.

The history of male burlesque dates back to the late 1800s when Henry Dixey performed his comedic ‘Adonis’ act over 1000 times, establishing himself as a bonafide Victorian sex-symbol. Another pioneer from this same time period was Eugene Sandow, a Prussian bodybuilder who performed nude with a fig leaf, personifying the classical Greek and Roman physique. It remained largely underground throughout most of the 20th Century until female impersonator Kenny Kerr used the term for his 1977 show “This is Boy-Lesque” which debuted at the Silver Slipper’s Gaiety Theater in Las Vegas. Kerr’s show differed from other Las Vegas female-impersonation revues in that it combined classic impersonation with Vegas-style dancing, singing and comedy. The show would go on to become one of the most popular shows in Las Vegas history bringing boylesque into the limelight once again.

Boylesque today acts as the male counterpart to the neo-burlesque movement. It serves as a way for males to express themselves and their sexuality in a way that goes beyond go-go dancing or performing in drag shows. Boylesque shows feature choreographed skits that can be highly sexual but also, sometimes, verge on the quirky and comedic. It allows the performers to develop unique stage personas and to perfect the art of the tease: making eye contact with the audiences and creating a connection that will keep them entertained throughout a 3 to 4 minute routine. Essentially, stripping with a story.

Next weekend, infamous radio personality, nightlife promoter, creator of the social network Dlist.com and the man who many within the gay media call “The Gay Hugh Hefner,” Daniel Nardicio will be presenting the 1^st Annual New York Boylesque Festival in collaboration with Jen Gapay, producer of the New York Burlesque Festival. The festival will feature over thirty amazing performers from all over the world including the Original King of Boylesque and the 2006 Mr. Exotic World Winner, Tigger! (NYC), the 2010 Mr. Exotic World Winner, The Evil Hate Monkey (NYC), Mat Fraser (London), Dew Lily (Toronto) Boylesque troupes Boylesque TO (Toronto) and Mod Carousel (Seattle) and much, much more. The whole shebang kicks off on Friday, April 27^th with its Teaser Party at the historic Tammany Hall and continues on Saturday with the Main Event at the Chelsea hot spot Rebel. Tickets are going fast so be sure to pick yours up right over here.

This is a momentous occasion for the boylesque community and its a great opportunity for lovers of burlesque to see the range of talent and creativity that exists within this rapidly growing international scene.