Dublin Burlesque Festival seduces the city

Vintage was the style in this year’s Dublin Burlesque Festival Photo courtesy of Dominque DiVine

Many capital cities in the world provide bases for the quirky and the niche, and Dublin is no different. The 7th – 10th of November saw Dublin play host to some of the best burlesque acts in the world.

The Dublin Burlesque Festival 2013 lit up the city centre for four nights with some acts flying in for the occasion from as far away as Texas.

The festival is now in its third year, with its arrival in Dublin in 2011 making it the first of its kind in Ireland.

Following its initial success the Dublin Burlesque Festival has grown and expanded further across the city in its subsequent years.

The festival’s organisers describe it as combining “the art of theatre, fashion, dance, music, photography, music and circus into a magical and colourful weekend”.

This year’s events took place in venues across the city centre, from The Sugar Club to The Grand SocialThe events included a Speakeasy, Circus Macabre and a gala performance. The festival also included a competition where the burlesque performers competed to be awarded titles such as best overall, best solo or best newcomer.

As audience interaction is key for burlesque events there was also an audience vote award, and all attendees to events were encouraged to dress up in red carpet style burlesque wear.

The 2013 Festival was rounded off with a Vintage Fashion Show & Afternoon Tea in the Mercantile Hotel. The organisers described this year’s final event as: “a selection of the most exquisite vintage clothes from Dublin’s finest vendors, modelled by the cream of our burlesque beauties in classic vintage style.”

For a taste of what burlesque is about check out this year’s MC, Des O’Connor, in his fashion shoot video below.