Vicky Butterfly
(London, UK)
Our European headliner is no other then dazzling Vicky Butterfly from UK. She has already performed with Bohemian Burlesque in a smaller show back in 2014 and we feel very happy to bring her back to shine on our fantastic festival stages, where her opulent numbers will truly stand out. Whether it’s clouds of butterflies that fly out from her clothes as she hovers en pointe, a kinetic glittering crescent moon or a Lynchian slant on Weimar era erotic dance, Vicky Butterfly’s beautifully choreographed routines take in everything from the ethereal and the breath-taking to the macabre and the erotic: with inspirations including Anita Berber, Loie Fuller, the Marchesa Luisa Casati and Maya Deren, her poetic and retro-futuristic performances evoke influences from the Pre-Raphaelites and French literature to Surrealism and more.
The daughter of an Irish showgirl and an eccentric Viennese aristocrat, her work reflects her bohemian upbringing: notable as a real innovator, she uses contemporary technology alongside a richly decadent aesthetic and lavish showmanship, incorporating her background in theatrical design alongside training in disciplines including ballet, lyrical dance, opera and circus as well as an insatiable desire for literature and history.
Vicky was awarded Most Dazzling Title at prestigious Burlesque Hall of Fame weekender and often features in the Top 50 UK and world burlesque poll of the 20th century Burlesque magazine.
Ray Gunn
(Chicago USA)
He is a true King of Boylesque, crowned as such in 2013 at Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekend, no other than the sensational Ray Gunn. This phenomenal dancer and performer has headlined at burlesque festivals and shows across the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Europe and also won Best Group 2011 at the Burlesque Hall of Fame with Stage Door Johnnies. He is infamous for his smoldering, sexy, and frequently avant garde solo acts. Trained in contemporary dance, acrobatics, capoeira, and pole dancing, Ray creates imaginative works of strip-tease art that show off his athletic ability and inspired choreography.
Ray currently produces The Vertical Side Show and Neon Peepshow in Chicago; he has served on the creative team of 'Beggar's Carnivale' and the Show-Me Burlesque Festival in St. Louis and recently was a featured presenter at Burlycon in Seattle.
Ray is featured in the documentary, "Burlesque: Heart of the Glitter Tribe" available on Netflix and playing at theaters across the U.S.
This gentleman will blow your mind with his fierce stage presence and you can learn his secrets in exclusive workshop series.
Harden Reddy
(Munich, Germany)
We love not only girls doing burlesque, so we like to support male co called boylesque also. Since we don´t have any boylesque performers in the Czech republic yet, we would like to inspire them to come up, so we are bringing a second King Of Boylesque for our festival, no other than Harden Reddy as our special quest.
Born in Munich, Germany and burlesque-raised by Mynx d'Meanor and the Fishnet Follies in Oakland, California, Harden Reddy is out to turn into your wildest, most whimsical fantasy once your dare to look.
Harden has headlined various international festivals like the Berlin Burlesque Week and the Toronto Burlesque Festival. In 2016 he was awarded "Most Innovative" and "Best Boylesque" at the Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekender.
After calling California his home for four years he's now based in Munich, Germany once more.
Sheila Wolf
(Berlin, Germany)
We are always big on supporting European burlesque and gender bending performers so the next special guest we are bringing for you is from Germany and let´s say it is one special and very stylish lady.
The search of role models was pretty easy while creating the embodiment of Sheila Wolf. Turning from a former rockabilly to Berlins part-time rockabella and burlesque-fashionista, Sheila lifts the gender boundaries. Enchanting role play is on the menue as well as the humorous interpretation of classic rock’n roll and burlesque.
With an eye for the detail and a cheeky wink, Sheila lives up to the slogan: “Life offers enough limitations already”. Sheila has been a well known columnist, model, performer and host on innumerable cultural and burlesque events. This has left “creative marks” on her, which get covered in make up every evening once again.
Sheila is a mesmerizing performer and successful producer of Vaudeville Variety Revue coming back to Prague to present one of her staple routines and also to premiere her brand new act.
Lola van Ella
(St. Louis, USA)
Lola van Ella is an award winning burlesque singer, dancer, producer, instructor and emcee. She is the CEO of Van Ella Productions, through which she and her team produce many lauded events, including the international Show-Me Burlesque Festival, The Shimmy Showdown, and Spectaculaire. Lola is also one half of Loleezbo, a comedy duo lead web series and online show co-created with Jeez Loueez.
Alive Magazine named her one St. Louis' most influential people, and she has been voted into the top 25 performers in 21st Century Burlesque's Top 50 Burlesque Performers worldwide since its inception. In reference to her performance style, 21st Century wrote, “Striptease and song is so often a marriage that doesn’t quite work. So few performers can do both to a high standard, and at the same time. But Lola is an example of how well it can be done. It’s the little gestures, winks, raising of the eyebrows and knowing smiles that make her performances special.”
Lola has taught, produced and performed in events all over the world, and takes great pride in being “the most naked Ted Talk presenter.” Lola currently resides in New Orleans where she regularly produces her immersive theatrical production, The Van Ella Bordella: A Storyville Affair.