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Acclaimed burlesque dancer and revolutionary, Dita Von Teese admits that Las Vegas is her favorite city to perform in. She first came to the city with friends when she was only 18 and fell in love with the town after having the time of her life. Teese recently finished her engagement performing at the Crazy Horse Paris at the MGM Grand. Her style is very different from many modern strip/burlesque performers. All of her performances are choreographed by herself and she is known for her classic retro-style and classic costumes. She is most famously known for her corsets and lace stockings.
She is also very well known by the media for her two-year marriage to rocker Marilyn Manson. The couple split in 2007 and they have no children together. Dita Von Teese was born Heather Renee Sweet in Michigan. She had an early fascination with 1940’s cinema and retro-style. She inherited this love of classic movies from her mother who was a big fan of golden-era Hollywood and often brought home costumes for Von Teese to dress up in. She often talks about her love for actress, Betty Grable, whom she claims is her favorite. Von Teese got her start in dancing when she was young. As a child she was classically trained in ballet. However, Von Teese struggled with the art as she found it pretentious and restraining. She looked to study an art that was more realistic and allowed for more creativity.
After getting a few quick looks into her father’s Playboy magazines, Von Teese became fascinated with lingerie. She worked at a lingerie store when she was fifteen. She also studied historic costume design in college. When she was nineteen she began working in a strip club. After seeing the girls’ uninventive acts she decided to work her costuming skills into her own act. She designed vintage inspired outfits and hairstyles. She then began modeling with her clothes on but later opted for modeling with her clothes off. After appearing in Playboy magazine, her career took off. She is credited with helping fuel the revival of the art of burlesque and she is often noted as “the queen of burlesque.” Her shows involve elaborate costumes and set pieces. In one act she utilizes a large martini glass which she splashes around in. In another one of her famous acts she uses feathers that are larger than life to cover herself with.
However, Von Teese is at heart a traditionalist and she often criticizes club owners who allow their dancers to keep their clothes on in an attempt to keep a “classy” burlesque house. Von Teese has spoken adamantly about the fact that historically burlesque has always involved nudity and the art of taking off clothes. She has also posed for many famous photographers and designers. Considered a fashionista herself, critics took a while to appreciate her classic sense of style. She also will not use a stylist and still does her own hair and make-up.
Dita received much media attention for her marriage to Marilyn Manson. The two were wed in a gothic castle in Ireland. Manson’s obsession with death caused him to pick the “creepiest” looking place he could find. There are even rumors that a ghost lives in the castle. The unconventional wedding continued as Von Teese walked down a grand stair case in a rouched purple gown with a matching triangular hat and black veil. The wedding also including an interesting guest list: stars like Madonna, Lisa Marie Presley, and Ozzy Osbourne were in attendance. The couple divorced only two years later claiming, “irreconcilable differences.” The media reported that Manson was having an affair with nineteen-year-old actress Evan Rachel Wood and the two still maintain a relationship after the divorce.
Dita Von Teese continues to perform both in America and throughout the world. Her burlesque shows are very popular and she will also continue to make appearances in Las Vegas. She recently has announced that she will be judging the first ever American auditions inside MGM’s Crazy Horse Paris Cabaret. The auditions will take place March 3-6.
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