Last year wasn’t a good one for Cleveland’s undisputed burlesque queen Bella Sin, who’s brought glamour and excitement to Cleveland stages. After not being able to perform for almost two years and delaying the 10th anniversary of her Ohio Burlesque Fest not once but twice, she lost her beloved mother, her greatest cheerleader, in December.
But 2022 is starting on a positive note for her, with a deluge of good news. The 10th anniversary of the Ohio Burlesque Fest is scheduled (finally!) for August 11-13 at the usual location, the Beachland Ballroom. She just ended a five-year run of monthly sold-out Burlesco showcases at the 9 downtown and announced a new venue — the Goodyear Theatre in Akron.
On top of all of that, the influential, UK-based 21st Century Burlesque Magazine just named her one of the 50 most influential burlesque artists in the world; she placed #24. In a field that’s attracted thousands of new participants in the last decade, she stands out and she has been instrumental in helping Cleveland stand out as a burlesque-friendly city.
When Bella Sin founded her troupe Le Femme Mystique (now Cleveland Burlesque) in 2004, the local burlesque scene was nearly nonexistent and the national neo-burlesque revival was just ramping up. Bella herself was an enthusiastic, but novice performer, and the talent local talent was hit-or-miss.
She’s come a long way, baby, and so has Cleveland’s burlesque scene. In 2011, she launched the Ohio Burlesque Festival, originally one evening at the Beachland featuring a handful of local burlesque artists, vocalists and a rock band. By its 9th year in 2019, it had exploded into three sold-out nights at the Beachland with more than 70 performers from across the country and sometimes even overseas. They grew into extravaganzas featuring spectacular drag artists alongside burlesque (and boylesque) performers whose acts ranged from comedy to old-school glam to social/political commentary to ballet to acrobatics.
By that time (pre-pandemic), Ohio Burlesque was presenting bimonthly showcases at the Beachland on different themes: Star Wars, a Valentine Sweetheart show, The Roxy Remembered, a Hispanic showcase. (Bella is Mexican as she never fails to remind people — yes, Mexico sent Cleveland its best!) The Star Wars showcase returned in December, and the Valentine Sweetheart show is back in February at two venues: Akron’s Goodyear Theatre and the Beachland Ballroom.
To celebrate this deluge of good news, we’ve taken a look back at Bella over the years as she’s not only presented increasingly professional shows but has personally blossomed into an elegant, charismatic performer.
View the PHOTOSTREAM here.
