Sat 3/25 @ 8:30PM
Twenty years ago, a teenage immigrant from Mexico did her first burlesque performance at a club called Onix, in Denver, Colorado, where her family had settled after emigrating from Juarez, inspired by a book she’d read on high school, a pictorial history of burlesque.
A year later, she was living in northeast Ohio where she debuted her own burlesque troupe, then called La Femme Mystique, now called Cleveland Burlesque. And 20 years after her first tentative performance, Bella Sin has become a nationally recognized powerhouse — twice voted one of the 50 most influential figures on the national burlesque scene — who has turned Cleveland into one of the most thriving markets for burlesque. She’s rightfully been dubbed “Cleveland’s Burlesque Queen.”
What she has built will be celebrated a show called Sinfully Yours at the Beachland Ballroom, where she presents a series of shows each year including the Ohio Burlesque Festival in August. Better grab tickets immediately. Like most of her recent shows, it’s likely to sell out.
I first met Bella when I was at Scene and she arrived at our office to promote a show and slap some pasties on one of our editors who has threatened me if I ever run the photos. The first time I saw her perform was at an informal show at Luxe in Gordon Square. I made the mistake of going downstairs to the dressing room to talk to her; I was shaking glitter out of my clothes and hair for a week.
Since then, I’ve seen her perform many times and have attended dozens of the shows she’s put together — including every Ohio Burlesque Festival since the first in 2011 (As far as I know, I’m the only person other than Bella who’s been at every one.) The first was a random bunch of entertainers playing to a half empty room. This year, for the first time, the festival will run for four days — and all are likely to be packed with performers converging on Cleveland from distant places. With her always-increasing network in the burlesque scene, she now attracts performers from across the country, and even overseas, with acts ranging from glamorous to comedic to heartrending to grotesque, traditional to cutting edge. Shows might feature drag artists, torch singers, dancers, acrobats and “boylesque” performers.
That network has allowed her to prioritize diversity, a passion of hers. She once said of the Ohio Burlesque Festival, “We’ve shaped the festival to be as inclusive and diverse as humanly possible,” and that’s a policy she follows as much as possible with every show. Her headliner at her Sweetheart Showcase in February was Lou Lou la Duchesse de Riere, a First Nations/Mohawk from Quebec. And every show she’s done has included performers of different body types.She’s also devoted shows to featuring performers of color, performers with Hispanic roots and LGBTQ+ performers.
As usual, Sinfully Yours will feature a cast of local favorites, visiting artists, newbies and veterans and will be hosted by author/comedian/college professor Ken Schneck, whose deft, response-evoking humor has become a key part of Cleveland Burlesque’s shows. Regulars will have seen some of them before; others will be new to Clevelanders. The list includes Boogie Lou, Riley Poppyseed, Ariyah Fuego, Lakota Shekar, Heather & Lace, Dahlia Dluxe, Hiliana Perez, Ruby Rabbit, Kimmy Katarjah, Hilde Hashenbunny, Jade Wilde, Cece Noir, Stevie Phoenix and Lily Datura with special guest Erica Martinez and of course, Bella Sin herself.
In case being a fulltime performer who creates many of her own costumes, and putting together productions and events with as many as 60-70 performers, isn’t enough, she also has created her own makeup line and has become a self-taught burlesque historian, doing research that could qualify her for a PhD in the subject. She also teaches burlesque classes and has volunteered for causes such as the Pride Festival.
Bella cites her beloved mother Mona Ruiz, who passed away in October of 2021 after a long battle with cancer, as her main influence, encouraging her to work hard and never give up on her dreams, no matter how improbable. But she cites a long list of others who stood behind her on the long journey to where she is now: “Performing wise Margo Mayhem from NYC, Jessabelle Thunder Los Angeles, Gigi Holliday NYC, Medianoche NYC and Ruby Spencer Chicago, along with Lou Lou la Duchesse from Canada. Locally Onya Nurve, Erica Martinez, Jollie Blak, Lola Loveletter and Sassy Sascha. Recently Empress Dupree has a grip on me. I love Matt Finish as a person and as a mentor, along with Shimmy LaRoux and SamsonNight. I do love my business mentors too: Mariely Luengo and Selina Pagan , Marcia from AmMore and Cindy Barber [co-owner of the Beachland].”
Get info and tickets on Sinfully Yours here. If you can’t make it, look ahead to the Whole Lotta Love live rock burlesque revue April 21; Can You Hear the Boobies Fernando! ABBA tribute show May 20; and the International Ohio Burlesque Fest August 10-13, followed by the Latin and Drag burlesque review September 22; the Fright Night Halloween show October 21 and the annual Star Wars burlesque December 1. More info here.
Trump was wrong (as usual): Mexico sent Cleveland their very best.
sinfully-yours-a-20th-anniversary-revue/
See a photostream of Bella Sin’s career here:
