When people hear the word burlesque, certain images flicker to life: glittering corsets, feathered fans, red lipstick, and the slow reveal of satin gloves delicately peeled away finger by finger. Its spectacle lies in its slow seduction, in the deliberate unraveling and the suggestive anticipation that teases every movement.
More than stripping and measuring how much skin is shown, it is a carefully choreographed display of satire, sensuality, and self-expression. The act of undressing becomes theatrical rather than transactional—a performance in which power lies not in exposure, but in the deliberate choice to reveal.
At the heart of this movement is Burlesque PH, the country’s premier brand for burlesque shows that center on education and community. From its humble beginnings as a small troupe by Paulo Cusi, Angela Magsino, & Phola Zamora doing “traditional,” vintage-themed shows, it is now a powerhouse that stages productions that play around with unique concepts like Broadway musicals, horror, and even Boylesque, their most recent show that spotlights masculine expression. Thus, Burlesque PH presents the craft as more than mere entertainment, resisting societal expectations about modesty, beauty, and autonomy.
An overture in heels
The troupe started with three friends and a shared conviction that burlesque deserved a home in the Philippines. Strutting from different worlds—ballet, events, and the kink space—founders Joyen, Lucky Rapscallion, and Giselle built something no one could have achieved alone.
It was through that door that Antoinette Noir first found her way in. She auditioned with no formal dance training, equipped only with a theater kid’s curiosity and fond memories of a show that fundamentally changed something in her. “I saw that it didn’t conform to the traditional standards of beauty,” she recalls. “And I guess as a woman growing up here [in the Philippines], that appealed to me a lot.”
Noir has since assumed the role of creative director and president—a job, as she describes, that has less to do with directing than curating. Every performer who walks through the door comes with a spark; her job is simply to set it ablaze on stage.
While rhinestones catch the light, what truly glimmers on stage is far heavier than anything sewn into a costume. Woven through every act are conversations about empowerment and desire that Philippine society often avoids. On stage, Noir sheds the good-girl image shaped by her upbringing and becomes the woman she chose for herself—from the music and costume to the exact moment she removes them. Another performer sews together every expectation placed on gay men, only to rip the garment apart piece by piece.
What transpires enacts the performer’s fantasy, not the audience’s— built from scratch on their own terms, for no one’s gaze but theirs. For this reason, Noir explains that to step onstage is already an “act of rebellion.” Each show unbuttons the tightly fastened dogmas of Philippine society: that bodies must look a certain way, desire must stay hidden, and some things are too brazen to be spoken out loud. The crowd comes for the tease, but what lingers after the lights fade is something else entirely.
The velvet underground
Behind the velvet curtains, performers still struggle to slip off conservative values, gender roles, and social stigma.
Conversations about sexuality and the intimate body are often hidden in the shadow of the country’s predominantly Catholic faith, where purity culture perpetuates repression. Thus, burlesque aims to offer release by juxtaposing sex and control. “People find some kind of catharsis in seeing people go against [conservatism],” Noir explains.
Through symbolic satire and risqué revelry, performers soften rigid notions of what is socially acceptable. However, Noir admits that this is a venture one has to tread with sensitivity: “We have seen that there are consequences for people who go against the church [or the] Christian society.” While the troupe aspires to provoke conversation, they do not wish to trade in safety for a crusade. “People still hold on to faith a lot, to the point where it becomes fanaticism, and therefore it becomes, in a sense, dangerous for us.”
Despite such challenges, Burlesque PH refuses to stifle their spirit. Instead, they turn to opportunities to connect more closely with their audiences. In choosing venues with “care and discernment,” Noir engages with communities cut from the same sequined cloth of burlesque, like drag and ballroom, highlighting how they protect each other as a community.
Burlesque PH creates spaces where their advocacies can shine in vivid, multicolored light and foster safety through mutual consent and judgment- free appreciation. While Burlesque PH ultimately aims to break through the mainstream, the underground scene remains their truest sanctuary—a place where the roar of the crowd is the only gospel they need.
Fresh spectacles
As Burlesque PH expands beyond its origins, the troupe’s artistry reaches new heights. Fresh, dazzling themes like Nerdlesque and Boylesque beckon more diverse audiences and create new spaces for acceptance. Reflecting on a recent video game launch performance, Noir shares, “It’s always fun to see how they receive burlesque with new eyes.” These vivid, contemporary themes remain true to their goal of creating safer spaces for performers and audiences alike, with each show featuring interactive segments between acts to encourage people to enjoy. As she playfully puts it, “you don’t have to take it too seriously.”
Burlesque may begin with satin and sequins, but it strips down to something far more powerful than skin—unveiling agency, advocacy, and the bold celebration of sensuality. Though mainstream public acceptance may still be a long road ahead, each movement is a challenge to the status quo, and every garment discarded is a striking statement on consent, diversity, body positivity, and empowerment.
In a world that demands restraint, Burlesque PH are proud provocateurs transforming playfulness into protest, bannering the freedom to loosen up as its own form of defiance.
This article was published in The LaSallian’s March 2026 issue. To read more, visit bit.ly/TLSMar2026.
