Striptease or art? The question for burlesque taste police

A North London council today ignited a debate over whether burlesque is an art form or simply titillation.

Camden council is banning its entertainment venues including the Roundhouse and Koko from holding burlesque nights involving nudity or strip-tease unless they apply for the same licences required by lap-dancing bars.

Officials said the shows should be classed as "adult entertainment of a sexual nature", prompting a backlash from burlesque performers, who claim that their performance is art.

According to Camden's policy, performers can be on stage wearing nothing but nipple tassels and a g-string, but cannot take their clothes off. The rule would threaten large-scale burlesque shows like Miss Behave's Variety Nighty at the Roundhouse and Koko's The Tease Show featuring Immodesty Blaize.

The stance echoes controversy in Soho in the Thirties over how naked women could appear on stage at the Windmill Theatre. If the performers did not move, they would be classified by then-censor Lord Chamberlain as art, similar to life paintings. But if they moved, their shows would sexually charged and therefore banned.

Alex Proud, the owner of Proud Camden art gallery, which has a regular burlesque night, said: "The letter of the law rather than the spirit of the law is being enforced. It seems lacking in common sense that it is illegal or lewd for burlesque girls dancing to an obviously non-strip tease crowd. Proud is a million miles away from a strip club. The spirit of Paul Raymond does not live here. I do not intend to emulate him in any way."

Roxy Velvet, a regular dancer at Proud, said: "I've worked professionally for five or six years all over the country and never had a problem. The performances at Proud were classic burlesque, very innocent. It is nowhere close to a lap dance."

The council said it is not opposed to venues hosting burlesque, but new guidelines meant they must have the appropriate licence. A spokeswoman said: "Camden's licensing policy, which was widely consulted upon and approved in 2008, states any premises in the borough that wish to offer entertainment involving nudity, striptease or other entertainment of an adult nature will need approval from the Licensing Authority. Burlesque falls within this criteria."

Burlesque, which originated in 17thcentury Europe, has become more popular in recent years Performers, who in the mainstream include the American Dita von Teese, pictured left, claim its use of nudity is not intended to be provocative but is part of theatrical humour. Von Teese said: "I'm trying to bring back the original art form. In America they've lost all sense of what burlesque is. To them, it's just something very racy."