Cabaret Yes We Can CAN!
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LIFESTYLE I GOURMET I HERITAGE AND HISTORY I COVER STORY I ACCOMMODATION I DESTINATION I PORTRAIT Cabaret Yes we can CAN! CABARET REMAINS AN IRREFUTABLY FRENCH EXPERIENCE. BUT ARE THE BIG-NAME ESTABLISHMENTS JUST MUSEUMS TO A BYGONE ERA, OR ARE THEY KICKING UP THEIR HEELS TO THE TUNE OF THE TIMES? BY RUBY Quam, autendit volecestores doluptas qui tem quos si o Quam, autendit volecestores dol Quam, autendit BOUKABOU volecestores doluptas qui tem quos si o Quam, autendit volecestores doluptas qui tem quos si occae nce a bustling dance hall where dolectet volores ccae. uptas qui tem quos si occae bohemians, intellectuals and aris- dolectet volores ccae. tocrats flocked to mingle and see its radical floor show, the cancan, the Moulin Rouge is arguably the mostO famous cabaret in Paris and the world. Its timeless dinner-and-show revue features a large to borrow its spirit. “I wanted to give some kind cast of well-trained, long-legged dancers (many of patterning and design to the bold and vibrant of them Australian), along with magnificent cos- steps of the male dancers,” he says. tumes and impressive sets. Classical influences aside, the French cabaret Consciously camp choreographies are inter- scene also offers avant-garde and saucy interpre- twined with sharp tableaux and modern dance tations – especially if we’re talking about Crazy influences, including jazz, hip-hop and orien- Horse. Founded in 1951 by Alain Bernardin, Crazy tal dance. The nightly routines are punctuated Horse has hosted specialty acts including bur- by dazzling acrobatic displays, circus acts and lesque star Dita Von Teese and ex-Riverdancers comedy sketches. It’s light, tight entertainment, Suzanne Cleary and Peter Harding of Up & Over with the added polish of impressive fashion and It, known for their comic, percussive delirium. modern lighting and stage effects. Seeking something more offbeat? Circus- At Paris’ other famous cabaret, the Lido on style acts have enjoyed increasing popularity over the Champs-Élysées, punters can enjoy a mix of the last decade, and one venue with a highly ori- French and international cabaret. The renowned ginal cabaret-meets-circus show is the intimate Bluebell Girls (and their impossibly high fea- Zèbre de Belleville. Here, contemporary dance FURTHER INFORMATION ther headdresses) perform extravagant routines meets the circus against the stylised background Moulin Rouge that celebrate the cabaret’s classical roots and of a giant zebra in mid-leap above the stage. www.moulinrouge.fr modern influences, such as music videos, film If you prefer a show where you can stay late, Lido and fashion. dance, and get right among it with the locals, pay www.lido.fr Lido performances often feature ethnic a visit to Juliette Dragon’s Le Cabaret des Filles de Crazy Horse tributes such as African, Greek or – in the Joie. This collective offers affordable cabaret and www.lecrazyhorseparis.com case of the current revue, Bonheur – Indian, new-burlesque shows in various venues across Le Zèbre de Belleville so cultural referencing is taken very seriously Paris (such as La Bellevilloise in the 20th arron- www.lezebre.com here. Last year, three Bluebell Girls visited dissement and Le Klub in the first), and runs the Le Cabaret des Filles de Joie de Juliette Papua New Guinea to witness male dance per- Paris Burlesque Festival every October. formances first hand. But, rather than attempt If you have the time and the budget, make Dragon to wholly export the Papuan dance to France, cabaret the theme of your trip and experience www.lebison.com artistic director Pierre Rambert sought simply them all. 50 51 MAGAZINE MAGAZINE.