Every(Body) Wants to Be a Showgirl: Indianapolis — A Tribute to Shawna the Black Venus
Original print media and costumes provided by Twirlisha Devine & Ms. Catwings via Shawna's personal collection.
By: Aquarius Moon
Shawna The Black Venus is showing us her never-before-seen photos from her personal archive — and the reason this Indianapolis stop is so special. Indianapolis is our final stop for this exhibit — headlined by legend Tiffany Carter, and raising money for a Venusian woman who left an everlasting mark on burlesque history.
Friday Night: Opening Gallery Party & Artist Talk
Every(BODY) Wants to Be a Showgirl opens its third Indianapolis run with a gallery party at the Indianapolis Liberation Center's Fonseca-Du Bois Gallery on Friday, August 7, marking the exhibit's final pop-up appearance before its debut as a standing installation at The Ecdysiast Arts Museum in Davenport, Iowa.
Opening night will present a curated gallery from the traveling exhibit — which has documented 150+ burlesque performers worldwide — alongside a live artist talk with producer Twirlisha Devine, headliner Tiffany Carter, and feature performers Peekaboo Pointe and exhibit curator Aquarius Moon. The following day, Saturday, August 8, brings hands-on burlesque classes at Circle City School of Burlesque and a full headline performance at White Rabbit Cabaret, with the exhibition itself remaining on view at the Liberation Arts Center through August 31.
Shawna was setting fires and shaking floors before most of this lineup was born — the tiger print, the fire act, the road. This weekend, the art form she helped build shows up for her as we raise money for her breast cancer costs.
Photography provided by Shawna The Black Venus
Over the past year, I have been curating this exhibit after realizing the need to collect, preserve and display Black burlesque during a time of erasure, violence and regression — costumes, prints, and stories of people from the past and today moving from closets, storage units, and boxes to underground metro stations, dance studios and now a gallery. This upcoming exhibit highlights the legends and icons across generations who have kept the art form alive. We have brand new installations, costumes and history to share. Did you know Indianapolis was the first city in America to write about Black burlesque?
I will be sharing more stories I've found through my travels but for now you probably want to know what we will be showing in Indy.
Photo archives courtesy of Shawna The Black Venus
You can expect to see some dresses from Lottie Ellington's collection from burlesque legend Toni Elling, a costume from Mx. Exotic World's Princess Peekaboo Pointe, the 2025 Mx. Exotic World crown of Jessabelle Thunder, Jean Idealle's dress on loan from the Burlesque Hall of Fame — plus more still to be revealed!
Photography provided by Lottie Ellington
New to this stop: this is the first time we will include exhibit pieces from places and people who kept burlesque alive in Indiana. Come check out exclusive artifacts from the 2010 burly revival, including collections from the White Rabbit Cabaret, the Rocket Dolls, and the Titty 500 Burlesque Festival.
Also new this stop: fresh additions to our ancestor altar, winners circle, and library garden.
Saturday Afternoon: Burlesque Classes with Circle City Burlesque Academy
On Saturday, August 8th Circle City School of Burlesque is hosting two workshops at She Shop Fitness Studio. You should join me in taking Peekaboo Pointe breaks down floor show technique at 2 PM followed by my heels performance for stage class at 3:30 PM. Classes are $30 each.
Saturday Night: Legends & Icons VENUS: A Benefit Show for Shawna the Black Venus
Since founding Twirlisha Devine Productions in 2023, Twirlisha Devine has built a pipeline for Indianapolis burlesque to thrive across generations — from the Circle City School of Burlesque, where she trains new performers, to her crown jewel production Legends and Icons where seasoned legends still headline. The exhibit is brought to you in partnership with community programming sponsored by Metro Cabaret Club, Twirlisha Devine Productions, The Indianapolis Liberation Center, Circle City School of Burlesque, and The White Rabbit Cabaret.
Join us on Saturday August 8th at the White Rabbit Cabaret as this iconic cast headlined by ecdysiast legend Tiffany Carter brings you an unforgettable evening of tease for a good cause!!
Twirlisha Devine Productions is teaming up with the Circle City School of Burlesque and Metro Club Cabaret to bring you a special edition of Legends & Icons to raise money to aid beloved burlesque legend Shawna the Black Venus in her ongoing battle with breast cancer.
Starring Tiffany Carter and featuring Peekaboo Pointe & Aquarius Moon
Cast: Alabaster Betty, Desiree DeCarlo, Ella Garnet, Elle Ess Dee, Frenchy LaRouge, Margo Lugosi, Patsy Blue Ribbon, Twirlisha Devine
Where: White Rabbit Cabaret, 21+ Time: Doors at 8pm Show at 9pm
Presented by TDP, CCSB & Metro Club Cabaret present Legends & Icon VENUS
This isn't just a gallery night. It's a chance to be in the room with real history — and to make sure the woman who lived it is taken care of. Come check out our archive (we finally have some historians on board so come see what new additions we have to our ancestor altar, winners circle, library garden and more. Most importantly help us raise money for one of our last Black burlesque legends.
This is just the beginning of what I'm sharing. Later this month I'll be publishing an extended piece on Indianapolis burlesque history, what it actually takes to build pathways for our legends, and how we keep lifting up Black burlesque while burlesque fights to stay in rooms across the globe.
For now: grab your tickets for this weekend, get on our email list so you don't miss what's next, and share this message. This is how we take care of some of our last living Black burlesque legends while honoring the multi-generational performers who are keeping the pastie power alive!
A photo of Shawna The Black Venus featured in the EWTBAS Minneapolis exhibit courtesy of Deeva Rose.
P.S. THANK YOU MINNEAPOLIS!! I will share more about all the sparkles and sunshine that took over the Twin Cities over Juneteenth weekend but for now enjoy some BTS pictures from our three day exhibition at the Rose Academy of Burlesque. Exhibit photography by PixElle Photos.
