Chi-chi burlesque: Blood Ballet Cabaret

Bourgeois burlesque: Miss Bloody Mary Anne as “Lola.”
Photo by Mackenna Johnston

Sunday night at the Belmont, the Blood Ballet Cabaret is presenting a twist on its already unique mix of cabaret, burlesque, fire tricks, aerial contortion, live music and other salacious spectacles: this round, the show will be set entirely to classical and operatic music.

“Burlesque isn’t generally set to classical music, but a couple of our performers, including myself actually, really liked doing burlesque acts to classical,” says organizer Kamee Abrahamian. “It creates this extra drama, it’s more epic.”

The Blood Ballet has been bringing circus, burlesque and live music performance together for two and half years. Each event is themed — past events have included nautical, children’s theatre for grown-ups and Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?

Abrahamian says that this event’s “hoity-toity” take gives the performance a special edge, with the seriousness of the music making the hooping, stripping and fire play “dramatic and funny.” ■

The Blood Ballet Cabaret Classics show takes place at the Belmont (4483 St-Laurent), Oct. 7, 8 p.m., $10. Email bloodballet@gmail.com for table reservations.