BurlyCon

Peer Reviews

Peer Reviews are a priceless opportunity for selected individuals to exhibit their art and receive thoughtful feedback in a supportive and inspiring format.

Every performance is an artistic risk. We expose ourselves to the eyes and opinions of our audience every time we step foot on stage. Through Peer Reviews, BurlyCon endeavors to create a space where those risks can be managed. To that end, we have selected thoughtful and encouraging artists to serve as moderators for these sessions, and a professional stage manager will support each presentation. In addition we have invited a number of artists to serve as Invited Peers. These Peers will sit panel-style and provide expert feedback and critique to our Presenters.

Time permitting, our event Moderators will open the floor to BurlyCon attendees to share their own insights.  All BurlyCon attendees who desire can provide written notes of encouragement, questions, and insights to Presenters.  These notes will be gathered and made available to Presenters at the end of the weekend.

Aspiring Presenters are encouraged to treat submissions to BurlyCon Peer Reviews as they would standard festival submissions. Participants of Peer Reviews will be given 10 minutes to perform, recover, and receive feedback. Acts should be four minutes or fewer. You will not be disqualified from being chosen by submitting a longer act, but we have limited time, and to get the most of your experience we encourage you to adhere to the suggested time limits.

Acts submitted for consideration to do not need to be “performance ready,” but the more prepared you are, the more effective the feedback of our Invited Peers and BurlyCon attendees will be.

Selections will be made by lottery with submitted acts sorted first into specific categories, such as classic burlesque, nerdlesque, and boylesque, with further considerations made for performers of color, assorted experience levels, and manifold body types and gender identities. This will help us ensure a diverse program and see that as much of the wondrous makeup of our Burlesque Community as possible is represented.

Along with the feedback from our panel, you will receive written feedback from the audience (your peers!).

Peer Reviews are Back!

And, it’s the best of both worlds! VIRTUAL Peer Reviews will be via Zoom on Saturday, October 15 (live or pre-recorded videos). IN PERSON Peer Reviews will be at BurlyCon on Thursday, November 10 and Saturday, November 12.

This is a great opportunity to receive helpful feedback on your act from our expert panelists and an audience of your peers.

Peer Reviews Applications are open until midnight on August 15! We look forward to seeing your dazzling acts!