Any time some group tries to claim they are the "first", I start to raise an eyebrow. Particularly when a group like Boylesque comes along and claims to be "Toronto's first all-male burlesque show".

Toronto's no stranger to burlesque - maybe it's something in the water, but I see more burlesque troupes announcing performances at Goodhandy's or your favourite West Queen West drinking hole every week. My big question for Boylesque - where's the beef?

Burlesque troupes are, from my experience, judged primarily on two (maybe three) factors. Their ability to dance, their stage performance/ability to entertain, and their hotness. Based purely on the group's photos (taken by none other than blogTO's former Arts Now host, Ella Cooper), I'm going to wager Boylesque's routine is going to go the hipster-esque ironic route. Let's hope they have the moves and the attitude to make it happen!

Either way, I'm not going to argue against guys taken their clothes off for a good time, and look forward to seeing what kind of show they're planning. And with Pride just weeks away (surely marking the city's sexual peak of the year), I'm all for equal opportunity and look forward to seeing guys and girls (hello, Atomic Cherries!) get their groove on and shed some clothes while they're at it.

Boylesque are performing at two separate venues in the coming weeks:

Thursday, June 12th at 7:30pm at the Victory Cafe
A "mini-performance" at Party Like Nobody's Business

Thursday, July 24th at The Gladstone (corrected)
First official burlesque performance