Video: Burlesque stars of the nerdlesque scene

We profile five mainstays of nerdlesque, a geeky subgenre of burlesque. Plus, watch a burlesque video or two of their nerdiest numbers.

By Raven Snook Tue Jan 8 2013

Photograph: Eric Harvey Brown

Francine “The Lucid Dream,” founder of the Pink Room: David Lynch Burlesque
Francine “The Lucid Dream,” founder of the Pink Room: David Lynch Burlesque

Photograph: Eric Harvey Brown

Francine “The Lucid Dream,” founder of the Pink Room: David Lynch Burlesque

Francine “The Lucid Dream,” founder of The Pink Room: David Lynch Burlesque (francineburlesque.com)

An alum of the New York School of Burlesque, the singer-dancer—who also trained at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre—injects plenty of humor into her “silly and nerdy” performances. She embodies both of those qualities in her Pink Room burlesque revues, each one dedicated to a different project by odd-teur David Lynch. “Over the past two years, we’ve covered everything from Twin Peaks to Blue Velvet to Lost Highway to Mulholland Drive,” she says. “Our shows are really a combination of nerdlesque and dark cabaret, kind of hard to define” (not unlike Lynch’s oeuvre). Next up for the Pink Room: The second annual Miss Twin Peaks Pageant on Saturday, January 26 at Parkside Lounge. Later this year, Francine plans to launch Take Back the ’80s Burlesque, commemorating an era that she believes birthed the nerd movement: “That’s when the era of the nerd began!” Next event: Miss Twin Peaks Pageant, Parkside Lounge, 317 E Houston St at Attorney St (212-673-6270, parksidelounge.net). Jan 26 at 11pm; $20, advance $15.

Her nerdiest numbers: Crazy, eye-patch-wearing Nadine Hurley from Twin Peaks trying out for the high-school wrestling team; Agent Scully from The X-Files showing her sexy side.