Dita Von Teese brings ‘The Art of the Teese’ to Anaheim

Before Dita Von Teese became an international burlesque star, she was a go-go dancer and performance artist in the underground club scene in Orange County.

Fresh out of high school in the early 1990s, she befriended drag queens and deejays of the thriving rave scene and experimented by fusing vintage aesthetics and strip tease into her performances.

“It was a place that laid my groundwork for creativity,” Von Teese said.

Since then the burlesque star has toured internationally, released books on burlesque and glamour and partnered with MAC Cosmetics to release a red lipstick inspired by her signature look.

Now the 44-year-old artist is returning to her stomping grounds in Orange County to present her latest revue “The Art of Teese” at the House of Blues in Anaheim July 8 and 30.

Von Teese described burlesque as a spinoff of a vaudeville variety show but “more sexual in nature” that was popular in the 1930s and ’40s in America.

Her two-hour-long variety spectacle will showcase male and female performers Von Teese scouted from all over the world.

“We’re where fashion and strip tease meet,” she said. “It’s a great example of seeing a burlesque show and why people love to come to it.”

Before adopting her stage name, she was Heather Renee Sweet and attended University High School in Irvine after relocating from Michigan with her parents.

Von Teese worked at a pizza joint before being introduced to garter belts and corsets at a neighboring lingerie store where she eventually became employed.

She continued to hone her performances in clubs, incorporating her ballet skills before working in Orange County strip clubs.

Though she no longer resides in Orange County, Von Teese said she enjoys visiting Costa Mesa and Newport Beach and collects vintage cars from those areas. Many of her favorite restaurants are gone, including Sid’s Steakhouse in Newport Beach; Disneyland will always hold a special place in her heart.

By 2002, Von Teese was on the cover of Playboy magazine and began touring the world, headlining events as a Bettie Page look-alike.

Her career snowballed.

“I watch people who are so desperate for fame and I don’t ever remember feeling that my entire life,” Von Teese said. “I like traveling and putting on a show, but I never expected to receive the kind of recognition that I do now.”

Von Teese learned all the aspects in a show, from managing costumes and props to scouting performers.

“It’s always hands-on and it’s the one thing I’ll always like about burlesque — it’s not manufactured the same way in forms of other entertainment,” she said. “It’s a (do-it-yourself) kind of thing.”

She is well-known for her martini performance.

A giant glass martini is set on the stage where Von Teese strips her costume to twirl and splash inside the glass with an olive sponge. It has become her signature performance, she said, since she debuted it in 2000.

The best part of her career, she said, is being a leader of the burlesque movement where the imagery is “a far cry from natural beauty seen in Sports Illustrated” and instead is an art fantasy, sparkle, inspiration and glamour.

“I just love doing what I love and I’m really grateful to have a fan base that continues to grow with it,” Von Teese said. “It’s not just retire when you’re 30. It’s really nice that I can still perform with confidence.”

If You Go

What: Dita Von Teese’s “The Art of the Teese” Burlesque Revue

When: 7:30 p.m. July 8 and 6:30 p.m. July 30

Where: House of Blues Anaheim, 400 Disney Way, Ste. 337

Cost: $35 July 8 and $40 July 30

Information: (714) 778-2583 or visit houseofblues.com/anaheim

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Twitter: @vegapriscella