Vedette (entertainer)

Vedette is a French word that is currently used to designate the main female artist of a show derived from the Cabaret and its different genres (revue, vaudeville, music hall or burlesque).

The purpose of the vedette in the show of cabaret or nightclub is to entertain the public. The Vedette has to know how to sing, dance and act on stage. Depending on the quality of its show, career or mastery of one or more stage talents, can be considered a Super Vedette or First Vedette. Generally a vedette has to be a woman with a physical or a personality and charisma outstanding to be able to catch the attention of the public. In addition to singing, dancing and acting, the vedettes also often include in their shows important groups of dancers, flashy costumes, magicians, comedians, jugglers and even exotic animals. The vedettes who specialize in burlesque shows also perform nude and striptease routines on stage.

The vedette shows were very successful in cabarets, theaters and nightclubs in the 20th century in countries like Spain, France, Argentina and Mexico. The cities of Paris, France and Las Vegas, in the United States, are considered as the main cradle of the vedettes.

Vedette is a French word originally used to designate an artist of great fame and notoriety.

The term experiment changes over the years. From the twentieth century, it began to be used to designate the main female artists of the shows of a cabaret such as burlesque, vaudeville, music hall or revue. The zenith of fame and popularity of these women coincide with various historical moments of sexual liberation of the twentieth century (the 1920s, 1940s and 1970s).

The vedettes began their boom and popularity in France at the beginning of the century. After France, they have gained greater popularity in Latin countries, both European (Spain) and American (Argentina and Mexico), where they have caused a furor in the nightlife at different times. The term is little used in Anglo-Saxon countries, although in the United States are very popular shows of cabaret and burlesque in the city of Las Vegas, where it is often confused with the so-called showgirls. Venues such as the Le Lido, the Moulin Rouge and Crazy Horse in France or the Teatro Maipo and the Teatro El Nacional, in Argentina and the Teatro de la Ciudad "Esperanza Iris", in Mexico are or were famous for their vedette shows.

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Wikipedia