Angie Pontani and The Pontani Sisters
Hometown: Brooklyn
Call her the mother of New York City Burlesque, or just call her "Your Highness"—New York's toned, talented, Italian bombshell Angie Pontani just got crowned "Reigning Queen of Burlesque" (formerly titled "Miss Exotic World") by the Burlesque Hall of Fame out in Las Vegas in June.
But instead of parading around town with her four-foot trophy this summer, the star of the off-Broadway hit "This is Burlesque" spent the hottest months cooling off from a serious sports injury. "It's now in my contract that I'm now not allowed to play softball," Angie half-jokingly says of the game that took her out. "That's how I started my reign as Miss Exotic world—with a broken nose and two black eyes." Good thing for NYC, Angie is back in action and ready rock the NYC Burlesque Festival, an annual event she created in 2002 with her pal Jen Gapay that has mushroomed into one of the biggest international showcases of it kind.
On Sept 20th she headlines festival's main event, the "Saturday Spectacular" show at NYC club Le Poisson Rouge, with a new routine that features the usual sequined-glitter-and-glam schtick...and a bathtub, too! And with "This Is Burlesque" about to have its one-year anniversary (a feat practically unheard of for a burlesque show), and seeing Angie, solo and with her three-woman troupe The Pontani Sisters (sexy tap-dancer sis Helen Pontani and tassel-twirling sensation Peekaboo Pointe) do her thing is an absolute must.
Website: http://www.angiepontani.com/
Burlesque Festival Appearance: The Pontani Sisters perform ; Angie goes solo at the Saturday Spectacular show.
Next NYC Performance (after Fest): Angie Pontani is the star of "This is Burlesque," and can be seen nearly every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night the Corio off-Broadway show.
