Instagram story viewer> @lolavanella> Posts

Lola van Ella

@lolavanella

11.8K

followers

2448

following

NUMBER ONE BURLESQUE INDUSTRY FIGURE
🌈 @loleezbo
💃 @thevanellabordella
⭐Van Ella Productions/Show Me Burlesque
🎵 singer/host/hussy
💖NOLA/STL

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

Download All

the art of the tease👀😏💃 by @lolavanella

6k

86

7 months ago

📣HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT!📣

Van Ella Productions Presents:
100 Years of The Casa Loma Ballroom
A NYE Centennial Celebration
SPECTACULAIRESTLNYE.eventbrite.com

Van Ella Productions is thrilled to present the NYE party of the century! Join us as we honor the iconic Casa Loma Ballroom as it celebrates 100 years.
The Casa Loma Ballroom has been one of the most historically important venues in all of St. Louis and in its first few decades hosted legendary performers such as Louis Armstrong, Glenn Miller, The Smothers Brothers, Rita Hayworth, Frank Sinatra, Louis Prima, Count Basie, and so many others. Today, the Ballroom hosts all kinds of events; from weddings to big band soirees, and of course some of the biggest burlesque and variety shows in the country. For more than 15 years, Van Ella Productions has proudly presented their annual New Year’s celebrations, and this one will be one for the history and record books!

Lola van Ella, Jeez Loueez, Bazuka Joe, and the entire VEP team are working to create the largest spectacle the Ballroom has ever seen, featuring some of the best performers from St. Louis and beyond paying tribute to some of St. Louis’ biggest stars.
Expect an over-the-top stage show featuring large scale production numbers, aerial and pole acts, incredible live music, and jaw dropping burlesque and variety acts all night long. In addition, there will be plenty of time for dancing on Casa Loma’s famous floating dance floor, interactive entertainment throughout the venue, and tons of other surprises! This will be a Spectaculaire New Year’s Eve like never before!

Featuring an all-star cast including:
Lola van Ella - New Orleans/STL
Jeez Loueez - New Orleans/STL
Bazuka Joe - Chicago
SAILEM - NOLA/STL
Michelle Mynx - STL
Immodest Proposal - STL
Chasity Valentino - STL
Diva la Tap - STL
PLUS Queen of Burlesque, Midnite Martini - Denver
and MANY MORE to be announced! Stay tuned over the coming weeks and don’t miss out on getting those tickets!

Poster by Amber Adelaide taken in Casa Loma Ballroom by @lolavanella

83

2

4 days ago

An ode to Dolly Parton in the Ring: The Beginning…

Photos from @mondolucha by @karlalanmedia
#MissMondoLucha #mondolucha #dollyparton #LollyParton

THE MIDDLE…

THE END 😈🦋❤️ by @lolavanella

57

1

4 days ago

It is a truly great honor of my life to be “Miss Mondo Lucha,” and to get to bring a little @dollyparton to this fabulous event was such a joy. I also got to share the ring with the incredible @jeezloueez and @peekaboopointe who are of course icons of the stage but an absolute dressing room dream team. I truly love Showbiz and I feel so lucky that I get to do it with some of the greatest people in the world.
I love you @mondolucha
Being with you since 2008 has been one of my favorite, longest, and most celebrated relationships 😍

Thank you the lovely @dionysiadance and my best friend in the whole world @jeezloueez for the video and to the generous and wonderful @thedorisnight for this beloved costume.
And to Dolly…thank you for everything you’ve given to all of us. by @lolavanella

112

6

9 days ago

This past weekend at Bordella, a woman in her 60s said she hadn’t smiled or laughed so much in her whole life, another older woman brought her queer daughter for her birthday and told me that it was the best birthday she could have given her and that her daughter “felt at home here.” Our lovely bartender told me that Bordella is her comfort burlesque show, and my wonderful tech person said that Bordella is like watching your favorite sitcom.

As we near our 500th show, and my 26th year of smutty performance art, I am still utterly amazed and grateful that this little fantasy brothel-that-could continues to affect people from all walks of life in ways that are positive and meaningful. I’ve always believed in “being the show you wish to see in the world” and I fully take that to heart. Since Dolly’s passing, I haven’t stopped thinking about legacy, and impact, and how leading with love and kindness is the only way to truly lead. How being a woman in business means taking up space and not taking sh*t, and having a strong sense of ethics and a strong backbone. How success is not measured in money but by the pride and joy in creation, and the lasting ripple effects that your art creates.

This year has been full of contemplation and reevaluation and I feel a renewed sense of dedication to my mission of bold choices and beautiful, subversive, queer, hopeful, feminist art for everyone and anyone who dares to believe.

Thank you for joining me. I never ever take any of this life for granted.

Photos by @toniann_mattera at @thevanellabordella at @allways_cabaret_club taken in The AllWays Lounge & Cabaret by @lolavanella

97

15

a month ago

Oh Dolly.

Your impact was profound. Your influence was immense. You were among the very best of us. The idea of the “American Dream” felt incredibly authentic with you. Your gifts were endless, your genius, beauty, kindness, business acumen, humor, and versatility constantly moved and inspired me. You informed many of my choices. My interest in storytelling, folk music, song writing, running my own business, and standing my ground as a woman in this industry, all while allowing myself to be feminine and strong, funny and kind, and glamorous and smart, is in no small part because of you.

I wanted to sing like you when I played Rosamund in a bluegrass musical, I called myself Lolly Parton when I wore this wig, I saw you perform in 2016 and it changed my life, I went to Dollywood with my best friend and partner had the time of my life. Your love of nature and family and literacy, and music, and embracing all of humanity was a gift. How lucky we were to live in the same timeline.

Thank you for everything you gave us. A true fairy godmother. A singular spirit. A beautiful, shining light. Your impact will ripple through the generations.

I will always love you.
@dollyparton by @lolavanella

190

7

a month ago

A beautiful Tuesday with beautiful friends. Sometimes you just need to melt into the sand and become one with a blue heron and watch the sky turn every single color while having no other agenda other than frolicking in waves, giddily screaming at sea creatures, and singing along to Jeff Buckley while the thunder crashes on the beat.
Restorative and profound joy. by @lolavanella

276

6

a month ago

Don’t f*ck with me, fellas!

Am I aware that I tore a hole in the armpit of this beloved vintage, very c*nty Frederick’s of Hollywood ensemble? Yes.

Do I care? Still yes. I want to have it fixed immediately. But you can still see my armpit as a boardroom treat.

Outfit worn on a rare occasion for @simonedelmar ‘s birthday.
Video taken by my CMO @lovejustlied by @lolavanella

197

10

a month ago

In honor of my beloved @bibidazzle ‘s birthday, here is a small excerpt of my “tight ten” fully improvised stand up routine and striptease that I surprised her with last year for her 50th birthday after literally driving 11 hours and then jumping directly onto the stage. This is Whisper/Crystal/me in her purest form. The whole “bit” was nearly 12 minutes long and it was really difficult to edit it down to this. I really love making people laugh and this was extra special because it was for my bestie.
Also, I will absolutely make your birthday dreams come true by roasting you/your loved ones and then taking my clothes off to the most sensual song of all time, Birthday Song by John Denver. I hope you enjoy. Happy birthday Bibi!

Special thanks to Bibi’s wonderful hubby Darren for arranging it, @dixiedenier for allowing it, and @opheliaflame for the perfect costume. by @lolavanella

62

7

2 months ago

@lolavanella, resident host of Psychedelic Speakeasy with her powerful pipes and unmatched wit, extolling the literary prowess of David Bowie. 🍄 Psychedelic is a wild ride, every month offering up a new trip, showcasing the biggest names in New Orleans entertainment, and featuring Lola’s top tier emcee chops that leaves audiences screaming with laughter and shrieking with delight, month after month. Come see us sometime. It’ll change your brain chemistry ✨ taken in The AllWays Lounge & Cabaret by @lolavanella

266

12

2 months ago

I finally feel like I’m recovering after literal months of respiratory illness and hormonal burnout. I have learned a LOT. It has not been fun or easy. Maybe I’ll tell y’all about it sometime.
But this past weekend I had a lot of fun at work. In the words of @jeezloueez - “I’m out here.”
And in the words of @gi.gi.marx “My ass is still fat”
So I’m feeling pretty optimistic. by @lolavanella

164

7

2 months ago

And no, it’s not the exact choreo, but just like Jon Heder said in an interview I saw about this dance, he just “did some moves” and went with the vibe. So I did that too. Or something.
Anyway, Vote For Pedro

This one’s for you @sailemfromhell

Video by Michael Pearce by @lolavanella

239

33

2 months ago