When Undine LaVerve first stepped on the stage in feathers and sequins, Malta didn’t quite know what to make of it. Burlesque was new territory for the island – and so was she. Known as the Sin-Sational Siren of the Mediterranean, Undine was the first to bring the art form to Malta and over the last decade she has fought to make it not only accepted but celebrated.
Her journey began almost by chance. “I went to classes one week and then another week. After a while, I was like, ‘Oh my God, this is kind of it. This is what I really want to do.’” That spark grew into an international career, with her first major show in the Netherlands in 2012, followed by festivals and collaborations across Moscow, New York, and other major cities.
At the time, she admits, Malta wasn’t ready. “I tried to do a few shows, but people reacted with confusion ‘Why is she like, taking clothes off?’”. Undine realized that people on the island hadn’t yet embraced the art of burlesque, so she decided to go abroad and continue her endeavour there.
But by 2015, she decided to bring her vision back home. “If I don’t do it, nobody else is going to do it. I have to start doing something.” With support from her parents and international performers, Undine began staging shows in Malta. The turning point came in 2016 when Spazju Kreattiv offered her a theatre stage and local papers gave a glowing review. “The credibility I got from them snowballed into success. So I kept working on it. I started teaching students in the Burlesque Academy and now I have like a full-blown troupe.”
More than just striptease
For many, the word burlesque carries misconceptions. Undine is clear about what it truly represents. “It’s not about taking your clothes off but about how you do it. It is the journey that matters rather than the final reveal. So many people call it the tease without the sleaze.”
She explains that it is as much comedy, theatre and satire as it is sensuality. “There’s comedy burlesque, there’s political burlesque. There are so many different things you can do, and there are really no rules about it. That is what burlesque is – an art form run mostly by women and queer people all over the world, helping them express themselves without reservation or prejudice.”
Changing audiences and breaking barriers
Malta’s initial reaction to burlesque reflected the island’s conservatism, but that has changed. “When I started producing shows, I realized it needs to be for an educated audience. The audience needs to know what they’re going in for. And that’s how we started.” From sceptical stares, she has seen audiences evolve into enthusiastic fans. “We get young people, older people, couples and friends groups. … Everyone seems to be enjoying it.”
What truly excites her is the empowerment burlesque brings, both on stage and off. “When you’re on stage, you feel so much power and such confidence … you don’t really think about how you look. You feel so confident being up there just the way you are.”
For audiences, the impact can be just as transformative. Seeing diverse bodies and performances often creates a sense of empowerment and inspiration. As she explains, “People that see the shows feel that connection within themselves. They think maybe I’m a bit like the performers. Maybe I could do this too.”
And so, from an art form once misunderstood to a thriving community of performers and fans, burlesque in Malta has come a long way – thanks to the determination of its first trailblazer.
The next act
Undine isn’t just the pioneer of burlesque in Malta – she continues to push boundaries through new projects. This Pride Month, she is helping with the production of HarshMellow – a unique combination of burlesque, drag, fetish and performance art. She described the event as a space that embodies elegance, celebrates diversity, and fosters conscious interaction for the modern individual.
Undine emphasizes that the party is not only about performance, but about creating openness and she invites people to practice self expression and sensuality. “That’s what I’m bringing to the island. I’m bringing something that’s open, something that makes people feel more free, happy and empowered.”
HarshMellow, will take place on 6th September at 97 Notes Bar in Valletta.
