Thu., May 25, 8 p.m., $10 at the door, Whiskey Dix, 421 N. Seventh St., 215-923-2192, www.hellcatgirls.com

Teasing and tantalizing, playful and passionate—Philadelphia's Bawdy and Hellcat Girls are reclaiming the pastie at "Pussy Galore," their ongoing nuevo-burlesque and vaudeville-style performance series.

As connoisseurs and preservers of the 20th-century-style striptease, dancers Violet Sweet, Athena Lourdes, Candy Mayhem, Becky Vomit and others keep the culture alive through themed shows. This month boasts a 007 motif and features drag king impersonator Wang Newton and a special set for aspiring dancers only.

Hellcat founder Kiki Berlin says she first became interested in the art of burlesque through its requisite clothing and culture, then through the times surrounding them. And she can't stress it enough: The operative word here is art.

Unlike Delilah's and other purveyors of platform plastic, burlesque seduces its audience with coy looks and batted lashes. You can't get any more classic than that.