Angie Pontani is a contemporary burlesque dancer, choreographer, producer, and blogger based in Brooklyn, NY. She was crowned Miss Exotic World in 2008.
Biography
Andrea Louisa Pontani is originally from Trenton, New Jersey. In the mid-1990s she began her career as a teenager in New York City dancing in the Dutch Weismann Follies at age 17. After the close of Dutch Weismanns, Angie went on to launch The World Famous Pontani Sisters, who performed regularly at Marion's Continental and Windows On the World in the World Trade Center. In 2006, Angie started to focus on her solo performances. Pontani was the co-producer and star of "This Is Burlesque" at the now-defunct Corio Supper Club. She performs around the world solo and with the Pontani Sisters, and was a creator of the DVD series, "Go-Go Robics" and "Go-Go Dance with Angie Pontani" produced by World Dance New York. Angie produces and stars in the Burlesque-A-Pades touring production and is the co-producer of the New York Burlesque Festival, an event that happens annually and brings together hundreds of burlesque performers from around the world for 4 nights of performance in NYC. Angie has modeled for several designers, including Mode Merr Clothing as well as Dirty Dolls Lingerie and has shot with renowned photographers like Ellen Von Unwerth, Josh Gosfield and Brian Smith. Pontani hosts "The Pontani Pages", a monthly talk show format podcast produced by JL Aronson in NYC. In 2015, she was featured in a photo shoot for CR Fashion Book nude at 7 months pregnant, alongside Lady Gaga shot by Bruce Weber. Angie was crowned Miss Cyclone in 2007 in honor of the historic roller coaster The Coney Island Cyclone. As a Coney Island resident, she has been very active in the fight to save them from rezoning that would jeopardize the amusement district. Angie was crowned "The Reigning Queen of Burlesque, the winner of the Miss Exotic World Pageant in 2008" at the Burlesque Hall of Fame Reunion at The Palms Hotel in Las Vegas. Other awards include,"The Best Body in Burlesque"-2007 New York Burlesque Festival, "#1 Burlesque Attraction in the Nation"-AOL.com, "Best NY Based Dance Company"= Show Business Weekly, "Hottest Burlesque Troupe" - Village Voice. She was recently featured on the PBS Great Performances series with Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett for their release of "Cheek To Cheek" and has collaborated with retailer Secrets In Lace to release a collection of vintage inspired dresses. On February 16, 2013, Angie Pontani married Band leader, trumpet player and vocalist Brian Newman in Brooklyn, New York. They have one child together, a daughter Sistilia Josephine Pontani Newman, born on September 9, 2015. In January 2017, Angie started a blog which features family recipes and Italian inspired dishes, some of which were featured in Rachel Ray Magazine's How To Live Like an Italian October issue. Angie Pontani appeared in the documentary Gaga: Five foot two, at the time of the baptism of her daughter, in which Lady Gaga was chosen to be the godmother.
The Pontani Sisters
are a highly stylized and costumed dance trio that helped to pioneer the burlesque revival. They began performing on the boardwalk in Coney Island and went on to international tours both alone as well as with the band Los Straitjackets. Angie choreographed, costumed, and booked most of the troupe's performances, including tours, Las Vegas runs and appearances on national television programs like Late Night with Conan O'Brien as well as Gossip Girl. The Pontani Sisters have released 3 DVD's that teach 1960s Go Go dancing, Go-Go Robics I & II and Twist Party, with the surf band, Los Straitjackets.
