Artist | Writer | Filmmaker
Durham filmmakers Leslie Cunningham and Debbie Vu are joining forces to tell a powerful and poetic story they call- I Breathe Life! The Story of Monica Daye & SUSO. In the heart of Durham, NC, I Breathe Life! unfolds the inspiring journey of Monica Daye, a survivor of sexual assault and intimate partner violence who, …
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Leslie Cunningham, the creative force behind The Harlem in Havana Project, premiered a dazzling culmination of a decade-long journey with the Brown Skin Showgirls Weekend, a celebration of Black Burlesque History that took place in Atlanta, Georgia during Black History Month 2024. Cunningham's odyssey into the heart of American entertainment history began over a decade …
I'll never forget the moment when JoRie Tigerlily, Richmond's rebel burlesque sensation, dropped me an email about my photography book, Brown Skin Showgirls, chilling on Amazon. Her enthusiasm for diving into history was infectious. We kept the vibe flowing and, before I knew it, she was rocking the stage at my first-ever work-in-progress screening for …
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Embark on a mesmerizing journey into the heart of American entertainment history with artist and filmmaker Leslie Cunningham as she officially unveils The Harlem in Havana Project—a captivating exploration of her family's extraordinary entertainment legacy. Leslie, the visionary granddaughter of a legendary African American impresario, has meticulously crafted an expansive multimedia documentary masterpiece that she …
Join me at the International Booklover's Burlesque Festival from April 13-16, 2023 in Portland Oregon. The festival is an annual celebration of literary and performing arts, highlighting burlesque, boylesque, and draglesque artists from around the world and some of your favorite literary pieces and some you have never heard before. The four-day festival takes place …
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Title: My Grandma Was an Exotic Dancer?! Presented by: Leslie Cunningham Class Description: A look at early Black Burlesque through a glimpse into the lives of the Bates Sisters, three brown-skin showgirls who helped innovate exotic dance from the American carnival stage. Created for the Harlem in Havana Project: Burlesque Education Series. Learn more and …
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=motN1O8--Sg From Theta Chapter of Gamma Xi Phi - Theta Chapter of Gamma Xi Phi, the fraternity for artists, presents a virtual panel discussion featuring three North Carolina-based filmmakers. The event highlights panelists Leslie Cunningham, Rukiya Shanteel, and Kimberly Knight, who discussed both the art and the craft of their work. The artists’ projects involved …
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Sunday, August 29 at 3pm the SLIPPAGE @ Duke University 2021 Fall Series presents the first two parts from Durham-based creator, Leslie Cunningham’s new documentary film series “JIG SHOW | Leon Claxton's Harlem in Havana”. Slippage@Duke is directed by Thomas F. DeFrantz at the Rubenstein Arts Center. All events will be in the SLIPPAGE lab, …
Embarking on an artistic odyssey, I’m Leslie Cunningham—an LA-bred filmmaker and storyteller, weaving tales across various mediums. From photography to film, song lyrics to canvas, my creative haven is in crafting narratives that resonate with the soul. My filmmaking journey is an alchemy of passions. I love blending mediums to explore the world, while meet …
Continue reading "SUPER STUDS, BROWN SKIN SHOWGIRLS AND CHALLENGING IDENTITIES: MY ARTIST JOURNEY."
August 5, 6 pm-730 pm EST on Zoom/Facebook Live. Join the New York School of Burlesque Book club show for an hour of books and burlesque! Burlesque Historian Bebe Bardot will guest host, interviewing author/filmmaker Leslie Cunningham about her book Brown Skin Showgirls. Learn more now.
LESLIE CUNNINGHAM 
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