The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing

... was Evelyn Nesbit, as portrayed in the eponymous film by Joan Collins.  Ms. Collins dances the cancan in the film, which is worth seeing in its own right.

This is from the Escarpolette Party Tumblr blog where you can see the original and a companion color photo:

http://escarpolette.tumblr.com/post/52890969203/joan-collins-in-the-girl-in-the-red-velvet-swing
http://escarpolette.tumblr.com/post/52824461544/joan-collins

See other swingers at Escarpolette Party:

http://escarpolette.tumblr.com/

(Includes nudity)

For photos of Ms. Collins in cancan garb from the film:

http://barbebleu.tumblr.com/search/girl+in+the+red+velvet+swing

Diamond Tooth Gerties

For an excellent black and white photo of the dancers at Diamond Tooth Gerties, visit the FredMiranda.com site where photographer Charlie Shugart posted these for sale:

http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1244041

It also has a companion color photo.  These were taken about 20 years ago and are not from the classic period, but the photos are nice enough to deserve a special mention.

The Fred Miranda photography site:

http://www.fredmiranda.com/

An Abbreviated Royal Flash

 

It's not a cancan, but it's from the right time period, and it's a heck of a photo.  The model is not named.  From the Simply Sassy Tumblr blog, where you can see the full-sized original:

http://retrogirly.tumblr.com/post/44748283621

Spanish Dancer

A Spanish dancer displaying her skirt (and teasing the viewer).  For those ignoble enough to want to see the skirt from the other side, here's some consolation:

http://clubccd.blogspot.com/2013/09/alex-andrit.html

This is from an EBay auction by mixa11 where you can bid on this photo:

 http://www.ebay.com/itm/Flamenco-dancer-Lorraine-Berlin-w-castanets-in-amazing-dress-antique-photo-/380624610126?pt=Art_Photo_Images&hash=item589efea34e

She seems ready to monetize her skirt

Another somewhat cancan-esque cheesecake pose.   From the Simply Sassy Tumblr blog:

http://retrogirly.tumblr.com/post/61890070044

Simply Sassy has a very large collection of vintage cheesecake and risque photos, with some nudity.

Merle Oberon - The Lodger

Another photo of Merle Oberson in the "Parisian Trot" number from "The Lodger".  This is from a JP - The Mint auction on EBay, where you can buy the original:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/GY436-Photo-MERLE-OBERON-The-Lodger-1944-/331022118365?pt=Art_Photo_Images&hash=item4d1274addd

JP-The Mint has an extensive collection of vintage photos:

http://stores.ebay.com/Jay-Parrinos-The-Mint-LLC?_trksid=p2047675.l2563

Cancan Style Cheesecake Pose

... complete with garter.  Regretfully, I seem to have lost the direct link to the source of this photo. However, I am pretty sure it came from a Yahoo group devoted to the British girlie magazines, "Spick" and "Span".   It is well worth a visit and joining.  The link is:

http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/spicknspanplus2/conversations/messages

Some genuine cancan photos from the publications can be seen at:

http://barbebleu.tumblr.com/post/62159244923/everything-is-spick-and-span-cancan-covers-from

Unidentified Dancers

From a sale by Antique Photo World, which I think is now concluded.

See their site at:

http://www.antiquephotoworld.com/

Genevieve

A very pretty lady in what seems an almost relaxed pose, even though it isn't.   Genevieve Irwin was a member of the Abbott Girls, a Chicago troupe.  This photo dates from 1931.   See the original and a more complete background sketch at the Vintage Photos of Burlesque Dancers Facebook Page:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=732514406766119&set=pb.392420184108878.-2207520000.1380994913.&type=3&theater

Just as its name indicates the Vintage Photos of Burlesque Dancers page is a great resource for classic burlesque photos, with an occasional cancan or cancan-like photo thrown in.  See it at:

https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Vintage-Photos-of-Burlesque-Dancers/392420184108878

Alexandra Danilova

Alexandra Danilova of Gaite Parisienne renown, dances on television with, of all people, Tony Randall.  This dates from 1958 and is a number from "Oh, Captain".  It starts slowly, but she eventually breaks into a cancan.

See the original at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHF8Oa7SO4s

Show Boat 1966

The cancan from a 1966 revival of "Show Boat" staged by the Music Theater of Lincoln Center.  The costuming is unusual - the hats are very stylized and the costume designer opted for pie segment petticoats rather that concentric ruffles - but, not unusually for the time period, the dancers wear black tights.

This is one of many period photos that are offered by Historic Images on EBay:

This auction is at:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1966-Press-Photo-Dancing-Girls-Music-Show-Boat-/350875808408?pt=Art_Photo_Images&hash=item51b1d3f298

Historic Images EBay store is at:

http://stores.ebay.com/historicimagesstore

The Glove Seller - Gaite Parisienne

Alexandra Danilova in her signature role as the glove seller in Gaite Parisienne.  From an EBay auction by Historic Images:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1939-Press-Photo-Alexandra-Danlova-Leonide-Massine-Gaite-Parisienne-/390660702470?

Milada Mladova - Gaite Parisienne

Milada Mladova as the glove seller in The Gay Parisian (the 1940s film version of Gaite Parisienne) spins for the camera.

This photo can be purchased from JP - The Mint on EBay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/AGJ-710-Vintage-Photo-Scene-The-Gay-Parisian-1941-/350882900351?pt=Art_Photo_Images&hash=item51b240297f

JP - The Mint's EBay store is:

http://stores.ebay.com/Jay-Parrinos-The-Mint-LLC?_trksid=p2047675.l2563

Girls of the Chorus

I don't know the film thse girls are promoting in this still shot, but it has the appearance of a publicity still.  If I am deciphering the photographer's name correctly it is Maurice Seymour.

This is another find at the Simply Sassy/retrogirly Tumblr blog, where you can find a larger version of this fine photo:

http://retrogirly.tumblr.com/post/52487753746

Simply Sassy/retrogirly's Tumblr home page is:

http://retrogirly.tumblr.com/

You can find an extensive collection of cheescake and glamour photos (some nudity) there.

History Repeats?

A clever press photo juxtaposing dancing girls of Southeast Asia, one with more permanence than the other.  The stone carving is Khmer, and the photo is from Saigon of the Vietnam War era.

This was available in an EBay auction by Historic Images;

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Press-Photo-Stone-Carving-Dancing-Girl-in-Cambodia-Girl-in-Night-Club-in-Saigon-/370789822315?pt=Art_Photo_Images&hash=item5654cbaf6b

Historic Images is an excellent source for period entertainment photos of all sorts as well as a wide variety of, as their name indcates, historic images. Their store is at:

http://stores.ebay.com/historicimagesstore

I'm sure the frivolity was swept away when South Vietnam fell in 1975, but the cancan has a way of reappearing.  One sees an occasional cancan image from the Vietnam of the present.