High Noon – History of the Showgirl Legacy Foundation program (Virtual Zoom)

High Noon
June 18, 2026
Noon

Register for this Lecture: https://events.washoecountylibrary.us/event/16804719

Title: History of the Showgirl Legacy Foundation

Speaker: Lou Anne Chessik, Founder & President

Talk Summary: Learn about the history of the Showgirl Legacy Foundation and how this organization works to preserve and protect the historic significance of the iconic Showgirl as a performing artist.

The foundation achieves this through lectures, educational programs, and art and costumes exhibits in schools, museums, galleries, conventions, and other public venues.

Learn about these programs: the Showgirl Legacy Art Competition, a juried art show and costume exhibit; The Showgirl Connection talk show features fellow entertainers sharing their stories and experiences from their performing days, produced by WWDBTV in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The glitz and glamour of the showgirl performances ended in 2016 when the final curtain came down at ‘Bally’s Jubilee’s 34-year run. While the extravaganzas are gone, the Showgirl Legacy will keep the sparkle of the iconic showgirl bright for future generations to admire and appreciate.

Speaker Bio: Lou Anne Chessik began ballet at the age of 6 and joined the Tacoma City Ballet company as a teenager. She studied in New York City with Martha Graham and Alvin Ailey. She was recruited and awarded a full dance scholarship to Stephens College, where she earned a liberal arts degree before arriving in Las Vegas to pursue her professional career.

Chessik’s dancing career spanned from 1979 to 1991, she performed in Las Vegas, Nevada; “Hallelujah Hollywood” at the MGM Grand, “Jubilee” at Bally’s Las Vegas, “Lido De Paris” and “Enter the Night” at the Stardust Hotel, “Hello Hollywood Hello” at the MGM Grand Hotel in Reno, Nevada, and “Las Vegas by Night” at the Mikado Theatre in Tokyo, Japan.

Organization:

The Showgirl Legacy Foundation was created in 2006. The inspiration for Showgirl Legacy was a reunion she arranged with help from other performers that performed in the shows at the Stardust Hotel and Casino two weeks before it was imploded.

The Showgirl Legacy Art Competition was created the following year. High School art students get a historical perspective and presentation of the showgirl era by former performers, along with a showgirl modeling original costumes from Las Vegas stage show spectaculars and from the MGM Hello Hollywood Hello costumes owned by Karen Burns Productions. The annual exhibit has debuted over the years at Barnes and Noble, the Nevada State Museum Las Vegas, Nevada Historical Society Reno, Water Street Art Gallery Henderson, and the Orleans and Bally’s Hotel/Casino at the Cast and Crew Reunions.