Burlesque, body-slams and bright masks: How Lucha VaVoom became an L.A. institution

Watching the mesmerizing, in-ring action at a Lucha VaVoom show is a veritable experience. But the wrestling itself is only one flavor of performance on display. From its very first show at the Mayan theater in 2002, the Los Angeles institution has fused lucha libre with burlesque — two forms that require intense athletic discipline and often go under-recognized as legitimate art — and over the last 20-plus years has grown to include... + full article