Yolanda Yvonne Montes Farrington, better known by her stage-name Tongolele, is an American dancer, actress and vedette.
Montes, c. 1950s
Montes in 1955
Tongolele, c. 1950s.
A vedette is the main female artist of a show derived from cabaret and its subcategories of revue, vaudeville, music hall or burlesque. The purpose of the vedette is to entertain and captivate the public. Vedettes are expected to sing, dance and act on stage. Particularly accomplished artistes are considered super vedettes or first vedettes. Vedettes often appear alongside groups of dancers, flashy and revealing costumes, magicians, comedians, jugglers, or even performing animals. Vedettes specializing in burlesque generally do striptease and may also perform nude on stage.
Le Lido of Paris
Mistinguett at the Moulin Rouge
La Bella Otero in an 1894 Folies Bergère poster
Rosita Rodrigo (El Gráfico, 1920)