Julie Atlas Muz


Julie Atlas Muz is a New York City-based performance artist, dancer, burlesque artist, stage director, and actress. In 2012, she married English actor Mat Fraser.
Muz is best known as a performer in the New York City burlesque scene and neo-burlesque revival. She was the crown holder of the 2006 Miss Exotic World and the 2006 Miss Coney Island pageants. The New York Times calls her "the royalty of burlesque.

Biography

Muz is a native of Detroit. She attended Oberlin College and graduated with a degree in dance and history.

Performance

In the 2000s, Muz had a routine gig as the head mermaid at the now-defunct NYC nightclub, The Coral Room, where she performed alongside live fish in 9,000 gallon saltwater aquarium. She extended her mermaid role at the 2005 Valencia Biennial where she swam in Europe’s largest saltwater tank. Muz trained Kate Winslet for her mermaid scenes in John Turturro's 2006 film, Romance and Cigarettes.
Muz was among the artists featured at the 2004 Whitney Biennial at the Whitney Museum of American Art. At the biennial, she and thirteen other cast members had performed her take on Igor Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring" which is inspired by the life and death of JonBenét Ramsey.
In January 2007, Muz, along with Kembra Pfahler curated a mixed media art exhibition titled, Womanizer, at the Deitch Projects. The show included works by E. V. Day, Breyer P-Orridge, Vaginal Davis and burlesque performer Bambi the Mermaid. Muz's contribution was "Mr. Pussy", an exhibit of photos of her genitalia in various poses and props. The exhibit also featured video of "Mr. Pussy" greeting viewers with "welcome" in multiple languages.