Pasties and Corsets! Welcome to the Paris Burlesque Club.

Despite a variety of concerns regarding noise and the possibilty of less-than-wholesome entertainment (read: Strip Club), The Paris Burlesque Club, armed with a brand-new cabaret license, opened its doors to the public for the first time Saturday.

Located in the same Red Hook space that housed both Hello Brooklyn and The Hook, The Paris seems committed to making itself a neighborhood fixture. Owner David Ruggiero said he envisions a strong connection to the community, from supporting local businesses to holding various events (both burlesque and non-burlesque) to raise money for local charities.

The evening's entertainment, provided by a team of six women and dubbed "The Booby Trap," ran the gamut from intentionally bad puns to pastie reveals to ukulele covers of Lady Gaga. The audience was amused.

The Paris bills itself as a "1940's European style upscale club." On a few of these modifiers, the club has delivered. For a large high-ceilinged space, the room still had an intimate feel thanks to dark reds, plush Victorian tufted sofas and cozy velvet parlor chairs.

Admission was free the first night to give the neighborhood a taste of what the Paris has to offer, and so the definition of what determines upscale was in question. Clad in shorts and ironic t-shirts, a good number of attendees stood out in contrast to the more risque corsets and garter belts worn by both burlesque performers and the largely female bar staff.

Kiki Valentine, who emceed the event and lives in Red Hook, is thrilled to have a new burlesque venue in the neighborhood.

"Red Hook is still a little on the fringe," Valentine says. "I think the industrial and DIY atmosphere of the 11231 really fits the fringe nature of this kind of performing."

As for "this kind of performing," David Ruggiero assured Community Board 6 that the Paris would not feature full nudity or stripper poles, and there were none on Saturday evening. The lack of revelry outside the club was another encouraging sign for both the venue and its neighbors.

But rumors, true or untrue, can surface. A few minutes before intermission, a flurry of whispers and tweets circulated around parts of the club claiming that lap dancing would be featured on non-burlesque nights.

Even though staff members denied this, the rumors of such entertainment sparked conversations that were almost as interesting as the on-stage entertainment.

Almost.