‘So you want to be a burlesque aka ‘classy pole dancer’ on the side to help pay for
your apartment and university course?’
Horrified, I threw down my feather boa, stormed out of the living room in my 6inch Louboutin blood red heels and marched to my room,my feather bustle swaying furiously off my black satin and diamanté corset...
How could she think that?
Burlesque is a classy, creative art form
and glamorous way of life; not pole-dancing!! I myself find Burlesque to be a wonderful movement so I thought I'd clear up some common misconceptions:
- It’s just strippers – It does have some aspects of strip tease but only to enhance the joke of the performance. Remember, Burlesque was mainly a form of comedy with stripteases incorporated to add a dash of taboo to their performance.
- It’s just to turn men on – nope! Burlesque’s main original purpose is to entertain others as well as to liberate & empower women and embrace female sexuality. Most events attract mostly women, as well as men and even couples. Actually there is a specific type of burlesque to tantalise the males, It’s cleverly called “Boylesque” and it’s a aimed at the gay male audience.
- You have to be size 0 – anyone can be a Burlesque Star! Curves, boobs, dazzling pins and beautiful bottoms are required from confident women of all shapes and sizes!
Dita
Von Teese is a slender size 8...
whereas Miss Dirty Martini is a curvaceous plus-size...
Yet they are both beautiful burlesque stars! It’s all about attitude, glamour and talent; size is not an issue!
"What I do on stage is to reinforce the notion of feminine
allure and the glorification of women's sexuality and femininity. I find a
greater liberation in holding on to our power by not giving everything away;
keeping a little mystique and that applies beyond sex itself."
Immodesty Blaize – British Burlesque Star
What Is Burlesque?
*Beautiful*Glamorous*Classy*Demure*Chic*Stylish*Glitzy*Sophisticated*Entertaining*
The word
derives from the Italian burlesco, which itself derives from the
Italian burla – a joke, ridicule or mockery. Burlesque is
closely related to parody, though burlesque is generally broader and coarser.
Victorian burlesque was usually light entertainment with music but more popular
forms appeared in the late 19th century that involved striptease acts.
It is heavily influenced by Show Girls and Pin up.
*To be a
Burlesque Star, you must have the following:*
Victorian Glamour and Style
This is a must! Demur make up and
stylish hairstyles need to be accompanied with Victorian
style sexy outfits...and don't forget
the accessories!
Corset
Yes this is a staple piece of
clothing for any Burlesque performer.It defines curves (and hides
other bits) it looks stunning! There are so many styles, shapes and
designs available; the best are custom made to your measurements.Look at corsets.uk for a
fabulous selection!A lot of people take part in corset/waist training where you gradually tighten your corset to alter the shape of your
waist.Dita Von Teese's waist is reported to be the same width as a 3yr old
child''s where as Cathie Jung has the world's smallest
waist, the same width as a mayonnaise jar!
Confidence
As a Burlesque performer you need to be
confident in your own skin, especially as most of it will be on show! Strut
your stuff and own the stage!
Creativity
You need to entertain and amaze your
audience and that involves a lot of preparation and creativity. You
will need to think of exciting, funny, one of a kind acts like Dita Von
Teese and her famous Martini Dance performance...
A bit of red lipstick, some glamorous nail varnish on
your prim and proper nails,shaped eyebrows, a little liquid black eye-liner,a swipe of mascara, perfect hair and
tailored vintage clothes [no jeans/trousers just stockings] and skirts and of
course, heels are a must! I can only cope with a little kitten heel but
that still counts!
Want to find
out how to do RETRO HAIR & MAKE-UP yourself?
Next Week
-Tuesday Shanice presents [Burlesque Beauty - Pt2]
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