‘Dancing Burlesque & Stripping to Tease’ in My Community 26th February 2008
Article by Thrillsville on InMyCommunity.com 26th February 2008
Read the original article here.
If you don’t know who Dita Von Teese is then I suspect you haven’t heard of neo-burlesque. For those who don’t know, Dita Von Teese is the woman (sex kitten, fashion icon, celebrity, magazine starlet) who is widely acknowledged as having bought the art of burlesque and striptease back into the public arena. No, not gyrating furiously to rock music while flinging your clothes off in wild abandon. Strip tease. The burlesque phenomenon, which is already huge in Europe, America, Melbourne, Sydney and every other place in the world except Perth, has finally hit our fair city.
Leading the charge is Perth’s Sugar Blue Burlesque, an all-girl showgirl and burlesque troupe. The group comprises of A’dora Derriere, Scarlet O’Harlot and Miss Bonnie Fox. I first heard of Sugar Blue Burlesque when I was trawling the BOCS website. Quite by accident, I found myself reading about their performance – Burlesque Shakedown – held at The Bakery Artrage Complex in Northbridge. I quickly bullied eight of my friends into attending the event with me. We walked into the performance with no idea what to expect. When we walked out two hours later, we knew we had experienced something unlike anything ever before seen in Perth. Well, not since the 1940’s anyway.
I was hungry for more. I wanted to adorn myself in feathers, furs, balloons, silky stockings, corsets and other elaborate vintage garb. Then I wanted to take it all off, piece by sultry piece, to some sort of slow jazz track. I wanted to be shake it like Von Teese. Luckily, Sugar Blue Burlesque holds casual Burlesquercise classes and 1960’s Go-go dance classes (Go-go-robics) each week at Kings Street Art Centre. I decided to attend.
Instructed by A’dora Derriere herself, both the Go-go-robics and Burlesquercise attracted a decent turnout. The Go-go-robics was a great workout and fun to boot. Speaking of boots, its best to either dance in socks or wear shoes that don’t have a rubber sole. Rubber squeaks. Squeaking is so NOT hot. Clothing was casual, practical and unassuming with not a Nike tick in sight. Set to upbeat 60’s music, participants shake, shimmy and stomp their way through dance crazes such as The Monkey, The Pony, The Twist, The Swim, The Hully Gully and more. Unlike your average dance or gym class, the focus is on fun and frivolity rather than hardcore exercise and perfect technique. Before I knew it, I had learnt an entire routine. Even better, I could remember it!
When the Burlesquercise class began, A’dora changed into a black lacy dress and killer black heels worthy of any pin-up vamp. I didn’t bring heels so had to walk on my toes to give the illusion of a sexy gait. Mental note: Wear heels. We started by walking. With each step we were required to seductively jut, strut and emphasise our hips, something I have spent years trying to suppress for fear my ample booty might knock someone into oncoming traffic. Over the course of the hour, we learnt a jazz inspired burlesque routine. Although slow and measured, the routine focused on modest sensuality, control and cheekiness. You might not raise a sweat but you will feel it in your muscles, especially abdominals, the next day. The best thing about these classes is the atmosphere of female empowerment, openness and sensuality.
Burlesque has always been a cross between humour and sex, vulgarity and comedy. It is cheeky, fun and filthy all at once. Did I become Von Teese? Perhaps for one night. It certainly put a bit of a wiggle back in my walk. It also reminded me that sexiness is not necessarily explicit and gaudy; it can be subtle and sassy. It does not have to be the removal of a g-string. It can be the delicate peeling of a black, silk glove. The neo-burlesque movement seems to promote the natural beauty, glamour and appeal of women of all ages, shapes and sizes. Womanly curves, so often denied by popular culture and fashion Nazis, are back in. That, in my book, can only be a good thing.
Sugar Blue Burlesque offers a number of programs including a six-week Burlesque course, six-week Vintage Jazz dance course and a Vintage Glamour fashion, hair and make-up workshop.
THRILLS & SPILLS
Level of difficulty: 2/5 Easy to remember steps & moves that anyone can achieve.
Co-ordination: 2.5/5 Need a bit of rhythm and flexibility but nothing extreme.
Fun: 5/5
What to wear: Loose fitting clothing that you can move in, heels for burlesque, non-rubber soles for Go-go.
What to bring: Towel, water bottle. Where to go: Kings Street Art Centre, Perth.
Average cost: Burlequercise & 1960’s Go-go $15 per class or $25 for both
Who to contact: www.sugarblueburlesque.com
