On Saturday, I was the guest of the wonderfully brash and glittery Sugar Blue Burlesque company at their 10 year celebration, A Decade of Decadence.

Now, what is burlesque, you may ask? A cynic might say it’s just a creative way of taking off your clothes but somehow the music, feathers, sparkles and, yes, nipple tassels come together to make so much more. The event was a riot of colour and cheek with an incredible array of acts, ranging from the hilarious to the tantalisingly provocative.With music from the Perth Cabaret Collective, there was never a dull moment as the performers twirled and jiggled across the stage and well-heeled (and corseted) audience members got in on the action on the dance floor. I must say, it was the best-dressed crowd I’ve seen in a while!
Taking a stroll around the retro burlesque market (yes, a market!), there were goodies to appeal to any taste, from Sugar Blue doughnuts to semi-permanent lipstick. The doughnuts were delicious. In the spirit of things, I even picked up a very risqué goodie bag!

The sexy lineup for the evening included everything from local acts turned international stars, to up-and-comers, to talented students. Something you may not know is that Sugar Blue Burlesque is not just a load of brilliant performers, oh no, they have an academy, too! Gazing up at the gyrating bodies, I found myself with an incredible urge to give it a go – to see if my body could move like that and if that kind physical empowerment feels as good as it looks. Let’s just say, those sparkly nipple tassels from my goodie bag may be coming in handy. Find out more about classes here and say ‘Hi!’ if you see me there! Jolly good show!
All images are courtesy of John Leonard Photography and can be found on the Sugar Blue Burlesque Facebook page.
Much love and appreciation for Aligator Media for having me along!