Dear Constant Reader,
Before The Burlesque Handbook was published, Jo Weldon filmed some instructional DVDs (I think this was one of the first). She’s an excellent instructor with a wealth of knowledge and here’s yet another way to learn from her.
Honey & Spice: Sensual & Fierce Burlesque, Jo Weldon, 2009.
Nominally this one-hour DVD teaches two burlesque routines, but there’s additional information, which can be applied to other acts.
As the title indicates, Jo teaches Honey, slow and sensual with a boa, and Spice with lively bumping & grinding. Each routine has an introduction that covers the specific fundamentals: sensual flow and bumps n’ grinds. She demonstrates each dance first, in an appropriate costume. Each dance is made up of five segments of four moves. The names of the moves are shown on the screen and each segment is numbered so it’s easy to follow along. Then there’s a step by step breakdown of each section. Each routine involves striptease with gloves and a bra (although Jo is very coy in the video, you don’t have to be). The music is from The Shim-Sham Revue so it will be very familiar to any B.A.B.E. students.
Before actually diving into the routines, Jo talks a bit about the costume she’s wearing and good dance posture, then runs a short warm up. Afterwards, she demonstrates how to remove stockings and a corset, how to twirl tassels, and how to wear pasties. None of these garments actively figure into the routines, but they’re a good bonus and might inspire you to create your own routines.
Definitely recommended for beginning burlesquers. The more advanced performer can benefit too! It’s always good to go back to basics and you’ll probably learn some new tidbit.
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