Burlesque Bar

Banbury Cross

In search of jobs and hobbies and fun things to do, I'd sent off an email to Burlesque Bar in Fitzroy several months ago, offering myself as a life model for their Burlesque Life Drawing class. I mentioned that I was a Miss Pinup entrant and that I'd studied burlesque in London.

I may not have mentioned that I'd done Level One at 'Burlseque Baby' but that I'd never actually performed burlesque before in front of an audience. May not have mentioned that…
Months later, the whole thing all but forgotten, I received an email from Sarah from Burlesque Bar, the life-drawing class organiser, asking if I'd be available in 2 weeks to model for the class.

-'Sure! I'd love to!'
-'Great! The performance should be the duration of one song. Bring your backing music and any props you need.'
-……'Sure. Great! See you then!'
Performance!!?. …..Shit.
This can be called either 'busted' or 'jumping in the deep end'…. 'fight' or 'flight'.
There's no reason I can't perform burlesque! Why not? My teacher was Milicent Binks for God's sake, 'The English Rose'!. She performs with Dita Von Teese all over the world!
I could either let her lessons go to waste or put what she taught me to good use.
 
Mapping out 'Mission: Burlesque Bar', I figured that I had 2 weeks to choose a song, whack together a costume, choreograph a good routine and practise it up, ready for the class....

The first week was for brainstorming. Youtube became my best friend. I watched every Dita Von Teese show. I also rediscovered the first Burlesque dancer I ever saw perform in London, who totally blew my mind… 'Banbury Cross'. Even Jerry, who I'd had to drag along with me kicking and screaming, was in awe of her performance. 
Whilst Dita is slow, soft and sensual, Banbury is high-energy, cheeky and shocking! She's the type of dancer I want to be. In fact I became so obsessed with her I watched every one of her shows on youtube numerous times and found myself wanting to be her, or at least wanting to totally rip-off her moves, her style, her costumes and her songs..  :o) I had a new dream. To be a professional burlesque dancer.
 
Week 2 was for putting it all together- I pulled out my vintage-style sailor suit bikini and matched up some gloves, stay-up stockings, garter belt, heels, and of course the sailor hat.. Then I ordered some red sequin love-heart nipple tassels. Yes, that'll do nicely..

I then browsed popular burlesque songs until finally settling on 'Rum & Coke' by The Andrews Sisters. I grabbed a kitchen chair and begun practising my routine, trying to include as many of the Top 10 Classic Burlesque Moves as I could:

1. The tease
2. The flirt
3. The 'did I do that?' look
4. The unaware or accidental expose'
5. The knowing or intentional expose'
6. The quiver
7. The shimmy
8-9. The bump & grind                                                                                          
10. The wink

At my part time nanny job, I put the song on repeat to practise to, and my cute little 3-year-old danced along, thinking it was the best game ever.. I then did a full dress rehearsal for Jerry, who tried constructive criticism, even demonstrating the little bum shake I should do, as opposed to the shimmy… 'No, no, baby, the fat is supposed to wobble… that's the shimmy!'

I finally felt prepared for my first burlesque performance...

:o)