Jo Weldon's New York School of Burlesque

Above: Me stripping out of a red stocking at the Toronto Burlesque Festival. I am incredibly passionate about striptease and the opportunties it provides and the demands it puts upon a performer. I believe that it is a sensational and radical way to think about communicating to viewers that can inform the stripteaser's self-presentation onstage and off. I think the combination of mischief and glamour with the earthiness of sensuality is a step forward in the evolution of self-realization and the acceptance of shamelessly individualized (as opposed to state-regulated) sexuality. I could (and at some point will) got on for hundreds of pages about this. I'm so serious about this kind of fun! One of my favorite classes to teach is Striptease Expertise. Below is the content of the handout I share in the class, a set of tips that serve as reminders for the theories and techniques we explore as a group. It is not the full content of the class, just bullet points of key concepts. St...

Oh my goodness. I've been writing so much for other publications, I haven't had a chance to write for my own! I'm going to bring my blog back slowly and gently, starting with a taste of what I've been up to on other sites (I swear I was thinking about you the whole time!): From Pin Curl Magazine Online: In this month’s installment of a two-part article, we will discuss how performers can annoy producers. This doesn’t mean that in every case the performers are doing anything dishonest or unprofessional; it merely means that these behaviors often irritate or turn off producers. Please note that it is not about just knowing specific actions that might irritate producers. Like all etiquette issues, the essence of understanding how to behave is making an effort to put yourself into the other person’s position. You are unlikely to be able to read their minds, but you stand a much better chance of interacting successfully if you at least try to understand why they ...

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This is a clip from the documentary "No Strings Attached" by Lisa Whitmer. She and her crew filmed me at Tease-O-Rama teaching a version of my glove and stocking peel class . I love this clip because it shows the view I usually see--all the smiling faces and playfulness. I'm a lucky woman to get to do this for a living, and I know it! See the trailer (which shows me as a bumping Godzilla among the goddesses) at http://www.lisawhitmer.com "Bursting with sex appeal and kitschy charm, No Strings Attached is a playful romp through the world of burlesque, from its origins in the late nineteenth century to its contemporary revival. The film provides a peek through feathers and glitter at the Scenic Sisters, a San Francisco duo, as they prepare for the annual, international Tease-o-Rama convention." Tease-O-Rama: http://www.teaseorama.com Posted by Jo Weldon, Headmistress of The New York School of Burlesque , for burlesquedaily.blogspot.com .

Laura Herbert took these photos, and I love them so much I just snagged them all. The fan dance rehearsal. Leighton Meester with my cleavage. Hey, I didn't compose the shot! My roomie, Julie Atlas Muz, doing things to me on worldwide television. The fringy costumes in this scene are original Pontani Sisters Costumes, courtesy of Angie Pontani. Angie and Julie. Click here to watch the full episode online. We love the way it turned out! Blowing kisses to Tony Wharmby and all the Gossip Girl cast and crew. Posted by Jo Weldon, Headmistress of The New York School of Burlesque , for burlesquedaily.blogspot.com .

In October we did a couple of pieces about the New York School of Burlesque with MTV Iggy and one of their hosts, the charming Angel Pai. Here she is onstage at the Slipper Room, practicing a chair routine I taught her: Photo by me. I loved working with her and the other people involved with the shoot--all so young and lovely and so excited about their work, and so respectful of our work! You can see the first installment, featuring some of the performers from the NYSB student showcase in October: null | MTV Music Burlesque on MTV Iggy Video sent to me by the gorgeous and talented Viola Da Gamba . Posted by Jo Weldon, Headmistress of The New York School of Burlesque , for burlesquedaily.blogspot.com .

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=amTeQQ_OKnA http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=eHBE-WQ4M0k

This is a little stream of consciousness here, but while we're talking about SNL, let's show one of my favorite holiday clips from the show: And while we're talking about Dick in a Box: Me and Ron Jeremy from a shoot for the cover of the Village Voice, 2004. I actually was acquainted with Ron (NOT like THAT) before the shoot, from my Cathouse days. Tonight my students will be doing a showcase , performing numbers based on any holiday but Christmas. I won't be performing, but you can see my Christmas number here: Some people get lemons and make lemonade with a little sugar and a lemon squeezer; I get coal and crush it into diamonds with my, ah, box. Posted by Jo Weldon, Headmistress of The New York School of Burlesque , for burlesquedaily.blogspot.com .

Thanks to you, the voters, I won the Golden Pastie for Biggest Cougar! I wasn't very gracious about it--I immediately made out with Legs Malone, and then with the other two nominees, Miss Astrid and Tigger. Please send your daughters to my school. Me with the winner of the Golden Pastie for "Hottest Freshman," Miss Roxi Dlite. Photo by Deirdre Schoo, used with the photographer's express permission. Click here to see the rest of the photographs from the Golden Pasties event by Deirdre Schoo. Posted by Jo Weldon, Headmistress of The New York School of Burlesque , for burlesquedaily.blogspot.com .

I feel a bit goofy and self-important interviewing myself, but it seems like the best way to let you know about the source of this blog. I am Jo Weldon, AKA Jo Boobs, a burlesque performer, fan, producer, photographer, and teacher based in New York, New York, USA. I began performing retro striptease while still in high school in the late 1970s, did readings and performance art throughout the 1980s while I worked in strip clubs, became a feature dancer doing burlesque (fan dance, champagne bath, etc), fetish (fire-eating, etc), and rock n roll themed numbers in the early 1990s, and worked frequently as a fetish performer in the late 1990s. I have been performing and producing in the neo-burlesque scene since 1998. I have been regularly photographing neo-burlesque since 2002. I have also been producing burlesque classes and workshops in New York since 2003. I have been publishing articles about stripping and burlesque since 1994. I have written a handbook about performing burlesque fro...