Jo Weldon's New York School of Burlesque

I often wonder where, as a child, I got this idea of glamour. Yes, the Dean Martini show; yes, the old gentlemen's magazines I found where I wasn't supposed to be looking; but where did I get this idea of fashion so fierce it could barely exist in real life? The answer is here in this book: Frederick's of Hollywood catalogues. The cute? You can't handle the cute! I got my first pair of stockings and real garter belt when I was in high school in the 1970's, inspired partly by Rocky Horror and primarily by the fact that real stockings even existed. Though I love a pair of fishnet tights, you'd be hard-pressed to get me into pantyhose, which I have always associated with all the least desirable qualities of being "ladylike." I wanted a little more freedom than that, and since I went to a high school where leg coverings were required, stockings it was. Remind me to tell you sometime about how those garters and stockings caused a ruckus in 1979! I'm...

This was originally intended for The Burlesque Handbook . It was originally five times longer. I kept editing and editing and it was still too long, and ultimately even this version didn't make it in. I had forgotten all about it! I've written more burlesque glossaries, some based on vintage terminology, one very technical, and one illustrated and really mean and filthy! I'm illustrating with some old photos just because I haven't seen them myself for awhile. Attribution: Giving specific and upfront credit for the source of inspiration or influence. Contrary to maxim, this is the highest form of flattery. Backstage: Behind the stage or in the dressing area, usually out of sight of the audience. Bump ‘n’ grind: A bump is a snap of the hips, and a grind is a circular motion of the hips. Burlesque: A style of performance featuring low-brow humour and high-brow strippers. Brittanica says: "In burlesque the serious is treated lightly and the frivolous seriously.” ...

Hi friends! I'm publishing this blog on Kindle and ready get it rolling again. What would you most like to read here? xoxox Jo

Your question is cut off after "smalltown shows are som..." The annoying answer to this is, it depends. The majority of smaller shows that take place in bars aren't going be remotely interested in contracts. If you don't want to be filmed or have your picture taken, or have specific requests about such, you should by no means be expected to violate your limits. It can be a challenge to work with a show that has been operating as it is for several years and bring a contract that asks them to change their standards for one performer--although there is certainly nothing wrong with making suggestions or voicing opinions, or with sticking by what you need to have or do in order to feel that you are being treated correctly (which often means not taking the gig). I believe it's important for performers to tell shows when they feel their policies are unfair or exploitative. However, it gets tough when other performers in the show are satisfied and don't feel exploited...

Every time I teach a chair dance class, I end up thinking not of strip tease, but of some of my favorite examples of ways to play on a classic chair dance. Here are a few clips for inspiration and amusement! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5dJokLde2s Bearlesque http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjsO4RsOB3Y&NR=1 Office Olympics http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_E0CRWeIIA Janet Jackon

This is a tough one. Issues with stage names have been coming up almost weekly lately. I tell my students that commonality--a name that is the same as or too similar to existing names--is a real detriment to their career potential. I think it's fair to let them know! Here's a document I'm working on to help students avoid difficulties with their names. It's open to comments and suggestions! I welcome critique of this, descriptions of names you like, and madeup examples of names you don't like, as long as you say why ("It's self-explanatory" really isn't.) THE NAME GAME It can be very confusing to come up with a stage name. New performers want their names to sound burlesquey, but they risk coming up with a name that will make them blend in with the crowd. If they try to hard to avoid blending in with the crowd, they run the risk of having too difficult of a name. However, chances are good that if they come up with a name that feels more personal, t...

Take your time, and don't worry about working your way up to the very highest heel. Dita Von Teese has her Louboutins, strip joint strippers their lucite Pleasers, but for most of us in burlesque, anything over four inches is a bit much. True, I have my eight-inch lucite tip jar shoes, but I wear them only when I'm hosting, and not when I'm dancing. You can start in character shoes. Take a look at some here: http://www.dancewearsolutions.com / Then try these sparklers once you get comfortable in character shoes, available from New York School of Burlesque friend PinupGirl Clothing: http://www.pinupgirlclothing.com/turquoise-pink-rhinestone-shoes.html Many New York burlesquers are addicted to Pollys, available in various versions from Pinup Girl, Betsey Johnson, Patricia Field, Bordello Shoes, and on Ebay. I love them so much I wrote an article about them: http://burlesquedaily.blogspot.com/search/label/pollys Personally, I can be in a terrible mood, but the minute I step ...