Jo Weldon's New York School of Burlesque

Shopping for your first pair of feather fans can be confusing! Let me put your mind at ease. I’ll make a separate post about building your own fans. This post is written to help you understand what you’re looking at when you’re shopping for a pair of constructed fans. Also, this post is only about feather fans, so it won’t discuss silk, paper, or other kinds of fans. Common Feather Styles: Marabou Marabou, when talking about fans, is a special type of down feather – the soft feathers that lie under the firmer, shinier feathers of birds such as geese and the actual marabou stork. The marabou you’re likely to encounter is often from turkeys. It’s often used as trim – the light and very fluffy boas you often see used on the hems of nightgowns, for example, or in rows on the hems of fine dressing gowns such as those made by Catherine D’Lish. Below are some links to marabou fans: Standard 11-12 inch fans: https://www.etsy.com/listing/688901986/marabou-feather-fan-12-x-20-many-colors?ga_orde...

Have you always wanted to get your hands on a pair of those glamourous feather fans? Now you can -- no experience required! Jo Weldon will put her fabulous fans right into your hands! She'll share a bit of the history of some of the biggest influences on modern fan dance, including Sally Rand, Noel Toy, and Jean Idelle. She'll also give shopping tips for buying your first pair of fans. She'll show you a wrist and shoulder warmup to get you started,  then you'll handle the big fans yourself! Note: though this post post from 2021, fan dance technique is also a part of our Essential Burlesque Series! Sign Up Now at http://www.schoolofburlesque.com Selfies with the fans are encouraged!