Jo Weldon's New York School of Burlesque

Signs of Scott Ewalt; Interview, Part One Burlesque signs have always rocked my world. As a child, every time I saw a burlesque sign on a lounge I got an illicit thrill, imagining women of impossible repute removing stockings with a knowing wink. I could picture the heavy lashes, the big hair, the chiffon robes. I was mesmerized. As a teenager, I was excited by the signs on strip joints in Atlanta. I knew that the Domino Lounge was one of the last of the old school burlesque venues in town, but the contemporary signs got me riled up with promise—one day I’d be of age, and I’d know where to go by the signs. A favorite was the sign for Tattletale’s, of “Girls, Girls, Girls” fame—a delicate outline of a nude woman’s hip drawn from the back, her weight on one leg, her hand relaxed at her side, based on this line drawing by Picasso: Later they had to take it down, since it incorporated Picasso’s drawing without permission. Bad strip joint! But good taste. In the early ...

Illustration by Steffi Schutz I've been asking people to tell me what they want me to write about in my blog, and certain topics come up over and over. People regularly ask me if they need to do a certain kind of number to get booked. The most common stylistic question (though certainly not the only, because classic performers often ask me if they need to be more artsy or funnier or have more gravitas) is when someone who does mostly what we tend to call neo wonders if they should have a classic routine. My honest answer is a question: why would you? Why would you want to create a number you're not passionate about to perform for a producer or an audience that doesn't care about what inspires you? Or worse, do a number you hate for an audience you don't respect? Keep in mind: Performing burlesque is optional. You are doing it to satisfy yourself in some way that isn't about making the most money, or you'd be bartending. I'm a profession...

So You Want To Produce a Burlesque Show By Jo Weldon, producer at Coney Island USA, The Burlesque Hall of Fame, and BurlyCon Above: This mouthwatering flyer is from a past show produced through The New York School of Burlesque's Driver's Seat program, a mentoring service for new producers. When I started doing burlesque, half the shows were just a bunch of friends throwing down in a semi-legal basement bar. There was no social media, no yelp, and no email. These days most venues need more, so I’m supplying some food for thought if you’re thinking about producing. While I live for a neighborhood bar show and will perform for below my regular rate with a group of friends who are out to celebrate our art form and build a decoted audience and not centered on making money, there is an additional side to producing burlesque now for a wider crowd that affords us the opportunity to actually profit off of our skills and efforts. It's not hard, though it takes effort --...

The Nerdlesque Festival is happy to announce the workshops for its fifth annual production in New York City, This year's festival performances and workshops will take place April 12 and 13, 2019, at legendary Coney Island USA, which has been the seat of innovative burlesque in New York for over two decades! DETAILS AND REGISTRATION FOR ALL CLASSES FIERCE: THE HISTORY OF LEOPARD PRINT WITH JO WELDON In nature, the distinctive markings on big cats served as camouflage, helping them to blend into their surroundings when hunting prey. Unlike these magnificent predators, humans have donned this distinctive animal pattern to be noticed; leopard print demands an audience. Jo Weldon, an expert in the world of burlesque, reveals how this sexy, playful, decadent, and vibrant pattern once reserved for royalty came into vogue and became a staple of fashion. We are thrilled to have Jo Weldon, our 2017 Legend of Nerdlesque & the headmistress of the Original School of ...

Calamity Chang, producer of NYC's annual Asian Burlesque Extravaganza  each May, is famous for her elaborate foodlesque costumes . However, she's got a range of styles, and she's also known for her gorgeously executed showgirl routines. While she used to resist leopard print, she's recently changed her mind with a vengeance and now has not one but two purrfectly high-end  feline numbers.  JO: Who made the costumes? CALAMITY: The red leopard set I bought off of Kalani Kokonuts. I have bought 2 sets from her, and every time I do those two acts, I feel like they are possessed with her sex appeal and statuesque feminine power that transfer unto me a little bit! The brown leopard gown I bought off of Aphrodite Rose. My guess is that it was probably a debutante ball gown or a prom dress. The interior pieces were made by Logan Laveau. Group photo from Cathouse in Coney Island, 2018 -- Calamity is showing off her interior pieces, sixth from the rig...

How to Prepare for Festival Applications, Producers, and Press by Jo Weldon Becoming a successful performer requires investments of learning, preparation, and practice to get your acts together. Once you’ve got the acts, you’ll want to get organized for the business. This article is about preparing for submitting to producers and festivals, to help you get over the jitters that can come along with knowing you’re about to be scrutinized. These folders will help you if you get interviewed by press, as well, since they may request materials. One of the hardest things in today's competitive online environment is being the fastest to respond to requests for bookings and press. Get there first and make their jobs easy, and you'll be picked first every time. Professionalism is everything in a world where producers and journalists have so many options. Even if this exact form of organization is not the one that works for you, I hope the ideas here will help you find one that ...

Above: BurlyCon! Did you know there's a list of Burlesque Festivals from around the world? You can use it to list your burlesque festival or convention (submission to the list is free!) or to find burlesque festivals to attend or apply to perform. Check it out! I'll be posting my tips for applying to burlesque festivals and shows soon! Here are some hot tips in the meantime: Before you read this, don’t feel bad if you've made mistakes, we all do it sometimes when we’re tired or in a hurry. But just a reminder: When someone makes a post about a performance opportunity and says,  "Please use the form on the site," “Please email only” or “Please send questions via DM” or other specific instructions that do not suggest asking questions in the comments, and you then ask a question in the comments which is what they just asked you not to do (or vice versa, ie if they DID ask for replies only in the comments and you sent a DM instead), there’s a possibi...