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Thread: I need help choreographing a burlesque act

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    Default I need help choreographing a burlesque act

    I know some of your women have ventured into this area or have knowledge of it and I'm desperate.

    I've wanted to get into burlesque forever. There are local shows here many times a month and I spoke with the producers of a few shows and they all say I can have a time slot whenever I want (maybe they are desperate for fresh faces). So I've put together an awesome couple of costumes and picked out some music. I have 3 years of stripping experience, 10 years of ballet/tap/jazz, and have attended many different burlesque workshops so I thought it would be easy to come up with my own routine. But I'm a terrible choreographer! I filmed the routine I came up with and it was so amateurish and almost comical. It almost made me want to give up my dream entirely but I just can't.

    With stripping I just made it up as I went along and whether it was the best strip tease ever or just good enough got me the same amount of money so it was no big deal. Now that money isnt really a factor my motivation to do well is totally based on my reputation and I want to be known as a good performer.


    SO.
    I'd really like to hear from fellow burlesque dancers or women who are familiar with the art and can give their opinion on what they think a "good" performance includes. I'll let you know that from what I've been told by another dancer burlesque is 70% strutting and the remaing 30% is divided between bumping, grinding, shimming, and shaking. Do you agree with this? It seems to me there should be more than that.

    any advice will be appreciated.

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    God/dess Paris's Avatar
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    Default Re: I need help choreographing a burlesque act

    The message, more than the choreography, defines burlesque. I see burlesque as a form of protest art. So find your message that you want to send to your audience and then start planning your show.

    Some common messages are:
    *Breaking from beauty "ideals" of a barbie and/or supermodel look
    *Sexy melancholy ('suicide girls live' have this one down)
    *Political statement
    *gender bender
    *Transformation (good to evil, fat to skinny, old to young, ugly to glamorous etc.)

    I've seen burlesque based on more traditional entertainment with a bent toward nudity.
    *Fire dancer
    *sword swallower
    *Pole dancer
    *Magician
    *Juggler
    *Ariel Silk
    *Stand up comedy
    *Contortionist

    So, basically, your moves can be anything. I've seen burlesque ballroom dancing, where the female partner has some serious issues with her clothes falling off in awkward and silly ways.

    I hope this helps. Let your imagination soar! I'm so jealous you get to perform in a burlesque show.


    Promote yourself and earn more money! This is a business that is owned by strippers for strippers. Let's make that money!


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    Veteran Member dollyrocker's Avatar
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    Default Re: I need help choreographing a burlesque act

    Go to Something Weirdo Video - www.somethingweird.com/ , they have tons upon tons of original burlesque footage on dvd and even a 'best of burlesque' double dvd set. Study the original stars and then add your own twist to it.

    Personally, I think making an effort to get (and retain) your audiences attention through interaction of one sort or another is a hallmark of good showmanship - wether it's coming from a musician, stripper, burlesque performer, etc. etc. Eye contact! Lots of eye contact!

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    Veteran Member Jo Weldon's Avatar
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    Default Re: I need help choreographing a burlesque act

    There's a great how-to video by Princess Farhana (I sell it in my classes when I have it in stock) on Amazon.com. Just search for princess farhana.
    Blog:


    Burlesque classes and info:


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    Veteran Member Jo Weldon's Avatar
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    Default Re: I need help choreographing a burlesque act

    By the way, why shouldn't your first act look amateur? Amateurs have hot fresh energy, and they develop timing and skill as they go. It balances out. I bet your act was darling.

    It sounds like you're struggling the theatrical structure. A lot of the performers I work with do acts that look improvised but are seriously structured and highly developed. It's a compliment to the naturalness and energy of the performers that it looks improv, but it's not. And many of them don't just take dance classes but acting, clowning, etc. So if you want to raise the bar for yourself try other types of classes and see if you get some unexpected ideas.
    Blog:


    Burlesque classes and info:


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    Default Re: I need help choreographing a burlesque act

    I wish I could just hire a choreographer. I told a friend I'd do a show during the SXSW Film Fest when she was scrambling to book it, and now there are going to be some hotshit awesome acts on the bill so I'm super nervous.

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    Default Re: I need help choreographing a burlesque act

    If your planning to incorporate an actual strip into your routine be sure to make it more about the actual tease more than the strip. Burlesue isn't so much about nudity as it is about sensuality, satire and entertainment. If your removing clothing remove it s-l-o-w-l-y. Are you doing a traditional old school strip or something more up to date?



    "I don't take a piss without getting paid for it." - Harlan Ellison

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    To live is to move, to move is to be alive.
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    Veteran Member Jo Weldon's Avatar
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    Default Re: I need help choreographing a burlesque act

    Susan, lots of the performers I work with workshop their acts with other performers and collaborate on them. I think the "DIY" aspect of it is misinterpreted by a some to mean that they have to do everything on their own. We don't hesitate to ask each other for input. And it's not always a matter of opinion--lots of valuable critiques are along the lines of "They can't see your floorwork with those sightlines" or "The audience can't see that your pasties are joy buzzers" or "You can't tell that the thing you're holding up is pink under those lights."

    It helps to do your choreography if you sit down with the song and listen to it while you mark it out with pen and paper. That way you pick up on the all the parts you can exploit, you notice what's repetitive in the song and what's a unique moment to be emphasized, etc. I didn't find most of this stuff necessary as a feature dancer, but the burlesque performers I know who get booked all over the world really do that kind of choreography. They DO work with costumers, prop designers, and makeup artists who design custom eyelashes and all that.

    I also think there's a unique energy in less work-intensive acts that makes audiences really happy, though. I don't think you should feel like you have to do all that to be fierce and funny and sexy and wonderful onstage.

    In my opinion, the most important thing in burlesque is acknowledging the audience, letting them know that they're in on it, whatever "it" is. Whether "it" is sexy, funny, elegant, vulgar, teasing, or confrontational, it's about the fact that without actually socializing froms tage the way you do in strip joints, you make them feel like there's a special communication between you--even if all that communication is saying, "Isn't my dress spectacular?" or "Isn't my ass adorable?"
    Blog:


    Burlesque classes and info:


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