A four-part program to introduce the art of burlesque, to guide the developing burlesque performer and to set YOUR inner stripper FREE!

Burlesque has been a part of the American landscape since the late 1800s. Like all art, it has changed and evolved, has been shaped by and has helped shape the world around it. From retro glamour queen Dita Von Teese to radical outsider Mat Fraser (American Horror Story), burlesque is an all-inclusive art form that empowers its performers and challenges audiences. And it’s fun!

Join the women of Bawdy Shop Burlesque as they take you through important techniques, and share insider knowledge and foster your unique strengths to help you build confidence, improve your performance and expand your horizons!

$100 for all four sessions; $30 drop-in for separate sessions

Class 1 “Mind the Grind: Burlesque from the Neck Up” (Wednesday, March 4; 7 – 9 pm)

Burlesque is not just about how you use your body; it’s about how you use your mind. It’s about who you are on stage and how you communicate that to your audiences using non-verbal cues. Character development and motivation; eye-contact and connection; giving good face: All of these things happen above the shoulders and can make or break your relationship with your audience. We work with you to help create and evaluate your stage persona and to use that persona to engage and captivate your audiences through facial gestures and just the right glance, glare or stare.

Instructors:

Kay Sera (“Despite her smoking-hot body, it was her gaze and her smile that dictated the crowd’s response.” --Burlesque Beat on Kay’s Burlesque Hall of Fame Movers, Shakers & Innovators performance)

Ruby Rockafella (Her tagline, “Charm City’s Cheekiest Cheeks,” doesn’t refer only to her posterior; she has nearly 32 years of experience making faces!)

Class 2 “The Thespian-Ecdysiast: When Scripts Meet Strips” (Wednesday, March 18; 7 – 9 pm)

Incorporating traditional acting techniques can take your performance from humdrum to POW! From Stanislavski to Meisner and more, learn the basics of several established methods. You’ll participate in scenes, critique one another and will leave the class with a tool box of new ways to examine, inform, build, drive and refine not just your stage performance but your street self as well!

Instructors:

Sunny Sighed (magna cum laude, Shenandoah Conservatory, BFA Music Theater)

Cherie Nuit (magna cum laude, Maryland Institute College of Art, emphasis in performance)

Class 3: “Assume the Position: Presence and Professionalism” (Wednesday, April 1; 7 – 9 pm)

Whether you’re new to burlesque or been around The Block, how you comport yourself off-stage, backstage, onstage and online can fast-track your career—or derail it. From kittening to headlining, it isn’t who you know—it’s who knows YOU. With insider tips on critical but often overlooked skills in etiquette, media interaction, marketing and manners, you’ll learn when to claim the spotlight (and when to step back), ways to cultivate your networks (IRL and in social networks), how to get noticed (in the right way) and be an active member of your community.

Instructors:

Giddy GoGo (professional events manager and stage panther)

Kay Sera (Burlesque Hall of Fame head of external relations and award-winning public relations professional)

Class 4: “Putting it All Together: Taking it All Off” (Wednesday, April 29; 7 – 9 pm)

The women of Bawdy Shop Burlesque welcome their favorite new performer to the stage: YOU!

Bring your act to The Creative Alliance stage in a fun, intensive peer review session with just us Bawdies and your classmates. Whether you’ve got a full-blown act or just a fun idea, this session will give you the unique opportunity to experience an audience’s reaction while trying something new and to hear constructive, moderated feedback from people just like you. This structured event will star YOU and your thoughtful, helpful and meaningful insights. You’ll leave with detailed notes supported by Bawdy Shop Burlesque’s collective 50+ years of performance experience. And with the knowledge that YOU DID IT!

Instructors:

Sunny Sighed

Cherie Nuit

Kay Sera

Ruby Rockafella

Giddy GoGo

Classes are open to students at all levels, from burly-curious to pro. All ages and gender identifications are welcomed. Students should come prepared at each class to take notes and dress for movement. Peer reviews are carefully moderated; mean-spirited comments will not be tolerated.