Thread: Nice to meet you! - Newbie with a few questions.

Hello Ladies and Gents,

I'm excited to join your wonderful community! Pleased to see there are a few active members from my hometown too.

I've been an at home pole-dancer for about 3 months which I love, I'm intermediate/advanced at the moment and loving it. I've mentioned on a well known pole forum that I'm interested in burlesque dancing and I was recommended to head over here.

I was wondering whether you need to have much in the way of a dance background to excel at burlesque dance? How did you ladies and gents get started?

I'd love to hear your stories!

Lyra x

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Hi Lyra! In terms of backgrounds, it is very varied, some dancers, some musical theatre peeps, some circus folk, actors, singers, some with no particular performance training. Why dont you pop along to the North West Burlesque Soc in Manchester- its a great way to meet people and get involved in burly. There is also the Yorkshire BAPS, a new burlesque meet in Leeds.
The North West Burlesque Society - Welcome to the NWBS

Hi Lyra. I didn't have the bottle to take the act I came up with to a stage
I have been singing/playing guitar and "dancing" (dancing in the loosest of terms I may add), treading the boards, since about 1962.
I found MoB and, as I am a some times crossdresser and, as I am into doing magic tricks, I came up with a small five minute act basically taking the mick out of one of our great magicians wifes here in the Uk
James and a few others were quite interested in seeing the act and I shit myself and ran away as it were
Now I sing with my wonderful wife Louise as a Folk Duo in the Dorset area.
As to needing a background in dancing to make it as a Burlesque dancer? Nah, this is the only place on the planet where, if you listen, watch, ask and get up and DO, the dreams WILL come true. Yes, having the background will help but.......It CAN be done without it.
I didn't succeed in Burlesque but, thanks to Tempest Devyne, Kittie, Khandie Khisses, Beatrix Von Bourbon to name a few
I now do some thing I have always wanted to do And, maybe someday, "Marchpane" (our name) might grace the stage of a Burlesque do
as we sing a couple of rather neat and risque songs from the 17th century

John

Thank you for the replies!

Glorian Grey - I will definitely stop in when I can, I'm currently at university in Wales doing my final year project. Hopefully I will be back in Leeds soon though!

When I get back would it be OK to drop you a message and find out a little more about the events at NWBS?

Purbeck Photo Art - Sorry to hear burlesque didn't work out for you. I would love to hear some of your music! If I'm ever in the area I must check it out.

Love love xx

Originally Posted by Lyra_Dicentra

Thank you for the replies!

Glorian Grey - I will definitely stop in when I can, I'm currently at university in Wales doing my final year project. Hopefully I will be back in Leeds soon though!

When I get back would it be OK to drop you a message and find out a little more about the events at NWBS?

Love love xx

Sure hun, drop me a line, or check out the dates and events on the website- or both! :-)

ooo exciting, I am a burlesque artist with a dance back ground, I have been learning pole dancing for a few months now and hope eventually to incorporate it in to my acts. (when I'm good enough at it that is) From the burlesque acts i have seen they vary so much from non dance to full on pointe dancers, all of which are fabulous.

The only thing I am finding with the pole dance lessons I come away from class every week with bruises, which is not the best look when I am usually performing or teaching burly later that day. How are you finding the bruise situation?

I get very few bruises any more, the main thing I struggle with in pole dance is having sore shoulders afterwards! It really does get a lot better over time.

The only thing I can say that might help with the bruising is make sure you have lots of iron in your diet and take arnica. =)

I'm looking to start learning silks and aerial hoop when I get back to leeds too! I'm SO excited about the prospect of doing that! Definitely a good thing to use in an act. Would love to do some ballet, bhangra and burly (teehee keep thinking of hulky great men when someone says that) workshops too.

I'm a bit lost as to where to start with the burly though!

I love hearing how everyone got into burlesque it's so varied!

Love love xx

Yeah 3 months in now and i still get bruises, but I love learning it so much its worth it. Plus I can do headstands now which I have never been able to do i my life! I use Arnica, its a godsend.

Silks and arial sound fab, you must be brave!

Perhaps take a look for some Burlesque work shops and courses etc in your area, I teach freelance for a company but in London, There must be loads of fab schools up there though, i'm sure plenty of folk here could point you in the direction of some if they haven't already. Good luck. Let me know how you get on with silks etc

x

I suppose my start wasn't very original really... I spent 3 years going to burlesque nights & bemoaning the fact I wasn't involved... It took a kick up the derriére from my fiancé and Bella Besame's burlesque course as a gift from him before I actually got started! I spent 7 years in an amateur youth theatre group, danced as a child/teenager & also dabbled in gymnastics a little as well but to be honest I think it was as much about being a natural performer (Extrovert? Attention seeker? Lol) that led me to burlesque as it was about dancing ability. I just love being onstage now & I'm so glad I found burlesque!!

I'm forever finding new talets I want to develop & new things I want to learn. I love the fatc that's an option! And meeting people has always been something I've loved too. So I guess burlesque is a dream-come-true for me!

Daisy x

Princess Daisy - I will be working in London from june to August would it be possible to attend a workshop/class with you? I wouldn't say brave! I just dont consider the consequences of a fall!

Daisy Lane - It's wonderful when you find something that just really 'clicks' with you isn't it? I'm certainly not a natural performer but I have found that learning dance has made me a little more confident in myself and I think burlesque would be a BIG step! #

I'd definitely like to get involved in the Yorks/Lancs scene! What events do you tend to go to? Any recommendations?