The Conference at The Great Burlesque Exposition features more than 40 hours of class time over two days. It is the original Professional Development Conference for burlesque performers, founded on the philosophy that "If we don't take ourselves seriously, no one else will either".
Whether you're looking to boost a skill set to the next level or develop some new skills, The Conference has something for you from costuming to publicity to philosophical discussions.
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Joe Paul Williams
Length: 1 hour
If you ever have felt at a loss about what to do with your arms or hands, this is a class for you. With a little guidance, arms and hands can give an extraordinary amount of focus to your dancing. And we all know that directing focus is a huge part of the art of burlesque. Let's let our arms and hands help us.
Devora Darling
Length: 1 hour
One of the beauties of Burlesque is that it may be creatively infused with other forms of dance. Ballet for Beginners will take students through basic elements of ballet, focusing on aspects that may be applied to Burlesque even by a non-experienced dancer. The class will also briefly present some current and historical examples of ballet-influenced Burlesque. Students should come prepared for some light movement, though no previous dance experience is required.
Zehara Nachash
Length: 1 hour
Learn the ancient art of belly dance---with a twist! We will cover basic belly dance movements that can easily be integrated into a burlesque performance. A short and simple choreography will be taught!
Betty Blaize
Length: 1 hour
A high intensity morning wake up call for all dancers looking to jump start the morning and scare away the morning-after-the-night before woes! Betty will be blending a mix of dance moves and exercises from her eclectic dance lineage designed to bring on the sweat and workout your whole body to the tune of favorite Burlesque tunes of yesterday and today. Sure, Betty looks like a cheery, vintage camp counselor but at o'dark thirty prepare to see her evil side as she tosses her high heels in favor of a pitch fork! PLEASE WEAR: Workout clothes and (if necessary) supportive shoes. And hydrate properly.
Midnite Martini
Length: 1 hour
Learn a fun dance sequence with Midnite Martini. Learning choreography is a skill that can be developed with practice, so whether you are a trained dancer or have two left feet you will exercise this skill in a fun, flirty dance that you can take home to your sweetie or take pieces for an act of your own!
Dahlia Fatale
Length: 1 hour
This class will be several short bits of choreography ranging in styles across the floor. This is a great opportunity to try many different types of dance and work on choreography retention while having a lot of fun!
Scarlett Letter
Length: 1 hour
This class helps you break down the way you walk and dance, so that you can be more comfortable and effective in your motion while wearing skyscraping heels. (bring performance heels)
Miss Mina Murray
Length: 1 hour
The fan dance has become a staple of burlesque routines. This class will show you how you can incorporate fans into your act. Learn dramatic poses and graceful movements for fans of all sizes. Discover how to reveal, conceal, tease & flirt. There will also be information about buying, caring for, and transporting fans. Small feather fans can be purchased from the instructor for $10 a pair, but students can bring their own if they have them.
Dahlia Fatale
Length: 1 hour
In this class students will learn to use isolated parts of their bodies to create different movements and convey messages, emotions and ideas. Styles inspired from Fosse and Modern Jazz will combine to create a fun short combination of choreography.
Brigitte Bisoux
Length: 1 hour
Taking the essentials and basics of tap (minus the actual taps and hard wood floor) and showing how they can be combined on their own or integrated with burlesque elements (tassel twirling while tapping) :)
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The Lady Josephine
Length: 1 hour
Unlike most other forms of stage performance Burlesque is a "spectator sport". No matter what your BQ-style, engaging your audience and "breaking the 4th wall" is an integral part of a successful striptease. This class will explore techniques for how to reach out to those vague figures sitting behind your blinding stage lights. We'll discuss why this is important and use fun activities to explore the methods we uncover.
The Incredible, Edible, Akynos
Length: 1 hour
Sluts love to give their all. And in this lecture class the inner slut will be explored. The class opens with a brief discussion on the appropriation and race history and execution styles in burlesque.
The Incredible, Edible, Akynos
Length: 1 hour
Sluts love to give their all. And in this movement class the inner slut will be explored. The class opens with a brief physical warm up and leads into a slut infused dance routine. Attendees will learn how to bring their entire bodies to the stage. From a breath to a glare, no part will be left untouched. It wouldn’t' be proper slut etiquette. Bring a pen and a pad, heels, gloves and a slutty attitude. If you aren't a slut already, this class will turn you into one!
St. Stella & James and the Giant Pasty
Length: 1 hour
Duets provide the opportunity to tell dramatic stories with a partner--stories about lovers, friends, and enemies. And double the people can mean double the dramatic punch. But duets also present unique challenges--from developing partner choreography and working in time with a partner onstage to finding a unified artistic vision and being able to compromise with your partner in the process of act creation. In this class, we'll help you develop a two-person narrative and and try to help you work through some of the challenges that working with another person can present.
April March
Length: 1 hour
TBD
Evie Sphinx
Length: 1 hour
Limber Up! is a class where you get to work out all those little kinks happening in your body through a combination of yoga poses and those "oldies but goodies" stretches that you used to do in gym class. This class will focus on stretching the major muscle groups in the legs to leave you feeling good. Since this is a stretching class, please wear comfortable clothing that is easy to move around in (i.e. not jeans) and also bring your own towel to use if possible.
Nasty Canasta & Scandal from Bohemia
Length: 1 hour
Making It Funnier-Three burlesque performers walk into a bar. One burlesque performer says to the other two...need an ending to that joke? Bring your partially finished humorous acts, your random ideas that make you giggle, and your questions on which band's songs illicit the most laughs from an audience. (The answer is Whitesnake.) We will brainstorm comic beats, costume pieces, cartoon-style violence, and anything else that might make your number funnier.
Chicava HoneyChild
Length: 1 hour
What is it? That Je ne sais quo? This class will explore imbibing your work with your authentic essence creating allure, magnetism, and joy through truly expressing & giving yourself to the audience. Pulling on a variety of disciplines, acting, kundalini, tantra, and Chekov stage techniques you'll come away from this class excited to play even deeper with repertoire and new creations.
Joe Paul Williams
Length: 1 hour
The directions that you move or gesture on the stage draw lines of energy of tremendous power, and when you understand them, you can use spacial direction to construct your choreographies, and end those worries about what to do to keep your staging interesting and engaging. These ideas work for individuals or groups. This knowledge was used choreograph the legendary Ziegfeld Follies.
Betty Blaize
Length: 1 hour
"The expression a woman wears on her face is far more important than the clothes she wears on her back." - Dale Carnegie Save money on costuming and take this class on facial expression, instead. This class will focus on the art and science of how humans communicate with their faces. Eye contact, facing, head angles and more - this class will blend tricks and techniques from public speaking, the study of human communication, classical Indian dance technique and years of Burlesque experience and pinup scrutiny into a class for all levels purely focused on face and eye contact. Our goal will be to remove such problems as "doing taxes from the neck up" and "Vasoline beauty pagent smiles" and replace them with powerful and thoughtful expressions that bring our stories and our inner beauty to the forefront. Please bring - your face, no particular clothing or physical capabilities needed.
Burgundy Brixx
Length: 1 hour
Learn secrets from a professional showgirl who spent years performing with The Radio City Christmas Spectacular (starring the Rockettes), Norwegian Cruise Lines and some of the country's biggest Dinner Theatre spectaculars. In this class she will share some of the amazing tips, tricks and secrets of professional showgirls as applied to the burlesque stage. Posing and movement skills will be taught as well as costuming and wardrobe tricks and special showgirl secrets!
Lucida Sans
Length: 1 hour
Every act incorporates character development and some degree of storytelling. Some acts depend upon the effective communication of a complex narrative. How can this be achieved, without words, in under 5 minutes? Students will work towards creating cohesive movement vocabularies for individual characters through a series of physical theatre exercise. Then, as a class, we will work together to adapt a short piece of literature as a burlesque act. Finally, we will talk through students' new act concepts, focusing on narrative and character development.
St. Stella
Length: 1 hour
Not all burlesque performers are dancers, but all burlesque performers use their body. How one presents the body is one of the main tenants of a burlesque number. Everything from the tips of your eyelashes to the curve of your finger, to the point of your toes and effect how the audience interprets the performance. This class will work through a thorough a fun and energetic warm-up, stretch and workshop on using the whole body in your performance. Comfortable clothing is required.
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Scratch
Length: 1 hour
This class is structured to provide students with a basic knowledge of the professional world of set and properties design and equip them with the skills to articulate visual ideas creatively and then adapt them to any stage or performance space. Learn techniques and methods necessary to plan props and set pieces for use in burlesque acts, regardless of your skill level or budget.
Midnite Martini
Length: 1 hour
Are you thinking about teaching but don't know where to start? Do you have a class but are looking to refine your material? This class will provide you with a process to organize your material, thoughts, intentions, to create any lesson! Feel prepared and confident to go into any class. All participants will have their very own individual lesson plan after the class is over.
Betty Blaize
Length: 1 hour
It's one thing to have a great idea, but the skills for transforming that idea into a wondrous (and organized!) realization are an art in and of themselves. Learn some of the tools of project management from the eye of a choreographer. Whether you're working a solo piece, your first big group number, or you're a seasoned pro looking for a few new tricks for your tool box, this class has something to offer to make your first, second or 1000th choreography just a little more stress-free. We'll cover topics that include: - timeline planning - risk assessment - small group dynamics - crisis prevention - crisis survival Peppered with a few battle stories from a Burlesque veteran.
Hoi Polloi
Length: 1 hour
The performers might be talented, and the acts might be fantastic, but if there are huge trucks driving through the awkward silences between them, your audience will start to grumble. This class will discuss the backstage running of a burlesque show with an emphasis on stage managing and pick up. Learn how to be a liaison between the performers and tech crew, make last minute changes due to emergencies, and how to get a bunch of people in the right place at the right time without making them turn on you.
Burgundy Brixx
Length: 1 hour
Ever want to produce but have no idea where to start? Learn all the basics for successfully producing your own burlesque show. We get into the true reality of the world of producing including the differences in dealing with theatres, bars/nightclubs and private events. Other topics include contracts, and the burlesque producer's obligations to venue, performer and community. Handouts will be given. Please bring a pen or pencil.
The Shanghai Pearl
Length: 1 hour
In this roundtable discussion we will explore:
- The responsibilities and opportunities of performers, entertainers, and audience members.
- Our relationships with our audience, craft, and bodies.
- The tensions that surround art, business, entertainment, and service.
Nasty Canasta
Length: 1 hour
Many burlesque performers consider producing their own show at one point or another; but how - and why - do you make the leap from 'talent' to 'management'? Can your onstage experience translate to an artistically and financially successful production? This class considers the theoretical, artistic and practical aspects of show production, from the point of view of the experienced burlesque artist. Why produce: Before taking on the responsibility of an entire show, it's essential to understand where the impulse is coming from. An idea that's too inspiring to let go? Something specific (boylesque, comedic striptease) that's been missing from your local scene? A holiday celebration or fundraiser? Frustration or a desire for self-promotion? We'll learn some tools for self-examination and the questions to ask yourself before leaping in with both stilettoed feet. What to produce: Do you have a brilliant idea for one sell-out night, or are you ready to take on a monthly or even weekly show? As performers we have the luxury of trying out virtually every idea we might have, but as the artistic director of a show a more specific focus can be essential to success. In this section we'll discuss how to tailor your show to fit your idea - and your city - to a T. How to get started: As pro performers the job starts when we arrive at the venue ready to get fabulous and get onstage, but as the producer the work begins long before then - and sometimes doesn't finish up until weeks later. The producing performer has the advantage of knowing first-hand what her or his performers need and deserve from a show experience; we'll build on this knowledge to create a 'producer's timeline,' and discuss dealing with venue owners, audiences, press, photographers … and of course how to plan ahead for any unexpected snags so they don't derail your fabulous night.
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Beau Blush
Length: 1 hour
For this course the participants will create a set of pasties to take with them. The pasties are different from most others however because the base will be on a sheer lace that will disappear once against the skin leaving an illusion of strategically placed rhinestones against the body. All materials will be provided for the class fee. Price: TBD
Mad Merry Death
Length: 2 hours
Come and create something spectacular! Bring a bra and learn how to be-dazzle, hot fix, sequin, and fringe it to your hearts content. This class will cover the basics in decorating your bra! All sewing skills welcome. Price TBD
The Shanghai Pearl
Length: 2 hours
They said play it on the G-String for a reason! Learn how to craft one of the oldest burlesque accessories! Students should bring a thong (and/or stretchy fabric) and as well as 1 yard of elastic. There will be some materials on site for demo and for purchase.
Mad Merry Death
Length: 2 hours
This class will explore various theatrical make-up applications to design your own glamorous burlesque make-up. Each student will learn basic theatrical techniques as well as some more advanced techniques. Different types of make-up and styles of make-up will be addressed. Space for 10 active participants (first come first serve), and an infinite number of voyeurs.
Beau Blush
Length: 2 hours
During the course of this workshop participants will create their own hair fascinator that they may take home with them. If some performers are like myself they create the basic pieces for their routine's costume, forgetting about the accessories that can make their costumes that much more fabulous! Whether they would like to make a hair fascinator to go along with a costume they already have, planning on making or maybe just to enjoy out and about this is a workshop that will be fun for all! Some of the materials include assorted feathers, rhinestones, ribbon, sequins and much more!! Price: TBD
Scarlett Letter
Length: 2 hours
A fast and easy Shimmy belt project that demonstrates several techniques and issues involved with hand stitching. Students will leave with a custom Shimmy Belt of their own making, and a better understanding of stitch work and process. Price: $10
Mad Merry Death
Length: 2 hours
In this class we will discuss the basic principles of costume design--from thought to creation. Individual attention will be given to each student to help them develop a creative costume concept. Quick changes, creative rigging, and removal will be discussed. Each student will leave feeling confident that they can create their own costume. This is mainly a concept class rather than a creation class.
Mad Merry Death
Length: 1 hour
This class will cover the basics of pasty making. You will make your own twirlers with or without tassels! Application and removal will also be covered (and uncovered).
Miss Mina Murray
Length: 1 hour
You've seen a costume in a movie or photograph and know you just have to have it. How do you go about making it? Recreating a costume can be more challenging than creating an original design. Drawing on her own experiences, Miss Mina shares her tips and tricks for making your own recreations -- and some pitfalls to avoid!
Betty Blaize
Length: 2 hours
While you may not be superman, this class will teach you how to change your hair from an everday Clark Kent to a stylish Burlesque SuperWoman in a phone booth, faster than a speeding bullet and with an invicibility that will survive sweat, stagelights and molestation. Class will cover a least two glamor hair styles for medium to long hair, and will include tips for long term hair health. Fee will cover disposable combs, bobby pins, and lots of hair spray! Just bring your hair! Price: $3
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EmpeROAR Fabulous!!!
Length: 1 hour
Never have to say, "She's using the song I was going to use tonight!" again! EmpeROAR Fabulous!!!, "The Exposing Composer", known for writing songs he sings in thongs, leads a class on creating original music for your teases. Topics include storylining your lyrics to coincide with costuming events, composing for set choreography vs. creating both simultaneously, how to collaborate with a composer if you're a dancer and vice-versa, and more. Musical background helpful, but open to all, as some basic tenets of songwriting will be shared.
Lola Martinet
Length: 1 hour
An often forgotten component, bad audio can ruin your act! Learn the basics of getting good audio quality whether you are performing to a track or with a band. This class covers basic audio terminology and techniques (do you care about bit rate?) and microphone selection and techniques - including wireless microphones. Wonder why you can't see a performer's microphone but you can hear it? You can learn to do this, too!
Dave "Super Dave" D'aranjo
Length: 1 hour
"Understanding Song Form: the "Not-Quite Music-Theory" Class for Dancers" Do you have trouble communicating your choreography in musical terms? When describing music, do your words sometimes dry up? What exactly is a 'bridge' or 'pre-chorus'? Are you working with a band, and want to draw upon a common language? What's the difference between 4/4 and 6/8? A basic knowledge of musical form is essential for dancers - after all, what is a performance without great music? Without getting too heavy into music theory, this course is aimed at developing your knowledge of song structure. Students will get a primer on key musical concepts and vocabulary, and will leave the course having created a chart of a popular tune, over which they can notate their own choreography.
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Nasty Canasta, Scarlett Letter, EmpeRoar Fabulous, moderator - Lady Josephine
Length: 1 hour
East Cost/West Coast, Boston, LA, New York, Seattle – regional Burlesque has as many styles and flavors as there are performers. What are some of the hallmarks of the current neo-Burlesque regions? What are some of the differences in performers, venues and shows?
Scandal from Bohemia, Lucida Sans, Blitzen VonSchtupp, Scarlett Letter, moderator - Nasty Canasta
Length: 1 hour
More and more, geek culture is crossing over with burlesque. From Dr. Who to anime burlesque to stripping steampunk we're seeing more burlesque in the geek world and more geekiness in the burlesque world.
Scandal from Bohemia, Hoi Polloi, Dahlia Fatale, Lady Josephine, moderator - Scarlett Letter
Length: 1 hour
Have you ever done an act that you feel is brilliant but the audience just didn't get? Bring your stories, and we'll discuss ideas to make your act more accessible.
Hoi Polloi, James the Giant Pastie, Paco Fish, EmpeRoar Fabulous, moderator - The Purrfessor
Length: 1 hour
Performers, producers, stage hands, photographers or audience members… what is the place of men in this traditionally female-dominated art form? And now that more men are doing more than just being ‘the boyfriend brigade’, how do the women feel about it?
Candy Apples, The Incredible Edible Akynos, Gee Gee Louise, Midnite Martini, moderator - Lucida Sans
Length: 1 hour
Burlesque is touted as being about all body types, but is that actually the case? What do you do when you don't match the Hollywood ideal? What do you do when insensitive people let you know you don't match the Hollywood ideal?
The Incredible Edible Akynos, Chicava Honey Child, Midnite Martini, Lucida Sans, moderator - Sheila Starr
Length: 1 hour
When you are baring all, does your color matter? And how does the burlesque experience differ depending upon ethnicity for both audience and performers?
Scarlett Letter, The Shanghai Pearl, Lucida Sans, Miss Mina Murray, moderator - Chicava Honey Child
Length: 1 hour
If the question "What is Burlesque?" is a hard one, then "What is a Burlesque class?" is even harder. What do you teach? What do you expect? What's a must-have and what's more appropriate to a traditional dance or theater class? What class models have worked for you and what's your target class base? Are you creating your own competition, or are you building a community?
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