Take a Proper Bow During a curtain call recently, I witnessed another performer fail to fully take their bow when their name was called. They just sort of half heartedly walked to almost center, feebly bowed and then sheepishly scooted back into line with the rest of the cast. She failed to take a proper …
Choreography tips for those who hate choreographing Choreography. It’s my arch nemesis when it comes to creating a new act. I have never been good at it, nor wanted to become good at it—that was the problem. I needed some choreography tips. Growing up, I never had the desire to create choreography for me to …
/> Put on false lashes like a pro I learned how to put on fake eyelashes early in life. Or so I thought. I have been wearing stage makeup since I was 5 or 6, but I didn’t upgrade to false lashes until I was in my early adolescence. I don’t even remember who “taught” …
How to clean false eyelashes Before I quit Instagram, I asked my followers on Instagram how often they get new lashes. Why get new ones when you can learn how to clean false eyelashes?! I was inspired to ask because of a dressing room conversation that I had heard about people using lashes only once …
How to customize false eyelashes Do you customize your false eyelashes? Or do you just buy a new pair, trim them to fit your eye and then glue them on? That’s how I used to use them until I spent some time in Jubilee! Because we performed on such a massive stage (half the length …
The hard truth about burlesque performer pay It is infuriating to learn that burlesque performers are stripping for free. The truth about burlesque performer pay is that someone is making money, and it isn’t you. Sometimes it makes sense to work/perform for free or little pay, as in ballet apprenticeships or any apprenticeship, for that …
Don’t encrust costumes in rhinestones In the summer of 2017, Dita Von Teese came to Denver on tour. I had never seen her perform and was dying to go, but was short on funds. My love got me tickets for my birthday to see her. It was quite the treat. One thing that everyone notices …
Why rhinestone encrusted costumes aren’t always a good idea Read More »
Top 5 fishnet mistakes This is part 2 of a 2 part series The secrets of fishnets: how to wear fishnets and how to fix fishnet mistakes. (If you missed the first part, read it first, then come back!) One thing I have noticed a lot as I watch burlesque performers is that they don’t …
Top 5 mistakes when wearing fishnets (are you making them?) Read More »
Why you shouldn’t create another act You know that feeling you get when inspiration strikes and you just HAVE TO create another act? Read on to learn more about quelling that desire to add another act just because you have to create. I liken it to an addiction, and the focus is on the achievement, …
Growing Your Repertoire: Should You Really Create Another Act? Read More »
How to add value to get paid more There has been a little bit of an uproar in the burlesque community due to a show pay poll and subsequent release of a detailed infographic recently. While I try to keep up with all the things going on, it’s difficult to allow myself to be sucked …
Showgirl shortcut: Keep your wig on Please don’t fall off, please don’t fall off, please don’t fall off! Ever had those pleading thoughts running through your head onstage or while cosplaying? Not me. I was taught by the best in the biz how to secure my headpieces and hair so that the illusion of my …
Prep your brand new heels to last Well you did it, you just blew $100 on a pair of shoes for an act. And that’s just the shoes. You haven’t even started to bedazzle yet! Read more to learn how to prep your new high heels to last longer. If you want to make this …
Prevent slipping onstage in heels There is a video out there in the world, probably several, of a long-legged burlesque artist gracefully walking across a parquet floor and then suddenly wiping out in the middle of her act, full on Bambi-on-ice style. I wish I would have prepped my shoes as they used to in …
Improving High Kicks I’ve always been a pretty flexible dancer—not one that needs to improve high kicks.I was always the one doing splits on chairs and practicing over stretching techniques in order to get the most out of my extensions in class. Unfortunately, I wasn’t working the muscles and all of the stretching was only …
Burlesque Costume Malfunctions How terrifying is it as a strip tease artist when you get stuck in that dress or that corset and you are running out of bars til that final reveal? We have all been there. Running to the side of the stage to get the help of a kitten to release us …
There’s an art to walking Showgirls walk. A lot. In my experience as a Las Vegas Showgirl, half my time spent on the Jubilee Theatre stage was spent walking across and around it. And it’s no tiny stage—it is the size of half a football field! Because of the size, we didn’t have center or …
How much does a burlesque act cost to produce, really? My first big burlesque purchase was a pair of feather fans. They are gorgeous,huge and have a real wow factor when I use them. Figuring out if the expense was worth the cost made me wonder, how much a burlesque act costs. They cost me …
