Contact via email produces faster, more efficient results than calling. rocknycity@aol.com
212.561.1456
Please note, I receive up to 200 emails a day. Often the quickest way to get information is to read the site carefully. When you do contact me, keep in mind that I get email more quickly than I get voicemail messages.
RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED FOR MOST CLASSES.

The New York School of Burlesque on CBS Sunday Morning:

Where are you located?
In the LES and in Greenwich Village, Manhattan, New York. Click here for detailed directions.

What is burlesque?
Burlesque is fabulous, glittery, sexy fun for adventurous women! I teach a form of dance that is dictated by your body, and is culled from many years of exotic dance performance (I was a headlining feature performer in strip clubs in the 1990s), watching vintage dance films, and having seen literally hundreds of burlesque performers from all over the world practice their arts at the Teaseorama Burlesque Convention, the New York Burlesque Festival, and the Exotic World Pageant and Striptease Reunion (and performing with them). It's entirely possible I've seen more different burlesque numbers than any other burlesque audience member in the world. I have served as both a judge and a judging coordinator at The Miss Exotic World Pageant, and as a teacher at Teaseorama. I was recently a featured performer in Margaret Cho's variety show, the Sensuous Woman, and I served as a consultant and dance coach on the Victor/Victrola episode of Gossip Girl. You could say I know a little bit about burlesque!

While all this may sound intimidating, remember, the most important thing you can do as a performer, whether onstage or in the privacy of your home, is to have a good time. My goal is to give you the know-how and the confidence to have fun while performing with dazzling skill and glamour!

See a clip of me teaching a glove peel to Julie Chang

See a clip of me teaching a student at U Penn to twirl

Where are classes held?
Unless otherwise stated (please read listings carefully!), classes are held at 167 Orchard St at Stanton in the Slipper Room, a venue which has been presenting burlesque shows for nearly a decade and currently houses New York's longest-running burlesque show. As a space for theatrical and dance education, the venue is a unique combination of private space, actual working stage, and mirrored performance studio. There is no other school like this!

Above: The stage where many of the School of Burlesque classes take place, while the Slipper Room is closed for bar business. Directions

Do you teach privately?
I teach privately, and I have class structures that are suitable for entertaining birthday, bachelorette, and other kinds of private parties. I can also put together an entire show for your private event featuring internationally-recognized burlesque and independent variety performers. Just ask!

How much are the classes?
Class prices vary. Read each listing carefully. Payment Policy

Can I drop in?
Reservations are required.
Click here for payment and reservation policies. Short notice cancellations cost me money and harm my business.

Can I pay in advance?
I very much prefer that you do. Click here for payment policies.

Do I need to take the classes in any special order?
Unless a class is described as Advanced, all of the classes are designed to stand alone, which means that you can take any one of them without having taken any of the others, including the Classic Moves Class.

Will I learn anything in the classes if I have performance experience?
I don't know what you know. But I do know that I learn something in every single class, and I have been performing for over twenty years.

Do you teach men?
It depends on the class. The Classic Moves and Tassel-Twirling classes are currently for women only. Observers are not permitted; all attendees are required to participate.

Do you teach every week?
Most weeks. Read the schedule carefully.

Are these all dance classes?
Most classes are conducted in a dance class format. However, the classes in costuming and in music and themes are not particularly movement-oriented. The lecture-based classes are about stagecraft, which is as integral to burlesque performance as the dance moves; how useful they are to a given student depends on a) whether or not the student already has costuming and characterization experience and b) whether or not the student intends to actually perform onstage.

What will I learn in the dance classes?
You'll learn how to do classic moves from mid-century burlesque striptease, such as the glove peel, the bump, the grind, the shimmy, the tassel-twirl, and the big reveal, plus other moves as described. I also teach a rock n roll burlesque class with booty shakes and hair tossing, as well as a lap dance class, but for the most part our focus is on classic burlesque. All of these moves are fun and easy to do. I'll lead you through them.

What do I need to do to prepare?
Just look forward to having a good time! Go to a few burlesque shows to keep yourself inspired.

What should I wear?
Feel free to dress up, or wear sweats. I usually wear dance shorts, fishnets, and character shoes. I don't recommend extremely high or spike heels while learning the moves. You can wear whatever you'll be comfortable in; you may be able to change in the bathroom or in the classroom, but the classes usually will start on time so be ready on the dot. Absolutely no nudity is required to learn the moves. I recommend wearing or bringing a standard back-hooking bra with straps (rather than a camisole or sports bra) so you can practice the "strap tease." You may wear whatever shoes you like to dance in.

Should I bring a costume?
Depending on the class, you'll be playing with gloves, boas, fringe, and feather fans, all of which I'll provide. However, if you have gloves or a boa or other items of your own, I recommend you bring them, so that you'll be able to rehearse with them again when you go home.

Following is a list of shops where you can purchase items to use in the classes:
Dae Sung Trading Corp. 820 6th Ave bet. 28th and 29th Sts. 212.684.4110 Gloves $10-$20 Get any gloves you like, preferably long (above the elbow).
M&J Trimming 6th Ave. Bet 37th and 38th 212 391-9072 www.mjtrim.com Fringe $3-$15 Get one or two yeards of 3-or-4-inch rayon chainette or beaded fringe (the store people will know what that is) and put safety pins on each end and in the very center of the piece of fringe so you can pin it on for the shimmy section of the class.
The Feather Place www.featherplace.com 40 W. 38th St. between 6th and 5th Avenues (go right on 38th if you're walking up 6th, left if you're walking down 5th) Boas $3-$100 Get any boa you like. I recommend getting one or two above the cheapest one, and putting it in a gallon ziplock bag to protect it from moths and mites. Also a good place to pick up a pair of marabou fans (ask the staff about those).

Do I have to take off my clothes in the class?
You won't be expected to remove any clothing, although if you prefer to for the tassel-twirl, you may do so. You can wait and see how you feel about it in the class.

Is there a textbook?
If you sign in to the class, you'll write down your email address so you can receive the e-handbook in PDF. This is the only format in which the handbook is available.

The handbook includes a brief overview of the moves, plus tips on creating original performances, coming up with a stage name, costuming, where to shop, what music you can practice with, plus a list of recommended movies and books, and information about shopping online and in New York City.

Please note: classes taught by Jo Weldon repeat. That means that a two-hour Basic Moves class in June is substantially similar to a Basic Moves class in October.
However, Guest Teacher Classes are offered on a special basis and may not repeat.

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