The School of Burlesque

This is a blog about the interests of The New York School of Burlesque , its headmistress, faculty, friends, instructors and alumni. To support this blog, you can buy us a cup of coffee by clicking on the "add to cart" button below. We can always use more caffeine!

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It's my 13 year anniversary on Tumblr 🥳

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From Harper Design and author Jo Weldon, Fierce: The History of Leopard Print.

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We’ve been presenting the freshest burlesque in New York City for over a decade! Come check it out tomorrow night! Show link in bio. #newyorkcity #burlesque #newyorkschoolofburlesque #nyschoolofburlesque #schoolofburlesque https://www.instagram.com/p/BtG4JqOh0Df/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=11mitl99ovv3v

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Bonnie Dunn passed away on January 15, 2019. She was the producer of Le Scandal, the longest-continuously-running weekly show in neo-burlesque in NYC. I last communicated with her on New Year’s Eve, when I was using a present she’d given me for my birthday, and I wanted her to know I was enjoying it. I’m so glad to hear she had her closest loved ones by her side at the end. If everyone who loved her could have been there, they would have needed an entire ward. I first saw Bonnie perform at Coney Island, and she was the first person I saw do a fan dance in the NYC neo-burlesque scene. I was in awe of her talent and style. She paid elegant tribute to burlesque’s raunchy roots, and she was beautifully authentic and fun-loving and personal as she did it. We performed together weekly in The Blue Angel, and then regularly in the few shows that existed in the late 1990s and early 2000s. She was always friendly to everyone, always focused on the best aspects of community and professionalism, always excited about everyone’s accomplishments, and always interested in how they were truly doing. Bonnie was a charming, funny, supportive, generous person, one of the most loving and kind people I’ve known, who always showed her appreciation and admiration for everyone. One of her quotes in The Burlesque Handbook is one of my favorites: “If a performer forgets her eyelash glue and you have some tucked away in your highly organized suitcase … get in there and share your shit.” She definitely walked the walk, got in there, and shared her shit, and we loved her for it. #burlesque #burlesquequeen #burlesquepioneer #schoolofburlesque #fandance #burlesquehalloffame #sassylassy #lescandal #newyorkcity #blueangelcabaret #godmotherofburlesque #thecuttingroomnyc #coneyisland https://www.instagram.com/p/BsqbxlLhGnP/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1xzvghuj7iecm

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This Saturday, January 19! Dare to be Sexy! Or, How to captivate your audience in ways that have nothing to do with fancy costumes or clever themes. Poison Ivory will be applying new principles to this popular class, including power and archetypes! Are you a shy performer who wants exude more confidence on stage? Do you find yourself only doing comedy acts because being “sexy” on stage makes you uncomfortable? Are you looking to take your act, and your audience to another level, but are not sure if you have what it takes? This class is here to help. Using the mock sex-ed class format, Poison Ivory will teach her students tips and techniques on how to incorporate more sex appeal into any act. http://schoolofburlesque.com/poisonivory.shtml https://www.instagram.com/p/BsqSGAgh9V6/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=gzccwmymqyrn

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Our first NYSB class of 2019 is tomorrow! @jezebelexpress, shown here in the New York Times, will be teaching how to shimmy and shake. Link in bio. #dancein2019 #burlesque #schoolofburlesque #newyorkschoolofburlesque https://www.instagram.com/p/BsI8Yk-B-cq/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=pocamm28l4zo

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@burlesquehall is one of the most unique burlesque organizations in the world. Picture here is of Miss Topsy, a burlesque performer from the 1960s, one of the legends of burlesque whose legacy deserves to be celebrated. The Burlesque Hall of Fame was founded over 50 years ago by Jennie Lee and her friends, women who performed in burlesque shows in the 1950s and 60s, it continues to showcase their achievements and talents at a level you won’t see anywhere else. Women in their 70s and 80s who thought they’d never again perform the art they worked so hard to perfect show us how it’s done every year in June. On other nights, we showcase the talents of more recent performers, and on the Saturday night of the weekender we have a pageant that is world renowned, a pageant started by a legend of burlesque, Miss Dixie Evans. Dixie passed several years ago, and while she was ill performers from around the world held classes, shows, and events to raise over $40,000 for her — that’s what I’m talking about when I use the word “community.” I talked to her shortly before she died, and showed her media about the shows and and classes people were creating in her honor. I told her she’d achieved her mission of making sure people knew burlesque was an important form of entertainment with a history worth honoring, and that my students loved learning old-school bump n grind. She said, “Just make sure they do burlesque their own way.” She inspired me to say to performers, “Be the burlesque you want to see in the world.” She loved all styles of burlesque, old and new, and appreciated legends as founders and newbies as those who would carry the torch and help create new audiences. She taught me open-mindedness and generousity. I’ll never forget her! This post inspired partly by @dirtymartininyc ❤️❤️❤️ #burlesque #womenshistory #Repost @burlesquehall ・・・ As you reflect on 2018, choose your favorite performance and share it with #BHoF Applications to perform are due January 14: www.bhofapplication.com https://www.instagram.com/p/Br8dq95BWWr/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=16znlh4r988im

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Las Vegas, April 1963. 8mm film via Wayne Sitkei. 

“The great names of burlesque hung on throughout the 60s. Sally Rand was fan-dancing in 1963 at The Mint. ‘I’ll retire when they stop coming to see me,’ she said. (Rand died in ‘79.)” - Cult Vegas

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Me at the @newyorkburlesquefestival this past weekend, by @lumarouge . I love Luma’s art so much! Be sure to follow her! This number is a tribute to 18th century leopard print, and both the costume and the ostrich feather fans constructed by @fancyfeathercom (I printed the feathers) are all leopard print! #leopardprint #historyofleopardprint #18thcenturyfashion #panniers #booty #featherfans https://www.instagram.com/p/BoegNCnB1bp/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=j3z0yy8xw4qi

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This is Fabulous Fanny, the Burlesque Legend featured at this year’s @newyorkburlesquefestival ! She’s teaching on Saturday and this is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity. Link in bio. #burlesque #burlesquelegend #vintageburlesque #legend #newyorkcity https://www.instagram.com/p/BoQWNqABHrN/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=4pcg6db3l6bp

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The New York School of Burlesque is the official provider of classes for the @newyorkburlesquefestival ! Take classes this weekend with international headliners as well as a Legend of Burlesque. Workshops in fan dancing, floor work, lip sync, costuming, and more! #burlesque #fandance #floorwork #costume #lipsync #legend #dance #nyschoolofburlesque #newyorkcity #nybf2018 https://www.instagram.com/p/BoOwbOLBinx/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1uez8855sgh1d

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Fabulous students in the last class of the September Essentials series! Such an amazing group! I’m always a little sad knowing I won’t be seeing them every week, but some of them plan to go on to perform, and hopefully I’ll see others in more classes. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ #newyorkschoolofburlesque #newyorkcity #nyschoolofburlesque #schoolofburlesque #youmakeitallworthit https://www.instagram.com/p/BoFQ9-thK7r/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=16krgbl29tjij

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Our students rock! See them at our Student Showcase Sunday September 23 at 830 PM at DROM NYC, 85 Avenue A. Tickets at dromnyc.com. #schoolofburlesque #nyschoolofburlesque #newyorkschoolofburlesque #newyorkcity #burlesque #eastvillage https://www.instagram.com/p/BoCRvaoBFaX/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=18k8hwpxtwldz

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Immerse yourself in @theperlenoire ‘s fan dance workshop September 8! Register at schoolofburlesque.com. #burlesque #perlesque #schoolofburlesque #nyschoolofburlesque #fandance https://www.instagram.com/p/BnOf0PahuLO/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=q9tvq8ytz1g4

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Get The Gig!

Hot tip!

And before you read this, don't feel bad if you've done it, we all do it sometimes when we're tired or in a hurry. But just a reminder:

When someone makes a post about an opportunity and says, "Please email only" or "Please send questions via DM" or other specific instructions that do not suggest asking questions in the comments, and you then ask a question in the comments which is what they just asked you not to do (or vice versa, ie if they DID ask for replies only in the comments and you sent a DM instead), there's a possibility you've just made it clear that you don't read and follow instructions, making yourself less desirable to work with.

It's not just social media posts. Whenever someone asks me the best way to apply for a festival, or a gig of any kind, my suggestion is:

1) Read the instructions.

My second suggestion is:

2) Follow the instructions.

My third and final suggestion is:

3) Don't ask the OP any questions if there's another way to get the answer, such as reading the instructions.

Again, don't hate yourself for the mistakes you've made in this regard, because we've all done it and will all probably do it again. I am not the perfect example of someone who never makes professional mistakes, I assure you. This is just a humble and loving reminder that it's in everybody's best interests, especially your own, to read and follow the instructions. These are the first steps to being liked, and definitely the first steps to GETTING THE WORK.