Burlesque Dance Class

[Julie Slowinski]

So, I did a thing. I enrolled in a Burlesque dance class. Basically, it?s 5 weeks of class and ends with a stage performance. The group is the instructor, myself and two other students (all 3 are cis women). At the first class we did introductions and I told them about my Julie side (yeah, I?m attending the classes in boy mode, but the performance will be all Julie). The part that you need to know is that I don?t know how to dance at all and I?m quickly discovering that my 50 year old body is not at all flexible. Also, I?m learning that don?t actually know anything about music in the sense of counting to the beat - 1, 2, 3 and 4. Bottom line, this is turning out to be one of the most challenging endeavors I have ever attempted. But, that is totally the thing I have been looking for - the challenge of it is invigorating and given me a new passion for getting healthy and hopefully will look fabulous up on stage.

There is also the fun of coming up with an outfit for the performance - the class is called glam rock Burlesque and the song we are doing is Children of the Revolution by T-Rex. The outfits are supposed to be on the theme of the sexual/gender revolution of the early 70s, so we are trying to do LGBT colors. I will obviously do trans colors and the other two students will be going with the colors of the bi flag. Making these colors also match with the glitter of traditional glam rock is proving to be a challenge, but I think that challenge is just another part of the fun of the whole thing.

If anyone is interested and will happen to be in Chicago on Dec 27th, the link to the show is below. It is not particularly a trans show (not at all a drag show), so if you?re in the closet, attending will not out you and could actually be described as a fun date night with your SO.

https://tickets.vendini.com/ticket-software.html?e=60f077632fa27a32d996f8e554bc5a0f&p=56bfde21564302f9342f7124046a5afd&t=tix&vqitq=4a0d540a-abba-4c48-8f00-f457c1156c6a&vqitp=8ed9d7b9-919d-47e9-b999-4a95599d3e88&vqitts=1575298630&vqitc=vendini&vqite=itl&vqitrt=Safetynet&vqith=e07f902ea6694f0060a7cc7fe5873003

[mbmeen12]

Good for you...I would love to do that....The dressing up would be so glam etc...

[michelleddg]

Will you be rehearsing in heels? :-) Hugs, Michelle

[BTWimRobin]

Hi Julie,

OMG! That sounds like so much fun. I would love to take a class like that. Have a great time!

[alwayshave]

Julie, Sounds like fun. You will post pictures for those of us half a country away?

[Robertacd]

WOW, I have been thinking about taking a Burlesque dance class too.

I went as far as contacting the teacher and told her I was a 50 something transwoman who always dreamed of being a Drag Queen and thought Burlesque would be the place to start, so I was interested in taking her class.

She was more concerned about my movement ability than being trans and even offered to tailor the class to any movement issues I had.

[Zoeytgtx]

Julie:

To add to what Roberta just mentioned. I have tried on occasion to duplicate the yoga positions my wife was in and could not come close. She explained that the tendons in the male body are so much larger than a genetic woman that they limit our flexibility. So don?t get caught up in trying to equal the flexibility of the GG?s in your class. It are those same larger tendons, especially in our legs, that give us the legs that look so good in heels.

I had a TG friend when I lived in Dallas, and she did have the flexibility to equal a genetic woman. She had taken a female ballet class twice a week for over a year and was in the gym daily performing stretching exercises.

Have fun with your class and the graduation performance. I have been to a number of burlesque shows and it is amazing the gasp from the audience when the woman performing gets down to ?falsies and a G-string? is discovered to really be male. They usually are astounded at what they just witnessed!

[April Rose]

The key to doing physical stuff after 50 is to stretch. Every day, not just before class. This is something I learned the hard way.

Also;
I'm with Michelle. I want to know if Julie will be taking the class in heels. Dish, Babe! inquiring minds want to know!:)

[Sometimes Steffi]

I would love to do that. Maybe I should look around and see if there is a burlesque class around here.

I would have the same inherent problem with not knowing how to dance and not understanding the beat to the music. But, my flexibility might be good enough. I had taken yoga for over 10 years until I broke a bone in my foot in February. I'm still trying to get back to yoga regularly.

I did take a couple of belly dance classes, and in addition to the problems with dancing and musicality, I had trouble retraining my muscles to move my hips correctly. I also looked into a hula dance class, but it turned out the the GG instructor was teaching the female moves and the male moves were different.

[docrobbysherry]

I used to have flex issues when taking pole dancing lessons. But, I was the only T girl to climb up the pole and stay there! Even tho I was much older, (70), than the others more your age!:heehee:

Please post photos of u in the show, Julie!:daydreaming:

[Sometimes Steffi]

Better yet. Post a vid of the show on youtube,

Maybe you can keep it "private" and post the code, or whatever, for us to access it here. As you can tell, I don't know anything about youtube.

If that doesn't work, maybe netflix will stream it for us. LOL.

[Julie Slowinski]

Will you be rehearsing in heels? :-) Hugs, Michelle

Michelle and April, Yes, I?m rehearsing at home and in the class on heels. Looks kinda goofy with heels and my guy shorts and my guy face, but it?s kinda essential if I?m planning on heels in the performance. Actually, I?m better in heels than my two co-performers. I should add that these are not skyscraper heels. There round toe with only about a 3.25 inch heel - very typical dance shoe.

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Julie, Sounds like fun. You will post pictures for those of us half a country away?

No worries Jamie. There is definitely pictures to come and maybe a video.

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WOW, I have been thinking about taking a Burlesque dance class too.

I went as far as contacting the teacher and told her I was a 50 something transwoman who always dreamed of being a Drag Queen and thought Burlesque would be the place to start, so I was interested in taking her class.

She was more concerned about my movement ability than being trans and even offered to tailor the class to any movement issues I had.

That was my original motivation as well - I?d like to do some amateur drag, but it needs stage presence and some ability to dance. Was thinking this class could fill me in on the basics. But, now that I?m in this space and the people seem so nice, maybe I?ll stick around for a while. I wasn?t too concerned about the trans thing, because the class description said all genders welcome (actually it says that for all the classes that this place). The instructor was really cool and friendly at the beginning of the class, but once we started dancing and I looked terrible and was having a hard time picking up the routine, she got a bit less welcoming. I think she thought I was gonna give up after that first class. But, after tons of practicing I came back this week pretty much having things down and she is warming up again. So yeah, movement is an issue, but we all gotta start somewhere.

[Sandy Clifton]

Wow, kudos for this undertaking!

Is this the same organization we saw at Pinkfest?

Having the same rhythm & flexibility challenges,
being the same age as you, and harboring similar
pangs to perform on-stage en-femme, I shall
definitely be living vicariously via your experience.

[Julie Slowinski]

Wow, kudos for this undertaking!

Is this the same organization we saw at Pinkfest?

Having the same rhythm & flexibility challenges,
being the same age as you, and harboring similar
pangs to perform on-stage en-femme, I shall
definitely be living vicariously via your experience.

Yeah, it?s the same Burlesque company we saw during Pinkfest and the performance will be at the same theater. It?s kinda surreal to think that I?ll be going from the audience to being on the stage. I?m really so excited about this - so much more than my original plan to just do some amateur drag, which maybe you remember me talking about after our night at Mary?s Attic, where I got a taste of being on stage as the dollar girl.

[Rhonda Darling]

Julie:

At least a few of your classes/rehearsals should be with boobs on, lest you screw up your balance when it’s show time. IOW, I suggest you introduce them to Julie sooner, rather than later. Plus, you’ll have more fun rehearsing as a woman. IMHO.

[Sandy Clifton]

Yeah, it?s the same Burlesque company we saw during Pinkfest and the performance will be at the same theater. It?s kinda surreal to think that I?ll be going from the audience to being on the stage. I?m really so excited about this - so much more than my original plan to just do some amateur drag, which maybe you remember me talking about after our night at Mary?s Attic, where I got a taste of being on stage as the dollar girl.

Very cool, way to flip the script!

In Austin there's a drag boot camp program
where you're paired with a mentor and develop
skills, but I'd want to be more adept at basics of
makeup and movement before signing up.