Friday Tip

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! Before I get to your tip, some exciting news! On June 22 I’ll be headed to Topeka, Kansas to perform at the historic Jayhawk Theatre, site of Dainty June’s last vaudeville performance with her sister, the future Gypsy Rose Lee. I’m thrilled to be performing at this fundraiser for the theatre. You know how I feel about history! I’m also teaching the next day.

Now, it’s neither easy nor inexpensive to get from Boston to Kansas City (the closest airport to Topeka). If you want to help me defray the costs of this worthwhile performance, please become a Patron, buy a book, take a class, or just leave a donation. Thank you!

And now for your tip…

Dance shoes are not necessarily sized the same as street shoes.

And of course the sizing isn’t constant across manufacturers. Trying to buy on-line can be an occasion for tears. I recommend going to a dance store and trying on shoes to find the size and style that works for you, then you can buy them on-line if you want. I keep a list of my preferred shoe styles and the size that fits me best. That list also speeds things up at the shoe store (I don’t enjoy shopping and try to be as efficient as I can).

M2Like this tip? There are lots more in Miss Mina Murray’s Little Book of Better Burlesque.

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

Published in: on 24 May 2019 at 3:26 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Friday Tip

Dear Constant Reader,

Once again it’s Friday and time for a tip!

Ballroom shoes need special care.

Ballroom dance shoes are wonderful. Their flexible suede soles give the dancer a lot of control, but they’re also more delicate than a hard leather-soled shoe. To make them last as long as possible, there are a couple of simple steps you can take.

First, only wear them while you’re performing or rehearsing, as you should with any dance shoe.

Brush the soles with a soft-bristled shoe brush after each wearing. This will remove any dirt and condition the suede, which gets compacted when you dance on it.

Use heel protectors. The heels of your shoes take a lot of pressure and wear out fast. These clear plastic caps that fit over the heel of your shoe. My new ballroom shoes (above) included the heel protectors in a cute little bag, but you can buy them separately too. Mine are plain plastic, but I’ve hear you can get ones with a suede bottom. They’re a little tight to get on, but you won’t have to take them off unless they need to be replaced.

M2Like this tip? There are lots more in Miss Mina Murray’s Little Book of Better Burlesque.

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

Published in: on 17 May 2019 at 2:33 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Friday Tip

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! I’ve been making pasties like crazy for all the Burly-Q Parties we have booked, so this tip came to mind.

If you make pasties frequently, make templates of your most-used shapes.

Pictured is my round pastie template, which is made it out of quilter’s template plastic. Paper templates, even cardstock, just weren’t durable enough for the number of pasties I make. Especially if you make shaped pasties or pasties in multiple sizes, a sturdy template is going to make your life so much easier.

M2Like this tip? There is more costuming information in Miss Mina Murray’s Little Book of Burlesque Costuming, Vol 1: The Foundations.

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

Published in: on 10 May 2019 at 3:26 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Friday Tip

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! Here’s your tip!

It’s everybody’s job to promote the show.

Few of us are lucky enough to work for shows with dedicated marketing people. While it’s true that the performer’s job is to perform, you don’t want to be doing it in an empty venue. And a producer will be more likely to book you again, if you prove you’re invested in the success of the show.

Since everyone has different pools of fans and different strategies for promoting, a multi-pronged approach is going be even more successful. Besides, to borrow an old saying, many hands make light work. A dozen people can get the word out more easily and efficiently than just one.

M2Like this tip? There are lots more in Miss Mina Murray’s Little Book of Better Burlesque.

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

Published in: on 3 May 2019 at 2:42 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Friday Tip

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! I try to make your tips positive rather than negative, that is “dos” instead of “don’ts”. This one, I just couldn’t figure out how to do it…

Never fly Spirit Airlines.

Mercifully, I’m not speaking from personal experience, but I’ve had a remarkable number of friends and loved ones swear off the airline. I know they’re often the cheapest option, but it’s not worth it if you’re constantly inconvenienced.

The complaints I’ve heard ranged from minor — the price wasn’t *that* low once you paid for all the necessary “extras” or the the seats are really uncomfortable — to major ones like seats resold, reservations vanishing, canceled flights with no rebooking for days, &c. And throughout it all the constant thread of poor or non-existent customer service.

When I flew to Atlanta last month (yes, there’s a missive on that trip in the works), I noticed that all the delayed or cancelled flights on the departures board were Spirit. And there were a lot of them. No other carrier had canceled a flight at that time.

So, to put a positive spin on this tip, what should you do instead?

I’m not going to recommend a specific airline, but you should pick one that works well for you, like it flies non-stop to places you often go or has perks you need (like a free checked bag). Fly it whenever you travel and watch your miles add up! If you can maximize your miles (without paying more), do so. I used to have my hotel loyalty program linked to my airline miles, so when I bought an plane ticket I got hotel points and vice versa. (I was so sad when they discontinued that!). Sometimes it’s worth it not to go for the absolute cheapest option to be sure you’ll get to your destination as planned or that someone can help you out when plans go awry.

No airline is perfect, but you can find one that’s better than Spirit!

M2Like this tip? There are lots more in Miss Mina Murray’s Little Book of Better Burlesque.

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page.

Published in: on 26 April 2019 at 2:37 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Friday Tip

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! Last week we had a pastie-making workshop for our apprentices and it put me in the mind of this tip:

When encrusting your pasties with rhinestones, use a metallic base fabric for extra sparkle.

I made this pastie with gold lamé under all those gold rhinestones. It’s barely noticeable between the stones, but you get more *GOLD* impact than if it were a non-metallic background.

M2Like this tip? There are lots more in Miss Mina Murray’s Little Book of Better Burlesque.

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page.

Published in: on 19 April 2019 at 3:04 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Friday Tip

Dear Constant Reader,

It’s a very sad day in the burlesque world. Last night, we lost one of our Legends, Satan’s Angel, The Devil’s Own Mistress, Queen of the Fire Tassels. She was a force of nature and an inspiration to many performers.

I was fortunate enough to meet her a couple of times, most notably at The Great Burlesque Expo in 2008, where she impressed everyone by twirling her fire tassels. “Tatas Flambé”, she called them. Now, she’d been told the venue didn’t allow fire, but that was Angel — she did exactly what she wanted, damn the consequences. Her energy on stage belied her age and years of hard living. I still have not seen anyone work a duster like she did.

Despite her intimidating stage presence, she was quite approachable. She spoke her mind, bluntly and completely unfiltered, and if you were smart, you listened.

Today I want to share some wise words from Mr. Scratch, from when we first learned that Angel was ill:

If you are in the world of burlesque, figure out the legend who is closest to you (I don’t mean geographically; the one who speaks to you as a performer) and reach out to them. Listen to them; learn from them.

We did not invent Burlesque. We inherited it. We cannot keep its flame alive if we do not know what that flame is.

Our Legends are a precious link to our history, and a dwindling resource. Cherish them.

Yours in sorrow,
M2

Published in: on 12 April 2019 at 3:32 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Friday Tip

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! Here’s your tip:

Consider using music from independent artists.

It can be a nice change of pace to use music from lesser-known artists, particularly local ones. You’re exposing your audience or students to something new and it’s a song probably few other burlesquers are performing to. It’s usually easier to get permission to use the song, and if you need to pay for rights, you’ll know the artists are getting more of the money than if you deal with ASCAP. Also, you may have an opportunity to cross-promote.

A few years ago we had a lot of fun performing with local musician Samantha Farrell. She sang for one of our existing routines and Stella created an act to one her original songs. It was a great creative exchange.

For B.A.B.E.’s recent Chair Dance 201 class, I created the students’ choreography to “Voodoo You” by burlesque performer Melody Sweets. Enjoy this snippet!

M2Like this tip? There are lots more in Miss Mina Murray’s Little Book of Better Burlesque.

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page.

Published in: on 5 April 2019 at 3:27 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Friday Tip

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! I’m off to Atlanta this weekend to perform in Coco Rosé’s show Evolution. I’m so excited! And now for your tip:

Leave a little looseness in your choreography for taking off costume elements.

Sometimes garments can come off on a precise beat and sometimes…. they need a little coaxing. I’m looking at you, stockings! Build in just a little extra time, so you don’t have to rush on those problematic items.

M2Like this tip? There are lots more in Miss Mina Murray’s Little Book of Better Burlesque.

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page.

Published in: on 29 March 2019 at 2:49 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Friday Tip

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! This week’s tip is a follow up to last week’s:

Making your own bath products is easy and fun.

Here’s my recipe for a simple bath fizz. This makes about a quarter of a cup and it doubles well.

Base
2 Tbsp. kosher salt
2 Tbsp. Epsom salts
2 Tbsp. baking soda
1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. citric acid

Then you can customize it with dried herbs and flowers, essential oils, and even color! This is my favorite blend:
2 drops lavender essential oil
2 drops purple food coloring (optional)
1 1/2 tsp. dried lavender

Lavender is very relaxing. Experiment with invigorating citrus or romantic rose. Try mint and/or eucalyptus for when you have a cold.

Moisture will cause premature fizzing, so keep all equipment dry and store bath fizz in a tightly-sealed container.

Place the salts in a bowl, add the essential oil and food coloring and mix well. Add the baking soda and citric acid, then crumble in the herbs.

To use, add a scoop to a warm bath and enjoy the fizz!

And if you don’t want the flowers floating in the water, just use last week’s tip!

M2Like this tip? There are lots more in Miss Mina Murray’s Little Book of Better Burlesque.

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page.

P.S. That is my bath tub and my vampire mini-rubber ducky. Someday I’ll make an excuse to show you the glorious mosaic that’s just out of frame.

Published in: on 22 March 2019 at 12:26 pm  Leave a Comment  
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