Oh, The Glamourous Life!

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! Today’s tip is the flip side of last week’s tip. Here it is:

Go back to basics.

If you’re a veteran of your craft, you can still improve it by returning to the fundamentals of it. Perhaps you’ll see something new, try a different method, or otherwise hone your skills. Basic skills are the foundations of any art. It’s always worth it to return to them to further refine your technique.

Like 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.

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! Here’s your tip!

Learn to walk before you try to run.

I know it’s tough to start with the basics when you just want to jump in the deep end. Begin at the beginning and learn the skills you need to have a solid foundation. Your learning experience will be a lot less frustrating.

Like 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.

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! Here’s your tip!

Name your acts.

A lot of people just use the name of the song they are performing to as the name of the act. There’s nothing wrong with that. But by giving your act another name, you make it uniquely yours. Don’t be just another “I Want To Be Evil”. If you use more than one song in your routine, it’s just easier to refer to the act by a single name, particularly when dealing with a producer or client.

Sometimes acts develop working titles that are descriptive, but strive for something you’d like an MC to announce. I think it sounds more polished and professional to say “Brigitte Bisoux in ‘Still Life'” rather than “Here’s Brigitte’s Fruit Bowl Act!”. Also, your act name can set audience expectations by creating a mood.

The name doesn’t have to be particularly creative, just look at Dita — she has an act called “Le Bain” aka “The Bath”, which tells you exactly what you’re getting. But you can also have fun with it and maybe make a play on the title of the song, like “Betty, It’s Cold Outside“.

I have an act that we just called “Three for the Show” for months, after the song I used. Plenty of people use that music, so I wanted a new name — something that highlighted the classic style, the pale colors, or the prominent use of a fur stole. I finally hit upon “Mina in Furs”. A little literary joke (perfect with my literary name) and a bit of sensuality.

And here I am discarding said fur at the Winnipeg International Burlesque Festival.

Photo by Dano Tanaka

Like 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.

Dear Constant Reader,

It’s Friday again! Time for a tip!

When taking off a pair of garments, you don’t have to remove them at the same time. Except for shoes.

If you’re stripping out of gloves or stockings or anything else that comes in a pair, you can take off only one and then delay removing the other. The asymmetry and anticipation can make your audience wild.

However, if you’re removing your shoes, they really both need to come off at the same time. There is nothing sexy about walking with only one shoe on. Arrange your shoe removal so that you don’t have to take a single step until both feet are on, shall we say, equal footing.

Photo by Kenneth Ingham at ABurlyQ 2017.

Like 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.