Student Showcases, 4/26 & 5/4

Dear Constant Reader,

The culmination of our Burlesque Your Way class is a Student Showcase, to give the graduates the opportunity to show off their hard work in front of their adoring friends and family.

This year, we had two! One at our favorite haunt, Deacon Giles in Salem, and the other, a little closer to home, at Rooted Cafe at Arts at the Armory in Somerville.

Both went so well, despite a few hiccups. We had arranged for an excellent stage kitten to give the performers a good experience, but she came down with the flu. So, I volunteered to kitten the show. Actually, several of the students did as well, but I told them all that their job was just to be performers.  I’ll be honest — it was a bit of a relief not to host. Scratch is much better than I am at it. And we had Marek on sound and lights which meant we could relax completely about that.

The students looked amazing, both shows, and the audience loved it. I’m so proud of everything they accomplished! Six weeks to create an act and everything associated with it is an amazing feat for a new performer (and even for some veteran performers).

I tried to get some photos but didn’t do so well. A few of these are screen captures from video, so kinda terrible quality, but I hope it gives you a faint idea of these acts.

Hecha La SexyHecha La Sexy: Mira Que Eras Linda (Najwa)
For those that don’t speak Spanish, “hecha la sexy” is slang for “she’s all that” and she certainly was! The song was in Spanish and her moves were Latin dance inspired. I loved how she used her gloves to “talk” at the beginning of the song. The gossiping gloves were soon stripped away.

Farrah SancerreFarrah Sancerre: You Know That I’m No Good (Amy Winehouse)
Farrah cuts an impressive figure and even more so with fur stole, slinky black dress, and bad-ass attitude. Besides being quite tall, she has rather long hair that she took down in a dramatic reveal.

Kitty DiamondKitty Diamond: Devil in Disguise (Elvis Presley)
This was Kitty’s second time going through Burlesque Your Way and she went in a different direction. She entered as a lovely angel with feather fan wings and gradually transformed into a devil.

Siski SlutskiSiski Slutski: Babooshka (Kate Bush)
Siski wasn’t able to be in the Salem show and I’m so glad they could be in the Somerville show. “Babushka” means “grandmother” in Russian and also refers to a scarf tied under the chin. The headscarf never came off, but everything else did, in a show of aggressive power.

Geminatrix: Femme Fatale (Twin Temple)
Clad in black leather, Geminatrix took control of the stage. The hot pink riding crop was a bold choice — it contrasted very well with the costume, keeping the prop visible (I’ve warned you about black costumes before) and sounded very dramatic whacking against a boot.

Lani CakesLani Cakes: You Look Like Rain (Morphine)
Lani was one of the BeauTease apprentices last fall, so this was the second solo she has created with our guidance. Her smashing feather-bedecked gown was a lucky thrift store find. I am such a sucker for a good stocking peel and Lani did lovely ones, along with some floorwork.

Nefertitty: Dark Lady (Cher)
Nefertitty also took Burlesque Your Way last year. Like her first act, she worked with a large silk veil. This time she went for high drama as a mysterious fortune teller pulling cards out of nowhere.

Esmerelda: Feelin’ Good (Michael Bublé)
Esmerelda’s international travel kept her from either show, but this is where she would have been in the line-up. I did some one-on-one work with her shortly before so I got to see the act.mIt was a slow and slinky with a boa and a bra made out of ropes of pearl. I hope she has a change to perform it as has a very impressive finale trick which I won’t spoil.

Henny PennyHenny Penny: Fever (Peggy Lee)
Henny had a great noir vibe and impeccable comic timing. She gets points for best homemade prop. I hope I’m not spoiling anything to say it’s a banana — an oversized rhinestoned banana with a zipper. How she uses it, I’ll leave as a mystery.

I closed things out with one of my standard acts — a dressing gown strip into a fan dance. I was so excited at the Somerville show because I had just gotten my fans back from Donna Touch.

As part of the curtain call we gave everyone certificates of completion and “rising star” pins. Here we all are!
Group picture
I can’t say enough how proud I am of everyone and I look forward to seeing them on stage again!

M2These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 19 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 June 2025 at 6:27 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Stripper’s Holiday, November 2023

Dear Constant Reader,

I found this in my drafts folder. Whoops!

Five years ago I attended Michelle L’amour’s Stripper’s Holiday. Follow the link to read about that experience and what exactly is a stripper’s holiday.

I was so excited when I heard she was offering SH again. There was so much interest, she decided to run two sessions and offered me a spot in the November one, which worked well with my schedule. Last time we were in Los Angeles, but Michelle now lives in Las Vegas. I haven’t been there in at least ten years!

I had a very easy flight (direct from Boston), which left in the afternoon. That was so weird — I’m used to getting up in the middle of the night for pre-dawn trips to the airport. Then I met up with Tessa Trueheart from upstate New York, who had been on the same flight and we waited for Red Velvet to arrive from San Francisco. Red was the only person, other than Michelle, that I knew in this group. In a lot of ways that was good — going into this with a mostly-rasa tabula.

Michelle picked us up and took us back to her place. Las Vegas sure has changed since I was last there! It been over a decade at least. There definitely wasn’t a stadium before…

Michelle’s rather swanky apartment complex had a guest suite, where we were staying. It worked out extremely nicely that it happened to be right next door to her apartment. Once there we met Dinah Dare, from Glasgow, Scotland, who was barely awake. The rest of us weren’t much better and went to bed soon after meeting Lavendelle, from Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Demi Entendre from Tulsa, Oklahoma who were staying in Michelle’s living room. There was supposed to be one more person, but she unfortunately had Covid and canceled.

For the next four days, we would go over to Michelle’s in the late morning for breakfast and receive the food tour. That is, there were a lot of options spread out over the kitchen (we had a number of people with food restrictions and Michelle has her own requirements) from which one could assemble their plate. No one went away hungry. 

At noon we were in the studio where we were joined by our fellow strippers, who were locals: Meilani Venus, Glitter Ginger, and Buttercup. For the next four hours we worked. Hard.

Every session started with a warmup. Then we’d work on technique or learn a choreography. These were real challenges, as befit an advanced workshop. I was sweating so much as we drilled our boa choreography that bits of ostrich feather were sticking to me in a not particularly sexy fashion. 

Each day three people would present a routine for feedback from Michelle. I was in the first group with Dinah and Buttercup. Performing for other performers is always nerve-wracking, but performing for Michelle freaking L’amour, knowing you’ll get critique is a whole nother level. Yes, I know that’s what I was there for, but my lizard brain wouldn’t stop freaking out.

After everyone performed and got their feedback, we would have a relaxing movement session to close things out and go back to Michelle’s for dinner. Once again we had the food tour and many delicious options. I am definitely making the butternut squash stelline “risotto” sometime.

On the last day, everyone performed their acts again for a final round of feedback. We also received Michelle’s initial notes from when she viewed our videos, so we could really see how far we’d come.
Last day in the studio
It wasn’t all hard work! Although I was still on East Coast time and was pleased that I could stay awake until 10pm, others went on nighttime excursions. One night some folks went to The Haunted Museum, and the next to Lost Spirits Distillery to see Michelle perform. I stayed behind with the others for snacks and conversation before climbing into bed to do my crossword puzzle. I am such a party animal.

I did join everyone for dinner at Tacotarian, a vegan taco restaurant. I’m not a big fan of fake meat, but there were some purely veggie offerings and the batter-fried avocado tacos were delightful! Tacoterian
Then drinks at Stray Pirate, a dog-pirate themed bar (trust me — it worked). The decor was excellent, but it was crowded and very noisy. I hear the drinks were excellent, but I knew even one cocktail on top of jet lag and a very physical day would put me out. I was just about getting tired of standing and having trouble hearing anyone when a table opened up. I ended up having an excellent conversation with Demi. Stray Pirate
The last night we all went to The Fluff Follies at The Mint Tavern. I hadn’t seen Audrey Deluxe since I did Burlesque Bingo in The Before Times. The show was fun — fluffy like the name implied — and had some creative acts and talented performers. It was inspiring to see Michelle perform with her huge fan. 

The highlight for me was that Tiffany Carter was in the audience! It was so good to see her. She, Demi, and I all have something in common, which isn’t something I talk about muchMina, Demi, and Tiffany Carter

The last day was travel day. Some of my fellow strippers were gone before I even woke up. Those that remained — Dinah, Demi, me, and Michelle — spent some leisurely time in the hot tub, before Michelle drove Dinah and me to the airport for the long flights back to reality.
Hot tub
I was back in my own bed before 2am.

As for my act and some overall thoughts about the event, you’ll have to wait. Hopefully not another six months…

M2These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 20 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 23 May 2024 at 2:45 pm  Leave a Comment  
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New Apprentices

Dear Constant Reader,

I have been simply terrible about introducing our apprentices to you!

Just to remind you, every six months or so, we have auditions for apprentices — people interested in a more intensive burlesque experience. Apprentices learn routines, costuming, production, &c. Basically whatever we’re able to teach. In exchange, they help us out with shows and things. The apprenticeship usually culminates in a solo act presented in one of our shows.

Some of our apprentices have gone on to be successful performers, like Jeannie Martini and Ingride Denise. Some have even joined the troupe! Both Devastasia and Ava started as apprentices.

Our current apprentices were thrown into the deep end — The Expo — and I’m pleased to say they survived.

IMG_1563

From left to right: Coco, Sharon Everything*, Phoebe Star, and Vivienne Kitt

You’ll be seeing some of them on stage during Secrets of the Illuminaughty on July 8!

*You might recognize Sharon as part of the group of apprentices who debuted in the opening act of Alice in Underwearland. They also had their solo debut at The Expo, as well as appearing in two group numbers, hosting the Rhinestone Revue, and stage managing The Bordello. And they still wanted to renew their apprenticeship for another term…

M2These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 19 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 12 June 2023 at 5:30 pm  Leave a Comment  
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New Fans (sort of)

Dear Constant Reader,

I’ve not been the best of correspondents of late and for that I am sorry. I just haven’t had the inspiration to write. Today I realized that I never told you about my white fans.

If you’ve seen me perform, you’ve probably seen my white feather fans. I commissioned them from The Scarlett Rose (who also made my black and white ones) and first performed with them in V for Vixen in December 2009.

They had single white plumes on bamboo staves. Back then your choices for fan staves were bamboo or acrylic (probably from Ostrich.com). My hands are small, so I was very happy for the bamboo, which is lighter and sat better in my hand. She painted the staves white, then covered the front and back staves with a single piece of white trim which made a carrying loop. As a finally touch, she decorated that trim with rhinestones. I added more rhinestones to the shafts of the front plumes.

Ugly Duckling Fan DanceThis photo by Charles Jones, from my Ugly Duckling fan dance during Bumps Upon a Grind is one of my favorites.

I used those fans a lot over the years. I lost the nut on one pair and couldn’t find a replacement the right size, so I had to replace the whole bolt and it was too long. One of the staves cracked and I mended it with cloth tape. The fancy trim got grimy from my hands.

This year I finally decided to take the plunge and have Donna Touch upgrade them. Fan tech has come a long way since 2009 and bamboo or acrylic are no longer the only options. Donna makes staves from light-weight aluminum and powder coats them pretty much any color you could want. She carefully removed the plumes, which were glued to the staves, and moved them over to white aluminum staves and added another row of feathers. Check out her fine work here.

I debuted them at Burlesque with a Band in February. Here they are in action!

Mina 02-03-22

They’re quite a bit bigger now and slightly heavier, but so full and lush!

The slick aluminum staves took a little getting used to after the rougher bamboo, as did the new size. After using them for most of the year now they’re an extension of my hands again, 

rhinestones backI was missing the rhinestone decorations that The Scarlett Rose had done (I removed the bits of trim before I sent the fans to Donna), but the fronts of these staves are almost completely covered with feathers. However, the stave backs were bare. I pavéd them with rhinestones (from Looking Glass Gems) and continued up the feather shaft. The picture doesn’t capture how sparkly they actually are! (The gaps are for the holes where the wire is securing the feathers to the stave.) (And my feathers need a steam.)

So, a brief bit of real talk — a conversation I have with my students frequently — fans are an investment. I paid quite a bit for the original custom-made set in 2009 and twice that for the conversion in 2022. Now, I used the original set for 12 years and I’ve used the new version in most of my shows this year, so I don’t begrudge any of the expense. However, I hate to see new dancers take the plunge and then discover fan dancing isn’t for them.

That said, I would recommend Donna’s fans for any serious fan dancer. They’re light, they’re strong, and they’re beautifully made. I’m dreaming of a set of her boa fans. Maybe some day…

M2

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 17 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 7 December 2022 at 5:22 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Practicing Improvisation

Dear Constant Reader,

Tonight we have our first show with a jazz quartet at Flying Embers!

When working with live music, you have to be prepared for anything to happen and may need to improvise. Betty happens to be a master of improvisational dance. But being able to improvise takes practice. I know that sounds a little contradictory, but it’s true. I was part of a commedia dell’arte troupe and we improvised entire plays from a mere tissue of an outline. We also rehearsed a lot. So that when we really needed to create an entire play out of nothing on no notice (someday I’ll tell you my September 11th story — it’s long, but worth it) we could do it and it would be one of the best thing we ever did. But back to the burlesque.

Last night Betty gave us a lesson on improvisation in burlesque. She discussed some of the situations one might end up in, like finding your place in the music when the arrangement isn’t exactly what you expected. She ran some exercises and we all contributed some ideas. The key, of course, is that the audience should never know anything is amiss. I think three out of the four of us at rehearsal last night have some experience with live music, but the practice was welcome, especially right before a show.

Want to see how we do? Join Betty and me tonight! Can’t make it? We’ll be livestreaming through FaceBook.

M2These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 15 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 20 January 2022 at 11:46 am  Leave a Comment  
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Burlesque with a Band

Dear Constant Reader,

As you might recall, last month we performed at Flying Embers Taproom and Social Club. (If you don’t recall, here’s a reminder).

We’re coming back, every other Thursday, starting next week, and we’re going to have live music!

It’s going to be a relaxed evening. Listen to the fabulous jazz quartet, have some delicious beverages (how about some hard kombucha?), and watch a couple of burlesque acts over the course of the night. And it’s free! (tipping is always welcome!) Don’t forget to bring proof of vaccination! This is per the City of Boston, so please don’t give the staff a hard time about it.

The first night, January 20, will feature Betty Blaize and me! We’ll be mixing it up every show, so you’ll get a different pair of dancers each time.

This past Monday we got to rehearse in the space with the band for the first time. Big thanks to Ashley who gave up her night off to let us do so! The chance to work with a band for a series of shows is wonderful. We can play off one another, especially when we get to know each other’s style a bit more.

Betty is the best of us for this. She’s a skilled improvisational dancer and, as a musician herself, knows how to communicate what she wants to the band. It’s a joy to watch her. As it turned out, she brought two costumes (we’ll each be doing two acts per night), but the band had three songs ready. This did not perplex her at all and she did a costume mash-up for the last song.

We’re also performing in the center of the floor, so there’s potential audience all around the room. We’ve got to make sure everyone gets a good view. It was so helpful that Ashley and her friends sat at some of the tables to give us some practice.

I’m really excited for these shows! Please join us on the 20th and every other week thereafter!

M2These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 14 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 12 January 2022 at 12:51 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Performing Live Again

Dear Constant Reader,

The BeauTease have our first live show* on Saturday! We’ve been performing throughout the Long Intermission — five recorded shows (and I’m pretty proud of how much better they got as time went on), but it’s not the same thing. Performing for a camera is not like performing for people. Live means no reshoots and no clever editing — what you see is what you get. Nobody is going to be watching the recording later; the audience that shows up that night is the total audience we have.

We went back to rehearsing twice a week. Besides dusting off our acts, we are also refreshing the rhythms of a show. Although we’ve kept practicing our dance moves and routines, that’s only part of what makes up a show. We have to remember how to set up the backstage, the most efficient way to change costumes between acts, how to engage the audience and react to their reactions, how to support one another before and during the performances, what equipment to bring.

It’s a brand new venue for us — upstairs from the American Burlesque Collection. So exciting! Scratch and Hunter have been working in the theatre to improve the lighting (and possibly other things that I don’t know about). We’ve left plenty of time in the schedule to try out the stage and figure out the quirks and advantages, but still there are likely to be some surprises (not necessarily a bad thing). 

It’s the magic of live theatre! I hope you will join us on Saturday! (VIP tickets get you a tour of the new museum exhibit before the show!)

M2These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 14 Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

*Full disclosure, there were two live performances in early spring this year — one just me and one with the troupe. Both were small, private birthday parties, with safety precautions, but it was still very stressful and only served to remind me what I was missing so badly.

Published in: on 30 June 2021 at 11:44 am  Leave a Comment  

Creating Choreography for BABE

Dear Constant Reader,

True confession time. I do not like creating choreography. It doesn’t come easily to me and it’s not particularly fun. However, it’s a good teaching tool and students seem to like learn routines as much (if not more) as building skills. How about a peek behind the curtain of my process for the new one I’m teaching on Thursday?

A choreography for teaching is very different than one for performing. I want something easy enough to teach in a limited time, but still challenge the students, have a variety of moves/skills, incorporate modifications as necessary, and be fun. The one in question also needs to evoke Valentine’s Day.

Because I don’t enjoy creating choreography, I dawdle and dally and then have to scramble madly. This time,  I vowed to have my shapely butt in gear and make Valen-Tease a quality class without making myself crazy. It didn’t hurt that a whole bunch of students registered as soon as the class was announced. (Want in? There’s still room.)

I set a deadline of having the whole thing completed by the Sunday before the class (this past Sunday) so I could show it to the BeauTease and get feedback. I had a concept, which is what I announced — a sensual striptease out of a robe, stockings and heels, done partially on a bed or couch. Then I needed music that would fit the bill; something it the 3-minute range, since I have just an hour to teach. Scratch made some suggestions, one of which inspired me to use a different song by the same artist.

Song acquired, I broke it down into sections and sketched out my ideas for each part. Then I got into costume and tried it out. And changed things, and tried again, and changed things, again and again, until something solid and reproducible emerged. It’s a tedious process. At least for me.

At last I had something I was wiling to show other people.  As luck would have it, our in-person rehearsal was moved on-line because of the snowstorm, so I could show the troupe from the room where I would be teaching. They gave me some feedback and made some suggestions based on my demonstration. Then we all did it together and gave me some more thoughts.

A little more work and it’s ready for class on Thursday! Except that I’ll probably make a few tweaks while teaching, since no choreography survives contact with students.

Perhaps you’ll join me….

M2These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 14 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 9 February 2021 at 4:05 pm  Leave a Comment  
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BurlyCon 2020: Scene Studies

Dear Constant Reader,

The very first thing I participated in at BurlyCon was the Master Scene Studies.

This year BurlyCon held their first Master Class track. As the name might imply, these were more in-depth classes for performers with a certain amount of experience. One had to apply to participate in the Master track and one of the questions was if you wanted to participate in the scene studies. I checked “yes” without even really thinking about and assuming I woudn’t be chosen and then promptly forgot about it.

I was therefore slightly panicked when I got the email that I had been accepted to present an act for the scene study. I had no idea what act I wanted feedback on. Scratch suggested “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve” as it’s been dormant for a year and I’d be performing it for The BeauTease Holiday Special.

We each submitted video of the act (or you could perform live, but no one did). Mine was from Brrrlesque at Deacon Giles two years ago and while you could get the gist of the act, it wasn’t great video. Then the participants and any other interested Masters gathered at the appointed time. Our wonderful moderator, Champagne Sparkles, would play the video and then our very skilled facilitator, Fosse Jack, structured the discussion. Each performer got about half an hour to receive feedback, which was given both spoken and in the chat.

I was so nervous. I was scheduled last and while I’m glad I didn’t go first, I was sweating until my turn.

The feedback was excellent. Because we were all experienced performers, there was no hand-holding or ego-stroking, just direct and kind suggestions for improvement. It got pretty granular too. And these were good acts to start with, no matter what we thought of our individual performances, they were all solid and skilled and worthy to be on stage (it’s really hard for me to write that about myself, because we are all our own worst critics).

The really valuable part came next. We had about 4 days to incorporate the feedback and film the act (or prepare to perform it live) before meeting again. Champagne sent each of us the video of our feedback section and any comments from the chat, so we had that to refer to. The challenge for me was getting some halfway decent video.

I set up my camera in the living room and hoped for the best. My first attempt had autofocus going berserk. In the second I was partially out of frame for some of it. I was out of time and figured I’d have to perform live. Then I realized the noon deadline for submitting videos was Pacific time and I had three hours more than I thought. I recruited Scratch to set up the camera, so I’d at least avoid the issues I had trying to shoot alone. It was much better (even if you can hear him doing …. something … off camera during the act).

We regrouped, not exactly all the same people as the previous session, but mostly the same. In the same order as last time, we watched the new videos and got another round of commentary. It was so interesting to see what changes the performers had incorporated. And every act was that much better.

There were definite advantages to doing this in a virtual format.  Long ago I participated in a Peer Review at BurlyCon and it’s hard to hear feedback right after you’ve performed, even if that’s what you’re there for. At least for me; I’m still in performance headspace. By submitting video, especially video of something I performed almost two years ago, I could be a little more dispassionate. And I could see myself instead of being in myself, if that makes sense.  Having just watched the act with an outside eye, it was easier to absorb the feedback.

One of the presenters filmed two different endings for her act (plus a hilarious blooper), something she couldn’t have done easily live,. Because I was going to be performing my act on video in roughly where I had filmed it, some of the feedback was suggestions for filming or editing. Most importantly, having to immediately put the feedback into use and then revisit the act was so valuable, and impossible if we’d been in-person for  long weekend

I attended the following session, where I could relax and just watch the performances without stressing about my own. Unfortunately I could only attend the initial meeting, as I had a conflict during the revisit. I’m so curious about how those three acts turned out!

If you’re curious about how my act turned out, tune in to The BeauTease Holiday Special, dropping in less than two weeks!

M2These 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 2 December 2020 at 3:16 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Thoughts on Teaching Remotely

Dear Constant Reader,

I decided to close the studio on March 17th. For the rest of the month, I tried to figure out how to move forward. I decided to teach remotely and I’ve been doing so on two platforms.

I started with mini-lessons on Instagram Live. After trying a few things, I settled down to a schedule of every Wednesday at 3pm. We’ve turned the library into a studio and it’s working pretty well. We’re not really actively using it for anything else and it’s got a lot of natural light (hence the mid-afternoon broadcast). Previously I tried shooting in our dining room, but it’s darker and the chandelier is just a terrible lighting source.

IG Live is very weird. I know people are out there, but the only way we interact is if they comment, which I can’t read in real time because my phone is set up too far away for my myopic eyes. I’m so used to seeing my students and tailoring the lesson based on their feedback, both verbal and physical.

After I finally figured out how to save Live videos (that first floorwork class is gone forever — probably for the best…), Scratch is doing a little editing to make them pretty and they’re going up on IGTV and YouTube. I’m cringing a little afterwards at how any time I say “um” or have to stop and think about what I’m doing next, even with prep or just forget to introduce myself.

I agonized about how to handle my regular classes. After all, people had already paid for classes and I figured they also needed a little distraction, some fun. I got a pro Zoom account and learned how to use it on my tablet (I don’t own a laptop). I tried running classes from my dining room (as mentioned above) and finally decided to use the B.A.B.E. studio. So, once a week, I drive to the empty office building and lock myself in at The Arts Nexus. Scratch set up some lighting in the smaller studio and I bring a stand for my tablet.

My April students have been great! Their enthusiasm really bolsters my spirits. They’ve been taking some of the clunkier aspects of class — like the costume show and tell — in stride. Again, teaching is challenging. I have everyone set up in a grid view, so I can kind of keep an eye on what they’re doing while I teach, but really I have to get close and peer at the screen to check on their progress. Also, everyone is muted unless they have a direct question, so I get a lot of silent thumbs up, when I check in. I desperately miss the in-person interaction.

I decided that everyone who had registered for class prior to the shut down could take that class on-line, but also in-person once we reopened, whenever that would be. Some have opted to wait for studio classes. I hope it’s not too long…

For the May Intro classes, I’ve introduced an on-line only price. I’m hoping people who have always wanted to take a class, but live too far away or couldn’t afford the full price can join in.

I’m also planning a series of one-hour workshops for those who don’t want to make the commitment of a multi-part course (or just don’t don’t have the attention span right now). I’m thinking of making these donation-based rather than a set price.

Speaking of money (which I rarely do), at the moment I’m teaching for free. Yes, the Bite-Sized Burlesque lessons on Wednesdays are and will remain free on social media for as long as I run them. I mean, I’m not getting paid right now for the regular classes, although my student have all duly paid their registration fees.

Right after I closed the studio in March, I got am email from my ticketing company. They were overwhelmed with cancelations and refunds and reduced staffing, &c. All outstanding checks were being canceled and would be reissued in 14-21 days. Unfortunately, that message came several days after I had deposited my checks. So, the checks bounced and the bank hit me with fees. And I haven’t heard anything about when those payments will be reissued nor when payment for the April classes will come. It’s convenient to run registrations through this company and we have a long-standing (and usually great) business relationship, but if they’re going to hold my money indefinitely, I’ve got to find another solution.

The tl;dr of it is: I miss my students and I’m trying my best to put burlesque lessons out into the world, but it’s a challenge.

M2These 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 22 April 2020 at 1:37 pm  Leave a Comment  
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