New Logo

Dear Constant Reader,

Back when we started B.A.B.E. we needed a logo quickly. Scratch threw together this image:

I like the laurel wreath (some of you know why) and that there was a Latin motto, as there should be, but I wasn’t crazy for the motto itself. It translated to “Life is too short to dance with ugly men”. Cute, funny and true, but not really the philosophy B.A.B.E. espouses. Still, done is good, as the sage said, and we used that image for a long time.

Recently, I decided it was time and put my Classicist training to work and created a new motto. Armed with that, Scratch created us a new logo:

I’m quite pleased with it.

M2

Published in: on 15 September 2014 at 3:18 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Latest News

Dear Constant Reader,

I bet you’re wondering what’s going on in the wonderful world of your humble correspondent. Or not, but I’m going to tell you anyway.

On Saturday afternoon, the Boston Babydolls have a private show down in Rhode Island. Depending on how tired I am after that, I might attend a gender-swapped staged reading of The Taming of the Shrew.

Monday night, March 31st, is Burlesque Through the Backdoor at The Burren in Davis Square. Door are at 7:30PM and tickets are $15 for general admission and $25 for reserved front row seats. We’ll be presenting a number of our favorite acts, with striptease, singing, tapdance and more. And you’ll see the debut of our backup dancers, Elyse and Olivia!

The very next day, April 1st (no fooling!) is The Teaseday Club! You’ll see burlesque from the hard-working Ginny Nightshade, Victoria Van Layer from The Beat City Beauties, and Cookie Queen Brigitte Bisoux. Also bellydance from Zia, comedy from Mike Lemme, and I’m sure Scratch will do something impossible again. Tickets have gone up to $15, but you can still buy them in advance (which makes things much easier on the box office gal) and support your favorite performer. [EDIT: Whoops! Ginny Nightshade will be performing in May. Stella Diamond will be appearing in April.]

Yes, that’s 3 shows in 4 days.

And B.A.B.E. continues to be busy! We have a brand-new website! It’s a work in progress, but what isn’t…

In April BABEfit is on Mondays at 6:00PM. Your lovely instructors will be Mandy, Brigitte Bisoux or Devora Darling, depending on which week it is. Registration is only $12 in advance and $15 at the door.

Introduction to Burlesque with Mandy follows at 7:00PM. The Early Bird Pricing is still in effect until next Monday — all 4 classes are only $85! Sign up now and save.

I’m sorry to say that “Putting It All Together” with Brigitte Bisoux is completely sold out. The lucky few who signed up are going to have an amazing time!

There’s a rumor that the next Beyond Basic Burlesque series is going to be on chair dance. I’ll keep you posted…

And that’s the news!

M2

Published in: on 25 March 2014 at 10:12 am  Comments (1)  
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B.A.B.E.fit

Dear Constant Reader,

If you follow me on Facebook, you’ve probably seen me going on and on about B.A.B.E.fit. What is it?

The Boston Babydolls begin each rehearsal with a warm up. Usually that means putting on a few songs and following Betty through drills of dances moves. Sometimes we do calisthenics (we love squats). It’s fun and challenging.

Someone had the bright idea of sharing this with students and so B.A.B.E.fit was born. Each class starts with a warm up and then progresses into a number of dance routines.

Don’t worry — this isn’t a full-on Boston Babydolls choreography; you’ll need to take one of Betty’s Beyond Basic Burlesque classes for that. We’ve taken some of our favorite songs and created little combinations to get your heart pumping. You don’t have to have any dance experience, just follow the instructor and have a good time. As you come again and again, you’ll get more familiar with the combinations and can start adding on — until we change them up. : )

Then we’ll go into floorwork to tone and strengthen, especially your core, butt, and legs. We finish it off with a cool down and relaxing stretch.

It’s fitness with a burlesque flair!

Classes in January are on Mondays at 6:30pm and Thursdays at 6pm. each class is $12 in advance and $15 at the door. You can register right here. To encourage you to register early, we’re going to pick one person who registers for a B.A.B.E.fit class before December 31st and give them a free 8-class punch card!

I hope you will join us in 2014 and get B.A.B.E. fit!

M2

Published in: on 23 December 2013 at 1:46 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Classes at B.A.B.E.

Dear Constant Reader,

I hope you won’t mind a brief commercial plug here. As you know, I run a modest school devoted to teaching ladies of all sorts to tease and tempt. We’ve got a few fabulous classes upcoming!

Every month we teach Introduction to Burlesque. It’s a four-week course that covers all the burlesque basics (and then some). The 90-minute classes are designed to stand alone, so you could take just one to try it out, but it’s more fun with all four (and we have a special Early Bird rate). Take it with Devora Darling on Mondays in November or Mandy on Thursdays in December.

Don’t have time to commit to an entire class series? Burlesque for Beginners will give you a grounding in the fundamentals in just two hours. We’re offering it on Thursday, October 24 at 7-9pm with Stella Diamond.

Once a year we offer Burlesque Your Way, in which Mr. Scratch and I guide students through creating their very own routine. Students who successfully complete the course can perform in The Original Newcomers’ Showcase at the Great Burlesque Exposition in February! The course is 5 weekly classes, starting on Thursday, January 2nd and requires Introduction to Burlesque, Burlesque for Beginners, or the equivalent.

Here are some of the graduates of Burlesque Your Way performing at The Expo in 2012 (photos by Chris McIntosh):

Amber

Amber Bu Táne
Dagny

Dagny Vanderlust

Lana del Legs

Strawberry

Strawberry MILFshake
Gigi

Delilah Spring
Pink Lily

Pink Lily

And speaking of the The Great Burlesque Exposition of 2014, applications to perform close on Halloween! I want to encourage everyone to go. There are amazing performers (including Angie Pontani, Bazuka Joe, and Perle Noire!), excellent classes, tons of shopping, and fun parties. You’ll be totally inspired. It’s a fabulous opportunity to grow as a performer or just enjoy a glitter-drenched weekend. Price for The Whole Shebang (that’s access to absolutely everything*) is currently only $175, but that’s not going to last.

I hope to see you at B.A.B.E. soon!

M2

*except Master Classes

Published in: on 16 October 2013 at 12:12 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Brief Pause

Dear Constant Reader,

I promise I will get back to my notes about The Expo, but I just spent a glorious long weekend in sunny Florida and need to take care of a little neglected business.

But I did want to let you know that you can see me at the first meeting of The Teaseday Club tonight at The Davis Square Theatre along with Alissa Coates, Amber Rane, Delilah Spring, Sally the Altar Boy, Stella Diamond, Vikki Likkerish and Ol’ Scratch.

Also, if you’re a dancer, actor, or any kind of movement-based performer, you want to take the Body Language for Performers Workshop at B.A.B.E. on Saturday. Joe Paul Williams is an amazing instructor — he will blow your mind and open your eyes. I cannot do his fabulousness justice, so just come take the workshop. At $35 for 3 hours, it’s a bargain and you’ll leave inspired. I promise.

M2

Published in: on 9 April 2013 at 9:42 am  Leave a Comment  
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E Pluribus Unum

Dear Constant Reader,


Please vote for The Boston Babydolls every day!

I was thrilled and surprised to learn that the folks at Rate Your Burn had named me one of Boston’s 16 best dance instructors for 2012!

So, why is my subject a Latin quote from the Great Seal of the United States, instead of something like “Hurray!” or “Yay!”? It means, as you all know, “From Many, One”* and I think the honor needs to go to the entire staff at B.A.B.E. because the excellence there does not come from any one of us (including me) alone.

So I want to thank all the Burly-Q Party hostesses, Introduction to Burlesque teachers, and Beyond Basic Burlesque instructors for making B.A.B.E. such a great place: Devora Darling, Evie Sphinx, Betty Blaize, Brigitte Bisoux, Stella Diamond, and Scratch.

Thank you for your skill, your enthusiasm, and your dedication. Onward & upward!

M2

* It comes from a Roman poem about cheese spread. Really. And the cheese is pretty tasty too.

Published in: on 21 February 2013 at 9:31 am  Leave a Comment  
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Officially Official

Dear Constant Reader,

As you may know, I run a humble Academy where we teach the gentle art of burlesque. It’s terribly, terribly fun — for the instructors as well as the students. Sometimes it’s hard to believe it’s a business, but a business it is. So amongst all the feathers and glitter, there are tax forms, contracts, and other bureaucratic items.

The other day, I got a long-awaited message from B.A.B.E.’s attorney who had navigated through the USPTO’s red tape on my behalf to make this happen:

uspto

Welcome to Boston Academy of Burlesque Education®!

M2

Published in: on 10 December 2012 at 10:53 am  Leave a Comment  
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2011 recap

Dear Constant Reader,

My friend Holly Rebelle of Burlesque Noir (New Mexico) recently blogged about her year past in burlesque and I thought it was a great idea. Let’s see how much I can remember.

January
The Boston Babydolls put on a light revue called Hot Dates with a calendar theme. Highlights for me are introducing my “Champagne on Ice” act and wearing my mink coat in the finale. Betty choreographs it such that at no time did the coat ever touch the ground, but was passed from hand to hand until hung up by the stage kitten.

February
Naked Girls Reading Boston participates in the chapter-wide theme of “Love Stinks!”, sponsored by Great Philosophers Who Failed At Love. We are the only group to have the (clothed) participation of the author.

March
Mr. Cupid’s House of Love brings us a couple of milestones. Evie Sphinx becomes an official troupe member. The sultry songstress Alissa joins us for her first show. I perform an aerial act. Scratch is in our finale, dancing.

April
The Expo! I finally perform my tribute to April March. I’m not sure I have ever been so nervous in my entire performing career, trying to do April’s act in front of her.
Also, the Boston Babydolls win “Best Burlesque” from the Boston Phoenix.
And we perform at the launch party for the new comic Teenage Satan.

May and June
We throw a victory party for our Best of Boston win from the Phoenix, but mostly we begin preparations for Madame Burlesque: An Evening of Tributes, our most ambitious show at the time. We launch a Kickstarter campaign, build a giant oyster, and have fabulous photos taken. But most importantly, we cast Brigitte Bisoux and Corinne Southern.

July
Madame Burlesque at home and on the road! It’s our first real tour and we have so much fun. 4 states in 4 weeks! Whose idea was it to bring a giant oyster? That thing doesn’t exactly pack small!

August
B.A.B.E. moves! A larger space, just down the hall, opens up in our building and we take it. Scratch spends most of the month turning it from drab industrial space to a lovely dance studio, including a new dance floor and storage room.

September
At long last The Wrathskellar has a home! After months of searching, Scratch finally finds a vacant storefront in which to build our creepy tavern. He and a very small team of talented carpenters along with a lot of very unskilled labor from the Babydolls do the impossible in about two weeks.

October
It’s all The Wrathskellar all the time. We come to see that dirty, chilly space as our second home. Also, the birth of Sunday Socials. We welcome Brigitte Bisoux as an official Boston Babydoll.

November
We win “Best Burlesque” from the Weekly Dig and arrive at their award party in Scratch’s 1956 Packard.
Scratch thinks it’s a good idea to hold the Burlesque Marathon again. Much sleep deprived fun is had by all.

December
Naked Girls Reading presents an epic marathon reading of A Christmas Carol. We had no idea it would take so long…

And what are we up to now? Getting ready for Unlucky in Love. Live music, live singers, partially-clad dancers!

Published in: on 9 January 2012 at 1:05 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Gift Giving

Dear Constant Reader,

The winter gift giving occasion of your choice is almost upon us. May I suggest a few ideas for those gifts to give?

The obvious answer is a class at The Boston Academy of Burlesque Education! Just send me an email and I can prepare a lovely gift certificate for one of our class series or even a private lesson.

If you’re a hands-on sort, consider taking our Fabulous Fascinators workshop and learn to make 2 beautiful hair ornaments, suitable for gifting (or keeping). Register right now — the workshop is tomorrow!

For a little something to get you in the holiday spirit, how about Naked Girls Reading: A Christmas Carol this Saturday? There are only about a dozen tickets left for this intimate event.

It’s never to early to think about Valentine’s Day. If you buy tickets now for Unlucky in Love, the Boston Babydolls’ next show, and use the code xmas you can get $20 tickets for half price.

But enough self-serving suggestions…

Personally, I feel the best present is a good book. I’m fortunate to count amongst my friends several talented authors. Please take a look at the Supporters section of the Boston Babydolls Library and consider one of the books (and ebooks) there. There’s science fiction, fantasy (of the sorcery variety), fantasy (of the erotic variety), true crime, history, paranormal romance, and at least one that defies categorizing. Something for everyone on your list!

Published in: on 12 December 2011 at 9:58 am  Leave a Comment  
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Opening the door

Dear Constant Reader,

As I may have mentioned, I run a modest burlesque academy. Until recently, quite modest. We’ve been occupying a small studio, but we love it because it’s all ours. The opportunity presented itself to move to a new space, just a few doors down, and we jumped on it. We decided to do all the nice things that we always wanted to with the old space, like improving the lighting and having a real wood dance floor.

The studio is so much larger that we have a reception area and a storeroom. When you first walk into the studio this is what you see:

That’s the door to the storeroom, where we keep our costumes and props. Nice, isn’t it? Scratch does very nice work. I bet you didn’t know that besides being our director and producer, Scratch was also a talented carpenter.

If you were to turn to your left, you’d see a lovely Queen Anne desk, eventually with a smiling hostess sitting behind it. For the moment, behind it is a bunch of frightening power tools.

As we progress, I’ll keep you updated. And if you’d like to see the studio in all its glory yourself, consider signing up for a class.

Yours,

Published in: on 12 September 2011 at 2:55 pm  Leave a Comment  
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