She started this heat wave
by letting her seat wave...
-- "Heat Wave" by Irving Berlin, sung by Marilyn Monroe
"Come on, ladies, get to know yourselves!" shouts instructor Sarah Feilders as she runs her hands over her body. This studio at the Westmount Y is full, and she is coaxing the women of her new Burlesque Dance class into motion.
Across town in a Plateau loft, Mademoiselle Oui Oui Encore smiles playfully as she demonstrates the proper way to caress one's fanny with a feather boa.
Whether for fun, fitness, or just to add a little pizzazz to their lives, the women of Montreal are embracing the burlesque fad that has swept across the continent. Blue Light Burlesque - Mlle Oui Oui Encore's troupe - was the first of its kind in Quebec when she started it a few years ago. Before long, audience members began approaching her to ask if she taught classes. She now teaches beginners and advanced students.
But burlesque should not be mistaken for just striptease or pole dancing; it's a return to a different aesthetic of sexuality. "It's more about seduction and attitude," she says. Instead of baring all or conforming to a homogenous beauty standard, "Every woman works with what she has, her own style and personality."
Burlesque was never offered at the Y before September, but it's already a success; there is little room in the studio as soccer moms, students, professionals and retirees gyrate their hips and shake their collective money makers.
When I join her beginner's class, I am asked to bring a skirt, heels, long gloves and a shirt that opens in the front (the boa is a loaner); by the 45-minute mark, I'm down to my skivvies. But the good Mademoiselle does not normally ask her students to jump in so quickly. This class has already been meeting for a month, during which time she has eased the students into it, making them more comfortable with their bodies and helping them to overcome shyness. Last August, in fact, her entire class agreed to appear onstage for a number during her show at Petit Campus.
The class at the Y is somewhat tamer; participants keep their clothes on and the focus is on movement. The window blinds are shut before each session to help students let go.
Burlesque was never offered at the Y before September, but it's already a success; there is little room in the studio as soccer moms, students, professionals and retirees gyrate their hips and shake their collective money makers. There's more to it than just getting a workout. "I want them to have fun, and feel sexy," says Feilders. "There's always something, whether it's work or family, and we don't take enough time for ourselves."
While their methods are very different, both teachers have the same goal for their burlesque classes; to help women take the time to get in touch with themselves. "I'm really proud of that," says Mlle Oui Oui Encore. "Even if it's just a different way of walking down the street?.By playing with sensuality and desire, every woman can come away with more confidence in herself." Sarah Feilders agrees. "You don't have to be thin and perfect to feel sexy," she says. "It's inside you."
When a burlesque dancer takes the stage, the focus is on the character that she brings to her performance, not her physical assets. So if you want in on the burlesque movement, come on, ladies. Get to know yourselves.
More Information
- Mlle Oui Oui Encore is offering classes in the Plateau area beginning in January 2007. For more information on courses and upcoming shows, visit http://www.bluelightburlesque.com
- Burlesque dance is open to all members of the YMCA. For more information, call (514) 931-8046 or visit www.ymcamontreal.qc.ca
- Did you know? Burlesque in its original form was more than just girls taking off their clothes. It was an entire theatrical genre from the 19th to the mid-20th century that incorporated dancing, satire and bawdy comedy routines. These shows were intended for the masses, and provided strong competition to the vaudeville circuit. The English and French word burlesque is derived from the Italian burlesco, a form of the word burla meaning joke or mockery.
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