Honey and Spice: Sensual and Fierce Burlesque with Jo Weldon

The Honey & Spice instructional video explores two styles of burlesque: Sensual and Fierce. Burlesque is a sophisticated theatrical art with a long history, many subgenres and a wide range of flavors from classic to neo-burlesque. Burlesque combines elements of acting, modeling and dance. It cultivates confidence, bold femininity, and a sense of humor.

Created by Jo Weldon, the Headmistress and Founder of the New York School of Burlesque, the program features two burlesque routines set to authentic burlesque music. The emphasis of both routines is on understanding the art of concealing and revealing. While burlesque has its own classic moves and steps, any burlesque routine can be personalized by adding steps from your favorite form of dance or from other variety arts.

The Honey routine is a tantalizing, sensual dance, performed with a feather boa. It is playful, funny, and very graceful. You will learn how to work with the boa, how to peel off your gloves, how to interact with your audience, and how to be sexy and confident on stage.

The Spice routine is based on the burlesque staple, Bump & Grind. It is high-energy, sexy, rhythmic, and glamorous. You will learn different types of bumps, various burlesque walks, and classic burlesque poses. In the Spice routine you will also learn how to project the burlesque attitude, that sexy confidence you need to amaze and charm any audience.

Jo demonstrates the routines and then breaks down each section step-by-step. Every routine consists of 5 combinations. The DVD chaptering allows you to navigate easily between combinations, both in the demonstrations and in the breakdowns, for easy review and practice.

Additional technique and practice sections include a warmup, a sensual burlesque movement series, and the basics of bump & grind. Jo also discusses burlesque costumes and offers tips for using certain special items of clothing as props: You will learn how to make a theatrical event out of peeling off your stockings and gloves, and taking off your corset. Special DVD Extras demonstrate the basics of Tassel Twirling and show different types of pasties and how to attach them.

Both routines in this program are based on the classic burlesque [striptease] tradition. Jo teaches moves she learned from women who performed burlesque in the 1930s through the 1960s. Jo's fascination with classic burlesque brought her to study with Dixie Evans, Sherry Britton, Tura Satana, Satan's Angel, Dee Milo, Toni Elling, and other legends of burlesque. Jo Weldon is the Co-Executive Director of Education for The Burlesque Hall of Fame, Las Vegas, as well as the Coordinator of The Burlesque Master Class at Coney Island, where the best of New York's amazing neo-burlesque performers come together to present their most outrageous and iconoclastic acts.