Tease of Class
Session Goals
Start where you are and end up a star in your own eyes: Patty Cake leads you on a journey to amplify your confidence, smooth out your sexy skills, and dive into the character of your dreams. Open and accepting of all people.
This class series will begin where you are and give you a base, a springboard, for further exploration of burlesque as a dance form, as a character study, as act creation, and as implementation.
Each individual concept could easily be its own class. This is only the beginning! Based on interest, more specific classes may be offered in the future.
"Sexiness is the embodiment of you living in your truth." Perle Noire
Check out the playlist of songs we've used here:
Abs and Arms
Oh, my goodness! I wanted to warm up our abs with this video and noticed after stopping that I added a set to the total! What a workout!
Roll down 4 counts, hands to floor popping feet out to plank then tucking left leg under to send both legs to the right 4 counts
Swishes to left, right, left 4 counts each, swish into windmill right to left then left to right 4 counts each
stabilize feet and hands to pop hips up into a wide triangle shape then stroke up your right leg 4 counts
Stretches
A little stretch for after all those abs and arms! Remember to do the other side of the splits stretches at the end because the video cuts out due to not enough space... Whoops!
Combination to Joan Jett
Let's get into it! This compact combination has some improv elements plus some more specific choreography to really sink your teeth into. The initial character feeling is that of impatience and readiness to act.
Audience group along the mirror for focal points during the combo
Intro 4 x 8s- entrance in stalk strut walk, heavy, intentional, looking to audience/other dancers and changing directions/ eye contact, ending in upstage line facing US wide legs, arms crossed over torso
With verse- hips to right 2cts, hips bump slow right 2cts, reverse to left, half circle hips back and around to right 4cts, reverse circle in 3cts while pivoting to face upper DS and popping right foot forward forced arch knees bent, hip bump right on a4.
Uncrossing arms to feel torso 3 cts, snap back to covered on 4, hips figure 8 into plie 2 cts down/ 2 cts up, uncrossing arms and feeling torso with arch 6 cts, kick Left leg sassy ronde de jambe en l’air count 7, step across and side & 8
Insecurity
This combination begins internally focusing on insecurities while remaining still but expressive. Over the course of the beginning few phrases, the dancers examine then work through/decide that they are more than their insecurities. Much sexiness follows.
Intro, 8 cts- standing still but emotive of recognizing insecurities
Theme, 32 cts/ 4 x 8s- physically examining insecure pieces of self physically or gesturally for emotional/mental
Break, 16 cts/ 2 x 8s- moving downstage and with purpose but not seductively- step R, touch L, step L, touch R, send R leg to side while bending L and hinge over at hips arms dropping down, snap head up on 1 of second 8, 7 counts to arch up with hands stroking legs up plus visibly beginning to release some stiffness of insecurity section
Percussion, 20? cts/ 2 x 8s plus 4- remove first item of clothing as if revealing what is beneath will allow for a better view of what is bothering you
Sax, 32 cts/ 4 x 8s- L shoulder circles down and around to wind up arm for pivot R with simultaneous butt slap to your neighbor (if consenting), pull L leg in, step out L, pull R leg in, step out R, wide legs large circle hair flip down and to the left, finishing with a R shoulder and butt slap pivot to the L, Stage Left person begins cannon pushing away neighbor's hand in quick 8 counts, drop to crouch, send legs out to straddle split or one leg side and other bent beneath, push over to frog or slide to floor in another way
Stacatto plus Sax, 48 cts/ 6 x 8s- remove second layer of clothing with more enthusiasm, can stay on floor or return to standing, must be ready to quickly move to chair at end of the phrase
Insecurity- Continued
The additions include a sturdy chair. Get yours and add these moves!
16 cts/2 x 8s staccato- walking US to chair, grab it and drag it DS to spot with chair facing DS and body facing US, last 2 cts Grand RDJ over the chair
32 cts/4 x 4s plus 2 x 8s percussion with staccato 8 at end- Sit on 1, head flips R, L, R, arch back 4 cts to glare at audience, 4 cts to get up and turn around to sit with legs closed, 3 cts to open legs with hands and close on ct 4, kick, cross, kick open, place together, rvs, stand and walk around chair to reposition chair facing SL
32 cts/4 x 8s sax- big arch lunge 4 cts, feel chair 4 cts, get into over-the-chair pose slowly 8 cts, dance upside down for 8, slither your way out of this position 8 cts
28 cts/ 8+4 plus 2 x 8s- R leg over chair for a nice hump 8 cts, 4 cts gingerly laying chair to side, circle to front and nestle head/arms for shoulder stand prep, slow leg raise, drop to straddle on 8 at end bump
Solo Insecurity
Playing with the combo as a solo, here's the direction I chose.