I would suggest getting to see as many different performers and performances as possible to start with. That way you can get a feel for what sort of burlesque makes you smile and you think would suit you. Live shows are deffo best but check out as much as you can of online too. Check out the 21CP Top 50 list as a good place to start and find videos of their work, their websites, their myspace etc. Look at everything - the way people express themselves, the huge variety of music used, whether you want to be straight or comedic, how costumes are constructed.............never copy but be inspired.
Also you'll already know what a fantastic resource the MoB forums are - I suspect there isn't a question about performing that hasn't already been asked and it's worth the time working through the threads and jotting down ideas that appeal to you.
Start listening to music that appeals to you and if you can, use a camcorder to film yourself dancing or moving to it. The MoB dvd is a greater starting point for some basics that you might want to use or adapt, and having seen them broken down you'll start seeing variations in other performers routines too.
Keep a notebook with you to jot down every crazy thought you have or inspiration for costuming or concepts you see on telly, the movies, magazines etc.
Work out what talents or skills or experience you already have. Everyone has something they can bring - worried that you've never performed before - nonsense, everyone's sung in a school choir, or read out a poem in an assembly, or had to do a presentation at work or at uni, or even read a book to a child and used skills to tell a story.
You might not want to do a course to start with, but if you want to go on with burlesque, then learning new things will always help improve what you do, whether it is a burlesque class with a well-established teacher/performer, or perhaps some sort of dance class, or a clowning or costuming or prop-building course.
Watch past greats like silent movie stars and how they told stories without words - Charlie Chaplin, Buster keaton (there are loads of threads on the MoB forums recommending things to watch and research).
Have fun! The process of putting together a burlesque routine ready for stage and then improving it further after the debut can be incredibly taxing but it's also damn good fun. And have fun when you're performing, because if you don't have fun then the audience won't either.
Best of luck! break a nail!
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The Russian Doll Lass - like Shrek's onion, but with sequins...
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