I'm confident that I could teach myself to do it, but i'm hoping that classes will give me extra confidence- from what i've read on this forum, classes seem to be such a supportiv environment.

I've never taken any classes as down here theres really not anything, but i do have a long history in dance which is obviously very helpful. Our troupe are also lucky enough to have friends in the right places and hence we have a professional choreographer to help us with our routines.
I would however love to take a class just to see if theres any tips and tricks that we haven't already thought of, and the chance to meet other like minded people. But as the other girls said the most important thing is research and getting to performances and watching, at the end of the day even if you do a class you dont want to just be regergatating what you have learnt there but it is a very good place to start

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That's exactly what i was hoping to hear.

I was thinking a class might be fun and deffinately helpful but i wanna start with my own ideas so im not basing it on other peoples ideas. I know what im like at uni when i see other people's sketch books before i've started mine...

Thanks for your thoughts!

My boyfriend is a juggler and he just text me to tell me a girl in his juggling club is a burlesquer. She does poi, like me, and has been telling him about a night she's involved in. She's given him her myspace and things so we're going to check it out at the end of february. Hopefully i can make some friends that are involved in this and maybe some contacts if i smile at the right people. heehee.

My current friends - lovely as they are - dont really understand the concept.

I love watching people doing Poi, and fire spinning, stuff like that. And it really adds something different and unusual to Burlesque routines.

The best example i have seen is Keda Breeze, who i believe is trained in quite a few circus-type skills. She is great to watch, and stuff like that really captivates an audience, so adding that to a Burly routine would be brilliant!

I am prob being really dumb here but could someone explain to me what poi is? If it is circus type acts then could someone please give me some more infomation on it as I would love to learn more. Thank you

Poi is basically having a heavy object on the end of a string and then spinning it in interesting ways. That's probably a really basic way of explaining it, but it's how I understand it! Poi spinners generally have two poi, one in each hand, and the object on the end can be anything - I've seen weighted streamers, glow sticks, UV balls, and even fire. As Madam Guillotine said, Keda Breeze is very good at fire poi. I want to learn with light up poi, I wouldn't trust myself with fire - too clumsy and accident prone >_<

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Thats it in a nut shell. Weights on strings, one in each hand, spin it. Just search you tube for poi and you'll get a ton of videos on it. It started in maori(sp?) culture in new zeland. Its a dance form (not a martial art as some idiots like to fantasize). The women did it to practice and demonstrate agility, dexterity and control and the men did it with heavier weigihts to practice and demonstrate strength and control.

I'm into loads of circus stuff. Because i don't have a huge background in dance like other performers have i feel that all my circus jazz is my strength or USP if you will

Anyway, i have decided that my first routine will be based around these beautiful red shiney shoes i have as well as a top hat i've been trying to find a use for (also red). So im thinking red everything and LOTS of sequins. My friend just painted my nipples in latex too! DIY nipple tassles. Seems like its working. He's a prop/costume/set student and has a long history of making things from latex so im unber excited.

Back on point...i plan on just making a simple cane and hat routine for this. Like i said, not a huge deal of knowledge of dance so im going put my staff spinning/staff and hat minpulation tallents to good effect.

Coming from a Maori girl, poi is pretty much a percussion instrument and dance prop. We did smack people on the nose with it a few times though!
It's used to train coordination and speed as well.

Its so nice to hear an explaination from someone who knows what they're on about! And i didnt know they were used as an instrument. I looked into it as much as possible but that must have gone over my head.

Going back to the essence that started off this topic... YES!!! In Burlesque's heyday, it was ladies who just wanted to make a name for themselves that got them into the business. Many of them had no dance training, no acting training, no singing coaching, nothing, but they made it through sheer will and determination. It's trully a testament to the women of the Burlesque stage! They were self-taught, and some learnt new tricks from their fellow co-burlesquers. While I did a little of dance, and a lot of acting, and modelling as well in my younger years, Burlesque came naturally to me without training. Perhaps it's just the tease in me!

I do think it's potent to get sage advice from your peers and co-burlesquers though!