I learned how to take off my clothes!

Jo Weldon has burlesque classes; actually, she has a whole damn School of Burlesque. Last Sunday I had the pleasure of attending her The Art of A-Peel: Glove and Stocking Removal and Costuming and Choreography classes. I believe it was the first time in my whole life someone actually gave me instructions on how to take it off, and I've been removing my clothing for my whole life; I've been removing it professionally for 13 years now.

The class was fabulous. There were seven women in attendance, some of whom had never so much as seen a burlesque show in their lives. Yet they all enthusiastically followed Jo's detailed instructions on how to control movement, present your body, and involve the senses in the simple act of peeling a glove from the arms and hands. I also really appreciated how she taught the way to unsnap garters and remove stockings in a visually appealing manner as actual dance moves and an essential part of stripping choreography. She argues for the legitimacy of exotic dance, burlesque, and striptease as forms of dance with codified moves, something I agree with in principle, but her classes really put it in action.

Anyone watching an experienced dancer performing a classic striptease understands they're seeing something thought out and choreographed. It's very different from the more spontaneous dancing we do on stage in a strip club, but stripping has its own list of moves that are common to dancers all over the country. I don't know what the names are -- what do we call it when we put our hands on our knees and toss our hair? And when we spin backwards around a pole holding on with one hand? -- but you see the same moves used over and over.

I suppose that makes modern stripping more of a folk style, since it's not taught formally in dance class but informally, on the job, as you need to learn. I sure would have loved to have someone teach me movement, though. It would have lessened the period of time I was an awkward new girl. For any strippers passing through Manhattan, I endorse the School of Burlesque classes. They're fun and useful. And tax-deductible continuing education!