Ride that Tie!

So yesterday in class the boys and I looked at two essentially "masculine" garments and how to strip them off our bodies: the tie and the button down (not break-away) dress shirt. There's a myriad of ways to strip and play with these clothing items as well as some pitfalls to avoid. For instance, I know when I first started stripping I would often "floss" my body with my tie, i.e., rapidly rub it back and forth between my legs as if I was a deranged boyscout trying to light a fire in my crotch (totally different number).

Instead, I was thankfully redirected by Miss Jo Weldon Boobs of the New York School of Burlesque to hold the tie tautly in both hands, and then gyrate my pelvis forward and back again as if riding it for a much more controlled, need I say sexier bit of "stripper-ography."

A button down shirt is somewhat trickier because it requires lots of small movement of small body parts in a small concentrated area to release the garment for what is often a crowded room of drunks or an audience set far back from your stage. I find it helpful to incorporate my entire body, popping my hips as I undo each button or stretching the fabric of the shirt after I undo a button to expose as much chest as possible.

("I said ride that tie dammit!")

Once the garment is off its really up to the performer to make the most or least out of it. It's helpful to remember that you probably won't spend the same amount of time playing with each costume piece. You would just end up with a number that's  very short or very long but in either case not that dynamic or interesting. Instead, I encouraged the students on top of exploring the many options for how a garment comes off their bodies to also play with different tempos and rhythms hidden in their music to create more varied, layered choreography. Below are two videos of burlesque and boylesque stars Boo Boo Darlin' and Ray Gunn, each taking a basic strip tease and not only imbuing it with the above mentioned point, but also creating extremely specific, personal story lines with their numbers resulting in sexy, humorous, and entertaining pieces.

BOO BOO DARLIN'

 (Click above for "Slow Motion")

RAY GUNN