Students are asking how to start feeling more healthy and confident

I got you... here are some tools will for you!

1) De-dramatize the body : the shake and shimmy in burlesque movement is so great for taking your body less seriously. Letting it be a pile of bones, fat and muscle can really liberating.

2) Take up space : one way to appear confident is to stretch out your arms and legs and take up lots of the space around you (aka manspreading lol). Practicing big movements when you're feeling small inside can be the catalyst you need to come out of hiding.

3) Reach your flexibility goal : science tells us that we store hormones, emotions and past traumas deep inside our joints and muscles. Taking the time the stretch can be an incredible release both emotionally and physically. Plus, if you start doing it at least once a week, you're guaranteed to see improvements and reaching those goals is a real booster!

4) Connect with other sex-positive people you hype you up : humans are social creatures. We need each other! Find yourself a space with folks who believe in your potential without judgement. And tell you often! For example - our studio ;)

5) Move in a way that you WANT TO instead of how you THINK YOU SHOULD : Kellita Maloof once told me about the difference between Mimicking and Reveling. When you try to look "good" or "sexy" on someone else's terms, you are mimicking their movements. Reveling in your body is what happens when you are fully present and confident, regardless of how you're moving. Move in your own unique way and know that it's more than good enough.

Want to put these tools into PRACTICE?! Let's do it together! Our Tease and Fitness classes will have you doing all these things with the guidance of our super cute instructors and in the safer space of our Arabesque studios <3

Lady Josephine - Arabesque Burlesque - Emma Klaveness Groden

ARABESQUE BURLESQUE

Is a sole-proprietor business operating since 2013 with registered tax numbers and name (Registre des Entreprises) since 2014. It is owned and operated by Emma Klaveness Groden. As a sole-proprietor, EKG is the sole legal and financially responsible person. EKG’s approach to operating the business has always been through the lens of a few primary objectives:

1) To create positive change in the lives of students through the therapy of collective dance/movement and the sensual self expression of burlesque.

2) To make enough profit to support at least half of EKG’s living expenses and allow EKG to live entirely on self-employment income from activities related to Arabesque Burlesque and Lady Josephine.

In the last three years especially, I could add to these primary objectives:

A) To employ burlesque artists so that they earn money and grow in skills as teachers and/or school administrators

B) To build a business that can one day operate nearly independently of EKG and serve as a legacy and a center made to promote the growth of this art form.

Decision-making at the business is filtered through the lens of these objectives.

The financial relationship…

These three entities have had separate chequing, savings, and credit accounts for at least 5-6 years. All income made through Arabesque Burlesque goes into a chequing account separate from income made by EKG or Lady Josephine. For the last 3 years, EKG has prepared invoices to be paid by Arabesque for hours spent teaching, and filming online content which has then been transferred from Arabesque to her personal account. All other income from Arabesque remains in the academy’s chequing account and pays for staff, studio and business expenses. Before 2019, EKG was invoicing the academy for office hours but has not been taking payment for administration work since acquiring the new commercial studio space (just teaching hours). All invoices for payment from Arabesque to EKG are saved and accessible.

Some primary goals for the next two years include growing the business revenue by an average of 22% annually to be able to incorporate Arabesque Burlesque and pay Josephine a salary for their work as a Director of 27k annually and reduce their teaching hours while continuing to have Roxy and (hopefully) another staff member on the administration team.

A Creation Story...

Hi there! This post is all about me going through a twisty-turvy creation project where one act idea met another and then another and came out kinda magic. I hope this dive into my process can be a helpful model or mirror for your own creativity! But, really I’m doing it as much to process my own material as for anyone else. So, take it or leave it my friends. The video will give you the visual elements of the story I’m telling. It goes well with the writing so definitely check it out and then read the details below if you’re interested.

1. November 2019 : Made an act I dubbed “Royalty” on request for something in this thematic at my regular nightclub gig, Club La Voute. Turned out pretty great! Was also just a straight forward striptease that I could adapt to the tiny rolling stage we push into the club for my shows. This was the first time I started using some of my acrobatic chair work with a finale that brings me upside down, legs spread eagle.

2. January 2020: I take the elements of “Royalty” and mix them with the flow and giant skirt prop of “Miss King Crimson” I debuted at the Montreal Burlesque Festival (see that act on video here). I needed something big and impressive for the giant space at the Taboo Show - a trade show for all things sexy. But I also needed it to be accessible to a very newbie and suburban audience so I didn’t want to bring the Oz meet S&M piece. What came out was something pretty fun given the very short time we had to prepare (we got the contract at the very last minute of course). But, my big mistake was the choice of music for the majority of the piece. It wasn’t as punchy as it should have been and the ending sucks. I just couldn’t get a big finale in with a song that fizzled out like that.

3. September 2020: I am asked to make something new for La Voute’s dinner theatre setup that meets Covid regulations during a brief opening in Montreal’s nightlife scene. I had the idea of revisiting a reverse-tease act I made for “The Cure” show at The Wiggle Room. But, I knew it had to be significantly modified for this new venue situation. How many ingredients in a good act can you change before it’s not good anymore? Maybe… None? As soon as you change one element (whether that’s, costume, music, choreo, etc), you change everything and there is no longer any guarantee that it’s going to be good or even work at all.

   • I changed the music to better suit the venue - small cabaret versus giant highbrow nightclub set for dinner. Didn’t think my new audience would dig The Cure so I go with “Castle” by Halsey.

   • I changed my hair from a long pony tail to a very, very long full wig. I did this partially because I had just paid to have this wig brushed out and it had originally cost me bundle to sew extra track into the base to make it very full. I wanted to get my $ worth but, I should know better! Just because you invested in something doesn’t make it the right choice for your act. Always put the audience experience first. They don’t know the back story. The wig ended up being a huge obstacle for completing the reverse tease and kept hiding me face.

   • I felt pressure (from myself) to more acrobatics on the stationary bike prop which I hadn’t done before and which it hadn’t been built for. Really not a good choice to try to rush the very technical engineering and consultations it takes to properly modify a prop. Yikes!

4. September 2020 Tech Run: Circumstances out of my control (see video, curtain clearly isn’t working and my coworker who breathes fire couldn’t be near that material) takes the curtain out of the equation in terms of stage setup. Retrospectively this stressful last-minute change is actually a godsend. No matter how much time I spent on the journey to this night, I’ve learned enough to know… if the destination sucks when you get there, Leave! Immediately! Biker chic reverse-tease goes bye-bye.

5. September 2020 the Following Weekend: Without the curtain and many other challenges, we decide to change the act for the rest of the run of shows. I pull another past act out of the woodwork, “Royalty”. The artistic director at La Voute is a brilliant human and collaborator. He suggests bringing the act through the room so that more people can see it (the actual stage is not visible from most corners of the space). While is last-minute change in a sea of changes is stressful, I also know that putting the audience first is my number one priority. If they can’t see the act then there’s no poing in it being good.

   I decide to carry the song choice and chair choreography elements from the reverse tease act into the “Royalty” act I’m tackling now. Hopefully the strongest elements of these two acts, combined with the dynamic movement from one part of the space to the other, will make something worth watching. It was a shakey first night (always is) but we all agree that it’s an overall success! For the rest of the run of shows, I keep rehearsing and making small modifications to the choreography (this is where getting your friend to film the act each night is really important). I finish we a version that feels really powerful where I take off my bra while upside down on the chair at the end. BOOM.

6. December 2020: Now I’m faced with a Covid reality where my art needs to either hide in the sand or get on the screen. What can I take from all this that can make a cool virtual experience? I am very lucky to have a studio space where that giant skirt prop is currently living. I think I’ll take advantage of not having to move the skirt to use it on film. I’ll take the song that was born out of that first biker chic act in September and some of that bad ass chair choreo and mix it with that January 2020 version I did. What could go wrong? Stay tuned for the results of this next mad mashup :)

10 truths after 10 years - part 3

8. Diversify your Portfolio

For each gig, get all the information you can about your audience and choose the right act for that event (avoid choosing your favourite act just because you like it!) . Ask questions like, will the audience be seated? What kind of music is playing before and after? Is there a theme? Do they know they will be seeing burlesque?

I had the privilege of taking Dirty Martini ‘s workshop hosted by Arabesque Burlesque here in Montréal. She offered a piece of advice about choreography in burlesque... movements that tell the SAME story as the lyrics in your music (ie acting out the words in some way) are LESS interesting. You want to ADD to the narrative already being told by your music. Also less interesting - choosing music that tells your story for you. She used the song “Feeling Good” as an example. I think she is absolutely right and I often tell my students to go beyond pantomiming their song.

Choosing the right act is half the battle

Ever since the workshop I’ve wondered if I should change the music for a Can-Can themed classic burlesque act I do. I don’t perform it often since I made it specifically for a regular gig at a cocktail bar. I chose “Feeling Good” because I knew it would strike a familiar emotional chord with the public in that bar. Mostly people who had never seen burlesque before and about %50 unaware that they would be seeing a fancy stripper that night. Our shows always made the room excited but also very nervous. I gave them the familiarity of “Feeling Good” to lubricate their experience.

I found this act always had a great effect in any mainstream bar or party. But, it wouldn’t work at all for a “burlesque crowd”. Because people who know burlesque are looking for storytelling beyond the obvious choices. So.... I answered my own question. I won’t change the song for Carnivalesque. But, I also won’t perform it for a burlesque audience. I’ll keep learning the art of choosing a show that serves each particular public. As burlesque artists this arguably our most important responsibility. So… diversity in your portfolio ;) Get yourself a fetish act, halloween act, glamour act, comedy act and neo-burlesque act. Put your own signature twist on each of these beautiful genres.

9. Process over product will save your sanity

It’s your responsibility to show up and do the work, not to judge the work.

Ideas are the easy part. Success is in the hard work that brings the execution. For example, many burlesque artists I know have brilliant ideas for big and fancy show props. We can all dream of what our unique and beautiful big objects would look like. The idea is not the hard part. It’s not even that hard to get the money to finance it (that’s what credit cards and canned soup for dinner are for). What’s hard is making it happen... finding the team of crafts people who will do the best job at building it, making the right decisions in the design process, going to meetings, testing materials, transportation and rehearsal. Following through. And then making it all over again because the 1st build is always a prototype 😂

When we see beautifully crafted images onstage we are often applauding the artist’s hard work... not their talent. And I think that’s okay! In fact, that’s great. So before you say “oh but, but they just have an expensive prop”, consider that the hard work that went into that prop may bring them more success than mountains of talent ever could. And that rewarding hard work over talent isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Because that means we all have a more equal chance at success, right? We don’t need to fret about being talented. Instead we can focus on the next thing to sew, the next step to take. It’s an encouraging thought.

10. You will do terrible shows and that’s OK

It’s statistics! Be kind to yourself.

You need to have terrible shows in order to have the good ones. It’s hard to accept in the moment but beating yourself up won’t change the laws of mathematics. If you catch yourself feeling like the world is ending and you’re a terrible person because your show didn’t go as you wanted, call me up and I’ll serve you a health dose of perspective. Our universe is 13.8 billion years old. Humans came on the scene about 2.3 million years ago. We survived an ice age that lasted 100,000 years. Your audience (and you!) will survive a 4 minute burlesque act even if… you fell on your ass, your g-string slipped sideways, you couldn’t get your pants off and the music stopped playing. Say it with me now, “I WILL DO TERRIBLE SHOWS AND THAT’S OKAY! Also, I’m still a cool a person because I tried”.

Need some guidance and perspective in burlesque? Check out my act-creation, workshopping and burlesque mentorship services. Let’s talk!

10 truths after 10 years - part 2

6. Document your Work

Do everything you can to get photos and video footage every time you do a show. Ask a friend or a cast member to capture you on your phone (not theirs, large video files can be hard to share). Use your guest list to invite a photographer to the show instead of your roomate! No one will hire you based on a prayer. The only way a producer can decide if you’re a good fit for their event is by watching a full video of the act you’re proposing. Then, before your “Downloads” folder becomes a war zone, set up a streamlined filing system for all that media. For example, my Photos>Live>Gatsby’sDream>BHOF2017>TigzRice brings me to photos by a particular photographer from a particular event and keeps all the photos for each act grouped together. You’ll be ready to build a website with a sick portfolio page, conquer your social media posts and properly credit your photographers and producers (every time!).

Organization is key

As a burlesque artist, you’re an entrepreneur and your persona is the product you are selling. Start with smart practices around documentation and file storage… we’ll tackle finances later ;)

7. Nothing is original and that’s okay

Can you ever make art that is truly original?  A question that resurfaces regularly in my burlesque and my teaching. Quick answer is “No. Everything has been done. However, almost none of these things have been done by YOU. And, since you are a unique manifestation of particular circumstances in the universe, we could say that EVERYTHING you do is entirely original”. When speaking of poetry, Sarah Kay says: “The Universe has already written the poem you were planning on writing (...) Maybe it’s not my job to invent something new with each poem. Maybe it’s my turn to hold something to the light for a moment”. This idea of owning an idea (a type of act, a prop, a dance move, a shtick) or being able to create a moment more original than other peoples’ moments...seems...flawed. There is no scientific measure for originality. There is no universal judge of creative ownership. The same way that every burlesque performance is a unique manifestation of atomic vibrations between audience and performer, each glove peel is a new expression. There are as many original glove peels as there are humans on this planet, as there are moments and spaces to do them in. I hope this thought is as comforting for you as it has been for me. As I go into a phase of creation for a new act, I can let go of “trying to be original” and... KNOW that I will be. 

Even my giant eyeball had been done before

I found out after creating my voyeuristic eyeball act that a performer based in L.A. had one also. We talked about it and they were very different acts. No big deal.

Be aware of the acts created by burlesque artists in your local area and be respectful. Communicate with each other if you see a similarity. Talking is key!

If you’re having trouble pinpointing your direction and where to put your time, reach out to me. I can help with this! It’s one of the most important parts of my act-creation, workshopping and burlesque mentorship services. I ask you tough questions that reveal your priorities and then tell you where to put your time and money.

10 truths after 10 years - part 1

1. You decide what body they see

   You can present your body not as it is when you’re slouching at home, but painted in the creative way you want it to be seen. It’s a beautiful space for building a fictional version of yourself. The lines you draw with your costume, the visuals you build with your lighting tech, the poses you choose… all determine how your audience sees your form. You’re in control. You decide. If you want them to remember a tiny waist, use graphic lines and a corset. If you want to leave them with the jiggle of your thighs and the bounce of your booty, use your costume and body position to tell them where to look and when to start salivating.

2. You decide if they like it

   Your audience will believe what you tell them. From the moment you walk onstage, they believe you have the infinite power to lead them. Use your face to say “I love what I’m doing and you’d be crazy not to”. Especially at the end of your number. At the end you look at them and dare them not to applaud you. There are NO SUCH THING AS MISTAKES if you don’t let them see it.

3. Look at yourself like you’re a dessert buffet

Look at yourself like it’s making you salivate. An advice I often give my students. Choose moments in your act to look at your body with an expression that says “I can hardly believe this is mine … delicious!”. It makes audiences believe you have the most enviable flesh. Magic! And, best of all, you start to believe it yourself.

4. Take Risks

Jump off the cliff in more ways than one if you want to succeed. Listen to my interview on the Pastie Tapes to hear more about this one: on Apple Podcasts OR Spotify

5. Be clear about your goals

Don’t get caught in the loop of making acts/costumes/events just because someone asked you to. Don’t let other people decide what kind of burlesque you do and where. Write down your goals and how you can get there. Do it often.

If you’re having trouble pinpointing your direction and where to put your time, reach out to me. I can help with this! It’s one of the most important parts of my act-creation and burlesque mentorship services. I ask you tough questions that reveal your priorities and then tell you where to put your time and money.