Fashion and Beauty: Dressed for burlesque

Aug 19 2010 by Hilarie Stelfox, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Burlesque, the flamboyant and risque dance style of the Belle Epoque, has arrived in Huddersfield and is proving a hit with women of all ages. Hilarie Stelfox reports

DANCE TEACHER Katy Butler is dressed for burlesque in a feather trimmed basque, black stockings and killer diamante shoes.

Her outfit is all part of the fun of a dance style popular in the 19th century - as yet unrecognised by professional teaching bodies - which is enjoying something of a renaissance.

Katy, who spends part of every week teaching in Cambridgeshire and commutes to Huddersfield at weekends to take burlesque and other dance classes, says she’s been surprised by the uptake.

“I started here in March and we held a workshop to test the waters. It was incredible - 30 women turned up and were very enthusiastic,” she said. “None of them had ever done any dance classes before. They were all new to dancing.”

And so Katy, 22, who works at the Tristan Dance Studios in Park Valley Mills, launched a class on Sunday evenings. From next month there will also be a Friday night class. Once a month the students hold a Saturday evening social and workshop, at which they dress to impress each other.

Burlesque, says Katy, gets a bad press and is often associated with strip tease.

“People think it’s a bit tacky, but the women who come along are doing it for themselves, to feel good about themselves,” she added.

“One of my favourite things about burlesque is that it is about taking femininity and making it powerful.

“It makes women feel more confident. When we put on shows at the dancing school it’s very rare to get adult students interesting in performing.

“But the burlesque students will always volunteer, which really surprised me at first but it shows how confident they are.”