Velvet Kitten Burlesque Dance Classes
Posted by Jana Edele | Filed under News
Have you heard? The Velvet Kittens are bringing their burlesque dance classes back and registration starts soon. No clue on what to expect at a burlesque dance class? Jana Edele, burlesque dance instructor and director/choreographer for The Velvet Kittens of Le Cabaret Burlesque sheds a little light on her background as a dance instructor and what students can expect from her burlesque classes.
I began my journey into burlesque dance instruction a few years ago. At first, I choreographed burlesque numbers independently. Those jazz numbers led to a recommendation to choreograph and direct a new show called the Red Light Burlesque Revue at Hyena's Comedy Club in downtown Fort Worth. When I got the job, I didn't know how much work I had cut out for me! I pulled all-nighters in the library surrounded by books doing research on burlesque and vaudeville.
The Red Light Burlesque Revue became increasingly popular. During this time I continued to teach ballet, jazz and other forms of dance at local dance studios. One day I was approached by one of the studio owners asking if I would be interested in offering a burlesque dance class for adults. I agreed and soon I was teaching a very enthusiastic group of women how to shimmie and shake.
In January of 2008, I brought my burlesque classes to The Girls Room in Dallas. I am very grateful to The Girls Room for hosting our classes. Eventually the time came to move on and now I am looking forward to bringing my burlesque classes back to a dance studio with more space and sprung floors.
My goal is to provide legitimate dance instruction and a fun way for all kinds of women to have fun and explore the neo burlesque movement. I incorporate my technical dance background in all my burlesque classes so that students learn more than just how to peel off a glove; they learn how to control their bodies and improve posture and confidence.
My burlesque class are very similar to a jazz classes. We begin with stretching and isolations, incorporating classic burlesque moves like bump and grind. We explore the different styles of burlesque dancing to a wide variety of music, so there is always something for everyone. If you have any questions or specific requests regarding my burlesque classes, please contact me; I’m happy to help.
— Jana Edele
Director/Choreographer, The Velvet Kittens of Le Cabaret Burlesque
