The Burlesque Handbook [Perfect Paperback]

Jo Weldon (Author)

Book Description

Release date: June 1, 2010

“Jo Weldon is the gold-standard for New Burlesque. I am proud to call her my friend, and unashamed to admit she’s my idol.” — Lily Burana, author of Strip City: A Stripper's Farewell Journey Across America

From one of the stars of the New Burlesque scene, Jo Weldon, comes a definitive, easy-to-use, and indispensable guide to the art form, with a foreword by superstar comedian and burlesque enthusiast Margaret Cho. Fans of Dita Von Teese—as well as performers of every stripe—will love the helpful advice and feisty attitude of The Burlesque Handbook.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Jo Weldon is the gold-standard for New Burlesque. A learned burly-q historian, a skilled and gracious teacher, and a breathtaking, world-class performer, she’s everything you could want in a shimmy queen. I am proud to call her my friend, and unashamed to admit she’s my idol.” (Lily Burana, author of Strip City: A Stripper's Farewell Journey Across America and head bombshell of Operation Bombshell: The Burlesque School for Military Wives )

“That’s Jo Weldon – and she’s perfect!” (Leighton Meester, star of Gossip Girl )

“Jo is one of the true champions of the burlesque world….Hearing her speak, seeing her teach, and marveling at the way she has been the driving force behind successful events is a real pleasure for me!” (Catherine D’Lish, Two-Time Miss Exotic World, Creative Director for Dita Von Teese )

“When you need an academic diatribe about the importance of burlesque in a gorgeous package served with sex appeal, intelligence and love, that’s Jo! This woman is passionate about burlesque and can recreate the sex appeal of the genre lost long ago.” (Dirty Martini, Muse to Karl Lagerfeld, Voted #1 Burlesque Performer in the World 2010 )

“When Jo performed at Exotic World, I’d never been so mesmerized by a woman sitting on a chair. That’s the mark of a true performance!” (Immodesty Blaize, Miss Exotic World 2007 and the UK’s Premier Burlesque Performer )

“Jo is not only one of the most classically elegant dancers ever to grace the Slipper Room Stage, but in my humble opinion, she is also one of the sexiest performers I’ve ever known.” (James Habacker, Artistic Director, The Slipper Room NYC )

“Why she’s willing to make the secrets of her fantastic skills available to the public is beyond me, but if I were you, I’d buy this book quick, before she changes her mind.” (Jonny Porkpie, author of The Corpse Wore Pasties, creator of Pinchbottom Burlesque )

From the Back Cover

The Burlesque Handbook is the essential manual to understanding and performing both classic and neo-burlesque. Written by Jo Weldon, award-winning founder of the New York School of Burlesque, this book features easy-to-follow suggestions and exercises for developing stage-worthy confidence, presence, and sexiness. You'll learn about the fabulous makeup, costumes—including pasties!—moves, grooves, and attitudes of burlesque. The Burlesque Handbook is the must-have guide for everyone interested in this vibrant and wildly popular performance art, providing inspiration and practical information that readers can take straight from the page to the stage!

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Perfect Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: It Books (June 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 006178219X
• ISBN-13: 978-0061782190
• Product Dimensions: 5 x 0.9 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #143,830 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jo is the Headmistress and Founder of the New York School of Burlesque, and is one of the most recognized burlesque instructors in the world. She is a recipient of the coveted Burlesque Hall of Fame award for Recognition of Outstanding Contribution to the Art of Burlesque. Her groundbreaking DVD, Honey and Spice, is the best-selling how-to burlesque DVD in the world. She is Co-Director of Education at The Burlesque Hall of Fame in Las Vegas, Vice President of Burlycon, and conducts the Master Class in Burlesque at Coney Island USA. She has been interviewed for or mentioned in countless major press articles, films, documentaries, news items, and television shows. Internationally renowned as burlesque personality Jo Boobs, she's rounded her heels on stages from Coney Island to Sydney Harbour. Garo Sparo named her one of the Top Ten Badass Burlesque Babes, and she has been voted one of the top ten Burlesque Performers in the World at 21st Century Burlesque 3 years in a row. She's taught thousands of women (and men!) to twirl tassels, and has conducted performance workshops producing some of the most respected new performers in burlesque. She recently taught burlesque to disabled performers at DaDaFest in Liverpool. She's the winner of such exotic titles as Best Bump N Grinder, Best Teacher and Mentor, and Biggest Cougar in Burlesque! She has worked with performers from Leonard Cohen to Spinal Tap, and has been featured on television shows from CBS Sunday Morning to Gossip Girl. She's taken it off in the grimiest strip clubs and at the most esteemed venues, including being the first burlesquer to ever strip down at The New York Public Library, and has performed and headlined at dozens of festivals all over the world, including The Vancouver Burlesque Festival, the Toronto Burlesque Festival, and the New Zealand Burlesque Festival. She has released three ground-breaking how-to burlesque DVDs (via World Dance New York), and her critically acclaimed book The Burlesque Handbook, with a foreword by Margaret Cho, (HarperCollins/ItBooks) is the first book ever published on how to create burlesque routines. She is also the founder of Pink Light Burlesque, a program that produces free burlesque classes for breast cancer survivors and patients.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Everything you need to get started July 22, 2010

By J New York

Format:Perfect Paperback

The revival of Burlesque, or the art of strip tease, has spread across the United States as a form of female empowerment, creativity and community. What Jo Weldon or "Jo Boobs" provides in this book is nothing short of extraordinary. To my knowledge nothing else exists out there in book form that gives such detailed instruction on working with pasties, fans, makeup, costume, use of glitter, rhinestones, body makeup, hair, and overall performance style and confidence. Jo is specific. Not only does she delve into the history of burlesque and how she herself transformed herself from a featured stripper in commercial clubs to the definitive Burlesque expert that she has become today. Jo also give tips on working with producers, increasing your likelihood of getting booked and general etiquette towards the audience and other performers. This is far from a fluff vanity piece. It is a practical handbook with real life working knowledge that any aspiring burlesque performer could use today to help them become the best performer they are capable of becoming.

The book is easy to read, contains detailed photographs of step by step instruction on working with fans, how to build pasties, and of course twirling tassels. Jo also includes hundreds of photographs of fellow burlesque artists from around the country. So even though some of the information is technical the book is far from boring.

And as a burlesque producer myself, I wish any newcomer would memorize chapter 10 which includes information for newcomers on the best ways of getting booked again and again. It is not just about being the best dancer, but showing respect towards others and earning trust so that people will want to hire you again and again. I wish this particular set of skills was taught everywhere!!

Burlesque artists all over the country who aren't lucky enough to get to take a class from Jo at the New York School of Burlesque can use this handbook to add that extra layer of professionalism and magic to their acts. And even fans of the art form will also enjoy reading about what makes Burlesque or Burley-Q so special.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Interested? Curious? The Burlesque Handbook!! August 2, 2010

By Lisa Witkowski

Format:Perfect Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

International celebrity, performance artist, activist and Burlesque luminary Jo Weldon shares her legendary wealth of experience and wisdom through her recently published The Burlesque Handbook.
With a page turning combination of history, humor, sophistication and sensuality, The Burlesque Handbook is an inviting adventure, making Burlesque accessible to everyone from students to soccer moms and a few superstars along the way.
Photos and quotes from a myriad of well known Burlesque performers, famous photographers and celebrity makeup artists inspire grace, glamour, individual style and confidence for all types, shapes and sizes to celebrate their gorgeous, flirtatious and alluring selves.
As the founder and Headmistress of the New York School of Burlesque, Jo Weldon has a longstanding following of devoted students and performers who admire the fun, intelligence and approachability she presents through sincere interaction with her students. The instructions learned from her expertise are unforgettable.
Along with The Burlesque Handbook, treat yourself or share with friends the experience of "Showgirl School" presented by a true expert!
Honey and Spice: Sensual and Fierce Burlesque
Striptease for Burlesque, Exotic Dance & Real Life
Silk and Feathers: Burlesque Fan Dance
The Burlesque Handbook is the ideal addition to the bookshelf for any self assured woman or well-read man. After purchasing 5 copies to share with friends (who are keeping this book to read again and again!), I also plan to give more as gifts for "Back-to-College Care Packages", Bachelorette Celebrations or "Just Because".

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars An entertaining book for those curious in burlesque, newbies and experienced performers! October 16, 2010

By Anja Keister

Format:Perfect Paperback

One part memoir, another part history lessons and a whole lot of how-to, this book is quite applicable to whatever one might be looking for in a burlesque book. It works for the curious, the newbies and those already performing. I wish I would have had this book when I first started getting into the world of Burlesque for I learned and read a lot about backstage etiquette and creating routines that I had to learn the hard way or have been struggling with.

Another great thing about the book is the way Jo makes you feel like you know all these performers as well. She frequently discusses their acts, their advice and uses her own personal pictures, making it seem like you are looking through someone's (fun and scandalous) scrap-book.

The only parts of the book that weren't enthralling for me were her step by step instructions on the NYSoB routine and fan dance techniques, but that is only because I took the 4-week essentials burlesque class where I was taught these techniques and moves in person, so reading them, although a good reminder, just couldn't live up to the real experience. Really though, I think that says something about the Burlesque Handbook, the only negative was that I was given some of the information from the author, herself, in person!