Classes
Flirting with Burlesque • Essential Burlesque Series
The History of Burlesque • Creating a Persona and Building an Act
Classes with Burlesque Legends! • Bombshell Hair
Students on Stage! • Bachelorette Parties • Calendar
Bachelorette, Birthday, and Other Events
We are the original burlesque party providers. Don't risk hiring someone who's just jumping on the burlesque bandwagon. Trust your event to our experience and expertise, and treat yourself and your friends to a fabulous class!
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About NYSB Classes
Most classes are suitable for beginners as well as experienced performers who are interested in learning the vocabulary of burlesque. Classes are for entertainment purposes or training to perform. For details, see the class descriptions below.
Most, though not all, classes are held at 440 Studios (directions) in New York City unless otherwise noted on the page for the class. Please read the class page carefully in the event of a special location and make note of the location when you sign up for the class. In January 2012, we held classes in New York and simultaneously taught workshops in Colorado, Italy, and North Carolina.
Prices for classes vary and are listed on the individual page for each class. Please do not just "drop in" to our classes. We keep our classes small to ensure quality experiences for our students. The necessary information for participating is on the individual page for each class. The page is also listed on the calendar and in the New York School of Burlesque Facebook group. Please check the page and do not rely on the calendar alone as there may be last-minute news or exceptions.
We've got plenty of Expert-Tease!
There is a collection of years of articles, essays, and interviews to help you get to know burlesque on our blog: Burlesque Daily. Once you're on the blog, scroll down the right-hand sidebar for our long list of amazing topics!Return to class list
Weekly Classes
Burlesque Booty
Instructor: Peekaboo Pointe or Gal Friday
Get your butt in shape with a unique booty-based workout incorporating burlesque, jazz, pilates, and New Orleans Bounce!
Details and Registration
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Every Thursday
Flirting with Burlesque
Our burlesque dance class will help you find and firm muscles you didn't know you had! Burlesque dancers move with enviable grace and confidence, and you'll learn to build muscle memory to carry yourself like a burlesque queen!
As seen in The New York Times and Time Out! Every Thursday at 7 pm. This class, geared toward fun and easy moves to get you fit and fine, is one of our most popular classes!
Details and Registration
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Month-Long Series
Essential Burlesque SeriesInstructor: Jo Weldon, author of The Burlesque Handbook
Want to learn it all from the Headmistress of the School of Burlesque, Jo Weldon? The essential Burlesque Series is a 4-week intensive that teaches all of the basics of burlesque: how to flirt with a boa, peel a glove with fierceness, twirl tassels in every direction, and more! Plus you'll learn an entire burlesque routine from beginning to end! It's perfect for pros and players alike.
It's authentic, delicious burlesque, and you can do it all! Jo Weldon learned many of these classic and sensual moves directly from the sexy, fierce ladies who performed during the golden age of burlesque in the 1950s, and she's bringing you the real thing! This class has not only spawned dozens of burlesque careers, but entertained over a thousand bachelorettes and birthday girls.
Details and Registration
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More Classes to Tantalize and Tease
The History of American Burlesquewith the only PhD in NY Burlesque, Dr. Lucky!
This 6-week course will cover some of the major historical shifts in the American burlesque tradition since the mid-nineteenth century. Special consideration will be given to understanding burlesque in relationship to other entertainment genres such as vaudeville, minstrelsy, early film, melodrama, musical theatre, world's fairs, as well as to the larger social, cultural, and historical context in which burlesque has taken place. This is the first time that this course has been offered outside of the Drama Department at New York University where it has been taught since 2005.
"Lucky was the BEST professor I've had at New York University. She was captivating, intelligent, and funny!"
Details and Registration
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Creating a Persona and Building an Act
with the only PhD in NY Burlesque, Dr. Lucky!
Learn the art of theatrical burlesque with the only PhD in NY Burlesque!
Through theatre and improvisation exercises, writing prompts, and movement activities, this workshop will provide a framework, techniques, and the creative space to begin the process of birthing and developing a flamboyant stage persona. We will workshop and model all the elements of a burlesque act. The class will culminate in a student showcase, location TBA.
Dr. Lucky teaches theater at NYU, and is one of the most recognized burlesque experts on the planet!
Details and Registration
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Classes with Burlesque Legends!
Learn from the first and the best at the Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekend: May 31–June 3
For the fifth blockbuster year, the Burlesque Hall of Fame Finishing School offers rare, hands-on workshops with Living Legends of the art of Burlesque. This year's Burlesque Hall of Fame Finishing School classes offer the perfect opportunity for devotees of the Art of Burlesque to expand their knowledge. Classes taught by burlesque legends, Bambi Jones, Ellion Ness, Camille 2000, and more!
Details and Registration
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Bombshell Hair
for pinup modeling or a glam night out!
Pinup Supermodel Bettina May teaches secrets of gorgeous hairstyling. Discover how to curl any type of hair, create long-lasting Victory rolls, glamorous waves, sturdy up-dos, and how to create hairstyles to withstand hot studio and stage lights or vigorous dancing! Also learn how to incorporate accessories for quick vintage looks and how to troubleshoot mishaps. Bring your hot rollers, hair flowers, vintage hats, and all of your hair questions.
Details and Registration
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More class listings added continuously. Be the first to find out when new classes are added! Join our mailing list, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter, @SchoolOfBurlesk!
Other Upcoming Classes
If you see a class you'd like to take, join our email list to be notified as soon as it's available!• Ultimate Self Confidence! with the World Famous *BOB*
• Crash Course in Bump 'n Grind
• Burlesque Beyond Burlesque
• Get Your Act Together: Basic Act Development with Jezebel Express
• Dare to Dream, Dare to Dazzle and Costume Crush with Amber Ray
• Showgirl Burlesque Series
• The Perfect Showgirl with Billie Madley
• Choreography for Burlesque
• Burlesque Dance: Itermediate Series
• The Return of Ass Tassels with Peekaboo Pointe
• Diva in a Hoodie
• Radical Glamour
• Sensual Movement
• Spellbinding Burlesque with Veronica Varlow
Students on Stage!
Coney Island USA
Burlesque and Sideshow School
Student Showcase
THIS Wednesday, May 16Burlesque and Sideshow School
Student Showcase
9 pm
$12.00
Join Coney Island's Sideshow School and the New York School of Burlesque as they present their alumni in a student showcase. Come and see the stars of tomorrow, today!
Students from the Sideshow Skills class, the Magic class and the Burlesque class will perform live on stage in a collaborative display of original entertainments.
Banner painting students and photography students will display recent works in the Sideshows by the Seashore theater.
Professas Adam RealMan, Gary Dreifus and Jo Boobs will be on hand serving as masters of ceremonies. Professas Marie Roberts and Kevin Downs will be curating banner art and photography.
Click here to find out more!
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For more information on student showcases and NYSB endorsed shows, click here!
Pink Light Burlesque
The New York School of burlesque is proud to have launched this unique Breast Cancer survivor program. Pink Light Burlesque offers free training to breast cancer patients and survivors to perform for their pleasure and for benefits and events related to cancer awareness, prevention, and aftercare.Click here to find out more!
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Anytime:
Bachelorette, Birthday, and Other EventsWe are the original burlesque party providers. Don't risk hiring someone who's just jumping on the burlesque bandwagon. Trust your event to our experience and expertise, and treat yourself and your friends to a fabulous class!
More Info
Return to class list
Gift certificate information for purchasers and recipients
The calendar below is constantly being updated.


