Bawd to the Bone: Burlesque Basics for Nasty Women with Diva Darling

When is a tassel not just a tassel? The history of burlesque is the story of unconventional, working-class, often queer women and women of color defying unjust laws, transgressing gender roles, and carving out independent spaces to make their livings and own their voices. (Sound familiar?)

Join Lotus Blooms educator and professional burlesque performer Diva Darling for an interactive, sexy, and untamed trip through burlesque’s subversive past and wildly creative revival. Discover your own wild child as you learn some basic moves and classic striptease techniques like glove peels and feather boa teases– and find out how burlesque’s glamorous touchstones like corsets, pasties, and false lashes emerged from performers’ refusal to stay in their place.

Even today, women choosing when and how to adorn or reveal our bodies and declaring ownership of our sexuality is a powerfully radical act. Burlesque is a fun, playful, and empowering way to play with sexual expression, gender, and sheer sexy creativity. No dance or performing background is required– this class is suited for everyone from the simply curious to the aspiring showgirl! After class, you’ll have private time to shop for corsets, boas, gloves, stockings, bustles, and pasties– and a new appreciation for what they represent.

About Your Educator: Diva Darling is a burlesque performer, an event producer, and has been a kinkster in the BDSM scene for almost 20 years, with a number of workshops under her waist cincher for Black Rose, Turtle Hill Sacred Sexuality Beltane, and Lotus Blooms, among others. When she’s not acting as Lotus Blooms’ resident marketing maven, she performs throughout DC and regionally, co-produces the storytelling-meets-sex open mic Smut Slam DC, and blogs at divamojo.com.

Lotus Blooms’ workshops are open to people of all genders and sexualities, individuals, couples, or groups. Due to state law, attendees must be over 18 to come to the workshops or shop in the store.

Workshops generally run about 90 minutes with a 5 minute break in the middle. Afterwards, the store is open for individual questions and private shopping for about half an hour.