Capturing Cardiff

Footloose and Fancy Free

On a cold winters evening down Cowbridge Road East, Canton Liberal Club is playing up to its name somewhat more than you would imagine.

Walk past the men only bar, down the corridor and into the back room and there’s a group of women definitely letting their hair down.

They’re here for their weekly burlesque dance class. A new trend that’s sweeping Cardiff and getting its residents all hot under the collar.

When it comes to burlesque dancing, most of us have only heard of Deta Von Teese and think it’s some sort of strip show but we couldn’t be more wrong.




Foo Foo La Belle

The class teacher is a young, energetic performer who also teaches pilates, belly dancing and ante natal classes – quite a combination. Stephanie Gawne used to be a professional belly dancer, but she caught onto the revival of burlesque dancing a couple of years ago and developed her pseudonym Foo Foo La Belle for performances.

On her website (www.burlesquecardiff.com), Foo Foo La Belle describes her three ‘likes’ as cake, gloves and tattoos. Her top iPod song is ‘I put a spell on you’ and the website says you can: “Book her and meet the infamous sexy domestic goddess ‘Honey’, the historic heroines ‘Mata Hari’ and ‘Marie Antoinette’, see a different side of a very cute ‘Red Riding Hood’, plus a mysterious mistress in ‘Face to Face’. All brought to life with classy costuming, beautiful choreography and lots of panache.”


Satire

But what does burlesque actually mean? “Burlesque means satire” Stephanie tells me. “It’s to do with changing things so that things aren’t quite what they seem and taking a different slant on things with comedy.” Not what I was thinking or probably the male population of Cardiff thinks. “Burlesque performers like myself who are soloists do end up stripping but it’s not necessarily a strip like you would think because there is a comedic element or a theme”.

The Cardiff troop don’t actually strip although from what they tell me the costumes are a little risqué. They last performed on Boxing Day at Ten Feet Tall at a show called 'Boobs on Boxing Day' and also performed 'Santa Baby' at the Point just before Christmas.

The Beginning

I wanted to find out how all this titillation was introduced to Cardiff. “I just put an advert and some posters up in Chapter…I was a performer first but wanted to start a troop”.

And she says apparently from there it went crazy. “The whole thing just escalated. I could be a lot more aggressive in marketing and getting a lot more people through the door but its nicer to have that sort of troop feel with the girls who came to the first initial classes. They are developing as individuals and performers themselves.” And apparently a couple of the girls have already begun solo performances around South Wales.

Motivation

So what is it about the class that keep these girls coming? Stephanie says it gives them a chance to perform. They like the continuity within the group and the fact they are being asked to do more and more shows in Cardiff...But what about in the first instance? “It’s a little bit of an unknown…they don’t really know what it is. It sounds titillating, it sounds exciting, it’s a bit naughty…they are there in their little costumes, they are very glamorous and it’s very exotic and I think that’s what attracts them”.

Have a listen here to what two of the girls - Natalie Rogers, a 31 year old graphic designer and Rachel Mulheron, a 33 year old Insurance Director - have to say about why they like coming to burlesque dance classes.




The Right Mixture

The oldest lady in the troop is 64, the youngest in her late teens, and there’s a real mix in every other way ability, background, looks.

As Stephanie says: “You want all shapes and sizes and all ages but people with the confidence, and the commitment and energy who will look good whether they are a size 20 or a size 8, they just have to look amazing for who they are.”

The women seem to come to get away from the routine of everyday life, to do something a little different. Something exciting and glamorous. Some come for the fitness, some for the confidence and others? Perhaps they come for their partners or their prospective partners?!

The overall feel I leave with is a group of very confident women, very happy with themselves. Sisters doing it for Cardiff.

For more information on the burlesque classes, visit http://www.burlesquecardiff.com/

The Burlesque Women's Institute can be found at http://www.bwi.co.uk/