I finally was able to pick up a copy of Jo Weldon’s The Burlesque Handbook back at BurlyCon this year and I wanted to add my endorsement to this little gem of a how-to. She did a really, really great job!! Its definitely written with the beginner in mind but I appreciate just how thorough and well thought out the entire read is. Jo has managed to take a very complicated genre and explain it rather well. Brava I say!
My one critique would be that it would be abit difficult to learn any kind of choreography through literature alone but ultimately this would be an excellent beginning for someone just starting out, especially if lessons are unaffordable or unavailable.
I also really appreciated the Council of Ecdysiasts in each chapter where Jo asked Burly pioneers their opinion on the subject at hand. It was definitely a super amazing thing to be able to read the opinions and tricks of the trade from so many fabulous performers!
For a veteran performer, there probably isn’t too much new information for you but worth owning as a solid resource. I would consider it as the definitive guide for neo-burlesque and a must have for any new performer. Cheers Jo!
