Workshops

Boylesque

The Boylesque Workshop is a distinctive experience for male performers and performers who define their sexuality as male. Over five days students will be immersed in glitter, glam, subversion, eroticism, parody and nudity.

Students will be exposed to historical and contemporary examples of male erotic performance from the late 1800s through to the present. Striptease performance and choreography will be practiced, including: the bump; the grind; facial choreography; peeling; and teasing. Students will also be given the opportunity to research and design character types and aesthetics, and the students’ intent and politics will be questioned throughout.

By the end of the course the student will have a rudimentary character, and will have performed male boylesque striptease to a public crowd and or/fellow peers. They will show understanding of the academic terrains and intersections between masculinities studies, body studies, gender and sexuality studies and erotic performance practice. Critical to this course will be ways students negotiate, question and challenge gender, class and cultural normatives.

M. Bass Adore (2010 graduate)

“I found the course incredibly inspiring and also challenging. The historical section was of particular interest, putting the art into context and helping to understand how the tradition has developed.

I decided to do the course because having watched burlesque/boylesque before I was always imagining myself in their shoes, up on stage. There are lots of courses for women in burlesque, but male erotic performance is something that is much harder to find your way into. This course was the perfect entry point into the art. It was disarming, educational and physically challenging at times (in a fun way).
I now have an act that I have performed on a few stages as a part of burlesque and variety shows, which I would not have had the confidence or Knowhow to do had I not had the courage to join the course.

I recommend any guys who like to show off a little to join the class. (No matter what your body looks like!)’