Every woman wants to feel sexy and desirable.  The seductive feeling of putting on your finery and flaunting what you’ve got can be intoxicating. And the flirtatious art of burlesque is the perfect way to do it, so two friends and I went to the London School of Striptease for a taster lesson.

If you’re unsure about what burlesque is, think Dita Von Teese.  She’s the embodiment of burlesque:  glamour harking back to old Hollywood, curve defining lingerie and corsets, dramatic make-up and come-to-bed eyes. Throw in a few feathers, a couple of nipple tassels and a leather whip and you’re there.

The government has plans to roll out a ban on unlicensed burlesque joints. But their attempt to eradicate sleazy clubs has unfairly included burlesque in their campaign, without proper consideration of its history.

Burlesque as we know it today was popular throughout Europe in the 19th Century and the comedic and exaggerated elements that people liked remain today. Technically, it’s a form of striptease. But a performance focuses more on the tease than the strip. The clothes aren’t just a prop waiting to be removed, but a key component of the act. They play an integral part in burlesque’s cheeky. It’s all about having fun with sex.

Lil’ Miss Chievous, a burlesque dancer who once worked in Camden, teaches a drop-in class every Monday.  Dancing to old classics like I Got Rhythm by Ella Fitzgerald, we’re walked through a routine comprising of jazz hands, shimmying, and a healthy dose of hip grinding and thrusting, and adding in a few fondling movements gets you in a cheeky mindset. Not everyone gets the hang of it, and it can apparently take years to perfect the art of being provocative and mischievous.

But no one goes to these classes to judge. Everyone encourages everyone else. We all danced in front of a mirror-covered wall, and we all paid close attention to ourselves. Sarah Neville, a 24-year-old taking the class, said: “It felt liberating being able to focus on yourself and how your body moves. No matter how good you are, it was about having fun and finding confidence within yourself to be the sexy person you know you can be.”

Burlesque celebrates the female form, curves and all, and not in the way that promoting the lads would have you believe. It’s about playing with what you’ve got, and including a bit of wiggle. Another woman at the class, Emma Dorsett 24, said: “You don’t have to be a size eight to look sexy and take pleasure in being an exhibitionist. Burlesque highlights the idea of enjoying your body and flaunting your best assets. Sexiness is down to a level of confidence and flirtation, not the size of your bum.”

Where to learn:
The London School of Striptease holds classes from any level, either drop-ins or 4-week courses.
www.londonschoolofstriptease.co.uk
07958314107

Where to watch:
If you’d rather watch than take part, visit Madam JoJo’s in Soho with burlesque, striptease and cabaret showing on the first Thursday of every month. Visit The Burlesque Social Club’s at www.myspace.com/londonburlesque.