10 Things I've Learned The Hard Way About Performing

I learned to take risks with my first number!

1. When you finish a gig, get your money right away or you may never see it!
2. Spend the extra $8 on good pastie tape; your covered nipples are worth it!
3. It may seem like a good idea to whip your clothes in the audience, not so good when the audience member decides to keep it as a souvenir.
4. Stretch!
5. Know your limit, stay within it – don’t drink and burlesque! Burlesque then drink!
6. Three weeks to do a routine doesn’t mean you get three weeks to work on your routine, it means you must use those spare moments in your three weeks to get it done!
7. Take risks! I was so stressed for my first number at the Becoming Burlesque graduation recital because I wasn’t convinced people would think it was funny. I actually almost scraped it last minute but I kept it, had faith in myself and it couldn’t have gone better!
8. Shave!
9. Lay out all of your costume pieces for a show, look at them… see if you are forgetting anything. Go away for 10 minutes, come back, look at them… see if you are forgetting anything and then pack!
10. Realize that many people run on ‘burlesque time’. I still haven’t figured out how that works but it basically means if you show up on time, you’re early.

I also just want to mention that most of these things I was warned about by the lovely teachers of Becoming Burlesque. This is way you should pay attention in class!