“We collect people who don’t really fit elsewhere.”
This is the message from Marvelesque Burlesque, a group in Dundee which promotes body positivity, inclusivity and acceptance.
One class with the shining performing troupe is all that is needed to consider buying a brightly-coloured feather fan, grabbing a glittering headpiece, wrapping up in a feather boa and putting on a pair of fishnet stockings.
The team is keen to create a community and safe space for building confidence, both as a dancer and as an individual.
‘Body confidence and body positivity’
What founder and director Shula Paris, or Mama Jin as she is known on stage, set out to build almost a decade ago was a place for self-expression and accessibility within the art of burlesque – hailing herself as a “proudly disabled performer”.
Speaking about the class, she said: “The main thing we want to promote at Marvelesque is body confidence and body positivity through dancing and how to accept your body as it is and use it to make it pretty – and like yourself a little more.
“A lot of people I know certainly don’t have the best confidence.
“There is a really fun part to it – it feels great and it feels good to be glamorous and sparkly.
“You can have all of the fancy costumes and I love it.”
Taylor Chalmers, who is the group choreographer of Marvelesque, said: “It’s about encouraging people to feel a bit more comfortable in their own skin.”
Since Marvelesque was in its infancy, Blair Watson has been the resident compere and show host and is set to play that all-important role once more as the group is preparing to put on the city’s first ever burlesque festival this summer.
Burlesque festival coming to Dundee
The festival will be held on July 8 at Bonar Hall, with dedicated workshops, masterclasses in dance and stalls set to open from 1pm and two special performances to take place in the evening at 6 and 9pm.
The event will even attract an international crowd, with a burlesque performer from New Zealand expected to attend, as well as one from New York.
Blair said: “We’ve been doing this for nearly a decade now and we’re still quite hidden away so we want to bring burlesque to more people.
“People don’t know that we’re here, yet the Scottish burlesque scene is already pretty good.
“Glasgow runs its regular burlesque festival and Marvelesque is pretty big compared to a lot of the smaller troupes and what they do.
“We’ve been going from strength to strength and at the point now where our shows are selling out and we want to do more involvement with not just us but also the Scottish burlesque scene as well.
“We thought this would be a good idea and we’re hoping that it will be.”
Taylor, known on the stage as Tequila Diamond, has been teaching dance for five years and credits it as a place where she can truly be herself.
She said: “Every week getting to see my dancers, teach them the art and get to see them continually push themselves to become more confident and grow gives me joy like no other.
‘Burlesque accepts anyone’
“Marvelesque really is one big family and I would be completely lost without them. The friendships formed and support given from everyone is a fantastic environment to be in.
“I started out going along to classes when I was at my lowest point with myself and my body and burlesque helped me learn to love myself again.
“I would always encourage anyone to give burlesque a try, it doesn’t matter what age, shape, size, ability or gender you are, the great thing about burlesque is it accepts everyone.”
Notably Dundee’s largest group of burlesque and cabaret performers, with around 30 committed members, the team performs three shows per year in Bonar Hall, bringing glitter and glamour directly to the heart of the city.
The group even attracts older women to the sessions who are wanting to keep moving and try something different.
There is a class on Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings at Showcase The Street, in Stobswell.
Aubrey Allure, who has been attending the class for a year, said: “Marvelesque isn’t just a troupe, it’s a family. I have been part of Marvelesque for a year now and I have grown so much – not just as a performer, but as a person.
“At Marvelesque, it’s all about building each other up and being there for one another. I’m so proud to be a part of this family, and the directors work tirelessly – always going above and beyond for every single member.”
‘Confident in my own skin’
Scarlet Viper echoed this, saying: “Marvelesque has helped me in a huge way since moving to Dundee – it’s given me so much confidence in my body, a chance to perform and fully feel like myself, an amazing social group.
“It’s fantastic to be part of something in the community that is continuing to grow bigger and better. I’m very proud to be part of something so special.”
Ivanna Tease added: “Before joining Marvelesque I had zero self confidence and a very poor body image. My self esteem was at rock bottom and, having moved to a new place where I know no one I had very little social interaction.
“I look forward to class every single week because I get some me time and to be around like- minded and supportive people. Since joining, I’ve become so much more confident in my own skin, not only through classes and being shown how to work with what I was given, but through constant reassurance, positive comments and uplifting conversation.”
History of burlesque
Burlesque as an art form and musical play has been in existence since the Victorian era, coming to the US in the 1840s as sketch performance.
Full of quick-wit and empowerment, burlesque died down in the 1930s during a cultural and moral crackdown and has since seen a resurgence.
Classic burlesque brings to mind Marilyn Monroe’s Diamonds Are a Girls Best Friend and Peggy Lee’s Fever.
Today it entails elaborate dress, sensual performance and creativity, where men and women are welcomed no matter age, shape or size.
It has been known to have a close intersection with drag.
When asked what he would say to someone who is keen to take up the art of burlesque but not sure how to go about it, Blair said: “Just do it. You’ll never know until you jump in both feet first.
“It’s one of those things where everyone feels quite self-conscious and unsure until you just do it – we pride ourselves on genuinely feeling like we’ve built a family and more of a community and that’s part of the purpose of what we do.
“Marvelesque is a community-interest company, we’re founded with social aims and ideals.
“We’ve been collecting people who find that they don’t have other places to fit and other communities that fit them.
“People seem to gravitate towards that and we pride ourselves on being a welcoming, inclusive, open and free space for expression – one of the big things that we want to put at the forefront of what we do.”
