THE EXACTING SCIENCE OF STRIPTEASE :: neon

Today I was proofing “Exotic Dance - The Irrisistible Art” - the upcoming World Dance New York DVD release by Lady Morrighan (New Orleans). What a lovely, well-designed instructional program. Most of the exotic dance / striptease videos on the market teach striptease as an improvised performance act, not as a choreography. Their target audience is envisioned, I guess, as aspiring exotic dance pros. You can pick up some moves, but unless you’ve watched a lot of exotic dance shows, the improv approach won’t result in a tight, flawless performance. If the program is meant for “everyday women” who don’t frequent strip clubs, you have to assume that your student’s eye is untrained and won’t be able to pick up enough moves and to detect proper form and technique.
Lady M did away with all the guesswork by teaching a totally choreographed routine (exotic dance, floorwork, striptease sequence, lap dance) step-by-step, with the beat and count - so now you can not only grasp the vibe, but also look like a pro with one full routine under your belt, even if your exposure to striptease is absolutely minimal. Lady M addresses the interactive aspects of striptease and lap dance by having a large teddy bear with a silly happy smile as her audience. The cuteness is beyond description.

Now that I am in the business of publishing exotic dance training products, I find myself responding to the following two FAQs:
1. Is exotc dance really a “dance”?
(We are familiar with this question applied to bellydance! ) Of course it is a dance, with its own aesthetics of movement, different styles, and traditional steps. If I want to do a boudoir show and take off my clothes in a sexy way, I’ll come up with moves to perform, but they will look like watered-down homegrown stuff in comparison to the perfectly-distilled essence of striptease choreographed by a talented pro. You just can’t come up with some of these moves: They blend dance, fantasy, and eloquence of body language - all in a very unique and precise way. In some aspects erotic arts are an exact science - some things work and others don’t and gaining access to the knowledge is not always intuitive.
2. Do “everyday women” really need exotic dance skills?
If we need sexy lingerie and makeup, we can as well enrich our boudoir repertoir. As with any form of dance, skilled movement transforms the body beyond what clothes and makeup can achieve. At the filming of “Exotic Dance - The Irresistible Art” my boyfriend asked me if I would “learn this routine, It’s so gorgeous.” He has never asked me to learn a great bellyeddance routine! In some areas the male brain is always on autopilot - bellydance is seductive, but nothing beats taking your clothes off in an elaborate manner!

One of the cute features of Lady Morrighan programs is fact that every move has a name - “Venus Arch,” “Stiletto Kick,” “Mae West fold,” “Snake Slide” - so cool!
This video is the second in Lady M’s exotic dance series: The other offering is “The Exotic Dance Workout” (Amazon.com and other stores.)

Comments

[Gretchen]

I am so excited to see this video when it's released!!! Great Review!!!

[Noura]

I'm anxiously awaiting the release of this dvd as a follow-up from her 1st dvd. Lady M is a talented woman and knows how to get thru to the "everyday" woman.

[Parthena]

I'm so proud of Lady Morrighan. She is an incredibly talented dancer and teacher. Although I didn't agree with the bellydance/pole dance thing at first, I admire her talent and chutzpah and wish her all the best.

[marce]

hi you're really nice! i like this! please would you write me?

[Neon]

Here is a link to a collection of screen shots from the DVD - enjoy!!!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/worlddancenewyork/sets/72157600340595633/

[esl]

thats a great review. I'm a big fan of her work too!