05/29/2026
HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT FOR ALL OF OUR BURLESQUE LOVERS
We are beyond excited to announce the FIRST of our TWO Summer Workshop Weekends.
On June 20, we will be hosting TWO incredible workshops with one of New Orleans’ favorite performers — Bella Blue!
Bella Blue is a New Orleans native burlesque performer, producer, and hospitality entrepreneur known for blending spectacle with genuine warmth. She co-owns Pulcinella!, a 52-seat Italian restaurant rooted in Sicilian home cooking, and The Original Nite Cap, a speakeasy located above Pulcinella where craft cocktails meet curated live performances — making her one of the rare people in New Orleans running a full restaurant and a cabaret under the same roof. Her career spans nearly 20 years of performance, production, and burlesque education. Having toured all over the US and Europe, she has brought New Orleans culture and tradition to the masses through the art of burlesque. Peers in the burlesque world describe her as an absolutely amazing producer with a reputation that extends well beyond the city. Whether she's working the dining room floor or commanding the stage, Bella Blue is the kind of host who makes every room feel like it was made for you.
Workshop #1
1:00 PM – 2:30 PM
Prop Me Up: Burlesque with Props
You don't just perform burlesque — you tell a story with everything in your hands.
In this class, props become your co-stars. Whether it's a feather boa draping across your curves, a chair that holds tension, or gloves that become more than just a glamorous costume piece -- you'll learn how to use objects to build character, extend your movement, and command the stage.
What we'll cover: Everyone must bring a random prop to class. It can be silly, functional, classic to burlesque, or something completely unconventional. We will explore how to make a prop feel like a natural extension of your body rather than something you're just holding.
Bring: Comfortable clothes you can move in, heels optional, and a prop.
This is a space for all bodies, all levels, and all interpretations of glamour.
Workshop #2
2:30 PM – 4:00 PM
Work the Room: Burlesque and the Art of Audience Connection
The stage is only half the show. The other half is sitting right in front of you.
In this class, you'll learn how to make every person in the room feel like the performance is just for them. Eye contact and connection are a performer's most important tools yet they tend to be the hardest ones to master. This class will help break through some of the barriers associated with eye contact and give you the confidence to hold a room, utilize silence, and more effectively communicate through your facial expressions and eye contact.
We'll cover the concept of holding eye contact, how to use pauses and stillness to build tension across a room, playing to the back row without losing the front, and the difference between performing at someone and performing withthem. You'll practice reading a crowd and adjusting your energy in real time. We all know that every audience is different but the best performers know how to feel that shift and respond in the moment!
What we'll cover: Eye contact techniques that feel intentional without being awkward, directing energy across different parts of the room, using the audience's reactions as part of your timing, the tease of acknowledgment and withholding, and how to stay grounded when the crowd surprises you.
Bring: your performance instincts, a willingness to make eye contact with strangers, and a sense of humor. Remember that audiences are unpredictable, and that's exactly what makes this fun!!
This class is for anyone who wants to stop performing in front of people and start performing with them.
Pricing:
• $45 for one workshop
•$75 for both workshops
Private lessons are also available. Solo private sessions or semi-private sessions for up to 4 people can be booked upon request. Message the page for scheduling and pricing details.
Tickets available here:
https://studio522.as.me/?appointmentType=category:BELLA%20BLUE%20WORKSHOP%20WEEKEND
Spots are limited, so don’t wait. Get ready for a weekend of glamour, confidence, movement, and pure burlesque magic.
