Photo credit: Kaylin Idora

The ‘Strip Strip Hooray!’ performance by Dita Von Teese was sexy, daring, yet also professional and inspiring. The second show was fully sold out and it quickly became clear why. The atmosphere was exciting and provocative. Dita’s show was beyond energetic and was thought out down to the smallest details, including her light catching nipple tassels which held on while she shook her assets.

While I did not know much about b urlesque, I suspected that an American crafted burlesque show would involve some kind of humour. Dita ensured this element to her show by her choice of host, MC Murray Hill. Murray had the most witty and engaging manner of commentating which left audiences laughing whilst waiting for the next routine. Unlike more average shows you may see, this aspect meant that there was not ever a dull ‘interlude’ moment in the show – the whole time you were being entertained, whether by the routines or by Murray’s hilarious nature.

Photo credit: Kaylin Idora

Dita’s dancers were also a sight to behold in their own right. Dita’s team of burlesque dancers displayed huge amounts of confidence whilst performed their own shows, each with their own style and story-like elements. These performers came in a variety of shapes of sizes, but with their confidence, every single one displayed the utmost feminine beauty and sex appeal. This was – to myself who is a complete novice when it comes to burlesque shows – a surprising relief I was not expecting. To see that any woman can be considered beautiful in the world of burlesque instantly made my respect for the profession rise to a new height. In picking these women to be part of her show, Dita clearly considers body shape to be the last thing that matters in feminine beauty, making their confidence and self-love more valued. There were slim women, curvy women, plus size women, short women, tall women, blonde, brunette, whatever you can think of. Dita’s show became so much more because of this, as it celebrated how female beauty and sexual expression is held within each and every one of us. The overall message of Dita’s show was this: stop shaming yourself, because there are burlesque dancers out there shaped just like you who love their body and get applauded for it.

Photo credit: Kaylin Idora

Dita’s skills leaves one spellbound. You cannot resist but watch her very intensely. She makes undressing a practised skill, reminding us of the true beauty that is a woman’s skin. No matter how much you may or may not know about burlesque, or whether you are straight, or gay, or whatever you choose to identify – I urge you to see Dita perform if you ever get the chance. You will not be disappointed.

4 out of 5 stars

– Morgan Rigby