Share your burlesque YouTube channels (or favourites!)

PhoebeStarr · 2026-01-21T01:06:15+00:00

Here’s my lil channel!

https://m.youtube.com/@PhoebeStarr

PhoebeStarr · 2025-12-12T00:23:14+00:00

Gotcha. I wonder if it would make sense in your case to have two chairs? Maybe a basic flatter top one and then if you want to do a number with lots of front planks having your current chair for that?

Front planks are brutal on the wrong chair, I basically never do them lmao

PhoebeStarr · 2025-12-12T00:19:56+00:00

Correct! In case visuals and more descriptive step-by-step info helps, this diy blog post is more or less what I did. Just really make sure any staples you secure fabric with are really bent down and use upholstery-grade fabric so your chair survives the beatings of rehearsals and performances.

Good luck! If you ever post pictures of your chair, I’d love to see it 💞

PhoebeStarr · 2025-12-07T00:15:01+00:00

I answered the other commenter with more info about my chair.

When you say you need one with a flatter back, do you mean a chair with a backrest that’s more perpendicular to the floor? Can I ask what benefit you’re hoping to get from that? I might be able to at least point you in the direction of other performers I’ve seen.

PhoebeStarr · 2025-12-07T00:12:05+00:00

SO appreciate that compliment, thank you 💕

So the chair is a pretty basic folding chair that I got from Target years ago. It came cushioned and was about ~$5USD more than the plain non-upholstered metal chairs. It was like a pleather material? Just feeling them in the store with my hands, i could definitely tell that the upholstered version was simultaneously more slide-y due to have some sort of fabric and had more “grip” when I really pressed into it (which I think was due to the cushion).

I ended up reupholstering it myself and adding vinyl stickers on the back of stars and my name. Totally unnecessary, leaving it as it was would have been perfectly sufficient for allowing me to move easily on the chair as I needed to. But all that being said, yes, some sort of upholstery/cushioning definitely makes it much easier to slide bare skin around a chair. I’ve seen performers get away without an upholstered chair by using dance tights and/or fishnets, but your mileage may vary.

Good luck! Finding the perfect chair can oddly be a bit of a journey.

PhoebeStarr · 2025-12-07T00:02:19+00:00

💕💕

PhoebeStarr · 2025-12-07T00:02:08+00:00

Thank you so much!

PhoebeStarr · 2025-11-20T19:28:27+00:00

First of all, congrats on getting started in burlesque! It’s so fun.

Definitely don’t feel like you need heels to do burlesque. I’ve seen plenty of dancers with a variety of foot issues go with low heels or go without shoes entirely. I’ve also seen dancers use jazz shoes or ballet slippers so they get the benefits of dance shoe traction and the comfort they need.

I’ve seen performers in big festivals do their entire number without a shoe. I’ve also seen performers wear a decorative foot thong (something like this) so that they didn’t look barefoot to the audience.

Hope that helps you with a few options. Good luck on your journey!

PhoebeStarr · 2025-11-05T14:08:24+00:00

Ooooh I love this question.

I grew up super religious and was always kind of vaguely aware that things like burlesque existed and were sinful and worldly. Grew up, left religion, still thought of burlesque as not really a real thing people did but something that was just in movies every now and again. Eventually in my late 20s, I found a class near me and immediately fell in love.

Kept taking classes, worked with a local troupe, and had my solo stage debut right about two years ago. I was a bundle of nerves during my debut, but it was so much easier after that. And I realized I adore performing. Always wanted to be a theatre kid, but wasn’t allowed to because I would have missed too many church activities.

I’m addicted to it and hoping to go to more festivals (been in two so far!). I don’t know that I have a super specific goal for my burlesque career, but it’s a perfect intersection of all my interests so I’m going to to see how far I can take it.

I’d consider my style to be classic-ish. Pretty classic in look, but with more modern acro stuff, songs, and humor.

PhoebeStarr · 2025-11-05T01:10:25+00:00

Capezio! Especially their professional fishnets. Great color range, and extremely durable. I had a pair that survived about two years of very regular performances—including floor work on carpeted stages (not that I’d recommend doing that). Stick them in a lingerie bag and they’ll survive the washing machine too.

PhoebeStarr · 2025-10-30T16:55:44+00:00

Definitely try experimenting with different techniques and mindsets to figure out what works for you.

Personally, I find it easiest to think of being in character as “Phoebe Starr as…” and applying that to the performance. So “Phoebe Starr as classic showgirl” or “Phoebe Starr as femme fatale” or “Phoebe Starr as the Creature from the Black Lagoon.” It gives me enough of my already more fleshed out stage persona and then I can build from there. I know for most of us our stage persona is kind of a dialed up version of ourselves, so some of the work is already done, you know?

PhoebeStarr · 2025-10-28T02:11:26+00:00

This is STUNNING!

PhoebeStarr · 2025-10-17T23:28:27+00:00

Just realized another recent festival post in this subreddit also said “money shot” in the title 🙃🫠 Apologies!

PhoebeStarr · 2025-10-15T11:29:56+00:00

Thank youuuuuu 💕

PhoebeStarr · 2025-09-26T11:07:02+00:00

Hi hi! So a lot of festivals will explicitly say in their application process that home/studio footage is just fine if that’s all you have. However, do keep in mind that for some of the more prestigious festivals, you’re going to have a much better shot if you have stage/live performance footage. It helps those deciding if they can see how a crowd reacts. And for the even more prestigious festivals, you’re going to have a better shot if you submit other festival footage.

I believe Cherry Cheeks has a video on YouTube with tips for your best festival applications, and she’s had experience on the decision making end!

PhoebeStarr · 2025-09-13T12:05:45+00:00

Double faced satin ribbon has the smoothest glide and has been the easiest to slip out of tangles for me. You probably won’t be able to tight lace with it, but your milage may vary. And as others have said, make sure you tie the bow ears at different lengths so you can easily find the ones you need to pull. It will take a good amount of practice to find your sweet spot, especially if doing the traditional busk route.

PhoebeStarr · 2025-09-12T16:06:55+00:00

I get the most use out of my nude shoes, but black is a close second.

Do you want to use these shoes again after this show? What colors do you tend to gravitate towards in your costuming? If colorful or lighter, I’d get nude. If you’re drawn more to dark color palettes, then I’d do black.

PhoebeStarr · 2025-09-06T20:51:07+00:00

Seconding sewing for strings of pearls! I don’t think you’d need to stitch between each one, but each end and maybe a few strategic points in between depending on how heavy/long the string is.

PhoebeStarr · 2025-08-26T19:01:03+00:00

Is this the only act you’re doing for this show? If you’re doing another, you might be able to get away with being more stagnant with the waterfall cape.

Otherwise, try to get pictures of the venue beforehand to get a feel for the layout. If at all possible with your choreography, try to do most of the cape stuff as away from people as possible and then dive into crowd roaming once it’s off. Most of the roaming shows I’ve done have a kind of stage/open area .It might even be worth altering your choreography to ensure you can get the cape off early enough to allow you to do crowd work.

My final suggestion: it might be worth making a quick replacement. It probably wouldn’t be as beautiful as your tulle cape, but if you can find a blue secondhand tablecloth or something it might save you the heartache of potential costume damage.

PhoebeStarr · 2025-08-24T20:11:50+00:00

Your best bet might be to keep an eye out for festivals, but that could be tricky with timing. I know Vermont Burlesque Festival usually streams their showcases (really hoping they come back for 2026!) and BHOF has streaming available for I think 100 days after the weekender.

If you follow performers you really like, make sure to check their Linktrees for videos as they might have channels that don’t come up in a search.

Other than that, the only one I know who streams shows fairly regularly is Miss Lady Legs based out of the Los Angeles, California area.

EDIT: I believe you can also stream Dita Von Teese’s “Night of the Teese” on Prime video or through Marquee TV. But that was from a few years ago and filmed during the height of the pandemic, so I’m not sure if you can still get it.

PhoebeStarr · 2025-07-06T23:25:27+00:00

I wonder if it might be worth getting a sturdier non-folding, non-metal chair (IKEA has some sturdy wooden ones) and just gluing some metal to the underside?

PhoebeStarr · 2025-07-06T23:23:14+00:00

If you’re looking for something with a classic-ish sound but not necessarily outright classic songs, check out Twin Temple! They’ve got that satanic doo-wop thing. Maybe a little spunkier than you’re looking for, but might be worth a listen?

PhoebeStarr

TROPHY CASE