A Dancers Story – My Incredible Transformation!

Three years ago I started Burlesque Chair Dance classes as I needed to get out of the house after being widowed at the age of 39 two years previously. I don’t think I really spoke to anyone in the first year of classes; 1) I suffer from chronic shyness (although once you get to know me you’d never believe it in a million years!) and 2) I was coming out of shock from my partner’s death, we’d been together for 19 years and I had PTSD, anxiety and depression as a result of losing my soul mate and best friend. What the other ladies in the class didn’t know was what a wounded little chick I was!

I found that 1 hour a week was my total respite from everything I was going through, while ever I was thinking which is my left leg, right leg and putting what where I wasn’t thinking about my problems. I am sure Kerry will tell you I still don’t know left from right or back from front! And I was adamant that I was never going on stage! I carried on with the classes, slowly started to make friends and let people into my life.

Kpt. Kirsche – Edlington Instructor

One of the very surprising things about being widowed is a total loss of confidence both as a person and in your appearance, I am not sure why but it pretty much destroyed all of mine. The classes built up my confidence and also being nominated by Kerry as a contender for Miss Burlesque 2014 after appearing in 2014’s annual show. So much so that in a moment of madness I decided to enter the Burlesque Chair Dance Open Night, where you choreograph your routine to the music you’ve chosen………and get up on stage……on your own!

Amazingly I won the Best Dance category against 13 other dancers at the grand old age of 44! The other ladies were so good that I had to go and hide backstage way before my turn and not watch any more dances or I’d have chickened out and gone home! I was shocked to win and cannot tell you how pleased and over joyed I was, but more importantly than that was the wonderful support I had from the ladies in my class and my instructor Kerry who supported me through the whole experience.

 

I have met the most amazing, special and supportive women who have helped me immensely in lots of ways and I’d have never have known these people if I hadn’t taken those first very scary steps. So my advice to anyone who is thinking about joining the classes is…..just do it, we have a right good laugh, it’s like an hours’ worth of therapy with a wonderful bunch of people who really do get that life sometimes just doesn’t go to plan.