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Burlesque scene hits Lansing

January 24, 2012

By standing out, theatre senior Erika Moul hopes to help others feel as if they fit in.

“I love being a part of entertaining people and making people laugh,” Moul said. “I want to make people comfortable with being themselves by being strange.”

And so she became involved with the planning of the monthly event Burlesque: A Night of Magic, Live Music & Sex.

The event, which is set to debut from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Wednesday at Spiral Dance Bar, 1247 Center St., in Lansing, will consist of live vocal and dance performances by local entertainers, as well as magic and comedy skits.

Moul said this burlesque show will take audience members by surprise.

Rather than being focused purely on sex — which is what Moul said most people believe burlesque to be — the production is meant to keep audience members laughing and entertained.

“You can bring all your friends to it and not feel awkward,” she said. “I think a lot of people will be interested in just seeing what it’s about (because) many people don’t even know what burlesque is. It’s so much more than just taking off your clothes.”

Daniel Young, a general manager at Spiral Dance Bar, came up with the idea for this event to provide Lansing area residents an alternative to the typical bar night.

“When you look at local bars, everybody consistently does some sort of live entertainment or dance music,” he said. “It’s very energetic and very Top 40-esque. What we’re trying to do is bring a broader appeal. It’s midweek, (so) we want to hit people up who want to have a more relaxing entertainment venue.”

The show provides the performers — many of whom are theatre students at MSU — an opportunity to showcase their talents and gain real-world experience, which Moul said can be difficult to come by while still in school.

“A lot of students are very talented, but because of time constraints with being a student, there’s not always (a performance opportunity) open, especially on weekends with (working other) jobs,” she said.

Andrea Miller, who has performed at Spiral Dance Bar before, said she is excited to return to the venue and dance in front of her friends and other attendees.

“Burlesque isn’t something to make you think, it’s just something to have fun watching,” she said.

Miller, who will be performing a routine she choreographed herself to Christina Aguilera’s song “I’m a Good Girl,” said she especially is excited about the night’s theme and hopes to open attendees’ eyes as to what a burlesque show actually is.

“I love the idea of burlesque because it’s a specific style,” she said. “When people say burlesque, there’s a specific thing people think of, but it really encompasses a lot. It’s all about teasing without taking off your top. You still get to be sexy and have fun without performing at (a strip club).”

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