Image of a young woman dressed in a burlesque style by Vika Glitter on Pixabay

short read | sizzling

Mesmerizing Moves — What Burlesque Taught Me About Confidence

I'm not beautiful, but dancing on the stage I am desired

I tilt my head at every angle, allowing the lights around the mirror to catch my face, a final check to ensure my lashes are glued in place, my eyebrows are pencilled and arched, my cheekbones shaded and highlighted and my foundation is blended.

The saying ‘your face is your fortune’, is not strictly true in my case. I don’t imagine women envy my body, because my figure is pleasantly curvy. However, my appearance is the ‘tool of my trade’ so I care for my skin and am mindful of what I eat. What I have that is special is how I move, and it’s something I didn’t discover until I was nineteen.

Growing up, I felt like the supporting cast, not the star. My friends got all the attention. They were chatted up, asked to dance, suffered heartbreak and were sought after in equal measure. I was there to provide admin: holding their drinks, their coats, their hair back in the bathroom, and later the bouquet at their weddings.

At least I didn’t have a sister whose beauty cast me in the shadows, but it was just as trying with a brother who’d prefer to tease me than pay a compliment.