Classes
Each season we offer a mix of classes ranging from performance progressives to dance & burlesque skill-building classes, to workout and dance conditioning classes. Join us for varied training that will bring some sparkle to your life!
Check out our Policies & Procedures here.
Scholarships: Sponsored BIPOC spots are available. Email us to claim a spot.
Accessibility: The VBC is located on the second floor of a building with no elevator access, accessible via a wide set of stairs.
Payment Plans: Payment plans are available. Please email us with any questions.
Classes
Each season we offer a mix of classes ranging from performance progressives to dance & burlesque skill-building classes, to workout and dance conditioning classes. Join us for varied training that will bring some sparkle to your life!
In the event of another COVID-19 shutdown, classes will continue via Zoom.
All in-studio classes require mandatory mask-wearing to keep our students and teachers safe.
Scholarships: Sponsored BIPOC spots are available. Email us to claim a spot.
Accessibility: The VBC is located on the second floor of a building with no elevator access, accessible via a wide set of stairs.
Payment Plans: Payment plans are available. Please email us with any questions.
Current Offerings
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Burlesque: An Introduction
$95.00 Instructor: Ariel Helvetica
Dates: Sundays, April 14, 21 + 28
Cost: $95
CLASS A: Time: 12pm – 1:30pm *CLASS A SOLD OUT*
CLASS B: Time: 1:30pm – 3pm Join Ariel Helvetica for a fun 3-week course of shimmy, shaking good times! Dip your toes into the sparkling world of Burlesque and the Art of the Tease. This 3-day course will introduce you to our sassy art form – starting with Burlesque’s history, classic movement and styling, and moving through striptease peels & reveals. You will focus on poise & posture, walking in heels, and some fun bump’n’grind movement, and will then layer our striptease skills on to this foundation. You will also learn a fun choreo along the way to help put your newfound tricks together. Everyone welcome – whether you’re brand new to burlesque or you’re a burlesque student who wants to learn more – there will be something for each showpony living inside you! Cost includes a pair of gloves for you to keep! -
Burlesque: A Debut
$270.00CLASS IS SOLD OUT. Email us to be added to the waitlist: [email protected]
Instructor: Ariel Helvetica
Dates: Wednesdays, May 1 – June 19
Time: 8pm – 9:30pm
Cost: $270Pre-requisite: Burlesque: An Introduction
Have you finished our Burlesque Introduction course and unsure where to go next? This is the class for you!
In this 7 week course, Ariel Helvetica will prepare you for your first burlesque group performance. We will build upon our current foundations including history and movement to take your tease factor to the next level. Learn how to work in a group setting to create a cohesive classic burlesque routine.This class will lead up to a group performance at a VBC Student Showcase, Thursday, June 27 at the Rio Theatre – we will be working together to create a full routine, complete with costume and striptease.
**Cost includes notions for your costumes. You will also receive professional stage photos and video from the showcase.
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Burlesque: Ingenue
$270.00CLASS IS SOLD OUT. Email us to be added to the waitlist: [email protected]
Instructor: Cherry OnTop
Dates: Tuesdays, April 30 – June 18
Time: 6pm – 7:30pm
Cost: $270Pre-requisites: Burlesque Intro & Burlesque Debut
This 8 week course focuses on Classic Burlesque Movement with a lick of Neo style and delves deeper into the skills learned in Burlesque: An Introduction and Burlesque: Debut.
Continue to build on your foundation of Poise & Posture, walking in heels and more traditional burlesque style. Learn how to showcase your personality while building your burlesque movement library.
This class will lead up to a group performance at a VBC Student Showcase on Thursday, June 27 at The Rio Theatre – we will be working together to create a full routine, complete with costume and striptease.*Costumes will be needed for the show – we will do our best to make it affordable and accessible for everyone. Be prepared to do some crafting and to hunt and gather for affordable pieces at 2nd hand stores or lingerie stores.
**Cost includes notions for your costumes. You will also receive professional stage photos and video from the showcase. -
Burlesque: Starlets
$270.00CLASS IS SOLD OUT. Email us to be added to the waitlist: [email protected]
Instructor: Cherry OnTop
Dates: Tuesdays, April 30 – June 18
Time: 7:45pm – 9:15pm
Cost: $270Pre-requisites: Burlesque Intro, Debut & Ingenue + one other VBC group performance class (or the equivalent through another school)
Join Cherry OnTop for 8 weeks of digging deeper into burlesque movement, while incorporating more sensual striptease and stage presence elements.
Cherry’s Starlet Level is geared to an advanced dance level and will be pushed at a harder pace. Together we will practice and refine our striptease, practice giving “face” plus work on the elements that drag the audience into the seduction of burlesque. Learn more about drawing people in and projecting your energy out.
The main goal of this progressive is to work together on a group performance where we can showcase our new skills in an exciting, interesting and undeniably sensual way.
For this round be prepared to flex your floorwork skills!
You’ll be performing at our VBC Student Showcase on Thursday, June 27 at the Rio Theatre.*Costumes will be needed for the show – we will do our best to make it affordable and accessible for everyone. Be prepared to do some crafting and to hunt and gather for affordable pieces at 2nd hand stores or lingerie stores.
**Cost includes notions for your costumes. You will also receive professional stage photos and video from the Showcase. -
Island Gyal Flow
$270.00REGISTRATION OPENS MONDAY, MARCH 4 @ 7PM
Instructor: Androsia Wilde
Dates: Saturdays, April 20 – June 22
Time: 1pm – 2:30pm
Cost: $270Pre-requisites: none
You know how to move, but do you know how *you* move?
ISLAND GYAL FLOW is a unique, open-level 9 week progressive where Androsia Wilde leads you through a more experimental, decolonial and deeply personal approach to burlesque and movement in general: born from the philosophies of her own ancestry and dance practice where Movement is meant to be authentic, unshackled, and inspire rapture from those lucky enough to witness it. This class focuses on loosening up the rigors of choreography by injecting moments of freestyle movement, exploring the elements as inspiration and fuel for embodying your energies, and decoding your body’s unique movement choices through experimentation and trust. Perfect for dancers at any stage of their movement journey, this course encourages you to just…flow.This class works up to a performance at our VBC Student Showcase on Thursday, June 27 at The Rio Theatre. You will also be supplied with professional photos and video from the show.
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Unapologetically Sexy “Fatlesque”
$270.00REGISTRATION OPENS MONDAY, MARCH 4 @ 7PM
Instructor: Arabella Boop
Dates: Wednesdays, April 24 – June 19 *no class June 5
Time: 6pm – 7:30pm
Cost: $270Pre-requisite: None
Burlesque from a fat burlesque performer for fat Burlesque performers.
Arabella Boop is an award winning fat burlesque performer who is passionate about seeing more fat bodies on stage.
For this brand new VBC offering you will go on a journey of self expression and connection, bringing to the stage an unapologetically sensual performance.
Class will be geared towards all levels and abilities.This class is for all fat, curvy, thick, plump, full figured, non “straight sized” bodies, all gender expressions, and abilities.
Class will lead up to a group performance at a VBC Student Showcase, Thursday, June 27 at the Rio Theatre – we will be working together to create a full routine, complete with costume and striptease.
**Cost includes notions for your costumes. You will also receive professional stage photos and video from the showcase.
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Cabaret Chair Dance
$240.00Instructor: Chelsea Hart
Cost: $240Open Level Chair Dance: SOLD OUT
Dates: Thursdays, April 18 – June 13 *no class on June 6
Time: 6pm – 7:30pmIntermediate Chair Dance:
Dates: Mondays, April 22 – June 17 *no class on May 20
Time: 6pm – 7:30pm
Prerequisite: must have taken at least 2 sessions of Open Level Chair with Chelsea. Email us if you have any questions [email protected]In this eight-week progressive we will live out our Cabaret fantasies, dive into some dance fundamentals, learn a sizzling and somewhat cheeky piece of choreography with our beloved dance partner: the chair. The chair is one of our favourite props and lends itself to posing, exciting dance sequences and an ab workout like you wouldn’t believe!
Chelsea is out Cabaret honey and will have you snapping your fingers and tipping your hat like the best of them. Come as you are and get ready to give it that old razzle dazzle.This class will lead up to a group performance at a VBC Student Showcase on Thursday, June 27 at The Rio Theatre. You will also be supplied with professional stage photos and video of your act.
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Advanced Cabaret Chair Dance
$240.00REGISTRATION OPENS MONDAY, MARCH 4 @ 7PM
Instructor: Chelsea Hart
Dates: Thursdays, April 18 – June 13 *no class on June 6
Time: 7:45pm – 9:15pm
Cost: $240Pre-requisites: This is an advanced level – you need to have taken at least 2 sessions of Open Level Cabaret Chair or been given approval from Chelsea
This eight week progressive is for those who have past dance/chair-dance experience who want to lean into the sultry, character driven world of Cabaret. Classical jazz lines combined with chair tricks and theatrics – this progressive will be an extra saucy experience.
Your class will lead to a group performance at our VBC Student Showcase on Thursday, June 27 at the Rio Theatre. You will also be supplied with professional stage photos and video of the show.