How to Pull Off a Sexy Strip Tease Without Feeling Mortified

You don’t have to be a burlesque dancer to deliver a steamy strip tease—but it does help to know some of their tricks of the trade. So we talked to the pros to get their best tips for a sultry performance.

1. Make Sure Your Music Fits the Mood
Choose music that you both like, recommends Jo Weldon, headmistress and founder of the NY School of Burlesque and author of The Burlesque Handbook, Tease Enabler. “You need to have fun moving to it, and he needs to have fun listening to it.” But, she adds, it’s important to really listen to the lyrics. “Make sure that a song that sounds sexy is actually saying something sexy and romantic, rather than being about a breakup or other unpleasant theme.”

RELATED: The Playlist That’ll Make You Feel Sexiest

2. Dress the Part
Contrary to what you might think, less is more when you’re doing a strip tease: “Wear just a few items so it doesn’t get tedious,” says Weldon. “Wear things that are nice to touch and won’t catch on your partner’s clothing—beware of sequins and big earrings.” Also, keep a few practicalities in mind: “If you’re thinking of pulling something over your head, remember that it can mess up your makeup, jewelry, and hair, and plan your accessories accordingly. If you’re planning to drop a dress or pants, remember that clothes can catch on your shoes and buckles, and choose thoughtfully.”

3. Try Out a Character
“Character work can be great for finding confidence or avoiding the feelings of silliness,” says Nicole LaBonde, a burlesque performer and teacher and the creator of CABARRET Barre+Burlesque Fitness. “It isn’t you doing the tease at all, it’s your character.” She suggests creating a persona that embodies one of your favorite characteristics about yourself—your intelligence, sense of humor, strength, etc.—or donning a role that is your exact opposite: “If you’ve always wanted to be flirty, assertive, or just someone who enjoys a strip tease, now is the time!”

RELATED: 6 Ways to Boost Your Body Confidence

4. Touch Your Audience—and Yourself
“The sexiest moves are sliding a part of your body against a part of theirs and touching yourself as if you are the best-feeling creature on the planet,” says Weldon. “When you touch yourself, you not only convey touch-ability, but they can tell you’re interested in them.”

5. Learn How to Work a Satin Glove
“A classic move is removing long gloves by biting one of the fingers of the glove, holding it in your teeth to loosen it, and sliding the entire glove off slowly by lifting your hand up into the air and tilting your head slightly back,” says NYC-based burlesque performer Grace Gotham. “Alternatively, a glove can be removed by using one hand to pull loose the fingers of the glove on the other hand—say, to the beat of the music—and then playfully and slowly peeling the glove all the way off.” 

6. …Or a Feather Boa
“One of the greatest mistakes beginners make when working with a prop is that they fail to really play with the prop in every which way they can to make it fun and interesting,” says Gotham. Here are just a few things that you can do with a boa when performing:
– Drape it around your neck.
– Run it between your legs, and act like it tickles.
– Use it to hide various body parts that have had clothing stripped from them.
– Toss it on the floor and slowly bend over to pick it up, giving your significant other a sultry look when you catch them staring at your derriere.
– Wrap it around the neck of your love interest, and dance close to them. 

7. Have Fun!
“It’s okay if you both giggle and laugh and squirm,” says Weldon. “If you or they feel shy or embarrassed a bit, let it be fun!” Don’t be too serious, she says—and be willing to move on to sex when you feel you and your partner are done with this part of the evening. “You should feel like you’re playing with your partner rather than performing for them,” she says. “That’s what makes it special.”

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