Presented by Bey Dance
Reviewed 1 March 2015
How many times have you watched Beyoncé grace your screen and thought ‘Man, I wish I was that fierce’? Or more importantly ‘I wish I could do that’?
If you’re anything like me your answer is probably “every single time” you see Queen B do her thing. Well fear not, because the team at Bey Dance have put together a workshop to teach you how to be the fiercest of fierce and get yourself a whole lotta laughs while doing so.
I’m going to be wholeheartedly honest – as SOON as I saw this show in the Fringe guide I begged to review it. I’ve seen the concept floating around the internet before, but never wanted to commit to a whole season of dancing lessons (mainly for fear of being utterly terrible at it!) So when I found out that releasing my inner diva was going to be compacted into one 90-minute workshop I thought, this is my time to shine.
Whilst also being honest I’ll admit I had a girlfriend who had agreed to come get booytlicious with me at said workshop, but due to a little TOO much Fringe festivity the night before, bailed on our Beyoncé afternoon. When I realized that I might have twerk in this room filled with strangers without someone to laugh with me, I became quite nervous.
Filing in to the Lotus Palace, your typical Fringe Garden tent, on a 37degree Saturday afternoon, I thought, “Oh yes, this is going to be very interesting.”
The class starts off with your bubbly adorable blonde instructor assuring everyone that it’s for people with any type of dance capabilities (or lack thereof); that they were serving up confidence and laughter, not perfection. And strangely enough, despite my doubts, her opening speech actually put my nerves at ease.
By the time we had covered the importance of power posing and strutting, everyone in the crowd had loosened up and the laughter was already flowing.
I’m not going to take you through the ins and outs of every move and how the afternoon progressed. That would be spilling too many secrets, but I will say that I heard the word ‘booty’ more times than I ever have before and in more ways than I ever have before.
I walked into the class nervous and alone, but 90 minutes later I was up close and very personal with complete strangers quite literally laughing until we cried. I can’t say, whilst dripping in my own sweat and possibly the sweat of others, that I felt Beyoncé-level sexy, but I definitely felt fierce enough to take on any dance floor.
Some hot tips for those attending the workshop:
- Wear comfortable clothing and footwear. This class shows you that sexiness is about how you feel, so don’t wear a mini dress – you’re gonna sweat. Also the floor is bouncy old rickety floorboards so you want comfy sneakers, or something of the like. The young man in front of me struggled for grip in his stilettos. Yes, you read that sentence correctly.
- Take plenty of water. More than plenty if that’s possible. The environment is super hot, and I imagine it would be even on a cooler day. Did I mention you’re gonna sweat?
- Don’t make immediate plans for afterwards. You’re going to want to shower. In case you missed it, you’re gonna sweat.
I honestly couldn’t recommend this show more. Definitely make an afternoon of it and go with your friends. It’s a hilariously fun experience you won’t forget.
Get bootylicious.
Reviewed by Hannah Pendlebury
Rating out of 5: 5
Venue: Gluttony – The Lotus Palace, Rymill Park, Adelaide
Season: 14 February – 14 March 2015
Duration: 90 minutes
Tickets: $29
Bookings: Book through FringeTix online or at a FringeTix box office (booking fees apply)
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