With the Cheek Of It Burlesque School now in its 9th year, it continues to be an event that I look forward to in the work calendar. Having graced the stage myself many years ago as a Cheekette, it is so lovely to be welcomed back every few months at Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club to document the next handful of burlesque hopefuls making their debuts as solo performers.

This November’s graduate class once again lived up to the high expectations set by a generation of showgirls before, providing a range of skills from balloon pops to fan dancing and even a bit of light poi thrown in for good measure. Compered by Bebe Van Der Belt, the line up also featured a few familiar faces, with a handful of past Cheekettes returning to show off their latest routines. One such returning Cheekette was Didi Derriere, who recently won the respected title of Burlesque Idol in London. Two new beginner’s troupes stepped out on stage, one with a Mount Olympus themed routine and the other taking inspiration from Sherlock Holmes. It was also lovely to document the return of Bernadette Russell, who has been an integral part of The Cheek Of It family for as long as I have been involved and an absolute joy to watch on stage.

Over 200 images were delivered to the performers after the event, but here is a curated handful of my favourites from the show to give you a glimpse into what happened on the stage that night.

If you’re interested in taking up burlesque and performing on the Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club’s iconic illuminated heart stage, why not check out The Cheek Of Its’s website for more details and dates for the Showtime Beginner’s burlesque course, 12 week Advanced Spotlight course and Summer Siren Super Advanced Course.

Looking for a burlesque photographer? You’ve come to the right place! Drop me an email with details about your upcoming event and I’ll get back to you with a quote as soon as humanly possible. I can’t wait to hear from you!