VIBF 2026 Workshops

ALL WORKSHOPS AT PASSION AND PERFORMANCE 

ALL WORKSHOPS RUN 55 MINUTES IN LENGTH.

PLEASE ENTER AND EXIT THE STUDIO QUIETLY  AND ON TIME TO PREVENT DISRUPTIONS IN THE OPEN CONCEPT SPACE. 

ACCESSIBILITY GUIDE

Passion & Performance is located at 55 West 8th Ave, Vancouver. The entrance is at the corner of West 8th Ave and Manitoba St. Passion & Performance is one block north of Broadway Ave and six blocks south of West 2nd Ave. Many Translink buses pass along both Broadway and West 2nd. There is also a City of Vancouver Mobi bike-share station nearby, at West 8th and Ontario St. Please visit www.mobibikes.ca for more details. Metered street parking is available in front of the studio and on the blocks surrounding it. There are two free parking spots in front of the studio. The entrance is at street level, and is a large double door.

FRIDAY WORKSHOP DESCRIPTIONS:

10:00am     ROXIE REVERIE - "Intentionali-TEASE: Creating Acts with Purpose".  

This workshop explores how we can make intentional choices in our acts, strengthening our performances through purposeful and consistent decisions in our movement, music, costuming, and more! Through reflection questions, writing prompts, and act analysis activities, you will learn how to build stronger characters, energy, and relationships with your music, costumes, and audience. Bring in an idea you've been mulling over, an act you'd like to improve, or come up with a new idea in the moment- we'll consider how you can make conscious decisions to reach your goals for the performance!

This workshop is open-level and lecture/discussion-based.

11:00am     HALENA LOU - "Showgirl Style: Heels Technique For Burlesque"

Here’s the secret to those performers you see with perfect lines, long extended limbs, and photo-ready poses: it’s not something inherent to them, but rather, it comes from training!

In this workshop, Halena Lou will draw on her 20+ years of dance training (including in jazz, ballet, and heels) and her experience dancing in a professional cabaret company to break down key jazz and heels technique for that showgirl look and feel in your burlesque acts. This class is designed for burlesque performers who don’t come from a technical dance background, and will demystify technical terms and give you a foundation of showgirl technique. 

12:00 pm    JOONA BAE - "Confessions of a Festival Darling"

Ever wonder how the same performers keep landing spot after spot on festival lineups? Featured in over THIRTY burlesque festivals all over the world, Joona Bae is here to spill the sparkle secrets on the festival circuit.

This 60-minute lecture-style class will dive into what the festival producers are looking for, how to make your acts stand out to the adjudicators, and how to make the most out of a festival appearance. Whether you are a brand new performer looking to break into their first festival or a seasoned performer looking to keep the momentum going, this class will equip you with the tools, tips, and insider know-how to navigate the rhinestone-studded world of burlesque festivals.

1:00 pm      KAI RAE KHUSHI - "Telling Stories Through Movement"

This workshop is about embodying your tale, leaving words behind & letting your body become the alter of your truth. This practice is helpful for a performer developing an act, working through internal blockages in solitude or simply moving about daily life. This workshop is 1 part note taking & 1 part exploitative movement. There are no wrong answers in this workshop, simply an invitation to take yourself on a journey.

Please bring with you: something to write with, something to write on, water, clothes to move in. (socks recommended) 

2:00 CHERRY ON TOP, HEADLINER - "SUPERNOVA"

A movement and choreo-based workshop where we will explore and unleash our inner supernova of power!
With exercises, intention and a banging soundtrack of course, Cherry will help you access your power centre and learn how to translate your energy to the audience.

Let dance, shake, shine and maybe even scream together in 60 minutes of pure fun.

3:00 LUNA YEN - "Get On The Floor!" 

Get on the floor for some floor choreography with Luna! We are getting ooey, gooey, and adding a dramatic flare. Luna blends her experience as a pole dancer with burlesque in this choreography.

This class is designed with multiple variations for all level. Luna looks forward to moving with you!

SATURDAY WORKSHOP DESCRIPTIONS

 10:00am NUMI - "WTF: Work That Face"

You’ve got the moves, but wtf is that face doing?
Numi will walk you through the basics of how to best utilize your face on-stage to suit your performance and character choices—including a focus on mouthshapes, lipsyncing, and injecting emotion through your facial expressions.

Bring the drama, bring the subtlety and learn how to drive narrative using your face.

11:00 am COCO ROSÉ - "Coco's Log: Slow Burn" 

Slow Burn' comes from the idea that the performance is like a slow-burning fire, building heat and intensity over time. A style that celebrates the beauty of anticipation and the thrill of the tease.
Are you ready to set the stage on fire and have the audience begging for the next reveal?!

Join Coco Rosè where she will teach you:

- Sensual movement and dance
- Gradual reveals of the body
- Teasing gestures and facial expressions
- Building anticipation and tension
- Emphasizing the art of seduction and allure

12:00 AZA LIA "Burlesque Costume Design Intensive"

Drawing on a professional background in illustration and animation design, Aza Lia leads a deep dive into visual theory and execution, moving beyond basic pieces to create intentional, high-impact burlesque costumes. This workshop teaches performers to view costuming through an artist's lens, treating reveals as sequential layers and utilizing design principles to engineer garments for the stage.

Participants will review basic colour theory applicable to costuming, learn to prioritize silhouette readability, and apply embellishment techniques to emphasise form and movement. The session includes a hands-on analysis of Aza’s signature burlesque garments and a three-layered sketch exercise using custom design templates you can take home, to move from initial concept to a functional design blueprint.

1:00 pm AQUARIUS MOON, HEADLINER - "Virgin Vogue"

This is for all the newbies to the world of ballroom! During this class you will learn the foundations of vogue femme: hand performance, cat walk, duck walk, spins and dips, and floorwork. This is a social dance that empowers you to freestyle using the various elements of vogue while showcasing your personality.

At the end of class we will do a virgin mock ball where you will get the chance to earn your tens across the board!

2:00 pm Vena Kahlo - "The Art of Heavylesque"

Burlesque gives us a platform to share stories. But stories aren't all rhinestones and glitter. In this class we will discuss the art of creating impactful acts with heavy content. Whether that's personal stories, political, or cultural pieces- there is room for everything.

We'll discuss intention, therapeutic processing, and artistry. The class will end with expressive art therapy activities to get started on your journey.

3:00 pm Xochii de la Noche - "Float & Flow: Silk Fan Essentials for Burlesque"

This is an all-levels movement workshop exploring the fundamentals for silk fans through a burlesque lens. We will cover the core foundations of movement with silk fans to polish your onstage presence, along with show-stopping and cheeky tricks to wow your audience!

PLEASE NOTE: A very small amount of fans will be provided for class on a first-come, first serve basis. Please bring your own if you have them!