Whether you’re attending your first BurlyCon or your fifteenth, make room for discovering new classes!
You may feel excited. You may feel overwhelmed. Most likely, you’ll feel both.
This year, BurlyCon offers three primary class formats: Standard Classes, BurlyLabs, and the new Master Ecdysiast Track (M.E.T.). Each format creates a different learning experience. When you understand the difference, you can build a weekend schedule that truly supports your growth.
Let’s break it down.
Standard Classes at BurlyCon
Flexible, Foundational, and Wide-Ranging
Most presenters begin with a Standard Class — and for good reason. If you want to explore a new topic, build foundational skills, or sample multiple instructors, start here. These sessions run 60 or 90 minutes and cover topics like:
- Choreography
- Technique
- Makeup
- Costuming
- Performance development
- Business and branding
Some Standard Classes focus on strategy and information. Others prioritize movement and participation. Many combine lecture, discussion, and physical exploration.
New burlesque performers gain confidence and context through Standard Classes. Meanwhile, returning attendees use them to refine technique and expand their toolkit. In short, they form the backbone of the BurlyCon curriculum.
BurlyLabs at BurlyCon
Hands-On, Skill-Based, and Immersive
If you prefer learning by doing, choose a BurlyLab. BurlyLabs run 90 or 120 minutes and serve smaller groups. These sessions emphasize tactile, applied instruction. In a BurlyLab, you might:
- Style a wig
- Apply advanced makeup techniques
- Build a prop
- Construct or alter a costume piece
Rather than listening about technique, you practice it. As a result, you leave with something tangible, refined, or immediately usable.
Because of their hands-on format:
- Registration is required
- Class sizes remain limited
- Some labs include a materials fee
Choose a BurlyLab if you want direct, focused attention, and immersive instruction. However, plan early. These classes often fill quickly.
Master Ecdysiast Track (M.E.T.) at BurlyCon
Advanced Study for Experienced Performers
New for 2026, the Master Ecdysiast Track (M.E.T.) offers deeper, specialty-level coursework. These classes assume you already possess foundational burlesque skills. Instead of introducing basics, M.E.T. courses focus on refinement, professional standards, and niche disciplines.
M.E.T. sessions:
- Run as one- to three-part series
- Maintain focused class sizes
- Confirm prerequisites at registration
- Support sustained growth over time
If you have multiple acts in rotation, produce shows, or teach regularly, M.E.T. may be your next step.
That said, growth doesn’t follow a single path. Many experienced performers combine a M.E.T. course with a movement refresh or business strategy session. Likewise, ambitious newer performers may stretch into a M.E.T. if they meet prerequisites.
How to Build Your BurlyCon 2026 Schedule
Instead of asking, “What should I take?” ask:
- Where do I want to grow this year?
- Do I need foundation, refinement, or experimentation?
- Do I want breadth or depth?
For example, newer performers often benefit from a mix of Standard Classes and one focused BurlyLab. Meanwhile, returning attendees may anchor their weekend with a M.E.T. series and add inspiration-based sessions around it.
Above all, remember this: learning never stops at BurlyCon. You may circle a class and still wish you could take three more. That’s not a problem. That’s the point.
