After more than thirty-five (professional) years of teaching, choreographing, performing, coaching, and mentoring tens of thousands of people, here’s what I know for sure: everyone learns differently - and that’s a beautiful thing.

Experience isn’t just about the years - it’s how you use them to understand people, patterns, patience, and provide profound care to your clients.

WHY I TEACH THE WAY I DO:

There’s one thing I will never stop saying:

Your learning style matters.

Your body matters.
And you deserve a teacher who actually sees you.

I’ve taught tens of thousands of people over the years - different ages, different abilities, different health conditions, different levels of confidence, different backgrounds, different life stories. And with every single person who steps into my class, one truth always stands out:

No two people learn in the same way.

• Some people learn by watching
• Some people learn by feeling
• Some people need metaphors
• Some need simplicity
• Some need the step broken down
• Others need the why behind the movement
• And some - quite literally - need me to make a strange sound effect so the rhythm lodges in the brain and refuses to leave

(I refuse to apologise for my sound effects. They are iconic.)

THE TEACHING METHOD BEHIND THE MADNESS (AND THE MAGIC):

This is why I use a teaching style that includes different words - and sometimes even different noises - to describe movements.

Everyone learns differently, so offering multiple ways to explain the same step or pattern means there’s always a version that “clicks” for each individual.

It’s funny.

It’s weird.
And it works.

Every. Single. Time.

Because a teacher’s job is not just to teach their way - it’s to teach your way.

WHY MY DECADES OF EXPERIENCE MATTER (AND WHY I CARE SO FIERCELY):

I’ve spent literal decades refining how I communicate movement:

• Supporting people recovering from injuries
• Teaching those with chronic health conditions
• Guiding absolute beginners
• Coaching and mentoring professional performers & athletes
• Helping tens of thousands of people to build confidence, strength, and (better) body awareness
• Creating accessible pathways into fitness, dance, and performance
• Supporting people through grief, trauma, burnout, illness, and life transitions
• And celebrating every win, big or small

This didn’t happen overnight.
This comes from lived experience, relentless dedication, and a genuine love for helping people rediscover what their bodies can do.

I want my clients to succeed - not because it looks good on paper, but because you deserve to thrive.

Every class I teach is built on that foundation.

WHY MY CLASSES & WORKSHOPS ARE ALWAYS ADAPTABLE, ALWAYS INCLUSIVE, ALWAYS FOR YOU:

Whether it’s Burlesque Dance, Cabaret Dance, Heels Dance, Contemporary Dance, Yoga, Pilates, Strength Training, Rehabilitation, Relaxation, or simply movement for wellbeing, my goal is always the same:

• Make it achievable.
• Make it safe.
• Make it joyful.
• Make it yours.

If something isn’t working, I will find another way.
If you’re nervous, I will guide you patiently.
If you need reassurance, you’ll get it.
If you need a challenge - I’ve got you.

My job is not just to teach you steps and movement.
My job is to help you feel capable, confident, and connected to your body - perhaps for the first time in years.

BOSS LADY WISDOM:

Your body isn’t difficult.
Your learning style isn’t a problem.
You just need the right teacher - and the right explanation - both at the right time.

And after over three and a half decades of doing this, you'll learn that I’m very, very good at finding that explanation.

TRUST THE (MY!) PROCESS!

READY TO LEARN IN A WAY THAT FINALLY MAKES SENSE?

Come join me for a class, a workshop, or a private lesson, and let’s get you feeling stronger, happier, and more confident in your own skin.

Explore all  UPCOMING CLASSES HERE   or   CONTACT ME for a   PRIVATE BOOKING

Boss Lady - Lara Gothique

Founder, Curator, Choreographer, Performer, Swamp-Witch, and Slightly Feral Producer of The Velvet Burlesque™

© Lara Gothique - Velvet Burlesque™
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