About us
Burlesquercise UK
Burlesquercise was founded by Amy Parkes in 2018 with a simple yet powerful mission to give ordinary women the opportunity to discover their inner confidence and fall in love with who they are and what they look like.
What began with just one weekly class and 10 members has since flourished into a thriving community of over 150 women, offering nine classes per week to participants aged 18 to 80.
Each session is a celebration of movement, empowerment, and self-expression, welcoming women from all walks of life to come together, dance, and embrace themselves unapologetically.
But Burlesquercise is more than just a dance class.
It is a movement, a celebration of empowerment, liberation, and body confidence.
The concept was born from Amy's personal journey in the performing arts industry since graduating from University. After being told repeatedly that she “didn’t have the right body” to be a professional dancer, Amy decided to challenge those limiting beliefs and redefine what it truly means to be a dancer.
Amy created Burlesquercise to offer a space where women of all shapes, sizes, and backgrounds could express themselves freely, build confidence, and rediscover the joy of movement without judgment or comparison. A place where nobody was told they were not good enough or did not look right.
At its heart, Burlesquercise is built on five core values:
· Empowerment: Encouraging every participant to reclaim their confidence and embrace their individuality.
· Liberation: Breaking down social stigmas and outdated beauty standards that limit self-expression.
· Self-Love: Fostering a safe, inclusive, and non-judgmental environment where every woman is celebrated.
· Mental Wellbeing: Promoting movement and community connection as powerful tools for reducing anxiety and nurturing resilience.
· Confidence: Helping each participant walk away feeling stronger, prouder, and more capable, both on and off the stage.
Burlesquercise is not about perfection. It is about passion, joy, and unapologetic authenticity.
It is a space where women can reconnect with themselves, support one another, and celebrate what makes them beautifully unique.