I've been on a fitness kick, to make 2014 the year I up my fitness level and get in better shape. I decided to take 2 BABE Fit classes here, and I'm glad I did. The reason to keep trying different types of work out classes, is sometimes you stumble upon something you really enjoy. The BABE Fit class was the most fun fitness class I've ever taken! The Thursday night classes were taught by Lucie. The first half hour was cardio dancing with some burlesque style moves (but no stripping). The 2nd half hour was floor work of things like crunches and leg stretches, with a 10 minute cool down. Now, I'm pretty uncoordinated, but it's totally OK if you don't pick up the dance moves right away. Lucie was very good at explaining slowly what the moves were, and they repeat, so sometimes the repetition helps you figure the moves out. I was smiling even if I stepped off on the wrong foot for a move. The class price is very reasonable, $12 in advance or $15 at the door. If you're looking for a fun way to get out of your comfort zone and have a great work out, check out BABEfit! read more

Upon taking one of Miss Mina's course, I did not feel that she was comfortable to be around. She was socially awkward, and I did not feel welcomed in her studio. I also do not like the fact that they often send out emails regarding how their business is having problems /w the city of quincy, and are frequently soliciting volunteers to help them clean up their place. It seems rather needy for a business to be asking all the time. Please get your stuff together. read more

I purchased a Bloomspot voucher for a 4 week Introduction to Burlesque class. All in all it was a pretty great experience and not to mention really, really fun. While I normally despise Allston and avoid it at all costs, the studio is actually easy to get to. There's a huge parking lot next to the building which is really convenient. The studio itself is welcoming - albeit on the small side For the first class we had about 16 women and it was definitely crowded. However, the size settled in at 12 for the remaining sessions, which seemed to work out pretty well in the room. I liked that we received emails in advance of every session so that we were aware of what we would be focusing on as well as what we would need to bring with us. I never walked into class without knowing what to expect. Don't have gloves or a boa? No worries! There's extras of everything to borrow or buy. Another plus: I never, ever felt pressured to buy directly from them. The class format was as follows: learn article removal and a dance move, practice said removal and dance move as one big group and then in smaller groups. Then we'd sit down and learn a bit about Burlesque - whether it be the music, history, etc. In subsequent weeks we we would build on the previous week's skills and then add another article removal and dance move. Devorah was patient and helpful in her explanation of the moves. She is truly passionate about burlesque and you can tel by how she talks about it and how she carries herself. What I really loved about this series was that we were a group of women of all different abilities and comfort levels. It never mattered. Devorah was friendly and I never once felt as though anyone was being judged. The atmosphere was always fun and supportive, something that is really necessary when there are tassels involved.. I was skeptical going into the first class, but walked out wondering when I'd be able to come back and take another class! I'd recommend the beginner series to anyone who is looking to have fun and to gain some appreciation for their body. read more

When a bloomspot deal happened to come around for half-off an introduction to burlesque class series at exactly the same time I was obsessed the Grace Potter's "Paris, Oooh La La" video which features burlesque dancers, it was obviously kismet. Sweet talker that I am I managed to convince a friend to sign up with me so I didn't have to go it alone, and three months later the BABE introductory class schedule, which changes monthly, fit perfectly into our busy calendar. They do everything that possibly can be done to put you at ease, starting with sending a detailed course outline. Actually, initially that course outline will probably give you a sort of sinking "Holy sh!t, what did I get myself into?" feeling. At least that's how I felt at first, looking over the progression of dance moves and clothing item removal over a four week period. Later, this syllabus of sorts becomes comforting; in that you know exactly what to expect in every class. They also send you weekly reminders of what to bring to each session. As if you could forget that you need to pack your feather boa or tasseled pasties. The dance studio itself is housed in a large, secure multi-use building in a part of Allston which is shockingly easy to get to, and has parking. We took our class with Devora, who seemed to be a bit new as a teacher. She was friendly, encouraging and her passion for Burlesque obvious. Classes themselves are structured so that each week there's a concentration on one or two dance moves and one or two 'removals' of specific clothing items. Starting with a comfortable and low pressure bump & grind and glove removal, and progressing all the way to bra removal and tassel twirl. The last 15 minutes of class is a group discussion about different aspects of history and components of burlesque as an art form. Our first class was *packed* with 16 women ranging from very early twenties to mid-forties, all body types, and variable levels of coordination. By class four we had pared down to a more comfortable class size of around a dozen, as several women decided after the first session this wasn't for them. The brave gals that continued: Meek, modest, loud, slightly bawdy and every personality trait in between made appearances over the next few weeks and our confidence and camaraderie grew together. Ultimately every single lady in our final class performed a choreographed routine, stripping down to panties and pasties; and it was lovely, empowering, confidence inspiring woman power at its best. Or maybe at its naughtiest. ;) read more

Shy? Afraid to let your sensuality show? A class at Miss Mina's Boston Academy of Burlesque Education will help give you a boost of confidence and pull you out of your shell. Miss Mina, headmistress, is a very friendly and very knowledgeable instructor. Her classes let you learn in a place that makes you feel comfortable and free from judgement. She is very clearly comfortable with who she is and her sensuality and it will definately rub off on you. My friend and I took an Intro to Burlesque class, the second out of four. We were originally signed up to take the third out of four, but due to the weather, the classes were postponed by one week so the class schedule changed. This change was communicated quickly and efficiently and you were given the option of taking the changed class or rescheduling, which was really cool of them. On the drive into the class I was a bit nervous. Would the place be filled with pictures of good looking half naked women ? Would the instructor tell me I'm no good because I'm shy? Would I be laughed at because I don't have much rhythm? Would the people there laugh at the ensemable I threw together? Moments after walking in, I felt like I was at home; that's how welcoming and friendly Miss Mina is. B.A.B.E. was a medium sized room with a few posters from previous shows on the walls, and looks more like a ballet studio than a place to learn the art of seductive dance. The class consisted of a wide range of ladies, some who looked equally nervous and some who looked like it they were ready to take a test and ace it. Being a beginners class, Miss Mina clearly defined and taught all the moves. She gave tips without judgement, making her students feel confident, all with a sense of humor. After reviewing last week's class and teaching the current week''s lesson, she sat us all down and gave a talk about music as well as had a q&a session. I was really impressed and really happy to have taken this class. I bought this as a deal through Living Social for one intro class. I'm getting my tax money back next week and definately will be investing in taking the whole course. I'm still shy, and still awkward, but Miss Mina helped me pull out of my shell a little bit. I suspect the rest of the classes will help me continue and I'm really grateful for that. read more

I can't believe this troupe hasn't been reviewed yet. I've been to a few Babydolls shows and each one is different. I think that is my favorite thing about this performance troupe. I highly recommend the "women only" shows. The audience gets more rowdy :) Even the more "reserved" women. Shows are typically low cost and last between 1-1 1/2hrs. They sometimes perform with other, very interesting acts. Their merchandise is also great. Tell Scratch I sent you. read more

$20 pasties with tassels.. $20? Is that the going price? I mean I know they're not charging for the fabric.. them things be tiny! Perhaps for the pure titillation of it all (yeah I went there). The Babydolls baseball themed show last night had some heart shaped pasties (which the woman said I should totally go for.. hey hey..my face is up here!) and other tassels that looked like they should be on the top of a graduation hat. I was considering buying a pair to wear on the outside of a shirt (very Madonna for the Yelp Prom), but alas the money was low from dinner and from tipping these gifted women. Darn. I enjoyed the show as a whole. I thought the routines were cute and the lingerie was fabulous, but I kind of wanted more (not that way dirtyhead). I guess coming from a theater background I wanted more pizazz. haha But more power to these ladies for getting down to their skivvies and shimmy shakin what their mama gave them. I always wonder what they do for their day jobs. When I was in grammar school I was picked as a "feather fan girl" for a belly dancer at some big birthday party for a friend of the family. I remember this half naked woman telling me about how she was an algebra teacher during the day. I thought about my math teacher and probably threw up in my mouth a little bit. I'd definitely love to come and see another themed show. I love the look of the time.. bright red lipstick.. glitter everywhere.. corsets.. hotness! And I got the tickets for free because I RSVPed early so that was a major plus. They actually taped the show last night because they're doing some sort of reality show or competition.. so if you see it advertised in the future, go and show these ladies some love! read more

Just saw the Baby Dolls last night at the Cambridge YMCA theater. My girlfriend and I were motivated to see this show after watching Burlesque (the movie). WOW- not at all what we were expecting. What we got was a cheap feeling strip show. #1 Most of the women were out of shape. I'm not saying they have to be sports illustrated models- But, REALLY: if your job is to strip and show your body i think its a fair expectation that it be reasonably slim and shapely. And for the women that had descent bodies the facial expressions were horrible! (Think: severely constipated) #2 The theater was hot, dingy, and had a not so pleasant smell. On the positive side the singing number was quite enjoyable. Also some of the dancing numbers were good, but to be honest they were spoiled by them taking their clothes off. read more

There will be two parts to my review. First off, I took a class here, mainly out of interest (I won't lie, this was because of Chuck's burlesque club from Gossip Girl!). There was a groupon for 4 introductory classes and I decided to go for it! The teacher was really nice and confident. She knew what she was doing and spent the time going over each step to make sure we all knew what we were doing. As a class, I would definitely recommend! Secondly, I went to one of their shows. I became so interested in burlesque, I decided to bring my boyfriend to a show. The show was held in this sketchy little place, which threw me off a little because I always thought burlesque was supposed to be grand and flashy. During the show, it was definitely a bit awkward at first seeing half naked women, but the tricks and turns were definitely amusing. Due to the venue, I would give the show a 4. Overall, I would definitely recommend going to either the classes or the shows. It's an interested experience to say the least! read more

I really like this group...I took a 4 week class and loved it! It takes some nerve to get up there and really perform for a crowd-which i don't...yet. I'm totally into it and going back for more! read more

Well, I'd love to review the actual show this past weekend, but I'm afraid I can't. Since my boyfriend uses a wheelchair and we weren't able to get in. I spoke to someone who apparently wasn't part of the group (or so they now claim), and was directed to the elevator... which goes to the stairs on the first floor. There were no signs of any kind regarding handicapped entrance, so we left. Just spoke to a remarkably rude gentleman on the phone from the Babydolls, who said there is an apparently unmarked handicapped entrance somewhere on the other side of the building, if I had just talked to the "right" person I would have known that, and what, was I calling to get my money back? Then he gave us a runaround about the weeks it would take to get a refund together, so we gave up. Frankly, it's not worth the $46 to talk to these people. I'm sure the show was great, but their customer service SUCKS. read more

I am puzzled by the other reviews. All I can imagine is that many people haven't seen good burlesque, and so don't know any better.. I set up a private Babydolls burlesque class for a party. The group's manager, Mr. Scratch, repeatedly quoted me different prices for the class, and expected me to provide the venue for the class, at cost. Fine. Did that, and the class was instructed by Miss Mina, who looked as though she'd been up all night and stared akwardly into space while she danced. Additionally, she accosted certain guests of mine who preferred to keep their bras on during the class, though she'd specifically informed us ahead of time that nudity wouldn't be necessary. She then quoted the entire group yet another price, we all paid, and then I received an e-mail from Mr.Scratch informing me Miss Mina was mistaken, and I was personally responsible for the balance. Fine. After some time, I got over the unprofessionalism and bad customer service, and decided to give the Babydolls a second chance, and attended their show at Boston Billiards.. Now, burlesque embraces a variety of body types, but that doesn't mean a couple crunches, a tanning session, or a little microdermabrasion wouldn't be a good idea before you bare your ass to a room full of strangers. Some might think me harsh for saying so, but burlesque is partially about the beauty and elegance of the female form, and a pronounced C-section scar or flapping puckered thigh flab can be really distracting. The entire show was made up of akward, unsexy women with poorly done makeup and unfortunate amount of cellulite making odd coquetish faces, and one of them partially lost her pastie (it managed to hang on to her nipple by an errant sticky tassle thread) during her routine. The music was stale and boring, the moves were lethargic and poorly executed. And yet, I saw the Babydolls a THIRD time, for a charity show. Terrible. But I was introduced to "Babes in Boinkland" at the show, who seem to be a much more talented, sassy, unique burlesque group, who understand that burlesque is more than just twirling pastie tassles. I wouldn't ever discourage a person from trying something for themselves and drawing their own conclusions, but i wish i'd taken a pass on this one. read more

I've been to see the Boston Babydolls at least a dozen times since I first learned of them five years ago. This is a talented group of performers who embody the spirit of burlesque. Burlesque is about the tease, the seduction, and sometimes humor. They recognize that burlesque is not just about stripping (it is theatre that involves removing articles of clothing rather than getting down to pasties and a thong as fast as possible) and the troupe empowers women to feel beautiful no matter what their body type is, which explains how they pack the venues with men and women alike. Mina, Betty and Scratch are the founders of the group and they are dedicated to bringing back the original burlesque. The recent Madame Burlesque show was completely dedicated to recreating the experience of seeing the legends who used to perform in the city's Combat Zone (in fact, they have befriended a few legends and bring them back to the city every Easter for the Burlesque Expo). At a Boston Babydolls show, you can expect to hear music from the era (or music from the swing revival in the 90's), costumes that reflect the styles worn during the heyday of burlesque, and routines that recall that classic burlesque. If you want to see someone dance to Lady Gaga or Marilyn Manson, there are other troupes that do that, but if you want to step back in time to when sequins and pasties, a little bit of class, a lot of naughty, and a wink and a smile ruled the day, the Boston Babydolls should be your first choice. read more

Just had the Boston Baby Dolls here at my shoppe for a special appearance promoting their show a (RE)MOVABLE FEAST! Beautiful girls, talented, full of life, friendly, confident and just fantastic! I saw these women in Boston this past April - my first exposure to live burlesque and what I took away from the fantastic night of performances was these women are full of life, confidence, sensuality - it seems if you want some of *that* in your life, the classes and private lessons would be worth every bit of your time and efforts! Loved having them here at A Beautiful Corset in Salem, MA - will recommend their shows again and again!! read more

I was a bit torn about what rating to give here...I bought 5 vouchers for one-hour lesson Introduction to Burlesque Dancing through a living social deal. It was for a bridal party and I thought it'd be a fun thing to do as one of the pre-wedding activities. I have to say that they were very flexible changing the date for me since according to them the classes once booked are non-refundable, non-messaroundwith (in Mr. Scratch's own words); however, I did give them plenty of time in advance and judging my the fact that there were only 9 of us in total in the class, I frankly doubt they were totally booked. Maybe they just prefer to keep the class size small. Moving on to the actual class, the lesson was pretty basic; anyone that has seen a burlesque show or is naturally sensual can probably figure out how to strut around with a boa while swaying their hips! They also taught us two different ways to remove gloves and a handful of things to do with them once we do that. The best part was actually putting it all together with music in a small routine. The teacher of the class was a bit bland and standoffish, she didn't seem excited to be there or interested in engaging us enough to make us prospective students. She warmed up a little but I given the nature of the class, I was hoping for a more sensual and vivacious teacher. The website offers no guidance as to what to wear to the class, I assumed that comfortable yoga pants or tights with heels (to add pizzazz) were appropriate; and that was what everyone in my party wore. The rest of the class (4 girls) seemed confused and showed up in sneakers which made them look clumsy when trying to parade around the classroom. My sister (the bride to be) actually had fun and wanted to buy a boa and gloves as we were leaving the class. We made the best of it by teasing each other and inspiring each other to be more sensual, or to move this way or the other. In the end, it helped us relax a bit and take our mind off the wedding's stressful details. We agreed to sign up for a more advanced lesson and probably see a show to see what the whole troupe is all about. read more

I just came from the show in Cambridge. All I can say is...awful! I love a good theatrical performance, striptease, or just watching people dance well. This wasn't any of those things. I think if you are going to show it all, maybe a little time in the gym would help. The show had poor musical direction and quality. The dancers looked bored and one was scary. A "snagglepuss" face as one of my friends said. I used a living social voucher and it still wasn't worth my 1.5 hours of time. Don't go! read more

They were awesome. Wish the venue had been bigger and more impressive, but the show itself was great and made me hark back to the old days, before cable channels and the Internet, when all you could watch on TV were assorted reruns and old movies and this show put me in mind of many of the old movies I'd watched about burlesque, growing up. Very tasteful, but still sexy. And I thought the emcee was great. I'm sure he dug most of his jokes out of an old trunk somewhere, they seemed a bit aged, but perfect for the show. (And don't forget to compliment him on his cool zoot suit and saddle shoes, he likes that :) read more