Atlanta Burlesque Weekend with What the Funk?! Fest

A celebration of funk & the art of the tease!

December 1-4, 2022

Co-producers of What the Funk?! Fest, Mx. Pucks A'Plenty and Rebecca Mm Davis, and "A Weekend With" creator, and producer Roula Roulette are bringing What the Funk?! Fest from Seattle to Atlanta for weekend of classes, shows, and burlesque education that will blow your minds!

What The Funk's  mission is to pay tribute to the Black American music genre of funk while showcasing and honoring the artistry of Black, indigenous and performers of color through the often-overlooked performance art medium of burlesque. We celebrate performers locally, nationally, and internationally through our three-day festival. We hope to inspire, offer representation, and shine a spotlight on the creativity and talent found in the BIPOC burlesque community.

Conceived as a tribute to Funk music as a show idea in early 2018 by founder and co-producer, Mx. Pucks A’Plenty, WTF is bringing Atlanta a three-night celebration of funk, the whole funk, and nothing, but the funk. Can ya dig it?! The story of bringing the 2019 festival to life is on film! Directed by Adriana Guiman, WHAT THE FUNK?! is the story of the first inaugural What the Funk?! BIPOC Burlesque Festival, held in Seattle Washington over a three-day period in August 2019. Featuring producer and founder Kia Puckett, aka Mx. Pucks A’Plenty, known as “The Femme Daddy That Your Mother Didn’t Know to Warn You About”, and voted #17 on 21st Century Burlesque Magazine TOP 50 Most influential burlesque industry figures of 2021, in this labor of love. They explore what it means to rewrite the rules of burlesque to build a supportive community of performers for personal and professional development. See excerpts of live festival performances and intimate behind the scenes footage. Hear performers speak about the inspiration that drives their performances and lingering challenges to inclusivity and accessibility. Explore what it means to question cultural norms, utilize the body as an artistic medium, and live life on one’s own terms.

​Weekend Classes

Performer Branding 101​: The Basics with Shimmy LaRoux

Whether you are a headliner or have never stepped on stage, you need to have a brand as a performer. Your brand helps to define you, tell audiences/producers what you are about, and help you better tell YOUR story. Creating a brand doesn’t have to be difficult, but it can be involved. Join Shimmy LaRoux as we get into the basics of performer branding. Shimmy has spent over a decade working with companies to help them amplify their brand and most recently followed her own advice in building The Professional Adult. In this 90-minute workshop we will learn: what exactly IS a brand, how brands are developed, using your brand as a calling card, online marketing (not JUST social media), offline marketing, and where you can automate the process so you can spend more time performing.

Making An Impact: Entrances, Exits, & Everything In Between with Mx. Pucks A'Plenty

The secret to great stage presence starts with your entrance and ends on the exit. Mx. Pucks walks your through how to make maximum impact through your entrance, exit and of course how to hold space with moments of stillness, mindfulness and good ol' fashion eye contact.

Stripper Savings Plan with GiGi Holliday

Take those show tips and trick them into working for you. You should always prepare yourself for the next step, but sometimes we forget about ourselves financially. Join GiGi Holliday and learn how to create a savings plan that works for you and prepares you for the future. Discover what is needed to set up an IRA plan, get out of debt and have a better relationship with your money. Make it Rain on yourself!

Intro to Acro with P. NoNoire

The class focuses on body awareness drills and lead up skills to assist in executing proper technique in acro, teaches basic/intermediate acro skills and floor work for performance, and even has a little theory/dos and don'ts.

Take It On The Road: Traveling As A Performer with Shimmy LaRoux

For many performers, the next step in their evolution is to start taking their acts on the road. While traveling is an exhilarating experience and a way to see acts/styles you don’t see at home, it is not without its challenges and frustrations. Join Shimmy LaRoux as we talk about how you get on the road and what you need to know. In this 60-minute workshop and discussion, we’ll discuss if going on the road is right for you, how to target out-of-town gigs, how to be a gracious guest, how to make money, and what you need to know while on the road. We’ll also touch a bit on how to upgrade your travel and make it as luxurious as possible.

Dom/Domme The Stage with D'Monica Leone

Dom/Domme the Stage is a ritual-based confidence building workshop that acknowledges internalized fear and induces confidence through sensual movement & self-affirmation. All bodies are welcome regardless of race, gender & size.

Fat Burlesque History with Mx. Pucks A'Plenty

Let's talk about Fat Baby! In this class we will review a burlesque history timeline surrounding plus size burlesque performers. We talk about classic burlesque to neo-burlesque, and the impact of Fat performers. We'll dive into the 2017-2018 A Fat Neo Burlesque Movement, examine "Burlesque is for EveryBODY" and of course, fatphobia.

Put Some Funk On It with Samson Night

Level up your choreography by taking commonly used dance moves and “putting YOUR funk” on them to make them your own! You will be taken through a choreographed routine using “basic” dance steps as we explore how to individualize them by infusing your personality into the steps so that you stand out, tell the story and have your audiences are melting at your feet! You have the charisma; you have the act idea - now let’s put YOUR Funk on those moves!

Baby Is It 10's? with Android Allure

Baby is it 10’s? is a workshop that utilizes elements from underground ballroom culture to assist in developing your stage persona and the intention behind every move you make. How does your character move, walk, stand, dance? How do they speak and showcase the gambit of emotion? Are they sexy and sultry, or are they dark and mysterious? What’s their story? How do they evolve? This class is designed exploring these questions. The goal of this workshop is to give you tools and a blueprint to take home in order continue building your persona at your own pace. Come in ready to walk in all your power and make the people feel it, because the last thing you want is a CHOP!

Shapeshift: The Creative Expression of Cosmetics with D'Monica Leone

Shape Shift- The Creative Expression of Cosmetics is a hands- on lecture experience with an emphasis on facial enhancements such as contour, highlight, and eye exaggeration.

Body Love with Goddess Briq House

Body Love with Briq House Part discussion, Part movement, Part sex education, this workshop is designed to help you strengthen your relationship with your Temple (Body) from a Body and Sex Positive lens. Approaching the topics of our varied physical attributes, abilities, genders, and sexualities with love and excitement can positively alter the way we move within ourselves and the world. This positive change can make us better performers, allies, teachers, advocates, partners, and people.