Confidence-boosting burlesque group hitting the stage in Oswestry

The Burlesque Blockbuster night will be held on Saturday at the Hermon Arts Centre on Chapel Street.

BellaTrix Burlesque was established in March 2022 by Kelly Watkins, designed as a safe space for women to improve their confidence and self esteem.

Kelly said: "It has been wonderful to see the growth in confidence and the personal development of each of the women in just over a year since”

Performers from across North Shropshire and Wrexham have been preparing a number of routines over the past months, with magic, music, pirates, Pink Panther and Dolly Parton promised fro the movie themed night.

Kelly said that to her burlesque was about feeling good in her own skin.

"For a very long time I didn’t. I hated the body I’m blessed with," she said.

"So to me, it is about self acceptance, self-worth, self love and being at peace with the person I am. It's about supporting, loving and connecting with other women, it’s about helping them see the beauty in themselves.

"It’s about bringing out the side of them that may have been hidden, bringing out that inner confidence that so many of us have been lacking, or even hiding, through fear from whatever is it that we have been scared of.

"It is not about being the world’s greatest dancer. It's not about being a clone or about dancing to the perfect count, it's not about technical moves, steps or combinations. It's about feeling free, it's about feeling the music deep within, connecting to the music and it's about growing in confidence to become the dance, not just learning the right moves and doing the dance. "

Kelly said BellaTrix Burlesque brought women together, to celebrate each other and themselves.

"It is also a safe space to laugh until our tummies hurt without judgement, a place to dance like no one is watching and a place to accept ourselves fully, inside and out."

Starting at 7.30pm the show is 18+ only, with the venue operating a challenge 25 age verification policy. Tickets are £15.