Be Bold
With Babette
Reconnect with your confidence with Babette in Paris
Meet me in Paris
I believe in meeting real people in real life whenever possible. Whether it’s group workshops or individual sessions, I run events right here in the City of Light, Love, and La Môme.
All courses take place at locations in central Paris, and can even be hosted in your home! For the moment, all classes are in English (Franglais at no extra charge).
Workshops are held regularly throughout the year, and private classes for groups or individuals can be scheduled through the Contact page.
First we kvetch, then
we kvell!
“Kvetch” is a Yiddish word, which means “to complain”. When you “kvell”, you feel delight and pride, often at someone else’s accomplishments. In our time together we give space for airing all those thoughts we feel we shouldn’t express, afraid of what will happen if we give voice to our darkness. I want to release you from what’s holding you back by giving you back your power. Through sharing and working on body expression, we will transform and encourage the same bravery in others. The urge to apologize for ourselves starts to shift, and we build the confidence to take up space. Watching others’ transformations is exciting to witness and also helps us to understand our own path. The kvelling comes easy!
No More Excuses
Don’t let self-doubt keep you from becoming the best version of yourself.
I’m passionate about helping people to reconnect with their confidence. Every time we measure our lives against others, we set ourselves up to lose. Whether we’re focusing on other peoples’ faults and foibles, or else our perceived failures compared to their success, we are doing ourselves a disservice. When we place importance on what we feel we lack, we create a sense of hopelessness. Feeling shame and envy does not inspire change. Ironically, it’s self-acceptance that gives us room to grow. By focusing on the aspects of yourself which bring you joy and strength, you give yourself permission to enjoy yourself. Together, we can take pleasure in who we are right now.
YOU ARE ENOUGH.
I help people to reconnect
with their confidence
…but what does that mean?
“I could never wear that.” “I could never do that.” “This is probably a stupid question, but…” “Does that make any sense?” “I’m sorry.” “I’m sorry.” “I’m sorry.”
Every time I hear someone essentially apologizing for taking up space, my heart hurts. It’s one thing to acknowledge where you’ve erred, it’s quite another to constantly lower yourself in conversations. Whenever I hear someone dismissing themselves, I wonder where it’s coming from. Why can’t you wear that dress, sing that song, ask that question? Why do you rate others more highly than you do yourself?
I was in theatre school the first time I discovered my body could be something to be proud of. I was getting fitted for my costume, and the girls in the costume shop were raving about how I looked in the corset they’d put me in. “It looks great on you,” they gushed. I don’t think I could have looked more surprised. “It’s because you have something to put in it!”
All my life, I’d been the “fat kid”. Hopeless at sports, unable to fit into the kind of clothes the other kids wore, I was used to feeling that my body was something to be embarrassed by. Even though I loved being onstage, I didn’t realize that my voluptuousness could be enjoyable, or—completely beyond my comprehension at the time—attractive!
Whether you were bigger than everybody else or the “skinny kid”, whether age has transformed your body or having children has made you feel unrecognizable to yourself (or a combination of these!), it comes down to the same thing: Disconnection. Many of us struggle with body issues, and this can affect our emotional and physical health. You may feel that you’re the wrong shape, the wrong sex, the wrong age, the wrong level of health…each battle is different. Your sexuality is directly affected by your body and mind, and if there is a disconnect, this can have a huge impact on your life.
I enjoyed corsets and pin-up culture for years before finding my way to the burlesque world. Your journey may or may not include a corset, but I can help you discover (and rediscover) the elements of yourself that are enjoyable and, yes, attractive. The joy you take in your body is immediately apparent to other people. Through conversation, exercises, and, of course, burlesque, I can help you work through the barriers that have previously blocked you. Together we will take risks in a supportive, encouraging environment.
Be Bold with Babette!