Sunny Daze is the Joyful Heart of our community, always ready to welcome participants with a warm hug and a cheerful greeting. Her passion helped spark the creation of this community and her support continues to fan the fire. Sunny took her first burlesque class late 2025 and the bug bit hard. I asked her to share some of her experience in burlesque…

‘I’ve always been the odd one out; bigger, taller and louder, so having an inclusive space is so important and I found a place where I belong, somewhere I can be myself without judgement or reservation. Burlesque is my Me time, and The C Word gives me an affordable weekly routine, it’s the best cure for Mondayitis! It makes me feel alive and sensual, and I love smut. Learning the choreography and the subtle motions that elevate my dance into something sexy, with suspense and thrill that builds in the body.

Burlesque allows me to feel attractive and comfortable in my own skin. I’m building a connection to my body in a supported environment and my size and dance experience doesn’t make me feel othered. Knowing my ailments don’t hold me back and everything can be adapted to my needs gets me excited to learn new moves. It’s good to know my gummy foot and bung knees aren’t a problem, and I still feel like part of the routine even if I’m doing an adapted version. 

I look forward to every class, it’s the highlight of my week. I get to socialise and be part of an inclusive community with opportunities to connect outside of class. It’s great for my mental health and I can participate in gentle movement without the pressure to perform or be really fit. I still get a good workout but I don’t feel like I’m exercising. There’s no competition in class, and everyone cheers on everyone else. It’s rare to finish a class without a good laugh at some point. I feel empowered and my confidence has grown, not just in myself but knowing my body and my size, is valued and celebrated.

I can see my progress each week in the class videos. I usually feel like I’m not quite getting in class, and I mix up my lefts and rights, but when I watch the videos every week I get excited to see how well I’m doing and how incredible we all look as a group. When I performed on the big stage for the first time it was the biggest rush. The best thing was knowing that it wasn’t a big deal if I made a mistake on stage and seeing all my friends in the audience cheering me on with so much pride. I couldn’t wipe the smile from my face. Burlesque brings us together and we can be on stage just as we are; housewives, mums, young or older, skinny or curvy, all are welcome and all are wanted.’