Wiggle that booty

Next month Waiheke Island will host a festival of everything burlesque. One performer teaches Sophie Bond how to shake her tail feathers.
It's all in the jiggle, the more jiggle the better," says Valerie McLeod with a smile as she shows me how to shimmy, feather boa wrapped around her shoulders as her breasts ... well, jiggle.
Next up is the grind - a slow circle with her hips.
Then, the tail feather - boa bunched at the small of the back and a push backwards of her derriere.
Miss V (as Ms McLeod calls herself in the world of burlesque) looks fabulous in red satin trimmed in black lace. I'm feeling very plain beside her, though a borrowed corset helps.
I learn how to remove my long gloves, one finger at a time, how to walk with a wiggle - and where to find a good corset.
Miss V is one of many dancers performing at next month's Island of Burlesque Festival on Waiheke Island. The 31-year-old mother-of-one has a background in classical dance and started burlesque a year ago after trying it at a hen's night party.
Now she performs at private parties and teaches classes. Miss V says women of all fitness levels and ages can learn burlesque dancing, although she won't teach under-18s. "Burlesque is about bringing out a woman's sensuality. I've found it really empowering and I want to teach women to be comfortable in their own skin."
She's looking forward to her involvement in two of the festival shows. Festival production co-ordinator Willow Rowntree says the organisers are very happy with the line-up of performers from Australia and New Zealand, and are particularly pleased newcomers like Miss V will have the opportunity to perform.
Ms Rowntree hopes the festival will become an annual event. "Waiheke Island gives a beautiful, intimate environment. Here, we have lovely, romantic boutique vineyards that add to the glamour experience of burlesque."
Festival director Bianca Sanders says the amazing talent on the NZ burlesque circuit inspired her to stage the festival. "In particular, the burlesque dancing and the musical acts coming together is going to be very strong."
Ms Sanders has been a burlesque dancer for several years and will be performing with local act Otherworld Can Can dancers and singing jazz at one of the dinner shows.
Back in the studio, Miss V kindly tells me I'm a natural at burlesque - or perhaps I'm simply good at following instructions - so I leave my lesson yearning for my very own feather boa and am making a note to wear high heels more often.
Island of burlesque
The festival will run from October 22-24 at an assortment of venues around Waiheke Island. It includes dinner performances and burlesque dance workshops. For full programme details and ticket sales, see www.waihekeburlesquefestival.co.nz