By Jessica Cauttero
Special to DNAinfo
LOWER EAST SIDE — The Slipper Room, the beloved burlesque house that played host to beginner and professional dancers alike, will close its doors next week for a massive overhaul that could keep it shuttered for up to a year.
The Orchard Street venue’s events calendar goes dark June 16, with one last blowout party scheduled before the closure. When it reopens, the space will have a second floor with higher ceilings to give the audience better views of the stage, and added room for acrobats and aerialists to perform.
“This new Slipper Room will have all of the charm and atmosphere that our patrons have come to expect, but will have many improvements,” said James Habacker, the Slipper Room's artistic director.
Until those improvements are completed, however, burlesque performers will lose not only a source of steady work, but also a community hub.
The Slipper Room "feels like an extended living room to some performers," said a performer Harvest King, who goes by Harvest Moon. "When I'm not performing there, I choose to spend time there, more than any other establishment, because I feel so comfortable at the Slipper Room."
One bright side to the closure is that performers will have to seek out new venues, she said.
"People like myself tend to stay some place because it's comfortable," said Harvest Moon. "It's necessary to step outside one's comfort zone now and then."
The Slipper Room also housed the New York School of Burlesque since 2004, a school that will have to re-direct its students to a dance studio.
“It has been very challenging, since we had really gotten into a groove there,” said Jo Weldon, the school’s headmistress. “It was a perfect space for student showcases. We also loved having the students be able to go to shows there, since the Slipper Room had burlesque shows three to six nights a week, with performers with a wide range of experience from all over the world. It was a perfect package.”
While there are many one-off, weekly or monthly burlesque shows at bars and cabarets in Manhattan and Brooklyn, The Slipper Room has been New York’s only full-time venue dedicated to burlesque, Weldon said. It also gave new performers a chance to develop their act in an intimate setting.
The Slipper Room will hold several parties in exile during the construction phase, kicking off with a show at Coney Island’s Burlesque on the Beach Friday, June 11, and future shows at Webster Hall and partnerships with other venues such as the Player’s Club.
“What was most unique about the original space was that it had walk-in traffic for the shows, which doesn't happen at most cabaret or music venues,” Weldon said. “People would walk by, ask the doorman what was happening, pay $5, and see some of the best burlesque in the world.”
