MON JULY 22nd

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WHAT'S THIS? ANOTHER LIFE DRAWING CLASS IN AN EX- STRIP PUB IN EAST LONDON? HOSTED BY ACTUAL STRIPPERS? 

If drawing in unusual scenarios is your thing - it doesn't get much more unusual than this... Join us for another extraordinary and genuinely inspiring life drawing class in an old strip pub. The talented dancers of the ELSC are expanding their repertoire; no longer content to save their attributes for Saturday night punters, they are now performing incredible pole routines (with the added twist of holding still) for our more artistic patrons to capture them in motion.

We are giving artists a unique opportunity to draw strippers performing and pole-dancing, in a venue once lauded for it's striptease shows. The classes are entirely self-organised and hosted by a group called East London Strippers Collective (ELSC), a group of strippers challenging stereotypes and societal attitudes towards strip clubs, by inviting a new audience of onlookers inside. Our doors are open to professional artists, designers, sketchers, illustrators, animators, doodlers, students and first-timers alike.

We have worked out a section of the class called "strip-freeze" - a striptease routine interspersed with one minute poses. As the model performs a strip show on stage, our class-leader calls out "Freeze!" giving the class one minute to capture the pose before the model continues moving. This section is a warm-up exercise for the class, and an intense drawing experience. Once the model is naked, the length of the poses follow a more traditional pattern, with five, ten and fifteen minutes at a time.

The Crown & Shuttle is proud of it's own history as a traditional East London boozer. Back in the day, as a Truman Brewery public house, it was common for strippers and showgirls to perform alongside other entertainers, comedians, and bands, all booked to entertain the rowdy punters. Crown & Shuttle's upstairs venue, Filthy Fanny's, is a nod to the seamier side of Shoreditch, back when pub landladies were tough old matriarchs, and before licensing laws clamped down on striptease entertainment. ELSC is proud to be collaborating with the Crown & Shuttle on this updated version of the art of stripping.

ELSC welcomes all gender expressions & identities, and artists from all ethnic & cultural backgrounds. We support a diverse audience that reflects our community of strippers & sex workers. 

The class will be led but not tutored. £16.50 per person. All levels of ability welcome. All materials are available for a £2.50 donation (free materials for students who bring photo ID).

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Helpful tips

• We accept drop ins - but we cannot guarantee you a space in our class unless you book online!
• For Couples/Group Bookings: please arrive early at 18:45 in order to get seats together. 
• Each ticket guarantees one seat or stool - if you require more than a seat's worth of space for yourself or your materials please book two tickets.
• If you arrive before 18:45, please wait patiently in the bar area downstairs of the pub.
• If you wish to leave the class early please inform the host and wait until an appropriate time in between poses to exit the room.
• Latecomers: Late arrivals are disruptive to class once we have started. If you are more than 10 mins late, please knock and wait outside for the host to meet, greet and seat you!

Accessibility

The Crown and Shuttle: We run our classes upstairs in a private hire room called “Filthy Fanny’s". No step-free access.

If you have any specific access needs or requests please email us in advance or speak to the host as soon as you arrive. We will try to make reasonable adjustments to accommodate you (eg: adjustment to light, sound, break schedule, host communication, instruction style etc.)