Students didn't turn to hot chocolate to warm up after the snow day on Monday, March 2, but rather attended the following night's Burlesque Night at the Rathskeller sponsored by the College Union Board (CUB), where an evening of booty shakin' and tassel twirling entertainers heated students right up.
The main attraction, Lady Aye, acted as a professor for the night, educating attendees in courses such as "liberal arts," the "sciences," "music appreciation," "finishing school" and "culinary school." Students' responsibilities included "to hoot, holler and scream."
The risqué entertainment began with an over-sexed female construction worker, wearing Daisy Duke jean cut-offs, a flannel tank and a hard hat. However, when the female faced the audience and flashed a full-grown moustache, gender-roles constructed themselves in a whole new light.
Despite Lady Aye's assurance that the next act would be "subtler" it proved to be anything but.
Miss Weirde Girl seduced the crowd with more traditional burlesque, including tantalizing feather wands and emerald sequined negligee.
Miss Weirde Girl might have "came with two fans but left with many more," Lady Aye said.
After a few more acts and an intermission, a "new semester" began.
Audience members became students of culinary arts when Miss Kissy Wishes showed students just how creative you can be with Cool Whip, first covering herself and then the audience.
Science fiction class was sure to have "Star Trek" enthusiasts taken aback by Femme Appeal's act, including a violated cardboard cut-out of William Shatner.
These new takes on traditional classes were more fun than "cramming for calculus," Lady Aye said.
Little Miss Lixx showed the crowd just how fun foreign language could be with an act that included red and black lace, a shot of tequila, maracas and tassels. She had the whole audience fluent and shouting "Ole" by the end of her lesson.
Lady Aye's side show proved to be just as exotic and eye-opening as the burlesque.
"Down the hatch without a scratch," was how Lady Aye referred to her side show act of sword swallowing.
Lady Aye's math lesson informed students that the human body contains three gag reflexes. Despite these reflexes, Lady Aye proceeded to swallow an 18 inch stainless-steel sword.
Not only was this feat impressive, but Lady Aye entrusted her throat and life to Mike Lawrence, the CUB event coordinator, when he dislodged the sword from her throat.
"I've never seen anything like this," freshman biology major Mike Piazza said.
"We had a lively crowd, and it was a nicer environment than the typical late night bar scene," Raquel Flieg, the other CUB event coordinator, said.
