Meet the Bury St Edmunds burlesque troupe the Midnight Nymphs who perform at Baskervilles and the Hunter Club

A Suffolk mum says performing with her burlesque dance troupe the Midnight Nymphs has given her the tools to love and accept her body.

Jessica Scrivener, 39, of Bury St Edmunds, is known as her alter-ego Aster Reign to the burlesque community and often appears on stage alongside her supportive partner Rhys Jackson, aka Dripping Dave.

Having always loved dance, Jessica’s passion for the art of tease started in lockdown, when she began teaching her Moon Blossom Belles Burlesque classes online.

The mum-of-two said: “It’s always been my dream to be a professional dancer and I wanted to join a group of like-minded ladies who shared my passion for dancing and promoting body positivity.

“There are nine nymphs and two fabulous kittens who step in when needed – and our compere.

“We range in age from 25-58 and come from all walks of life and not only dance but we sing and model too.”

Jessica has suffered with body confidence issues since she was a teenager but burlesque has helped her feel more positive about her appearance.

“I still have bad days, I’m human after all,” explained Jessica.

“Burlesque has given me the tools to accept and love my body, which is something I promote in my classes.”

The dance teacher, who runs classes at Platinum Dance Academy in Bury, is currently mentoring her nymphs, helping them to produce solo acts to bring out their own personalities.

The Midnight Nymphs started out in April 2022, after their first performance in Red Lodge. Since then they have reached the semi finals of an Infinitease dance event in London.

Now the troupe has taken to the stage at venues across the country, with Mansfield apparently an unlikely hotspot for the burlesque community.

Currently they have a monthly residency at Baskervilles in Bury and are rehearsing for a big show at the Hunters Club in the town, on December 9.

As well as performing, Jessica is busy teaching her Moon Blossom Belles classes, describing them as ‘a safe space to build body confidence, feel empowered and have fun’.

She said: “A lot of my ladies are mums that want to do something for themselves.”

Jessica has taught women ranging between a size six and size 24 and aged from eight to 60.

She added: “Literally anything goes.”