Burlesque and Becoming: The Art of Showing Up as Yourself

When Cody-Maree Allsop Collins steps on stage as Miss Bailey Bliss, she isn't just performing burlesque. She’s reclaiming the narrative around women’s bodies, one unapologetic dance at a time. As the founder of Burlesque by Bailey and the first JSP’s Women’s Awards Modern Muse winner, Cody has made it her mission to challenge the idea that a woman’s worth can be measured by a number on the scale or the latest body trend.

Raised in the world of dance, Cody spent years in front of mirrors under fluorescent lights, chasing an industry standard that praised thinness over talent and appearance over ability. She trained 6–8 hours a day, 5–6 days a week, knowing full well that her body was a currency. “I spent years judging myself in studio mirrors,” Cody shared. “But now, I teach women to see themselves through a lens of joy instead of judgment.”

Her relationship with her body, like many women, has been complex. It has dipped into frustration and climbed into deep appreciation. She can acknowledge the days her body felt foreign to her — but also the days it felt like magic. Giving birth for the first time was one of those magic moments. It shook her to her core, not only physically but spiritually, reminding her of the profound strength of the female body. “What can be more powerful than that?” she reflects.

Today, Cody doesn’t aim for perfection or performance. She chases feeling strong, feeling free, and helping other women reconnect with their own bodies in empowering, joyful ways. Her body isn’t something to be sculpted for society’s approval. It’s a vessel for power, play, and purpose. It’s the reason she can hold her children, the reason she can move with grace, and the reason she can lift other women up.

That’s what burlesque offers, not just to Cody, but to the women who step into her classes. It’s a reminder that our bodies are not broken, not flawed, not too much or not enough. They are capable, expressive, and worthy of celebration. In her classes, Cody sees quiet women come alive—women who once hid their bodies now stepping into the spotlight — not to be seen by others, but to finally see themselves.

The version of success Cody is working towards is simple: organic happiness. Not for Instagram or applause, but for the kind of joy that lives quietly inside a beautiful, stress-free day with her family. And when it comes to business, it’s about creating moments that bring people together. If something she’s built can spark joy in someone else, if it can make a woman feel seen, confident, or a little more herself—that, to Cody, is success.

Resilience has been woven through every stage of her life. From pushing through rejection as a young dancer to riding the emotional rollercoaster of motherhood and entrepreneurship, Cody has learned to bounce back, reinvent, and reimagine. Some days, the strength is right there. Other days, she has to dig deep. “Work has taught me that resilience yoyo’s, but it comes when it’s needed—and that’s what’s important.”

Closer to 40 now, Cody is rethinking what ambition looks like. It’s not about the next milestone or marketing plan. It’s about going slower, being kinder, and listening inward. “Maybe a kinder relationship with myself,” she says. “One that doesn’t always chase the next thing. A little slower. A little softer.”

Motherhood has grounded her goals and shifted her perspective. “Being strong enough to lift my kids, to run after them, to show them confidence — that’s my why now,” she says. “My body’s not about aesthetics anymore. It’s about capability.”

And for the woman who feels stuck, who’s staring into a mirror that feels more like a judge than a reflection, Cody offers this: “Find what lights your soul on fire, what makes you laugh and feel free. Don’t shrink while doing it or apologise, do it loud and proud and enjoy.”

She knows that body positivity may not be constant — but body acceptance is powerful. “I don’t always feel ‘body positive,’ but I certainly have body acceptance. And I think in today’s society — as women who’ve been told forever and a day we are not enough — acceptance is a fantastic place to start.”

Now, when Cody sees her reflection, she doesn’t search for flaws — she sees a woman who’s still showing up, still strong, still dancing. And that reflection? It’s not perfect. It’s powerful.