Burlesque Ed: B Is for Bump. G Is for Grind.

The burlesque renaissance seems like it shimmied into Washington a bit late.

The art form, which, for the record, isn't stripping but a camp theatrical dance that originated in the late 1800s, busted out again (forgive us) in the early part of this decade in New York and Los Angeles, with performers looking like WWII-era Varga girls who never, ever take it all off. Perhaps the best known dancers in the bunch are the ubiquitous Pussycat Dolls.

Which brings us here. How can we as a city possibly catch up? College.

Tonight, you can catch the very first graduates of Burlesque University perform after having slaved through six arduous weeks of such classes as Burlesque History and Character Development (imagine the all-nighters!). Miss Kitty Victorian, the prof, caught on to the fad a few years ago and has performed locally and across the country ever since. She started out with workshops but officially opened the "university" last month. If you're doubting her academic credentials, know this: She just taught the proper ladies of Smith College. How to strip.

The Burlesque U. graduation performance is 9 p.m. at the Palace of Wonders. $10. 1210 H St. NE. 202-398-7469.

-- Lavanya Ramanathan