stripper-faq: auditioning / dancing

Auditioning and dancing
Your first and most important concern is to find a suitable club. It needs to be a place where you feel safe and comfortable. It doesn't matter how good the money is, if the place makes you feel bad about yourself you'll be miserable working there. Go to the Ultimate Strip Club List and look for clubs in your area. The reviews will give you a very good idea of whether it's a place you want to work. i.e. If the guy says, "Wow, it was great. This girl let me feel her up" It's obviously not a place you want to work. Looking for a good club is like looking for any other job- you want to get the most money for the least amount of work.

So what kind of money will you be making? If you're dancing for shift pay in a blue collar "titty bar" you'll make about $150 a night. A go-go or "cage" dancer at a regular nightclub might make $200 a night but she'll be dancing almost all night. Some girls might prefer that- you don't have to work for tips or talk to the guys. A girl dancing for tips and drink commission in a nude club makes between $200 to $600. A pretty, well-spoken girl who knows the business will make between $400 to $800 at a topless "gown" club. (Gown club refers to a club like TENS were the girls wear gowns and the clientele is more upscale). A feature dancer whose done some magazine and movie work might make $1500 a night. These numbers are just a rough guide. They're based on my own experience dancing in New York- earnings vary a lot from state to state. It also depends on the club, your verbal skills and your looks- in that order. Believe it or not the girls who make the most money stripping are rarely the prettiest. It's the ones who know how to tell the guys what they want to hear who make the real money. All without ever having to actually do anything.

There's no way around it, the first time you get on stage you're going to be scared out of your wits. DON'T have a drink to "calm your nerves". It is very habit forming- I've worked with girls who can't start the night without a few shots of "liquid courage". Drinking on the job is a really bad idea; it can let you permit guys to take liberties you would not otherwise allow - including getting in their car after work. If a guy offers to buy you a drink ask for a Diet Coke or juice. If the management complains say you're Mormon or something. I'm not trying to be condescending or imply you can't drink responsibly, it's just that I've seen some bad stuff.

When you're ready, just show up at the club and say you'd like an audition, be nice to whoever is working the door- they frequently screen girls for the managers. They may ask you to come back on another night but they normally just put you on one of the side stages. One of the managers will watch you dance for a few songs then talk to you a little bit to make sure you've got a good attitude, etc.

As far as dancing is concerned a lot depends on the club. You have to see the way the other strippers dance. Some clubs don't allow floor or pole work, while in others they do all that plus shower and lesbian shows. Even if you're straight, the lesbian shows can be a lot of fun but they are never mandatory. Most clubs work on a standard 3 song set. That means for the first song when you're on stage you have all your clothes on, the second, you remove something and for the last you wear either nothing or just a thong depending on whether it's a nude or topless club. There is not a whole lot to dancing- at least the basics. You do not need lessons or to buy a video. Just watch what the other girls are doing, you'll pick it up in a few minutes. Just avoid anything showy or dramatic until you know how to do it right. Before you audition I would suggest trying out some of your moves in front of a mirror then getting some constructive criticism from a guy (they can be very helpful and are usually delighted to assist). Once you get to know the other dancers they will generally help out and show you some of the trickier moves. In my opinion it can be fun perfecting your dancing technique but not something you should spend a lot of time at. Guys appreciate a good dancer but seldom buy dances from a girl based on her dancing ability. You're better off spending the time working out and improving your physique.