A
s the saying goes, There’s nothing new under the sun, and exotic dancing is no different. From the belly dancers performing
for newlyweds, to the burlesque shows that traveled from town to town, exotic dancing has had a presence for time
immemorial. Men have always enjoyed beautiful women with dancing talents, especially one who is willing to take it all
off in the process. Husbands with good fortune were able to have private shows at home with their wives, who were taught in the
ancient way, while the less fortunate found themselves among a crowd.
At the shows the costumes were extremely elaborate and the removal of the pieces came with much choreography. In every arena,
will always be headliners. Josephine Baker took France by storm when she arrived with her banana dance. Her routine was met
with contempt in the US largeky because of the color barrier. Gypsy rose did the same dance and was hailed by critics,
STRIPPING
THROUGH
THE
TIMES
In the auditorium setting with an orchestra it was more likely to see certain women in the audience, usually a courtesan of some sort
who could enjoy a risqué show with their partner with no worry of reputation or scandal.
Thanks to the sixties and seventies with rock and roll and the free love era, sexual expression through dance lost some of its stigma
and gentlemen clubs were able to pop up in many locals and several more neighborhood bars opened, with their success depending
on a good stripper night.
The music of today takes everyone into the club.nNot only has the hip-hop sound created a beat especially for the infamous clap
dance, but the music videos are actually filled with live strippers from the hottest clubs in the area. One of the best things about the
progression of stripping is that it is no longer something that is in one lane. There are now so many styles of clubs, with an array of
atmospheres to choose from. The prim and proper can find their niche. There now classes around the country in local fitness center
offering instruction on pole dancing, These classes are filled with respectable ladies who are willing to learn the ancient art.
In the next installment we will attempt to find out when strippers started wearing money instead of jewels.
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