striptease

1 a performer who provides erotic entertainment by undressing to music [syn: stripper, striptease artist, stripteaser, exotic dancer, ecdysiast, peeler]

2 a form of erotic entertainment in which a dancer gradually undresses to music; "she did a strip right in front of everyone" [syn: strip, strip show]

English

Noun

1. The act of slowly taking off one's clothes to sexually arouse the viewer, often accompanied by music and in exchange for money.

Verb

1. To perform a striptease.

Related terms

• strip
• stripper

A striptease or exotic dance is a form of erotic entertainment, usually a dance, in which the performer, known as a "stripper", gradually undresses, in a teasing and sexually suggestive manner, to music.

Stripteases are now performed mostly in strip clubs and (especially in the UK) pubs, though theatres and music halls have also been used as venues. The "teasing" part involves the slowness of undressing, while the audience is eager to see more nudity. Delay tactics include additional clothes being removed or putting clothes or hands in front of just undressed body parts, such as breasts or between the legs. Emphasis is on the act of undressing along with sexually suggestive movement, rather than the state of being undressed. In the past, the performance often finished as soon as the undressing was finished, though today striptease artists usually continue dancing whilst in a state of nudity.

Though today, the stripper sometimes ends the performance "fully nude", in historic and contemporary circumstances not every item of clothing has always been removed, due to legal and cultural prohibitions and other aesthetic considerations. For instance, in some parts of the USA, there are laws forbidding the exposure of female nipples, which have thus to be covered by pasties by the dancer (though no such taboo applies to the exposure of male nipples) . Such restrictions have been embodied in venue licensing constraints and local laws. Also certain jurisdictions (chiefly in the USA), have forbidden postures considered "indecent" (such as spreading the legs). Shoes (often high heeled) are usually kept on for practical and aesthetic reasons. Often Health codes require shoes to be worn at all times. The costume the stripper wears before disrobing can be an important part of the act. These could be fantasy themed: such as a schoolgirl uniform, maid's dress, policewoman's outfit etc.

Along with physical attractiveness and appropriate clothing, the main asset and tool used by the exotic dancer in recent years is the stripper pole.

In addition to night club entertainment, stripping can be a form of sexual play between partners. This can be done as an impromptu event or—perhaps for a special occasion—with elaborate planning involving fantasywear, music, special lighting, practised dance moves, and even dance moves that have been previously unpractised.

H.L. Mencken is credited with coining the word "ecdysiast", using a Greek phrase which means "a person who stripteases". He did so in response to a request from a stripteaser who requested a "more dignified" way to refer to her profession.

Off-stage

A variation on striptease is private dancing, which often involves lap dancing or contact dancing. Here the performers, in addition to stripping for tips, also offer "private dances" which involve more attention for individual audience members. Variations include private dances like table dancing where the performer dances on or by customer's table rather than the customer being seated in a couch. For certain events, including bachelor/bachorette parties, the stripper's job often involves holding games or contests with sexual themes.

The contact between a performer and a customer is regulated in ways that vary in response to local laws and club rules, ranging from "air dances" with minimal or no contact to "friction" lap dances at the dancer's discretion.

History

World origins

Until the 1970s, strippers in Western cultures were almost invariably female, performing to male audiences. Since then, male strippers, performing to female audiences, have also become common. Male and female strippers also perform for gay and lesbian audiences respectively, as well as for both sexes in pansexual contexts. Before the 1970s dancers of both sexes appeared largely in underground clubs or as part of a theatre experience, but the practice eventually became common enough on its own. One of the more well-known troupes of male strippers are the Chippendales. Male strippers have become a popular option to have at a bachelorette party.

The record-holder for Guinness World Records "oldest male stripper" is Bernie Barker, who was 63 at the age of his induction.

Gay males

Gay male strip clubs feature men who appear initially in skimpy undergarments (which may be removed if full nudity is allowed) and socks. Many mainstream gay bars and nightclubs employ Go-Go boys, who gyrate and dance in little more than a G-String and shoes, and often strip completely naked for the pleasure of other men, typically for tips.

Film and other media

Film

• Lady of Burlesque (known in the UK as Striptease Lady) (1943) based on the novel The G-String Murders (1941), by famous striptease artist Gypsy Rose Lee, stars Barbara Stanwyck as a stripper who gets involved in the investigation of murders at a burlesque house.
• Gilda (1946), showcases one of the most famous stripteases in cinematic history, performed by Rita Hayworth to "Put the Blame on Mame"), though in the event she removes just one glove, before the act is terminated by a jealous admirer.
• Salome (1953) once again features Rita Hayworth doing a striptease act; this time as the famous biblical stripper Salome, performing the Dance of the Seven Veils.
• Expresso Bongo (1959) is a British film which features striptease at a club in Soho, London.
• Beat Girl (1960) features Christopher Lee as a sleazy Soho strip club owner who gets stabbed to death by a stripper.
• Gypsy (1962), Featuring Natalie Wood as the famous burlesque queen Gypsy Rose Lee in her memorable rendition of Let Me Entertain You. Re-made for TV in 1993 Starring Bette Midler as Mama Rose and Cynthia Gibb as Gypsy Rose Lee.
• The Stripper (1963) featuring Gypsy Rose Lee, herself, giving a trademark performance in the title role.
• Viva Maria! (1965) stars Brigitte Bardot and Jeanne Moreau as two girls, both named Maria, who perform a striptease act as 'Las Marias Desnudas' in a travelling show which tours South America.
• The Night They Raided Minsky's (1968), gives a possibly legendary account of the birth of striptease at Minsky's Burlesque theatre in New York.
• Barbarella (1968), is most noted for the opening credits when Jane Fonda strips herself in zero-gravity conditions whilst wearing her spacesuit.
• Marlowe (1969) stars Rita Moreno playing a stripper, in the finale of the movie simultaneously delivering dialogue with the title character and performing a vigorous dance on stage.
• Ichijo's Wet Lust (Ichijo Sayuri: Nureta Yokujo) (1973), Japanese director Tatsumi Kumashiro's award-winning pink film featuring the country's most famous stripper, Ichijo Sayuri, starring as herself.
• Flashdance (1983) The story of blue-collar worker Alexandra (Alex) Owens (Jennifer Beals), who works as an exotic dancer in a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania bar at night and at a steel mill as a welder during the day.
• 9 1/2 Weeks (1986) Featured Kim Basinger stripping to the tune of "You Can Leave Your Hat On" by Joe Cocker.
• Exotica (1994), directed by Atom Egoyan, set in a Canadian lap-dance club, portrays a man's (Bruce Greenwood) obsession with a schoolgirl stripper named Christina (Mia Kirshner).
• Showgirls (1995), directed by Paul Verhoeven and starring Elizabeth Berkley and Gina Gershon.
• Striptease (1996), adaptation of the novel starring Demi Moore.
• Barb Wire (1996), starring Pamela Anderson, who performs a wet striptease.
• The Full Monty (1997) A story of British ex-steel workers who form a Chippendales-style dance revue and decide to strip naked to make an extra buck. Featured songs are an updated version of David Rose's big hit The Stripper and Tom Jones's version of "You Can Leave Your Hat On".
• The Players Club (1998) stars LisaRaye as a girl who becomes a stripper in order to earn enough money to enter college and study journalism.
• Dancing at the Blue Iguana (2000), a feature film starring Daryl Hannah; the female cast researched the film by dancing at strip clubs and created their parts and their storylines to be as realistic as possible.
• Los Debutantes (2003), a Chilean film, set in a strip-club in Santiago.
• Closer (2004), Natalie Portman plays Alice, a young stripper just arrived in London from America.
• Mrs Henderson Presents (2005), gives a portrayal of the early years of the Windmill Theatre.
• I Know Who Killed Me (2007) stars Lindsay Lohan as Dakota Fleming, an alluring stripper involved in the machinations of a serial killer. The film features a long sequence showing Dakota doing her striptease act at a strip club, with an even longer sequence as an extra on the DVD.
• Planet Terror (2007) stars Rose McGowan as Cherry Darling, a beautiful Go-Go dancer who aspires to quit her job.

TV

• Happy Days (1974) In an episode titled The Skin Game, Richie Cunningham (Ron Howard) and Potsie Weber (Anson Williams) sneak into a burlesque show using fake identification cards.
• Charlie's Angels (1980) In the Toni's Boys episode, Kris Munroe (Cheryl Ladd) and Bob Sorenson (Bob Seagren) watch a male stripper rehearse.
• The Facts of Life (1983) In an episode titled "I'm Dancing as Fast as I Can," sees Blair's boyfriend Cliff dancing in a strip club to pay his college tuition.
• Married...With Children (1987-97) often featured Al Bundy, Jefferson D'Arcy, and the NO MA'AM crew spending a night at the "nudie bar."
• The Simpsons (1996) in an episode titled Bart After Dark, Bart Simpson works at an old-fashioned burlesque house after he destroys one of its gargoyles.
• Stripsearch (2001-), an ongoing Australian reality television show which centers around the training of male strippers.
• Degrassi: The Next Generation (2007), In the two part season 6 finale titled Don't You Want Me Alex Nuñez resorts to stripping after her mother and herself don't have enough money for debt or their apartment.

Theatre

• Jekyll and Hyde (1997). The character of Lucy Harris (originally portrayed by Linda Eder) works as a prostitute and stripper in a small London club called The Red Rat, where she meets a multi-dimension man named Doctor Henry Jekyll, who turns into his evil persona Mr. Edward Hyde. Lucy performs the song ‘Bring on the Men’ during a show at the Red Rat (which was later replaced with ‘Good ‘n’ Evil’ in the Broadway production, some claiming ‘Bring on the Men’ was too ‘risqué’.).

See also

• Burlesque
• Burlesque Hall of Fame
• Cabaret
• Dances
  • Bubble dance
  • Dance of the seven veils
  • Erotic dance
  • Fan dance
  • Gown-and-glove dance
• DreamStripper
• Fantasywear
• Fire dancing
• Go-Go dancing
• List of strippers

Bibliography

• Toni Bentley, 2002. Sisters of Salome
• Lara Clifton, 2002. Baby Oil and Ice: Striptease in East London.
• Shteir, Rachel, 2004. Striptease: The Untold History of the Girlie Show. Oxford University Press.
• Murray Goldstein, 2005. Naked Jungle - Soho Stripped Bare. Silverback Press.

References

External links

• The Naked Truth (support and information website by and about exotic dancers in Canada)
• Stripper Web (United States based exotic dancer community offering support and advice)
• Striptease bookmark (European striptease bookmark page)
• Strippers (Resource of information about strippers)
• Dancer Dolls (Resource of information from real strippers)

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