Undressing the Moves: an Ethnographic Study of Lap-Dancing Club Culture

Undressing the Moves: An ethnographic study of lap-dancers and lap-dancing club culture Rachela Colosi August 2008 Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy School of Geography, Politics and Sociology, Newcastle University Abstract The lap-dancing club phenomenon is relatively new in the UK and as a result, in the last decade, it has aroused much public debate. Despite this, the study of this industry here in the UK has been neglected, with the body of research confined to the U.S and Canada. In spite of gaining some academic attention abroad, the literature, which has emerged from the research, suggests a narrow field of interest, concerned with exploitation, risk and dancer motivation. Further to this, there has also been a tendency to address dancer-customer interaction; the relationship between dancers has been ignored. Finally, the general approach of researchers has been to stress the negative implications of a lap-dancing career on the dancers; reflected in the deviant and implicit anti-sex work/exploitation frameworks which have dominated academic thinking in this field of study. Through the use of ethnographic methods the research on which this thesis is based redresses these issues. The data for this research was generated in a UK lap-dancing club using extensive participant observation, estimated at over 2000 hours, along with in-depth interviews to supplement the core findings. The main focus of study was on the relationships between dancers and the culture with which they mutually engage. Through this exploration, some of the key areas of academic interest including dancer motivation, risk and exploitation were directly or implicitly challenged. Further to this, through delving into the relationship between dancers, an understanding of the way in which these relationships are used to cultivate and reinforce dancer status roles in the club was developed. In relation to this, a dancer hierarchy has been identified, comprising of three stages: new girl, transition and old school. Finally, the lap-dancing club culture, which is not only signified by some of the duties of the job, but also by the „social‟ and „emotional‟ rituals with which dancers mutually engage, is also addressed. Although the negative implications of lap-dancing club culture are acknowledged, the social fulfilment and subcultural attachment dancers have to their occupation is also emphasised. This research therefore starts to shift our understanding of the lap-dancing club phenomenon and reconstruct it within a UK context. i Acknowledgements Firstly, I would like to thank my supervisors Professor Robert Hollands and Dr Elaine Campbell for offering guidance and support throughout this project. Both have encouraged me to develop my own ideas and continued to provide valuable feedback for my work. My thanks also goes to my close friends and family who have offered emotional support throughout this often stressful period, in particular my partner Pete who always been there for me. Finally, I would like to thank all the girls at Starlets who participated in this research; without whom this project would not have been possible. The Economic and Social Research Council generously funded this research project. ii Contents Page Abstract i Acknowledgements ii Glossary vi Chapter 1: Introduction 1 Introduction 2 Lap-dancing: Victims and Villains 2 Motivation and Significance of Research 5 An Overview of the Research 8 Thesis Outline 10 Chapter 2: Frames of Understanding 13 Introduction 14 The Lure of Money 15 The Empowerment Debate 25 Emotional Labour and Feeling the Strain 31 Risk-Taking: From Danger to Excitement 37 Concluding Remarks 44 Chapter 3: Methodology: The Dancing Ethnographer 47 Introduction 48 Access and Trust through Membership 49 The Ethnography 52 Ethical Considerations 70 Data Analysis: Making Sense of it all 73 Concluding Remarks 75 iii Chapter 4: Starlets: Setting the Scene 77 Introduction 78 The Setting: The Heart of the Action 78 Starlets 79 The Dancers 95 Other Occupational Roles 98 Concluding Remarks 102 Part One: Karen‟s Story: Starting Out 104 Chapter 5: Becoming a Dancer at Starlets: Starting Out 106 Introduction 107 Entry Strategies 107 Practical Strategies 109 Emotional Strategies 114 Getting in: The Audition 119 Concluding Remarks 123 Part Two: Karen‟s Story: Working at Starlets 124 Chapter 6: Dancing at Starlets: The Meaning of Status 127 Introduction 128 Being the New Girl: An Apprenticeship 130 Transition: Becoming Established 144 Old School: Achieving Complete Membership 159 Concluding Remarks 167 Part Three: Karen‟s Story: Leaving Starlets 170 Chapter 7: Leaving Starlets: The Last Dance? 173 Introduction 174 Leaving Starlets 175 Exit Strategies 178 Practical Strategies 180 iv Emotional Strategies 185 Dismissal 190 Returning to Starlets 194 Returning: A Hidden Meaning 198 Being Re-Established 203 Dancer ambitions: Hopes and Dreams 205 Concluding Remarks 208 Chapter 8: Concluding Discussion 210 Introduction 211 Overall Research Contribution 211 Key Research Findings 212 Future Research 219 References 221 v Glossary1 Commission-The overall fee paid by dancers to work on the lap-dancing club premises; this includes both start-up-fees and top-up-fees. Commission is sometimes referred to as the „house fee‟ or „club fee‟. Dirty Dancing-This refers to private dances deemed to break formal rules (see house rules) or the club‟s tacit rules2 and often involves some level of sexual contact between dancer and customer. House Rules-Formal rules of conduct intended for customers and dancers set by management and or club owners. These rules however are subject to change. These are written rules created and defined by the managers of the club, directing dancers‟ and customers‟ behaviour. The Parade-This involves all dancers, working during one particular shift, parading round the stage, one after another, in preparation for the „two-for-one‟ private dance offer. The parade will often take place at 11pm during every night shift. Private Dance-This refers to the dance given to a customer by a dancer. A private dance involves a dancer dancing between a customer‟s legs whilst he is seated, during which the dancer will strip down to a g-string. One dance lasts for one music track, which is approximately three minutes. Regular-This refers to a customer who frequents the lap-dancing club on a regular basis: daily, weekly or monthly, but with an expected pattern of attendance. Stage Show-This refers to the dance performances which take place on stage. Each performance lasts for the duration of two music tracks (approximately six minutes). During the second track the dancer is expected to strip down to a g-strip or at least 1 The terms explained in this glossary refer to their use in Starlets during the time in which the research for this ethnography was conducted. 2 This term is discussed in detail in Chapter 6. vi reveal her breasts. Dancers take it in-turns to dance on the stage based on a rota drawn up in the order these women enter the club to work for their particular shift. Start-up-Fee-This refers to the amount of commission paid at the start of a shift; it can however be subject to an increase at the end of a shift (see top-up-fee). Sit-Down-This refers to a customer paying to sit with a dancer for an allotted period of time. Customers are expected to pay for the company of a dancer from 30 minutes onwards, often paying by the hour. Stripping-This refers to a none-commercial form of erotic dancing, often associated with stripping agencies or freelance erotic dancing. Stripping Agency/Dance Agency-This refers to an agency through which erotic dancers find various stripping jobs; these might be in a number of different locations and venues. Erotic dancers working for these agencies pay the agent a percentage of their wage in exchange for stripping jobs. Three-Track-Rule-This refers to the time in which dancers are allowed, according to house rules, to sit with a customer without the customer purchasing a dance or arranging a sit-down. If, after three songs, the customer has not purchased a private dance or arranged a sit-down with the dancer in question, she is expected to leave his side. Top-up Fee-At the end of a shift the managers may decide to increase the commission, on these occasions dancers are expected to pay a top-up-fee. Two-for-One-This refers to a dancing offer in which a customer can purchase two private dances for the price of one. vii Chapter One Introduction 1 Introduction In the UK, lap-dancing clubs are part of one of the fastest growing leisure industries (BBC, 2001) estimated to be worth in excess of £300 million a year (Aitkenhead and Sheffield, 2001; Horton, 2006). Lap-dancing in the UK has become the generic term used to describe commercial establishments in which erotic dancing3 takes place. Interestingly, it does not necessarily correspond to the definition of lap-dancing which originates from the US4, but rather is more akin to table-dancing5. The commercialisation of erotic dancing has been marked by the gentrification of nightlife (Chatterton and Hollands, 2003) in which lap-dancing clubs, have increasingly become marketed as entertainment venues (gentleman‟s clubs) rather than sex establishments; this is reflected in their steady use by stag and birthday parties. Some lap-dancing clubs now offer entertainment for women by offering pole-dancing lessons to hen parties and by hosting „women only‟ nights with male erotic dancers. As the lap-dancing industry has grown and become popular so has the attention and speculation it has generated, this will be explored in detail later in this chapter. The first part of this introduction will draw attention to the way in which the lap- dancing industry has been perceived and portrayed.

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