V-Day PSA
Words from 2022:
Lap Dance & Strip Tease should be taught by strippers wherever possible.
A lot of studios and teachers tend to run lap dance & strip tease classes more than usual for Valentine's Day.
I'd really encourage any studio to hire strippers to teach this style. It's literally what we do professionally and we can give you valuable, contextual and authentic knowledge. Also consider the implications of the level of appropriation in this example when capitalising off of a service provided by a heavily stigmatised group. Hiring strippers is a really important way to respect the origins of the pole industry. This will not only provide students with the most authentic education, but it also elevates stripper status in the pole industry and beyond.
Where you are not able to hire a stripper for whatever reason or you are a civ instructor, consider how you may otherwise pay respects to this sex work genre of dance when teaching.
I'd also urge students to be mindful of who they choose to learn this style with. Again, go sex worker if possible and encourage your studio to facilitate sex worker opportunities.
Words from 2024:
2 years on and existing in the rapidly declining working conditions in clubs, I am very jaded. I clearly had room for gentleness in 2022, now what I'm putting forwards isn't a suggestion, but is essential in my opinion. Especially when some pole dancers & studios are still not listening to us.
Non strippers can do and teach the moves, but where is the background behind it? From having the skill level to empty a man's wallet, to walking away in minus numbers, to knowing how to entertain a single client for HOURS while putting up with extreme levels of assavlt, to being forced to dance on stage for free at 5am when your feet are blistered and bleeding. Compounded, night after night. Year after year. This is what informs my movement, that history and skill won't live within you if you haven't been a stripper for an extended period of time. And this is NOT me asking anyone to do that! I'm just saying leave teaching these things to those who are professional rinsers and hardened hoes.
As well as the whorephobia and denial of pole's roots I'm sick of the performative nods. You want to know the best way to pay your respects to strippers? Learn directly from strippers. There's no excuse with so many incredible stripper instructors both in person and online.
Not only does the pole industry need to make space for strippers, we are the best ones to teach the job we do.
There is, of course, layers and nuance to every argument, but the principle remains.