The Way it Usually Works

Usually, you’ll find two types of stripping in pole dancing. Either you have professional strippers, who often aren’t really stripping at all – they’re just dancing naked (or near enough). Or, you have pole dancers who start out with a little flirtatious bit of striptease, then instantly lose the flirt and get on the pole.

I want to focus on the latter, because I find their approach is tied into a few odd stripping myths that come into play in pole dancing. So, permit me if you will, to address them here:

Myth #1: Costumes are a nuisance.

Um, no, they’re not. They can actually add a ton of pizazz to your performance. That would be why so many performing artists like to wear them. They only become a nuisance when the costume isn’t suited to your routine. And there’s this thing called REHEARSAL to let you adjust for that ahead of time.

Honestly, I think costumes get a bad rap in pole because there’s such a focus on advanced moves. The thing is, there are plenty of ways to do costumes without them getting in your way. Cirque de Soleil, which you may have heard of, does a lot with costuming, and they have even been known to do an aerial stunt. Or two.

Myth #2: You can’t do anything on a pole with a costume on, or you will actually die.

Good lord. Where does this come from? It’s like urban legends for pole dancers. Yet this myth seems to be the main reason why any costume you ever do see on a pole dancer comes off in the first five seconds.

So, let me spell this out for you: you can wear a costume AND be on the pole AND not die AND still:

• Spin.

Ah, spins. Remember those? Have you ever noticed how audiences love spins – how they ooh and aah as if they were watching a fireworks display? That’s because spins are beautiful. They are also easy to do with a wide variety of costuming. In fact, beautiful costuming can make spins even more glorious. (Think boas, veils, and trailing scarves.)

• Do inverts and holds.

Yes, I said inverts. And holds. Okay, so maybe you can’t do every invert or hold in the world in every costume you can think up, but you can probably do a few. And I bet they’ll look really cool.

So, if you’re wearing a costume with a skirt that doesn’t give you a lot of inner thigh grip, nix on the Superman, but try a lovely Scorpio or Butterfly.

• Do handstands.

Handstands are a great way to show off your gymnastic ability while not worrying so much about costume mishaps. You could probably even manage some handstand maneuvers while wearing gloves. Not saying I could, mind you, but I bet you could. So practice a few things and see what you think up.

Myth #3: Stripping is about what’s under your clothes.

It pains me that this even needs to be said. No, no, no, no, nooooo.

Stripping is short for striptease. TEASE. That means you play with the idea of taking off your clothes – but you don’t do it. At least, not all at once.

Now, I understand that in the clubs it really has a lot to do with being naked or thereabouts. I get that. Heck, if I’m paying for a lapdance I want to see some flesh, too.

The thing is, when you’re giving a pole performance outside a club, they are not paying for a lapdance (unless it’s a lap class and you’re giving a recital, but that’s a whole other post). They are paying for the show, and that means a little razzle dazzle.

Frankly, the reason this is even an issue has a lot to do with myth #2 about costumes killing you. Most dancers figure best to just get the costume off quickly and not risk it.

Unfortunately, that profoundly diminishes the fun of the show.

How to Strip While Pole Dancing

To remedy this situation, I now present to you a quick primer on stripping for pole:

1. Wear a costume with some layers.

A top and skirt. A trenchcoat. A hat. A veil. Whatever you choose, give yourself something to take off.

2. Dance at the beginning of your show just to display your costuming.

That means, not to take it off – rather, to show it off. Flounce your boa. Twirl the belt on your coat. Slide your finger up the slit of your skirt. And, oh, yes, DANCE. Don’t just do moves – dance.

3. Take your costume off, piece by piece, throughout your performance.

THROUGHOUT your performance. That means I don’t want to see you starkers five seconds into your song. Yes, I grant you, very gymnastic routines may require some time stripped down to the bare essentials, but even then, there is plenty of time for dancing while removing parts of your costume. The longer you delay, the more of a rise you get out of the audience (you may read into that what you will).

4. Integrate the clothing removal into the pole moves.

There’s no law saying you can’t remove an article of clothing just because you’re already on the pole. And there’s nothing so annoying as a dancer who seems to race through the striptease – as if her costume were some grand annoyance – just to get to the “real” part of the show. Your show is your show – either integrate it all, or don’t do anything extra to begin with.

To rehash …

Costumes are fun.
They won’t kill you.
Stripping isn’t about being naked.

So, please, work a little striptease into your pole dance, and see what fun you have!

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