View Full Version : stripping sober is a challenge
skanklover
10-18-2005, 07:52 PM
FL Dancer: you're right. Having just left a club and as usual being unhappy with my gender I believe it best to be happy with what you feel comfortable with as a dancer.
madmaxine
10-18-2005, 09:54 PM
The "How to bang a stripper" post made me want to clarify on this thread that not all of us are drinking for the same reasons. I don't do it much because I'm native and get hit by booze harder. I was teased for getting tipsy from Midori Sours.
It is a "social lubricant"- the same thing that makes a working-man pop a beer when he gets home, or friends buy a round when they go out. Modern life is more stressful in daily ways than it was for most of human history (where social boozing was restricted to pubs, holidays and the Town Drunk.)
And frankly, dancers hustle drinks to help give the impression they are partying with men...juice bars are horribly un-fun places....IMHO.
Ok there's my social drinking rant.
C'mon, you can blame me for wanting to feel serene in a dramatic and chaotic work environment?
Stripping makes me nervous, and it makes me nervous because I am protective of my ego. I feel like I might be rejected by someone. The thing is, Xanax or any other mood-altering drug isn't soma. It causes depression and affects memory.
I dance well when i am slightly drunk
kitana
10-20-2005, 04:53 AM
I usually have one shot at the beginning of the night so I can kinda space out while I'm getting ready. That way I'm not too over bearing on the girls in the DR. (Which I can be if they ask my opinion, lol)
But normally I'm sober. There have been a few nights that I have been drunk, and it actually did hurt my money BIG TIME.
So I just don't do it anymore. I try not to think about the stuff that would send me into a drunken stupor.
Sometimes it's just easier that way....
KamrynAnne
10-20-2005, 06:37 AM
i think though that once you get into the grove of staying sober.... (it make a take a while to feel comfortable dancing that way), you will be ok.... i know it took me some time to try to not drink at work..... probably bc i was in school at the time...... I mean think about it, do you really want to wear and tear your body apart night after night from all that drinking.... it will catch up with you later down the road.... your appearance will start to suffer from all that heavy partying.... I am by no means proclaiming to be a saint, since i love to go out and have a good time.... I only limit myself to going out on the weekend, and occasionally a day during the week..... the temptation to drink is definitely greater in the setting we work at, therefore you'll most likely to drink even more with all the guys who are willing to buy you drink after drink.....
vegasbebe
10-25-2005, 02:54 PM
I personally prefer to drink at work. I find that I do much better when I do drink. Now, when I say that I drink, I'm not saying I'm getting fall-down wasted or anything of that nature. But a cocktail or two helps me relax, keeps the conversation flowing, and keeps me from getting bored out of my mind.
I do work sober sometimes, and I had to work sober for my first three years dancing, as I was underage and would have gotten fired it I drank. . If I am working at a club where we aren't really expected to talk to customers, but just walk around and hustle dances in typical "ya wanna dance?" fashion, then it doesn't matter if I'm drinking or not.
But honestly, I make a lot of money getting customers that I will talk two for well over an hour, maybe as much as four or five hours. For some reason, I just am happier and go luckier chit-chatting with a buzz on.
I know some dancers say they "loose focus" of money when they drink, but drinking has never done this to me. I hands down do better when I drink.
When I drink at work, I immediately start having more fun, and feel goofy and happy. I'm sure this radiates to the customers....When I'm stone cold sober, little shit tends to irritate me.
I don't feel bad about drinking at work because I only do it two nights a week. I don't drink much outside of work. It's wierd, I can go to a club and not have a drop of alcohol and have a great time, but at work I like to drink.
When I stopped drinking at work for a month (to loose some wieght I had gained due to a broken ankle) my sales went down dramatically.
lovepink
11-15-2005, 01:49 PM
I wish I *could* have a few drinks at work to loosen up & become more social but I work in an all-nude (no booze) club. :( I don't drink much in general but I'm naturally a bit socially anxious and that makes me self-conscious. My doctor gave me a script for Xanax but all they do is make me want to eat & sleep almost immediately. I've been thinking of keeping a 20 oz bottle mixed with Malibu & Coke in the dressing room and then smoking a cig and/or using mints before I go back out to mask the coconut smell but I'm new & don't want to get in trouble. We have signs in the dressing room about the club being a drug & alcohol free workplace although I KNOW that a few girls are using hard drugs in the bathroom.
I don't want to get drunk, just get a happy little buzz going so I can more confidently approach custys...I work in a hard hustle club. I know, I know, I should find a topless club so I CAN drink but the entire 2 topless clubs in a 2 county area only hire 9-10s and I'm definitely not up there. :P
thechaosfairy
11-15-2005, 07:00 PM
Having worked for a little while now, I can now say:
It seems to do me good to have _a_ drink at work, which gets me slightly tipsy.
Any more than that is a no-no. I had a few sips of a second drink someone bought me and then abandoned it because I was afraid I'd start leaving money places or messing up on stage if I went any further.
One and I'm still on the ball but slightly less anxious, etc.
susie
11-15-2005, 09:31 PM
This thread is awesome, it was very informative to read, thank you for being honest.
TO the girl who smokes pot. I had a friend who did that. A customer of hers caught on. He started offering it to her. Next thing I know all she is doing is talking about how great his is, and she can't wait for him to come in. She started just dancing to be able to take his pipe to the restroom.
I'm glad to say that she smarted up to why she couldn't wait for him, but geesh, don't do pot! it's stupid, and it leads to heavier shit! Plus, children born to mothers who have smoked pot are at a 100% higher risk of getting leukemia. Not to mention the cancer it causes in the user...
girlnew156
11-15-2005, 11:27 PM
I suppose it is the perception.
Feeling like you are sexy.
And I am guilty. Yeah,
Drinking makes me feel sexy.
And when I feel sexy, I feel like
I can conquer the world.
Yeah, a little drink helps.
Few years ago, when I began
I was so damn nervous.
Drank, drank, and drank.
Finally got up and went through it.
After a while, I felt like I did not
need to drink much. Just a moderate amount.
And I felt like I could do a better job with
just a little than none.
Cannot smoke pot and do it.
Pot makes me very laid back.
Feel like not doing nothing.
No, pot just dulls the edge for me.
I have perfomed without drinking
and peole say I do a damn good job.
And again, I have performed with drinking
and the same people say the damn same thing.
So, are they lying? Or not?
Hell, I rather drink a little than not have nothing.
But I still feel nervous sober.
I don't feel nervous after a little drink.
I guess I will never get over this nerves shakes.
Oh, well. Oh yeah. Push it forward.
onlythebest
11-15-2005, 11:49 PM
I have always done this job sober in the entire 11 years of it.I have adopted the Nike slogan,"Just do it."This job is not that big of deal.
tootsie
11-16-2005, 04:04 PM
i cant strip sober either! it really loosens me up!
Bella21
11-16-2005, 10:24 PM
I, too, need to drink when I work. :( I've cut back the past couple of weeks because it was making me stupid. Like I'll have one or two per shift... I just get bored out of my mind!
BTW, this is an awesome thread! I just read the whole thing. It's nice to see I'm not the only one misbehaving.
LOGANLAKEN
11-16-2005, 11:43 PM
I would love to drink at work! I never ever drank/drink at work because Im to afraid of getting a dui.Im small,any amount of alcohol would most likely show up.
leilanicandy
11-16-2005, 11:50 PM
Well I have never drink while dancing, I always felt it was better that I be on my husle than be husle because I had ont to many drinks.
ADRIAN17
11-16-2005, 11:59 PM
i to ended up in the back of an ambulance, prescribed xanax and alcohol mixed, along with heat exhaustation. point is,don't start and you wont have to worry about how you're gonna stop.
leilanicandy
11-17-2005, 12:00 AM
Right on sister, you don't need more problems.
tmoneytimeharris
12-28-2005, 09:47 AM
i am a female and i really don't see anything wrong with having a couple of drinks 1 to 3 is enough to get you crunk and ready. but you can tollerate at least 3 drinks that's fine, it don't make you a drunk either, just tipsy. now i have a question, is taking an x pill bad for dancing.
Emily
12-28-2005, 09:54 AM
is taking an x pill bad for dancing.
I don't know why you'd want to do this. Drinking is bad enough, but if you are taking drugs to escape the realism of the job, maybe you should change your reality?
mollymouse
12-28-2005, 02:25 PM
i'm going to apply at a club in january [in philadelphia]; i'm underage and i certainly don't plan on drinking on the job. is there any difference alcohol/drug-wise between a small club and a larger club? i thought i'd get started at smaller one and learn the ropes--but if drinking and drug use is greatly diminished among dancers at a larger, more upscale club, i'd much rather go there. any thoughts?
!molly
AngelEyezXYZ
12-29-2005, 11:35 AM
is taking an x pill bad for dancing.
i can't say if it's bad for dancing, but when i see a girl high off ecstasy dancing she always makes a fool out of herself.
MishaBliss
12-29-2005, 12:44 PM
I like to drink at work. I don't get nervous but i guess i seem much more approachable when i drink. Usually the more i drink, the more money i make. I think i'm socially lazy!
I used to smoke weed at work, but that was when i was doing features only and i didn't really have to interact with customers. No way could i smoke at work now.
I've never used meds.
snowy_chic
12-30-2005, 01:26 PM
If you take Xanax as directed under a doctor's care, I don't see the problem with it. It sounds as if you have a legitimate reason to want to taake an anti-anxiety medication. There are plenty of non-addictive anti-anxiety meds out there as well. If you take your meds as directed, I'm sure you'll be able to work at ease and I guarantee you'll never get a DUI which is inevitable if you're drinking every night at work. I tried working without my meds one night because I thought I could do w/o them. I walked out of the dressing room, stood by the DJ booth and looked around the busy room. I went on stage when called, then went back to the DJ booth and watched---for THREE HOURS! It really is hard to be in a right frame of mind and talk to strangers while pretending to like them and thn be expected to ogle all over them and just to listen to what they say...ewww.
Back in '96 I went to what used to be the World-renowned Mons Venus in Tampa FL. My best friend who'd worked there for a few years handed me a little blue pill and instructed me to eat it. I asked why and she said "just trust me...you'll need it". She was right. To this day, I still take them when I dance; it lowers your inhibitions but still allows you to be in control, unlike drinking ***as long as you take as prescribed***. I say as long as you have it in a bottle with your name on it and don't abuse it, it can be very helpful and you'll never get in trouble for it. Just keep it to yourself. At another well-known club in Tampa, there are so many girls taking benzodiazaprines that they are instructed to bring the bottle into the manager's office and keep them locked up in there for the shift. That's a good way to not have girls asking you for them (which can lead to BIG trouble) and also not aking more than your prescribed dose. Good luck and no worries :)
noctina
04-13-2006, 05:59 AM
i'm always high (smoking weed) when i go on stage... it helps me focus on what i'm doing and move more slowly and carefully. it also takes away nervousness. but you gotta be careful, because if you smoke too much then you'll just end up tired before the night is over. i would rather smoke weed than take pills or drink alcohol, pills are artifical and you will build up an immunity to them which could lead to a bad habit... and alcohol is just as bad because it can make you feel sick or allow you to be taken advantage of (i've seen dancers let guys touch them just because they were drunk and didn't care). if you're going to drink, i wouldn't have more than 2 drinks... just enough to feel it. although i still think everyone performs better when sober, i know it's hard.
cinammonkisses
04-13-2006, 06:28 AM
One thing I learned from being on SW is that if you need drugs or alchohol to perform, then this isn't the job for you. I will admit, I took a swig of Bacardi 151 right before I did my amatuer night. Other than that, NOPE no drinking, and certainly no drugs.
I need to be as alert as possible. I'm here to take advantage of the custys, not the other way around. ;)
kirbie_kyle
04-13-2006, 11:44 AM
I need to be as alert as possible. I'm here to take advantage of the custys, not the other way around. ;)
Good point. As I'm sure all of you know, I am only 18 (and work at a pretty strict club), so it's not really an option for me. I like to separate work and play, otherwise I'd trick myself in some Pavlovian way to associate chemical stimulation with dancing and start taking my clothes off the next time I'm at a frat party :P
kinda_normal_guy
04-13-2006, 12:02 PM
I've never gotten a dance sober, does that count?
DylanAngel
04-13-2006, 12:04 PM
I like to separate work and play, otherwise I'd trick myself in some Pavlovian way to associate chemical stimulation with dancing and start taking my clothes off the next time I'm at a frat party :P
;D ;D ;D
Well said! You are very mature and articulate for an 18 year old!
Voltaire
04-14-2006, 02:13 PM
I totally know how that can be. I used to drink to deal with some of the other girls at some of the clubs I've worked at. I no longer drink at work. and here's how I did it. I started working a day shift at another club here in LA, and did that for two weeks without drinking. then I went back to my regular club and my very first night back, I left with over a grand. I made good money when I drank, but I am SOOOOOO much more on top of my game dancing sober. Plus, the endorphin rush I get after about an hour at work Is way more awesome than the cognac that I used to drink. I know as well as anyone how easy it can be to trick yourself into thinking that you need to drink to make money, and how hard it can be to try to change once you are already in the habit.
I truly wish you nothing but success in this no matter what you choose. Like I said, I have been there and I know how it can be. I know you don't know me, but if you ever want an ear to listen, I will hear you.
[email protected]
Voltaire
04-14-2006, 02:28 PM
oops! I didn't realize this thread was kinda old. I guess I'm demonstrating the powers of a newbie :-[
anyway I hope everything worked out for you, and if you want, the offer still stands.
PleasureVictim
04-14-2006, 04:13 PM
oops! I didn't realize this thread was kinda old. I guess I'm demonstrating the powers of a newbie :-[
anyway I hope everything worked out for you, and if you want, the offer still stands.
Nothing wrong with that! This is an on-going issue and I'm sure someone will reach out to you for some advice :)
GoldCoastGirl
04-14-2006, 07:07 PM
Oy vey! :laughing: did anyone take note of the age of this thread?
noctina you may want to LOOK AT THE DATE of the thread before responding to it. Whilst a good topic for discussion, it is an old thread so it is kinda.. well.. "in the past" now... what has been said may not still ring true for some people.
(I know when people dig up old threads and I see what I typed in them back then.. I may not necessarily agree with now or have changed my opinion in some way)
threlayer
04-15-2006, 05:54 PM
If a dancer has to be drunk or high to dare to dance, put up with the stray hands and various insults, seems to be maybe the 'dancer' shouod look at another line of wirk. Her choice now is to numb herself to her working environment and that seems like a slave's attitude. (A slave to what?)
If a dancer has to be drunk or high just because it's fun to be that way at work, also seems to me maybe that 'dancer' should get serious about work and making money without losing your self respect or the respect of others.
My perspective is that of a non-drug/alcohol user. Maybe I just don't understand the excuses other people use for chemicals. I get my 'thrills' from doing what I do well and having my own fun with it. Of course I don't show my most intimate body parts to potentially abusive strangers. I have plenty of courage in most every other way. So what do I know, other than being a human?
kitatonic
05-05-2006, 02:48 PM
I try not to drink at all at work.
Me + 4" heels + balancing/turning/gyrating = FALLING OVER!
of course if I drink enough I just don't care anyway.
bananachica25
05-05-2006, 11:13 PM
I'm not sure if anyone else has said this as there are too many posts for me to want to read them all. I just wanted to suggest counseling to you. There's probably a place around you can get free or subsidized counseling, and they can help you with your anxiety. Most medicines like Xanax and Zoloft (what I've been taking for a couple of weeks now) work best when you're also getting counseling. Then hopefully you can work to get to the point where you don't need any drugs to feel normal, good about yourself, confident around other, etc. I totally understand where you are, and I hope you get the help you need. *hugs*
Tara Nicole
05-05-2006, 11:36 PM
If you can't work without using drugs or booze then this isn't the right biz for you. Being a professional exibitionist isn't for everyone.
Anona
06-26-2006, 03:52 AM
sometimes i think i overintellectualize dancing, i start talking to custies about the ins and outs of it, the sociological implications, feminism...and i've realized that smartness and an intellectual analysis of the strip club scene is not always what the guys want!
Rain, I do that all the time! :D
And you're right, some guys are interested in such conversation or are sympathetic enough to let me get it all off of my chest, but other times I see him zone out and start looking at another girl and I immediately focus my conversation back on HIM- "So what was it you said that you do? That sounds interesting, how did you get into that business..."
GoldCoastGirl
06-26-2006, 04:52 AM
If you can't work without using drugs or booze then this isn't the right biz for you. Being a professional exibitionist isn't for everyone. I agree. You're doing yourself such a dis-service if you can't get through the night without being drunk or high or what-have-you. Not only are you wasting money ...you are also abusing your body.
lilriot_atl
06-26-2006, 09:50 AM
I don't usually drink so 99% of the time I'm completely sober no drugs, alcohol, etc. The first et of the night is usually hard for me too but just b/c I haven't felt out the crowd yet. Once I feel I have figured them out I'm ok.
-e
dready_naomi
07-09-2006, 03:59 PM
i dont drink period. i think it's a little bit bettewr. i dont have to worry about losing my purse, getting hustled, etc. i hustle the men.
blondhottie
07-09-2006, 04:48 PM
I agree-if you have to do drugs or get drunk to do your job, then you're in the wrong business. I am still struggling with a huge drinking problem that I developed at work and it's hard. I used to think I made more money when I drank, but I have discovered that I make more money sober. When I get too drunk, I sit too long with guys who aren't spending money and sometimes forget to ask for dances. Like many other people, I am also forgetful when I drink too much. On one occasion, I lost track of my purse when I was too drunk and someone took it, so I lost all the money I had made that night. That really sucked because I had made around $400 that night. Now I only drink one drink or one shot an hour maximum at work and I am doing much better. I have noticed that at most clubs, most of the top earners either don't drink at all or they drink very little.
dready_naomi
07-11-2006, 12:13 AM
Also, when every dancer is drunk, fights and drama happen. And l mean, a lot. l see the ladies making complete asses out of themselves, and it drives the customers out of the club. l couldn't tell you how many times a guy has said , " You know, you're so refreshing to talk to...because you're not drunk like the rest of these ladies..." l can't even drink legally anyways, but there were girls 20 who were getting shit faced, not to mention she was completely annoying. Ya know, one of those girls who thought her shit didn't smell? lf you drink, that's ok, but l've seen some ladies go downhill being too trashed to do their job. You're at work. You're there to make money. You're there to hustle.
cutie_pye
07-11-2006, 01:52 AM
I think the first set is always the hardest. Just play that song that makes u feel hott and do the damn thang girl! For a while I vowed not to drink at all, even though I am a regular social drinker anyway. That didn't last long. Good thing is I already knew my drinking limits and also already had a higher tolerance for alcohol, so I'm not falling on my face all night. You just gotta be really careful about drinking anywhere and doing anything.
I have a friend that waitresses 10-12hr shifts on a few double shots of espresso. She says she needs it. I tell her of the risks but she's gonna do what she wants to. You know the risks of heavy drinking and drug addictions. So it's all up to u hon.
Corgan
09-03-2006, 08:01 AM
I think that if you have to be buzzed/drunk to strip, you shouldn't be a stripper.
PleasureVictim
09-03-2006, 12:48 PM
I think that's just the easy way of looking at it. I can't imagine how many people would be drunk at work if they were allowed to drink. Something tells me it would be alot.
torilicious
07-10-2007, 10:24 AM
go head girl.. i feel tha same way, i need to drink to deal with all tha bullshit of stripping & i take xanaxx to help calm my nerves.
gingerlee
07-10-2007, 05:34 PM
go head girl.. i feel tha same way, i need to drink to deal with all tha bullshit of stripping & i take xanaxx to help calm my nerves.
Not even gonna touch this statement with a ten foot pole...:-X
hearts
07-11-2007, 02:09 AM
Yeah, I'm gonna be the hardass that tells you: CUT THAT SHIT OUT. Don't be stupid, you know it's a bad idea. But..but...
"I'm shy" and "it helps me put on a better show"
I see this as a sign of weakness. Harsh? DEAL with it.
The only way you are going to truly get over shyness or make your show better is to address the real problem. By drugging yourself, you are only sidestepping the issue.
I grew up in a family of self-medicators (prescription drugs, alcohol, food) and I see girls get fucked up at work all the time. It is sad sad sad and pathetic. Help yourself out and just quit altogether!!! Seriously, I wish you the best of luck in doing so.
Golden_Rule
07-11-2007, 06:54 AM
I think that if you have to be buzzed/drunk to strip, you shouldn't be a stripper.
I think I totally agree with that.
Nothing wrong with stripping, unless where your head is at makes it painful for you.
If you can do it and feel good about yourself, go with it and have a blast. If it takes you out of a good place and puts you in a bad one so that you have to drink/drug to feel better, what's the point?