Re: Doing stage-work only?
Even at stage-centric clubs, the bulk of your income will come from dances + VIP, esp when you're brand-new.
Keep in mind that stage $$$ is nvr a guarantee, no matter what club you're at. Unlike dances or blocks of time, customers are not required to tip dancers on stage. Also, if it's a busy nite w/ a lot of girls working, you may only go up on stage 2-3x the entire shift, & if you're refusing to do individual dances, you will be missing out on enough $$$ that it would probably be more worth it to keep your clothes on & just waitress. Unless you're basically just wanting to 'play' at being a dancer, you're going to need to suck it up.
What is it abt private dances that has you feeling avoidant? Is it abt the possible contact?
Re: Doing stage-work only?
^I don't blame her...I didn't want to do dances either when I was new, but put up with it since it does make up a lot of income.
I know urban clubs can have lucrative stage, but as a newbie and without pole tricks I wouldn't recommend it.
Unfortunately with most clubs you make the bulk of your income from doing dances or private rooms, sometimes stage but not very often. If you were doing just stage, you're probably better off as a waitress only since not a lot of money comes from stage. How I wish it did.
Re: Doing stage-work only?
At most clubs, the majority of what you make will come from vip dances. An exception would be urban clubs. At urban clubs, stage tipping is the norm, while vip dancing is not as popular. Girls at urban clubs will come home on busy nights with garbage bag(s) full of stage money - mostly 1's, but it adds up.
But besides that, at most clubs you are definitely not going to want to JUST do stage dancing. It won't be lucrative at all. At most clubs getting guys to buy vips is your ticket to a good night. Here in Detroit there are a lot of clubs where your only hope of money is in vip, and stage money SUCKS (except the urban clubs here like King of Diamonds, Ace of Spades, Sphinx, Deja Vu, etc where the thrill of the club from the customers' perspective is to throw singles). The club I'm at actually tends to be good with stage money on busy nights, so while stage money can definitely be substantial to my take-home pay, it is almost never anywhere near the majority of the money I make.
However, even in clubs where stage money is less prominent, it's still important to give a good stage show --- even if you don't know extravagant pole tricks. You want customers to be intrigued/interested when they see you on stage. So be alert, sexy, and confident up there! It can also be a good workout, so have fun.
Re: Doing stage-work only?
Most clubs won't be able to make money off of you if you're only doing stage. Considering that fees and tips to the house are generally based on dance sales and not stage performances, I would be surprised if a given club would even want you around.
Lapdances are optional, but what you've described just isn't how this industry works.
Re: Doing stage-work only?
The lacklustre earnings of only doing stage shows aside, you will be bored as hell in most clubs if that's all you do. There is a rotation of girls, and while sometimes, depending on the shift and how many girls there are, you may go up often, you're still looking at at least an hour between stage sets. Given that many clubs have minimum shifts (let's say 5 hours), you're wasting a heck of a lot of time just sitting around. And it's not unusual to only go up on stage once or twice if it's busy since there are may other girls working, but you still have to put in a full shift. It's not like management is going to stop you from sitting around doing nothing, but it's just a bizarre idea and I'm curious as to where you've read that doing dances is optional if you want to make money. If all you want to do is pole dance and perform, join a burlesque troop.
Now, I'm not sure what exactly you mean by "supplement" by waitressing, but you certainly can't waitress between your stage shows. Either you're a dancer or you're serving staff. You can't do both at the same time. You could be a waitress elsewhere and just go to the strip club to put on stage shows, but considering you have to pay to work in most clubs, you're just going to be paying to waste your time, basically.
Re: Doing stage-work only?
Mm, maybe if you find a very large club with many customers in a big city. Like there are a few downtown that I can think of in which you *might* be able to make some money just doing dances. But it would be like... minimum wage or less most likely. Thursday through Sunday at a good club on a good night you could make like $50-60 after the house fee, which is the same you'd be making just doing the waitressing - and that's not counting nights you would lose money. Have you considered being a shot girl or bartender instead?
Re: Doing stage-work only?
Only if you can find customers that will make it rain when you go on stage each time .... Rare
Or if you find customers that don't want dances and will pay you for your time and to keep them company ... Also rare.
It's possible but rare
Re: Doing stage-work only?
You can get by, but it isn't going to be very lucrative. Back when I first started when I was 18, I would only do stage shows. On a good night like a Friday or Saturday, I would make almost $100 on stage, however, I would only go on twice a night. So $200 doesn't sound that bad for just going on stage for right? But then you have to tip the staff and pay for transportation and pay for clothes and shoes and make-up... All in all it really isn't worth it. Also most clubs won't hire you for only Friday and Saturday night (where you can make good money on the stage). Most of the time you need to work the slow shifts in order to work the prime shifts.
Re: Doing stage-work only?
I rarely did lapdances when I was in Guam? Mos of my money was generated on stage or through selling drinks. I have no idea if that's doable these days though?
There are a handful of stage only clubs that still exist. IM (limited) E--the earning potential wasn't as high as it is in lapdances clubs.
I use to waitress in between stage sets at my stage only club. It was a really divey club, so I imagine this wouldn't fly at most clubs. Plus, it was exhausting!
Imho, its possible possible make a lot more if you're doing lapdances!
Re: Doing stage-work only?
(So far I've only worked weeknights.)
According to a girl at a club I tried last night, there's a few girls who work there that refuse to use VIP because it's an extra $50 tipout. So apparently it is possible, but not practical. I'd say on a given night, only 5-20% of my income is made on stage/the floor. Most nights I bring home $25-50 in singles, and the non-VIP nights I make (roughly) minimum wage to be there.
Re: Doing stage-work only?
On my first shift at the club I currently work at, I didn't want to give lap dances or take custies to the VIP room, etc. either. I had first-time jitters and planned on doing lap dances when I was more comfortable at the club. However, eventually I caved because so many people were requesting them. I definitely made more money giving dances that night than I did on stage.
That said, this past night I made more stage money than I did dance money. It depends on how you hustle and work the room. If you can establish a connection and a more personal relationship with a few customers (especially if they're in a big group of people), the stage money will be better as the chances of them coming to tip you are higher. For instance, I was sitting with a large group of guys that worked for oil companies and when I got on stage I spent my whole set with them since they were all at the tip bar waiting for me. If you're wanting to simply rely on stage money, work the room to increase your chances of getting tipped.
Aniela made a really good point earlier though: on busy nights when there are a lot of girls working/on the rotation, you may only get 2-3 performances on stage. It's those nights that lap dance money would make up the bulk of your earnings.
If you don't mind me asking, why is it that you don't want to give dances? If it's a nerves or an inexperience kind of thing, there are a lot of great threads and vids on the internet that I, and the ladies here, would happily direct you to!
Re: Doing stage-work only?
I definitely second what the rest of the ladies said as it being a gamble on if the stage money will be good at whatever time of the night you get on stage as well as not being the most lucrative use of your time. Honestly, in my five years of dancing (not in urban clubs), I've probably only broke $300-400 for a single set a handful of times. It really depends on what you feel your time, energy and efforts are worth. At the end of the day though, I definitely don't recommend doing something you're uncomfortable with.