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Standing out as a black girl
Im working back at club I really liked but took time off since I got more shifts at my smaller club. I gotta fill my weekly financial weekly quota by working btwn 3-4 days a week. So... that means going back.
My scenario: I usually work day shift where I find money is easier, more and less hustle to come by. Problem is when I work there are at least 3-4 black girls working that day shift including me. The black girl to everyone else ratio is even higher at night. Ive never worked in a club where there are more than 3 more or black girls working the same shift.
To stand out I wear better clothing, a hairpiece so I dont have to deal with my hair fuzzing up, speak well, dont play any rap or r&b on stage, and dont do any booty clapping moves. I mean I know the other girls can do any of the opposites and do fine; not me though. Is there anything you do as a black woman to stand out in the club?
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Re: Standing out as a black girl
All your ideas sound solid to me, TM... The combination of it all, plus the fact that you're stunning, should work perfectly! :)
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Re: Standing out as a black girl
Sounds good to me too TM. When I was surrounded by this situation, I did ok because I dressed so much different. I play up a sophisticated role. I dance to R&B but I'm really slow and sensual..I make guys wanna come snatch me up while I'm on stage.
One suggestion, do you smile alot?? Smiling makes a hell of a difference I've noticed. Oh, and you wear your hair in a high ponytail right? I did really well when I bought this like jaw length curly bob thing. I definately stood out amongst the other girls. Oh, and what color clothes do you wear? When I see a another (black) dancer wearing the same color as me I change.
Good luck girl!!
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Re: Standing out as a black girl
Like CK said, you definitely want to have a different hairstyle and color outfit on, especially if any of the girls have a similar body type than you. Maybe you could wear a costume it is Halloween. That would definitely set you apart.
I wouldn't worry too much about the music onstage, you need to dance to what you're comfortable with and what works -- if it's booty shakin' and rap music then do it. You might also want to go the extra mile by having better manners than the rest of the girls, this speaks volumes. Access your competition's weaknesses and inadequancies and be sure that you fill the gap, especially if it's monetarily beneficial.
Exude an aura of happiness, catwalk with confidence, and really step your game up and make sure that you always build rapport with the customers before you ask for a dance -- make them know why you're better than the rest. If your game is tight, the number of girls shouldn't affect your earnings. Best of luck!
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Re: Standing out as a black girl
I think you have some really good ideas to stand out. I think these would work well for anyone.
My club has a similar situation during dayshift and the top earner does all of the things that you mentioned to make herself stand out.
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Re: Standing out as a black girl
We have a number of black girls at my club, but one of them sticks out in an amazing way. She listens to Metallica and other heavy metal music while doing great pole tricks.
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Re: Standing out as a black girl
Sounds like me as well. It helps that I am really tall and that helps me stand out when there is more than one black dancer working. I have yet to work with one that is as tall as I am. But I do a lot of the same things you do. Other things you can do to stand out are: 1. wear bright colors, 2. smile a lot 3. do pole work if you have a pole and no one else does pole work. 4. HUSSLE, talk to everyone. That is all I can think of off the top of my head.
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Re: Standing out as a black girl
I really think you have to be who you are. I always play my music. To me when a black girl dances to a genre of music she doesn't listen to in real life, the customers see through that. You can dance to the music you like but not perform as they do on BET Uncut, right?
Just because there are 3-4 black girls on your shift doesn't mean you guys are all the same any more than 3-4 white girls working together aren't the same.
For example, some black girls are more refined, more articulate, while some are more ghetto or rough around the edges. I can tell from your posts that your demeanor is refined and you are comfortable dealing with white customers. Many black dancers are not, and the customers can sense this.
Just be yourself, don't change. And if you are a good salesperson, are honest, and work the floor well, you probably will outsell the other girls 7 times out of 10 anyway.
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Re: Standing out as a black girl
Thanks for the advice everyone especially Tina. The longer I work in the industry I notice how much harder I have to work than any other girl. A new girl at my smaller club who is quite opposite of me in ethinicity makes about 100-200 more than me and Ive been there over a year. Eventhough I am only 1/2 black any customer will still see me as "the black girl". I'll still work as hard just to surprise any customer and throw them off of any stereotype that there is out there. I do realize I cant change every customers mind despite my efforts. I usually wear chemises or a regular dancers dress. Mostly black but sometimes pink.
Im a pretty honest girl when I work meaning no undercutting or any of those bad things. I ordered some new outfits and a new hairpiece. Not feeling too fantastic these days on the inside and maybe new stuff will help.
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Re: Standing out as a black girl
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tina
I really think you have to be who you are. I always play my music. To me when a black girl dances to a genre of music she doesn't listen to in real life, the customers see through that. You can dance to the music you like but not perform as they do on BET Uncut, right?
Just because there are 3-4 black girls on your shift doesn't mean you guys are all the same any more than 3-4 white girls working together aren't the same.
For example, some black girls are more refined, more articulate, while some are more ghetto or rough around the edges. I can tell from your posts that your demeanor is refined and you are comfortable dealing with white customers. Many black dancers are not, and the customers can sense this.
Just be yourself, don't change. And if you are a good salesperson, are honest, and work the floor well, you probably will outsell the other girls 7 times out of 10 anyway.
Thanks for the encouragement Tina. I understand everyone's motives but personally I don't want to feel like I have to dance to the Beatles just to appease customers that may or may not buy a dance from me.
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Re: Standing out as a black girl
Group hug to you, TM! :grouphug:
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Re: Standing out as a black girl
You are really light skinned,but for the darker girls - I worked at a club where the darker woman we had there would have the dj kick up the lights a few notches for her set. She had a slammin bod and did killer old school showmanship type moves. The light helped define her features and let you see minute moves when she did them. Really dim light casts too much shadow on dark skin.
Other than that just be who you are. try new stuff because you are intrigued by it.
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Re: Standing out as a black girl
I wouldn't recommend this, and it's kind of, uh, weird, but one girl I danced with stuck way the hell out when the sista put on a Confederate flag dress . . .
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Re: Standing out as a black girl
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Originally Posted by Susan Wayward
I wouldn't recommend this, and it's kind of, uh, weird, but one girl I danced with stuck way the hell out when the sista put on a Confederate flag dress . . .
Whattttttttttttttttttttttttttttt :O
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Re: Standing out as a black girl
No, actually, you know what. I thought about that flag dress. Think about the controversy/looks you'll get. Men will want to engage you in a full conversation as to why you as a black person would wear that flag. (And there are some black folk down south that rock those flags by the way. I have seen it a few times.) It's wild, but baby, it will wake a muthafucka up.
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Re: Standing out as a black girl
Quote:
Originally Posted by Susan Wayward
I wouldn't recommend this, and it's kind of, uh, weird, but one girl I danced with stuck way the hell out when the sista put on a Confederate flag dress . . .
More power to her- I couldn't do it. :-[
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Re: Standing out as a black girl
Quote:
Originally Posted by Susan Wayward
I wouldn't recommend this, and it's kind of, uh, weird, but one girl I danced with stuck way the hell out when the sista put on a Confederate flag dress . . .
I did that once. I also dance to "these boots are made for walking". While wearing the dress. I recieve a lot of attention from men and frowns from women. I made more money. I did have conversation talking about my black side. My end result I made $500.00 more and had three steady regulars.
Once you have everybody attention. Now you have to find away to keep them interested. Smile alot! That is a good tool for me. I notice when I work in this one club. The black women did not smile alot! They walk around with a blank stare or with a frown.
I also tried dancing to music in the 80's. My crowd at the club I was at, majority of the customer favorite songs. Was in the 80's. I will do something totaly out there ! Every once in a while, to keep men guessing. I believe you need to know the crowd. You dance for, because my crowd at my club could be differant from your crowd. To stand out in one crowd. It might not be the same to stand out in the other crowd.
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Re: Standing out as a black girl
LC, advice is advice. Everything to help make better use of my skills while at work is worth a try. Probably wont be sporting the confederate flag dress anytime soon. lol Its always good to dance to what the crowd may like. Such as dancing to older rock songs instead of hip hop when older guys are in the club.
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Re: Standing out as a black girl
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Originally Posted by TigersMilk
LC, advice is advice. Everything to help make better use of my skills while at work is worth a try. Probably wont be sporting the confederate flag dress anytime soon. lol Its always good to dance to what the crowd may like. Such as dancing to older rock songs instead of hip hop when older guys are in the club.
^^^I agree advice is advice. I just like to suprise the customer with something differant everyonce and while! I am going to be a Nun for halloween. I do wierd stuff.
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Re: Standing out as a black girl
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tina
I really think you have to be who you are. I always play my music. To me when a black girl dances to a genre of music she doesn't listen to in real life, the customers see through that. You can dance to the music you like but not perform as they do on BET Uncut, right?
Just because there are 3-4 black girls on your shift doesn't mean you guys are all the same any more than 3-4 white girls working together aren't the same.
For example, some black girls are more refined, more articulate, while some are more ghetto or rough around the edges. I can tell from your posts that your demeanor is refined and you are comfortable dealing with white customers. Many black dancers are not, and the customers can sense this.
Just be yourself, don't change. And if you are a good salesperson, are honest, and work the floor well, you probably will outsell the other girls 7 times out of 10 anyway.
Great post Tina. I agree with what you are saying 100%. Thanks for the reminder.
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Re: Standing out as a black girl
I work at a club where I went from being the only black girl to one of 2-6, depending on how many show up for shift. I wouldn't worry too much about it. Just maintain your own style and look into some interesting music that you would like to dance to, that the other girls don't. Just make sure you like the music you are dancing to, like Tina said, if you don't it will show!!!! Maybe go old R&B if nobody is doing that, or techno, rock, etc...? You could try to pick music nobody really hears in your club. I personally only dance to rock and always have, and thats what I listen OTC as well. The other girls dance to rap/R&B, one dances to techno. Lately a few of them have been dancing to rock. I can't help but feel they are merely "copying" and it does show in their stage performance. Don't think that copying another dancers style will earn you more money. Even if it does, its really annoying.
Besides music you can also stand out in a style of dress, and personality. Smiling, happy, bubbly entertainers always get attention. Whatever you do, just make sure you like it. You may want to look at the schedule and see what days have fewer black girls and try to work on those days.
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Re: Standing out as a black girl
In my club there are about ten black girls and ever so often we all work on the same nights. I stand out in many little ways but I'm well known mostly by the extreme g-strings I wear that no one else in the club wears, and they all glow. Also my pedicure catches a lot of attention. I always have a rhinestone design on my toes so they sparkle when I dance on stage.
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Re: Standing out as a black girl
Quote:
Originally Posted by TigersMilk
Thanks for the advice everyone especially Tina. The longer I work in the industry I notice how much harder I have to work than any other girl. A new girl at my smaller club who is quite opposite of me in ethinicity makes about 100-200 more than me and Ive been there over a year. Eventhough I am only 1/2 black any customer will still see me as "the black girl". I'll still work as hard just to surprise any customer and throw them off of any stereotype that there is out there. I do realize I cant change every customers mind despite my efforts. I usually wear chemises or a regular dancers dress. Mostly black but sometimes pink.
Im a pretty honest girl when I work meaning no undercutting or any of those bad things. I ordered some new outfits and a new hairpiece. Not feeling too fantastic these days on the inside and maybe new stuff will help.
Girl, your hotness surpasses almost all white girls i know. Confidence,confidence,confidence....
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Re: Standing out as a black girl
^^^agreed. I don't think you need to worry about standing out as a black girl -- that's like worrying about standing out as a brunette. Just worry about standing out as a hot chick, cause you are, period.
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Re: Standing out as a black girl
Elocution............This will give you a wider range of client and elevate them in the tax brackets.