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Thread: Deaf Dancers?

  1. #1
    God/dess MrChristopher's Avatar
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    Default Deaf Dancers?

    So, this was a new one to me. We had a girl come in Wednesday night to audition. The housemom called me and said "I'm sending an audition up to you, but...she's deaf". Okay, a little odd, but I do know basic sign language etc so I didnt think it would be that big of a deal. She comes up, doesn't know sign at ALL, can't speak, and is writing everything down on a spiral notebook. Okay. So I write everything out for her that she basically needs to know about rotation, basic stage rules, music, etc. I then ask her what she would like for her songs, because I know they can feel the vibrations...plus I wasnt sure exactly HOW deaf she was, you know? She started flipping thru my books and pointing at like....sound effects cd's. I was a bit dumbfounded. So anyhoo, I get her onstage, and I put her up by herself so there would be no real confusion. I kept trying to signal her and let her know this was song 2 etc. But to no avail. We finally managed to get her offstage. My GM takes her aside and writes with her for quite awhile. My main question is this: How does she expect to interact with the custies at all? How is she supposed to know when she is onstage? Even given the Disabilities Act, I don't see what we could do to make it okay for her to work there. Perhaps in a smaller club,where she could have more one-on-one attention from a bouncer or something, but this is one of the "big box showclubs". Isn't this just simply a case of her not being physically able to do the job properly? I felt bad for her, she was a very pretty girl, and she also knew how to do some basic polework....anyone have any suggestions? I had never experienced anything like this at the club before, ever.
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  2. #2
    242_fair
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    Default Re: Deaf Dancers?

    I worked with a hard of hearing girl at a gogo bar, but there wasn't any interaction / lap dancing, we just danced on stage.

    It was funny, whenever somebody tried to talk to her she would motion that the music was too loud and she can't hear... then she'd pull her garter out and inevitably the guy would stick a dollar in there!!

    Apparently she had also worked at the Lusty Lady in SF with no problem at all, and made good $$ too.

    You never finished the story - did the manager send her away? Did she get hired?

    You should have told her to audition at a peep show, where you can't talk to the guys.

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    Featured Member xoxoGracexoxo's Avatar
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    Default Re: Deaf Dancers?

    Actually, we have a deaf girl at my club, who seems to do fine. She works the shift before me, so I've never actually seen her work the floor, but she's a great dancer on stage, has a big smile, and is pretty popular with the custies. I've wondered these same things before...how does she interact with the customers? How does she know when a song is over to stop dancing? (I know deaf people can feel vibrations, but the songs at my club flow into each other without much silence usually.) Maybe she reads lips really well. Anyway, I'm almost jealous. She probably has to listen to way less bullshit than the rest of us.

  4. #4
    Yekhefah
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    Default Re: Deaf Dancers?

    I used to work with the Deaf. It sounds like this girl's Deafness is profound, which means she has no hearing at all. If the DJ can completely stop the music for a second at the end, she'll notice when she can't feel it anymore. You could also try blinking the lights or coming up with some other light-based signal, like changing the color at the end of the song.

    If she's just dancing on stage, she shouldn't have a problem. Hustling for lapdances would be extremely difficult though, especially if she can't speak. And then counting the number of songs when she can't hear them or see the lights from VIP. Has she got any previous stripping experience? How does she expect to handle the situation?

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    God/dess Paris's Avatar
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    Default Re: Deaf Dancers?

    I have solved the hustling problem. I had really bad laryngitsis (sp?) a couple of years ago, and could not afford to miss work. So I made some 3x5 cards on my computer that said something like: "Hi, my mame is Paris Love. I have lost my voice, but I still have great body language." Over>> "Would you like some dances for $20 a song?"

    To some guys a girl that can't talk is a dream come true. I actually did pretty good despite my lack of voice. Go figure.

    This girl would have to time out her dances, as she can't hear the music. All she would need is a little battery operated clock that she can set near the customer, so she can see how long she has been dancing for him. I think a wrist watch is tacky, so a little clock set slightly behind the customer somewhere, would be better.

    There are also machines out there that are like text messagers only. The writer types in a sentence and the machine adds in the ends of common words, so the speed is a lot better. The customer can also converse back with her on this machine.

    So I guess this is possible, but she just needs a little extra help, just like she probably does on all other aspects of her life.


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    Senior Member mspussykatus's Avatar
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    Default Re: Deaf Dancers?

    Quote Originally Posted by Paris
    I have solved the hustling problem. I had really bad laryngitsis (sp?) a couple of years ago, and could not afford to miss work. So I made some 3x5 cards on my computer that said something like: "Hi, my mame is Paris Love. I have lost my voice, but I still have great body language." Over>> "Would you like some dances for $20 a song?"

    To some guys a girl that can't talk is a dream come true. I actually did pretty good despite my lack of voice. Go figure.
    You are my new hero! I am so going to have to try that next time I get sick or loose my voice.


    On the deaf note I work with a deaf girl, but she reads lips. If you are standing behind and talking to her she has no idea you're talking, it took me a while to get used to that. She talks (I hate saying this and I don' mean it in a bad way but I couldn't come up with a better descriptive) "a little funny," but customers don't normally even notice it, they think it's some sort of thick southern accent. And she does real well. She dances to the beat/vibration of the music.

  7. #7
    Banned Katrine's Avatar
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    Default Re: Deaf Dancers?

    We had a deaf waitress who also wrote everything down. She was very pretty and seemed to do just fine from what I heard.

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    God/dess VenusGoddess's Avatar
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    Default Re: Deaf Dancers?

    I think in this instance, you are going to have to ask the girl what YOU can do to help HER. If she gets hired and stays for a while, it'll be worth it...and it'll become second nature. Also asking what experience she has and how they dealt with it at her other club...

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    Veteran Member TarynJolie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Deaf Dancers?

    I worked with a deaf dancer a few years back. She didn't speak and few people knew how to sign but she did just fine $ wise. She just gave off body and read body language and had a beautiful smile.

    I found out at one point the deaf feel music through vibrations, so she could literly feel the beat when on stage an so forth.

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    God/dess doc-catfish's Avatar
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    Default Re: Deaf Dancers?

    It doesn't surprise me a bit that deaf girls can make money dancing. Once you get past a few communication roadblocks, its not a terribly complex task. And guys might think the deaf girl thing is a cute uniquity.

    My only fear is that if the club doesn't have a floater counting dances, she might get taken advantage of time wise by an unscrupulous custy.
    Former SCJ now in rehab.

  11. #11
    Featured Member WiseGuy_TX's Avatar
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    Default Re: Deaf Dancers?

    I once had an ATF who was deaf so i think i can speak with some experience. First, those that have been deaf since childhood have learnt to adapt. The club interaction isnt any more of an issue than most anything else in life for them. They know how to adapt. If she was deaf since childhood, she would have already known at least some sign language and she would have cared less about picking out music. However, if she became recently deaf then i can see her trying to pick out music, not knowing ASL and ignoring your DJ signals.

    How does she expect to interact with the custies at all? - Long term deaf girls most likely can read lips, use some sign language even if it was a dumbed down version so the customer could mostly understand, and writing. They have practiced it for years. That girl would have to write ,i guess, in order to interact.

    How is she supposed to know when she is onstage? - She would watch who is on stage and be aware who she follows on rotation and about how many girls are ahead of her. She knows when the dance is over by feeling vibrations in the furniture(as was mentioned), watching to see when other dancers finish their laps when they sit down or put their cloths on or (if on stage) by a que from the DJ that the song is over.

    Even given the Disabilities Act, I don't see what we could do to make it okay for her to work there. - There is nothing to do to make it OK. Let her interact as she knows how. Managers and Dancers will learn over time how to communicate with her. The worst thing i can think of that happened to my former ATF was when she was out of site of mainstage and she lost track of when she was up, someone had to go get her. She made decent money too.

    Isn't this just simply a case of her not being physically able to do the job properly? - ...sorry for being harsh but that's ignorance and just as bad as stereotyping strippers.

    anyone have any suggestions? - ...yes, as VG says, help her in the little ways she needs help and treat her the same as everyone else.
    Last edited by WiseGuy_TX; 12-16-2005 at 09:18 PM.
    "Peter, did you take Stewie to a strip-club? He smells like sweat and fear." - Lois and Stewie (Family Guy) ... "Through early morning fog I see, Visions of the things to be, The pains that are withheld for me, I realize and I can see..."

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    Featured Member phillydj's Avatar
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    Default Re: Deaf Dancers?

    As one who worked in the club Mr.Christopher has mentioned all I can tell you all are....great sugestions, wont work. This is a (for lack of better terms)"vegas" style club, HUGE.....LOTSO lights....and rotation changes very half hour depending on whos where. Yes Venus we know you think all of us djs are scum of the earth and are leaches to the biz and yadda yadda yadda...but its NOT a matter of what he can do for her...its a matter of can she cut it in a club like this. Ive worked with deaf dancers before in smaller clubs, and they do just fine when its a steady rotation and things stay the same all night. But at this place, there can be no light cues, no looking to see who shes following. Go to stripclub list and look at pictures on the website for Creekside Caberet and I think youll get an idea.
    I Would Never Belong To Any Club That Would Have Me As A Member - Groucho Marx

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    God/dess Bunny's Avatar
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    Default Re: Deaf Dancers?

    I don't see how someone who is deaf and can't lip read could hustle enough to make money in a big club. She'd need somewhere that is mostly stage tips or to do gogo dancing maybe.

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    Featured Member WiseGuy_TX's Avatar
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    Default Re: Deaf Dancers?

    ...my deaf ATF cut it just fine in a big Vegas like club with a little support from people with a heart.

    I see stage lights in that one tiny Creekside website picture so i dont understand the "LOTSO lights" vs "no light cues" remark. Stripclublist review - "The lighting and light show on the stage is great. It is built in a warehouse"

    When the DJ tells her she goes up after so-and-so in about 14 girls, its really not that hard to sit out of site of the stage and count about how many times the dancers around you get up to dance then stop dancing and know about when your going up. Been there, done that with my deaf ATF.

    I dont see SW dancers throwing up red flags about Colmar, Pennsylvania clubs like they do about Houston Clubs. Quite frankly, I doubt those little hearing girls at Creekside could cut it very long in a Houston Club my deaf ATF worked at.

    ...but this issue is about a deaf girl without what seems to be the communication skills of long term deaf people. I'll agree that issue, no matter what club it is, would make it difficult .
    "Peter, did you take Stewie to a strip-club? He smells like sweat and fear." - Lois and Stewie (Family Guy) ... "Through early morning fog I see, Visions of the things to be, The pains that are withheld for me, I realize and I can see..."

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    God/dess scarlett_vancouver's Avatar
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    Default Re: Deaf Dancers?

    I worked with a deaf girl...she banked.

    And guys might think the deaf girl thing is a cute uniquity.
    The guys were really attracted to her 'vulnerability' (though she was actually a hard ass, lol). She had legions of regulars, and to hustle new guys she just grabbed their hands, gave them one of those 'soulful' looks, and pulled them gently to the VIP.
    Genius.

    I'd say let her try it out...if it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out, but you said she's attractive enough so...

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