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Thread: Need a new gig in Portland

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    Senior Member IvytheStripper's Avatar
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    Default Need a new gig in Portland

    Hello-

    I would like your suggestions for finding a club that doesn't book through " the agency" for it's off peak times where I will fit in or at the very least not stick out like a sore thumb. A girl called me weird yesterday which I took offense to. Quirky, kooky, eccentric, I can deal with but WEIRD sort of hurts. Basically I want to get a job where that won't happen...as much because I AM rather odd. Also I dislike being solicited as a prostitute and would like for that to not happen.

    Most times I'm at a very chill club that's basically a bar that happens to have dancing girls. The money isn't great, but I'll make that trade-off for a good environment. That's the good bit. Occasionally I am sent out to bars that are NOT my bag namely DV8 and The boom boom room at times when it's effing dead. Most times I am sent there at the last minute and on my day off!!! This is bad news bears and I am tiring of it rapidly. Here is a bit about me. I don't like 99% of all country or RapHop. Metal and industrial give me an instant headache. Yesterday I danced to Tom Petty, The Smiths and a friend's band. Oftentimes I pick the stones or zz top, some van halen, motley crue. Journey is sadly unavailable. I'll wiggle to whatever if need be but my preferences lie along those lines. I think this is smart in an environment filled with middle-aged men, because theoretically at least, this music can take them back to when they were young. Aesthetically I'm pretty decent looking, About 5'6'' and 130 pounds. I often hear that I'm beautiful from customers, even when I'm clothed. My attempts at looking "more like a stripper" were to dye my hair a much lighter blonde and give myself acrylic nails which I've filed into ovals and painted a nice slut red. The overall effect is of a fifties housewife fallen on difficult times. I have precious little "stripper attire" and don't and won't wear the big ol shoes. I'll wear some pretty high heels but I need something without much of a platform;I need something I can move in because I actually dance instead of gyrating languidly between pole gymnastics. Pole tricks are impressive but I lack the upper body strength,fearlessness, and imperviousness to bruising required for such feats.

    I'd really like to find one club to dance at where I can be myself with a minimum of sneers from co-workers and sleazy come-on's from patrons. I welcome your suggestions.
    Last edited by IvytheStripper; 08-07-2006 at 11:02 AM.

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    Default Re: Need a new gig in Portland

    Hmm...
    You might like Union Jacks. Devils Point or Marys Club may also be right up your alley. These places are funkier and let you wear and play what music you like for the most part. I went to UJ's last night and saw girls dancing in tennis shoes and ballet flats.
    You won't like any of the gown clubs, like Starz or the Dolphins.

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    Veteran Member badpixie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Need a new gig in Portland

    I've actually been at the Dolphin II for a few months, and it's not as vanilla as you might think. Lots of top earners, especially during the day shift, do not wear shoes at all, but you can wear whatever kind you want. The DJs will basically play anything during the day, too (at night, the owner requires faster, louder music). I often wear vinyl and costumes, and they get attention. The day girls each seem to have their own "niche" and are a lot more creative/laid back than a lot of night girls, since the day crowd is mostly older/middle aged guys who want a down-to-earth girl who can entertain and converse.

    Days there can be slow, especially since it's summer, but it's going to pick up soon. Even during this "off" season, I've had plenty of day shifts over $200 and $300. Most of your money is from couch dances, which let you touch the customer from the waist up. That's more contact than is allowed at UJ's, Stars, or most others in Portland, so they're an easy sell.

    They are also dying for new day shift girls there.

    Um, other than that.. I know which agency you're talking about, and I quit working for them too. Wise choice. You might also want to audition at Sassy's, which is around SE 10th and Morrison. Very small and stage-centered, but packs an awesome crowd at night. Not sure how picky they are about girls these days, but when Rockstar ran things, the late-night girls were very pornstar looking, and/or uber talented on the pole.

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    God/dess Paris's Avatar
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    Default Re: Need a new gig in Portland

    I say ignore what the other dancers are saying about you being weird. It is PORTLAND, OREGON for gods sake! Most stuff in Portland is weird, strippers and strip clubs included. Hell, we aren't even allowed to pump our own gas here, now that is weird!

    I dyed my hair manic panic Hot-hot pink, and I've worked at Star's since 2000 (on and off). I thought for sure I was going to be removed from the schedule because of being "weird", but instead the custies loved the pink hair and management simply told me that it doesn't seem to be a problem, so everything was fine. I mean my hair wasn't just high lighted pink, it was all pink! That is more of a UJ's type of thing, not something you would typically see at Star's.

    I understand about getting tired of the agency run around. Not all the clubs the city use the agents, so go out there and find a place you like that will do their scheduling in house.

    Good luck, and embrace the weirdness!


    Promote yourself and earn more money! This is a business that is owned by strippers for strippers. Let's make that money!


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    Senior Member IvytheStripper's Avatar
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    Default Re: Need a new gig in Portland

    what about the Magic? I was hanging out with a girl who danced there and she said to go there but in the club reviews section it said the owner was nuts but it may have been from a girl that wasn't the "magic type" which according to this other girl is a pretty face, no implants, and good taste in music. Union Jacks sounds good but I hear that the stage fees are NUTS and I'm pretty lousy at this stripping thing. I've heard Sassy's before and was planning on going to Devil's point to see if they'd take me on. I like nicolai street and I see the potential for it to be a pretty cool scene kind of like the magic but as long as it stays the way it is, that can't happen and I can't work on another day off, especially since I end up making practically nothing in a club which is empty for the bulk of my shift.

    Thanks for the kind words paris.

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    Veteran Member badpixie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Need a new gig in Portland

    I worked a lot at Nicolai St Clubhouse, and yeah, it's a great place.. but it still uses "that" agency. If it didn't, I'd love to go back and work a couple days a week. It's easy stage money, and the crowd can be fun.

    I posted a short review on my attempted audition at Magic a while back.. back story - people had been telling me for months I looked like a magic girl (small body, small boobs, dark hair, young and gentle-looking), but I'd also heard some upsetting things both from girls in the clubs and girls on this board (do a search). If you want to go audition, go for it - I've heard the money is really great. But honestly, the stories of the owner scare me.

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    Senior Member IvytheStripper's Avatar
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    Default Re: Need a new gig in Portland

    I might do that. Like I said I know a chick that works there and she said to go for it.

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    Default Re: Need a new gig in Portland

    Quote Originally Posted by IvytheStripper
    Union Jacks sounds good but I hear that the stage fees are NUTS and I'm pretty lousy at this stripping thing.
    First off, there is no club in Portland where the stage fees are nuts. Customers and dancers alike are used to a chheeeeeeeaaaaaappp hangout and work environment and so a $20 stage fee seems like a lot, but I promise no club in PDX charges fees that will ever work out to more than 10-20% of your earnings.

    Second of all, you need to work on that negative attitude, missy.

    . . . although I will say this: while this town is full of wonderful, charismatic, and talented dancers, there are plenty of dancers in Portland who are lousy at this "stripping thing," ie, can't be bothered to give a shit about their look or display personality on stage. It's bad enough if you're smoking hot and you have the illusuion you can get away with it, but it's even worse if you're doing it wearing Wal-Mart lingerie and no makeup.

    Soooo if you are reasonably well-groomed and nice I should think just about any club here would like you, "weird" or not. Like Paris said, it's Portland fucking Oregon.

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    God/dess anomar's Avatar
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    Default Re: Need a new gig in Portland

    Sounds like you're selling yourself short. Portland's a very stage centric city and that means that you can choose all of the options you want in a club... do you want it to serve alcohol? Do you want a dress code? Do you want to just sit there and watch guys jerk off? Do you want to work at a place where everyone will laugh at you if you dance to the Pussycat Dolls?

    But yeah it seems like you have your ideas covered. I'd definitely recommend Sassy's... I enjoyed working there until a certain non-energy-drink-jackass-agency cut me off from booking. Hmph! I love working at Devil's Point but it's recently become much more difficult to become booked there (they book 1-2 girls/day, 3-4 at night, so it's hard to get any regular shifts there) However, girls that can actually hustle can make decent coin there since the guys aren't used to being hustled... however, a majority of the guys come in there with just enough money for tips and drinks, or at least the latter.

    And also, like badpixie said, you're giving clubs like the Dolphins the short shrift... though you do need at least one gown for your couch dances (an easy way to make money where you're not just at the mercy of tippers, like Sassy's, DP, etc). However, I find it much less stressful and more stimulating to work at the Dolphin and make my money based on conversational skills than to be dancing onstage 25 minutes out of every hour. Phew!

    That's a definite change for me -- I used to be very nervous about working anywhere where the majority of your $$ comes from conversation/private dances and preferred to be disconnected and performing on stage. You might change your attitudes about how you'd like to make money in this industry in Portland fucking Oregon, but it'll only come by trying.

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    Senior Member Pinup Girl's Avatar
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    Default Re: Need a new gig in Portland

    haha i know what you mean about the "agency." tim is nice. look - after thirteen years, sassy's doesn't book with them anymore. so go to sassy's and do an audition. or go to magic and do an audition. and then let us know how it goes. ive heard the dj at sassy's is great, and at magic you get to pick your own tunes. mary's you can put your own music in the jukebox.

    just go! try! and most importantly, let us know how it goes!

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    God/dess scarlett_vancouver's Avatar
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    Default Re: Need a new gig in Portland

    Wow, I didn't even know you guys booked through agencies down there! Is it on a weekly rotation? Do the agents get commission? Can someone direct me to the website of the 'best' one? I might just have to give PDX a try.

    Feature costumes for sale!

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    Veteran Member badpixie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Need a new gig in Portland

    When we say "the agency", we mean Rockstar promotions, and I would not call them the best of anything. They only book for one really good money-making club (club 205), the rest are total dives (although the money can be decent, for Portland). Some of their practices are downright unethical, and I don't work for them anymore.

    I'd actually like to see a feature added to the club reviews section so we can review agencies.

    As far as I know, the best clubs in the area do not use any agencies.

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    God/dess Paris's Avatar
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    Default Re: Need a new gig in Portland

    Quote Originally Posted by scarlett_vancouver
    Wow, I didn't even know you guys booked through agencies down there! Is it on a weekly rotation? Do the agents get commission? Can someone direct me to the website of the 'best' one? I might just have to give PDX a try.
    The majority of the clubs handle their scheduling in house. The "agent" that is mentioned is the only one in Portland that books club dancers. Most agencies book dancers for private dancing and bachelor parties only.

    I don't think you'd have any trouble getting hired in Portland. Most clubs just want to know that you are legally old enough to drink and don't check your work status. The liquor commission (OLCC) has the strip clubs by the balls in PDX, but I've never heard of vice raids or anything like that. All they caare about is that the dancers are following the liquor laws.


    Promote yourself and earn more money! This is a business that is owned by strippers for strippers. Let's make that money!


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    Senior Member IvytheStripper's Avatar
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    Default Re: Need a new gig in Portland

    I'm pretty slow in deciding on a game plan. I was told that I could POSSIBLY get taken on as a house girl at nicolai and maybe do that a couple times a week. Sassy's I hadn't considered. For some reason I'm still finding the Idea of the magic a little scary since it has such a rep...and all my musician friends hang out there. I'm planning on going on a few auditions. I'll be sure to post my results. I'm planning thus far on Sassy's, the magic and Dino's

    Oh, does if Pornstar's contract has an exclusivity clause?? I've heard different things. I was so nervous when I signed the paper that I don't know if it was an actual contract or just a statement of age. Either tim or mason I'm not sure which told me that I wasn't allowed to go elsewhere but that may have been just because they didn't want me going anywhere else but I only let them send me to nicolai if I can help it.

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    Veteran Member badpixie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Need a new gig in Portland

    Nicolai has house girls now? I called a few months ago and they were still booking only through Rockstar (which I think is what you meant by "Pornstar"). When I worked for Rockstar they did not have an exclusivity clause, but they would make us work 3-4 days a week minimum, and call me constantly (at work and home) trying to get me to work doubles and extra days, even when I had 5 and 6 days on my schedule. There are no rewards for doing them favors. You will be fired or have your shifts pulled for a few weeks if you call in sick or take a day off because your entire family has died of the plague. You could also be fired for working at "grudge clubs" like the Dancing Bare, which fired Rockstar a while ago.

    I also spoke with a dancer who had her shifts pulled because a certain Rockstar booker saw her with her non-Caucasian boyfriend, and I know someone else who swears to have seen this individual's Nazi tattoos (normally hidden under shirt sleeves). I can't verify the truth myself, but it seems to be the consensus around here, and I did note the utter lack of nonwhite girls during my time with this agency. Regardless, they treat their dancers like shit, and will only go away when people stop working for them.

    I'll also note that since I first found out about Rockstar (february 06), a number of clubs have "fired" them, including Dancing Bare and Sassy's (two of the better money clubs in town). Their Craigslist ad currently states that their dancers make "$2000 - $4000" a week, which is utter horseshit unless you are Barbie and working nights at Club 205.

    Just not worth the indignity you will suffer working for these assholes.

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    Senior Member IvytheStripper's Avatar
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    Default Re: Need a new gig in Portland

    Oh I know. Last Sunday Tim pulled me out of bed, where I was NOT alone and begged me to go out to The boom Boom Room. There were NO customers AT ALL. The staff was sitting around watching movies. That little excursion cost me forty effing dollars, twenty for the cab, ten for the bouncer that didn't DO anything not even walk me to the bus stop and the rest for food and a drink because I didn't even get to eat anything before I was yanked out of my cozy bed and I was super pissed. I cleaned the mirrors in the lapdance room out of sheer crushing boredom. When I told tim about that he used that as an excuse to get me to come in on a day off to make up for the money I lost BECAUSE of him. Fuck a Bunch of Rockstar!! So wish me broken legs for my auditions because I'll probably get fired for saying that.

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    Senior Member IvytheStripper's Avatar
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    Default Re: Need a new gig in Portland

    I was told by the bartender, who has stripped for a long time that if I talked to the owner that she might take me on as a house girl, of which she has taken on very few but it's worth it even at a long shot I figure.

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    Default Re: Need a new gig in Portland

    What's the difference between being a "house girl" at nicolai and just booking them through rockstar?

    Rock star will only boss you around if you let them.

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    Veteran Member hearts's Avatar
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    Default Re: Need a new gig in Portland

    Damn. I might just go audition at Sassy's now that there booking in-house!

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    Veteran Member badpixie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Need a new gig in Portland

    Quote Originally Posted by Lola J.
    What's the difference between being a "house girl" at nicolai and just booking them through rockstar?

    Rock star will only boss you around if you let them.
    I think I just have a problem with working for neo-Nazis.

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    Senior Member IvytheStripper's Avatar
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    Default Re: Need a new gig in Portland

    I have a problem with someone who will tell me, when I have informed them that I am puking sick, to " drink some pepto and drag your sick ass in to work"

    Additionally I would like the freedom of being able to make my own GD schedule and the ability to not be pulled out of my comfy bed with my sweet sweet boy on my day off to work at a club where I will LOSE forty bucks in getting there and tipping out the lazy bracka-frackin' bouncer who didn't even walk me to my GD bus stop.

    So that's the difference with being a house girl and being a nekkid temp.

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    Featured Member thechaosfairy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Need a new gig in Portland

    I made it absolutely clear to the Rockstar guys when I signed up with them that I'd be working very erratically, usually one day a week, maybe bursts of many shifts and then nothing at all for a while. They have been OK with this so far.

    I've had some drama from them, but nothing terrible. Only once have they threatened me on taking a shift. Mostly, they call and ask, and I say, "No, I need to spend today with my family" or "I'm at my other job" or whatever else I'm actually doing. Pretty good results with that approach.

    They're used to Stripper Lifestyle types and treat everyone like that. Best way I've found of dealing with them is to act very polite, professional, draw the line, when they pull drama hang up and deal again later.

    They pretend they don't even remember pulling the drama, which is maddening, but useful with the kind of shit they do (like fake-firing you.)

    They REALLY don't like it when you call in sick and don't come in, day-of, but the day I got a nasty migraine and called and explained that I wouldn't be able to get to the club on my own and probably wouldn't be able to dance, they drove me there and were OK, said "just do what you can."

    But this is all the result of getting advice from others who'd worked for them, before even trying out -- and handling them VERY carefully from the start. I simply pass it along by way of warning/assistance to others.
    Last edited by thechaosfairy; 08-25-2006 at 05:22 AM.

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    Default Re: Need a new gig in Portland

    hey ivy, i'm in nyc so i don't have advice in the way of portland gigs, but just wanted to say you sound mad cool and it's a shame we don't live closer, 'cause we could go out hunting for a decent job together. and hey, "weird girls" are alright, i say go with it. ("50's housewife on hard times", by the way, was pretty funny : )

    xo,
    devon ray
    brooklyn

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    Senior Member IvytheStripper's Avatar
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    Default Re: Need a new gig in Portland

    Awwww. Thanks Devon.

    Who Knows, actually. There are lots of connections between PDX and NYC. I have friends there. Well friends of friends. Sorry I'm a little hazy. I hosted a wedding reception at 4 am today.

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    Senior Member IvytheStripper's Avatar
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    Default Re: Need a new gig in Portland

    You said it badpixie...
    "Just not worth the indignity you will suffer working for these assholes."

    In the interest of keeping y'all posted:

    Last night I got called in EARLY for what turned out to be a slow night shift at Montego's because the dayshif girls walked out. For it being dead most of the night I did so-so, about fifty or sixy dollars before tipping the dj and bartender, which they appreciated because it was slow and boring for them too and if the DJ hadn't played the music I liked I wouldn't have made that money, and the bartender was very fast with refilling my coke and lemon, bought be a screwdriver and was giving me smokes all night.

    Someone SLIPPED ME SOMETHING in a redbull. Two guys were in there running some sort of hustle like they didn't know each other. They either drugged one of the regulars or got him super drunk because he was puking and wobbly, but coherent. Same with me minus the puking. First I felt really at ease and carefree, then weird, then dizzy then weird nigh unto passing out, which I almost did...on the dressing room floor frothing at the mouth. When I woke up this morning after sleeping like a rock I had missed calls and tim is screeching at me saying that I'm going to get him and the agency fired, which sounds to me like unutterable bullshit. I tell him I was drugged, he says that I'm stupid and should be more careful, which I guess has an element of truth but it doesn't change the fact that I WAS DRUGGED and was in NO SHAPE to go anywhere, let alone take off my clothes once I was there.

    I thought about it for half a second then called back and QUIT. I'm not an animal or an automaton. I'm a damn good looking girl and without me and bunches of other girls LIKE ME, they would be completely out of business, which sounds like a fine idea to me. So I'll be taking a LONG bath, unctioning the many MANY bruises I got last night (roofies and pole tricks do not mix, especially when you can't DO pole tricks. I was just spinning around on the pole and racked my knees, my elbows, even smacked the box once....dooooh, in the process.) then finally going to sassy's and dino's. I don't really care about the big money. I wasn't making it before and I probably won't be making it in future. I just care about getting treated like stupid chattel by idiot men who verbally abused, threatened and manipulated me and exploited my obliging nature and eagerness to excell at A JOB, any job. FUCK ROCKSTAR. Ha...Rockstar. I know REAL rockstars, and they treat me like GOLD.

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