Today, many states in the U.S. began to reopen businesses that were shut down due to the COVID pandemic of 2020. Specific businesses will be re-opened in stages, giving a few weeks to each stage to assure there is no spike in the COVID statistics.

Everybody has been cooped up for several months now. Before anybody goes back to work and back in society, grooming is a must. It is no surprise that personal care business such as hair salons, nail salons, barber shops, and even pet grooming is in Stage 1.

As a dancer, appearances are the most important first impression. Similar to any other kind of artistry and entertainment industry. We are performers. We need our hair done, manicure and pedicure on fleek, tanning, facials, med-spas, all to provide the society of our best assets.

As a whole, we endure these changes together. We find ourselves shaggy-haired, with over-grown manicures and pedicures, pale from being trapped in our homes and weight gain from our preventative over-stocked fridge. This is not the first time I have yo-yo-ed in weight. Feeling your best is most important especially if you are entertaining in the buff amongst other beauties.

After 20 years of dancing, do I want to go back? That is my dilemma. When dancing you always think about quitting and moving on to do other things. Dancing is supposed to be a “stepping stone.” As for many, I like it too much to quit. I compare it to mom’s house. You can always go back when you need a little boost in life. There you can seek money, attention, other resources, and a flexible schedule in which I soon find that I was flexible for the club’s schedule.

Strips clubs are the last type of business to be reopened, during Stage 4. What will it be like? I picture sneeze glasses around the stage and bar, possibly masked and gloved. I remember when I started dancing, 20 years ago, there was a practice of social distancing-The three feet rule. 2 out of the 3 clubs I have worked at, in my entirety, had this 3 feet rule. As I look back, for me, being a dancer meant you were a visual performer, in today’s age, not so much. Maybe this will cause a reset.

I worked in a non-contact club for a total of 13 years ( 18-31 years old), where social distancing dances did exist. The “bad girl” would try to break the club rules, by acting more salacious, lude, and seducing closeness. As a newbie, I had to abide by their restrictions, which I didn’t mind. I was terrified of closeness as a dancer.

This caused me to become a “snob stripper” of sorts. As I continue to dance and strongly follow the restrictive rules, I excelled while upholding its policies. I started to enjoy it more and more. I grew accustom to being seen and not touched. I truly felt “untouchable.”

As time moved on, I would meet newcomers, other dancers, from all over, and to my surprise most did not know how to entertain from afar. The opposite kind of stage freight, a difference from what I feared. I have heard of these clubs, where the dancers would dance on your lap, if you can call that “dancing.”

I mean there are other noticeable changes in exotic dancing through the years. Did you know twerking is a recently new dance move? I do not remember of the booty bouncing in my hay days. This is definitely a new concept influenced by music videos and youtube tutorials. Thank you Miley Cyrus for perfecting this for us.

Pole dancing extended into its own sport. It a great talent to have as a dancer. I did not pursue much pole work. I became more of a Pepe Le Pew kind of seductress. I learned that my best asset is my smile, believe it or not. A smile, a good attitude, and the gift of gab can be the best form of foreplay and salesmanship.

In the past 7 years, the nude club I’ve been working at, prior to the COVID shutdown, is a more contact kind of club. I suppose it always optional, nudity however is not. Can you imagine what it’s like to be told to take off your g-string no matter if there are paying patrons? Needless to say, it’s an uncomfortable office meeting. Nude means naked, not just topless.

Exotic dancing can be a very empowering role. Yes, there are moments of degradation, and fears that we all have to overcome but in the end, it can make one stronger.

As we are all getting groomed to head back, I can’t help but wonder, how different will the strip clubs be after COVID 2020.

There is a new type of club surfacing, drive-thru strip club. This place provides a meal and a strip show. The Lucky Devil Lounge is located in Oregon where dancers deliver food with a show. No contact, strict sanitary guidelines, mask, gloves, and temperature checks. Read more about it here.

The places I have worked at does not serve food, only drinks and nudity.

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