Milky swirls of cigarette smoke float through the air, the soft hue of rose accentuating their abstract form.Velveteen chairs adorn the room, a bar top sits to the left, and a catwalk stretches down the middle, but all eyes are drawn to center stage where a single pole reflects the glow of lights across the floor. Bright, oiled, and shining it stands there, in all its glory, waiting for smooth legs and sensual movements to bring life to its metal skin.

     The word "stripper" often conjures up images of the effortless glide of toned bodies on a shining silver pole alongside abstract ideas of STDs, drug addiction, and struggling single mothers with “no self respect”. In modern society, stripping has gained the same reputation as prostitution, both viewed as dirty, disrespectful and compromising forms of occupation. However, this societal notion was shattered when we sat down with Havana, a dancer of 13 years, and learned about the profession through her eyes.

     Havana fully believes in the entertainment value of dancers. “It’s not real, it’s entertainment, a fantasy”, she said. Havana believes so strongly in this illusion that she would not disclose her true name to us as part of her desire to  keep the fantasy that she creates while dancing separate from her personal life. Havana has been dancing since she was 18. She started dancing because of the money, but she came to realize that stripping was empowering, however, not for the body oriented reasons one would assume. “Why do guys come in here and give me money? The money is empowering. They pay me because they think I am nice and pretty. It’s a compliment.”

       Strippers are often assumed to be single and promiscuous, however Havanna has broken this stereotype. This can be seen in her marriage of 6 years and the strength in their relationship. “My husband likes what I do. He feels privileged. He knows it’s where I feel free. He doesn’t make me feel guilty, he makes me feel nice.”

     Havana’s love for dancing makes nights at the club enjoyable, however, there is also a fiscal motivation tied to her long term involvement with the profession. “You can’t make this money at McDonalds”, said Havana. The income earned from her profession is an additional benefit from doing what makes her feel liberated.

     JD, a dancer of 25 years, as well as a co-worker of Havana, disclosed her success in couples counseling through dancing. “When a women reaches her 50’s she is less interested in sex.” JD provides tips for the men that visit the club, as well as private couples dances to help “rekindle their love and passion”. Through this, JD uses her extensive sexual knowledge to help improve the sex lives of dying relationships and emphasize the importance of female satisfaction. Not only is the strip club an outlet for sexual satisfaction and fantasies, JD presented it is a community that provides improvement for individuals experiencing issues in relationships.

    Much of society would refer to exotic dancing as an objectifying career path. However, Havana reveals that this objectification is truly in the eyes of the viewer. While previously working a more traditional 9-5 job, Havana claims “I was sexually harrassed at my job and felt downgraded everyday with all my clothes on. I told him ‘no’ so many times. That was disempowering.” She feels safe on the stage, protected by bouncers and the tight knit community of her co-workers.