Striptease
💃 Club de StripteaseAn erotic dance in which the performer undresses gradually, partly or completely. The emphasis falls on the undressing itself rather than on the nudity — that, rather than the amount of skin, is what separates it from other erotic performance.
The performer is usually called a stripper, an exotic dancer or a burlesque dancer, depending on which tradition is being invoked. In Western countries striptease is most often performed in the venues now called strip clubs, but it has never been confined to them: pubs — especially in the United Kingdom — theatres and music halls all carry it, and a performer may equally be hired for a private party.
How far it goes is a licensing question
How much comes off is not fixed by the word. It is governed by the venue's licence and by local law, and those laws vary considerably around the world and even between different parts of the same country. The practical consequence is that the same billing means different things in different towns, so what a particular venue actually stages is a question for that venue.
Striptease is the stage act. The dance bought individually and performed for one customer is a different product — see private dance and, for the form defined by contact, the lap dance.
The word has a self-conscious history of its own. H. L. Mencken is credited with coining ecdysiast — from ecdysis, to moult — in response to a request from the striptease artist Georgia Sothern for a more dignified way to refer to her profession.
Frequently asked questions
Does striptease always end in full nudity?
No. The definition covers undressing partly or completely, and how far it goes is set by the venue's licence and by local law rather than by the word. Those rules vary between countries and within them.
Is striptease the same as a lap dance?
No. Striptease is a performance built on undressing, usually staged for the room. A lap dance is bought individually, performed for one seated customer, and defined by body contact.
Where is striptease performed?
Most regularly in strip clubs, but also in pubs — especially in the United Kingdom — in theatres and music halls, and privately, where a performer is hired for an occasion such as a stag or hen party.
What is an ecdysiast?
A jocular formal name for a stripper. H. L. Mencken is credited with coining it from ecdysis, meaning to moult, after the performer Georgia Sothern asked him for a more dignified term for her profession.