Posted March 14, 2012 at 12:00 am
Having witnessed the audiences at both strip clubs and burlesque shows, if I was a performer, I think I'd prefer the burlesque audience. There's a playful atmosphere at a burlesque performance that seems to be more welcoming to a female audience. Strip clubs tend to be more of a sausage fest.
There's also a disparity in the performance aspect. Since much of a stripper's take depends on dollars thrown onto the stage, they spend a lot of time pandering to the audience. This isn't really dancing, more stylized preening. Burlesque performers usually get a performance fee or a cut of the door or even send around a tip jar so they can spend their time actually dancing and coming up with sexy routines instead of chasing sweaty dollars.
This isn't meant to put strippers down in any way. I have a lot of respect for anyone who is comfortable enough in their skin to show it off for all to see so I've got a lot of love for both strippers and burlesque performers. But I feel that there's a greater emphasis on the artistry of nakedness in burlesque which is why it attracts a more gender mixed audience.
