Melissa Harper is a senior majoring in biological sciences. She can be contacted at [email protected]. Ecdysiasts, or more commonly known in the animal kingdom as Stripperus nomoralis, are the backbone of the dance and music industry. We don’t give them enough credit.
Just think. If Tanya T. from Queens didn’t get out there and shake it years ago, who would we be trying to imitate on the dance floor now?
Would strippers have that Je ne sais quoi if it weren’t for the pioneers of their profession? I think not.
I think people do not realize the impact exotic dancing has had on society and the importance of working it. If it weren’t for them, who would we look up to for guidance? Who would we aspire to become?
Classically-trained strippers are hard to come by and easy to lose, maybe because they are easy to begin with but that’s another story. Moving on.
When DeWerks LaRey, the premier gentleman’s club of the Golden Triangle, closed its doors a while back, I was not in total shock, but I will admit I was a little sad.
Why? Having a strip club within a fifty mile radius of Starkville really did wonders for our reputation. We could say things like we lived in the “dirty dirty” and we halfway had some street cred.
These days, not so much, but I am happy to announce that the Sanderson Center has stepped up its game and added an urban dance class this semester.
No, not the funk class you crazy kids have been used to taking. There are no jazz hands allowed here. I’m talking about an all out close-the-blinds-for-privacy, you-might-need-knee-pads dance class that has taken MSU ladies by storm.
Yes, I said ladies. This is no hussy fest. So, if you are one of the dancers left jobless from the nudie bar closing, look elsewhere for practice. This is a no-stripping striptease urban dance class.
One hour of heart-pumping provocative dancing mixed with intervals and mood-setting music. No poles, no stilettos and no dollar bills necessary. This is a classy affair that is fun, a tad embarrassing at times and a really great workout. No clothes are taken off, but the class is definitely given a taste of Burlesque 101.
Since beginning the class a few weeks ago, I have a newfound “respect” for exotic dancers, not only because they have ridiculously fit bodies but also because workin’ it really hurts the next day. Bruised knees and sore hamstrings let you know you’re doin’ it big. The next time I am lucky enough go to a strip joint, I will probably tip double just so they can have extra money for Advil.
I highly recommend trying this class out. If you are feeling a little shy, don’t be. OK, you may feel shy the first time, but then again, who wasn’t nervous during their first time? It’s all women, of all sizes, ages and dance skills. The instructor will even break down classic moves such as the “Rump Touch” if you were born without the rhythm gene.
Overall, I think it is wonderful that we as women and students can be offered a class like this. A little risqu cardio that makes you feel good afterwards is just the trick to escape the monotony of a normal aerobics class.
Everyone in the class loves it and it gets bigger every week. I hope attendance continues to skyrocket and that they will offer it twice a week instead of only on Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m. Leave your G-string and inhibitions at home, but bring some water; you will be sweating like a hooker in church.