I know that it can be super intimidating and nerve wracking to start out stripping (dancing). As someone who always wants to be overly prepared for every scenario, here are all the things I bring with me and keep in my bag or my locker as someone who works 2-3 times a week as an entertainer in the spicy club, also know as the strip club or gentleman’s club. If you work more often, rarely, or if you work at more than one club, what you need will vary. You also probably don’t need everything that I have listed, but here is a general idea of what you could bring to optimize your shift and make life easier.
You can use a backpack, a duffel, or most commonly a suitcase to hold most of your belongings. You will also need a purse, mini backpack, or some type of wallet that you will keep on you at all times to hold your money, your phone, and other necessities like hand sanitizer, a comb, etc. What you carry will probably depend on how often you’re back in the dressing room and whether your club is a stage club or a (private) dance club.
I use a suitcase for work and I’m able to keep a majority of what I need in there at all times. Plus, I’m able to just keep it in my bedroom/closet until I need to work again. I have a suitcase lock that I use depending on the night and I use a mini backpack to keep my important items with me at all times.
As for, I guess you could call it my money bag, I just use a cheap mini backpack I found at 5 below. All of us have either a little purse, wallet, or something of the sort that we keep on us at all times. This is where we keep our essentials such as our money, hence why I called it my money bag, as well as your phone. If you are using a purse and not just a wallet, you’ll want to get a decent-sized wallet to keep inside of the bag as well. Personally, I also keep a water bottle, hand sanitizer, hair ties, a comb, and one of those folding fans in my bag at all times as well just so I can spend as much time on the floor as I can.
A big thing for dancers are items to enhance their physical appearance. Personally, I don’t wear a ton of makeup, but I do tend to bring the few things I do use with me in my bag, either to do my makeup at the club if we’re off to a slow start or to touch-up my makeup if I did put some on prior to coming to the club that night. If it’s a weeknight, I typically don’t bother, but when working weekends when it’s more competitive, it doesn’t hurt to throw some on even if it is just lashes.
And on that note – baby wipes, and lots of them. If you’ve never worked in the industry before, you’ll be surprised by the number of baby wipes us dancers go through a night. Also, it doesn’t hurt to keep a travel toothpaste and toothbrush in your bag. You’re going to need coffee, energy drinks, food, etc. to get through your night. Perfume is also a must-have. Don’t go for something super strong and under any circumstance, do not go for one that has glitter/sparkles. Even if your club doesn’t have a no-glitter rule, there is a strong chance of glitter hindering your overall performance – considering the clientele who have someone to go home to.
Rubbing alcohol is also something you wouldn’t think of if you’re not in the industry, but you’ll see lots of it just one your first night. I’ve had clubs that have provided it and clubs where you’ve needed to bring your own; in either case, it doesn’t hurt to keep some handy in case there isn’t any or they run out. I personally keep mine in a little travel bottle for convenience. Even if you’re not a pole girl, it is kind of gross to have girl after girl go on the stage using the poles without wiping them down. Keep it sanitary, y’all.
At the absolute bare minimum you need two outfits and one pair of shoes. Ideally you should have at least three or four in case one gets dirty, one starts to smell, or just because you’re not feeling the one you’re wearing. I personally bring too many outfits and shoes with me, but I have witnessed other girls having their shoes break during their shift, or girls forgetting their shoes all together. Even if you have to leave early for a legitimate reason, there is still a good chance of you getting charged extra. If you have an extra pair, just bring them.
As far as lockers go, most, if not all clubs have them, but I think it depends on the club in terms of how the lockers work. For some, the lockers are for one-night use -you put your stuff in there when you arrive and take it with you when you leave. For others, lockers are reserved for dancers who are consistent workers to be able to leave some of their stuff there so they don’t have to carry their stuff back and forth each night. I’ve also seen others where there has been a mix of both.
Currently, I only work at one club and am there fairly often so I do have a locker there. In my locker I keep at least one pair of shoes, a few of my outfits I don’t wear as much just as a general back up, my rubbing alcohol with some rags (for cleaning the pole if they don’t have supplies out), baby wipes, some hair stuff like brushes and hair ties, lots of snacks, some water bottles, gum, motrin, body wash, and and a towel. It hasn’t happened to me, but I have seen other girls get puked on. At the club I currently work at, girls typically have a blanket or a towel on their spot on the bench for that night, but it is also handy in case you ever needed to take a shower at the club. I also will lock my valuables like my keys and normal purse in the locker during my shift.
Yes, this list is rather extensive and you don’t need everything on here, but I like to be prepared. Plus,it makes my life easier in the long run, especially when it comes to getting ready for work. The things like the towel, baby wipes, extra tooth brush, etc., I have separate ones that I solely use for dancing. Every few days I have to go in to clean it out, wash my dirty clothes, refill, etc., but it’s nice not having to pack a bag for every shift, especially since it already takes so long to get ready.