Sunday, September 16, 2007

LIFE OF A PODIUM DANCER

I just got back from experiencing the "unglam life of a podium dancer".

You know this is not what i usually do for a living, but tonight Linna, my dance teacher approached me to join her in performing at a private party at 12 midnight for one and a half hours at an 'atas' & exclusive place smacked right inside Fairways Saddle Club, off Eng Neo! We were supposed to be hired as pole dancers, but the way it sounded, it was more like they required podium dancers, albiet with a pole. I agreed because firstly the money was ok, and at 12 midnight, I'm unlikely to get a dinner & dance gig past that hour. And if you know me, except for stripping, I'm game for anything and everything.

The party is for the birthday of a hip publication editor, which explains why I won't post any pictures, don't want to risk getting sued for unauthorised publishing of her party. So you can expect the profile of the guests to be the trendy, slightly uppity professionals.

I was not at all surprised with the 'tainted' respect we received, especially from the female guests. I overheard a lady said snootily "Oh, got SOME pole dancing" when she spotted our arrival. When we started performing, we received ample wolf whistles mainly from the guys, but the ladies typically folded their arms or wine in hand, glanced at the performance from corner of their eyes!

At one point, Linna even got 'rupia' stuffed into her shorts, how RUDE was that! But she took it in her stride & I thought that was really cool. I would too.

Then the party got rowdy, all the guys wanted to try to climb the pole like us, we sportingly cheered them on and even thought them a trick or two. Then out of a sudden, this drunk SPG wannabe went on the pole, swung herself silly til her undies were exposing and almost refused to get off the pole. When she finally got off, the wannabe approached Linna. I thought she had wanted to ask about lessons so that she could dance better without embarrasing herself. I was Wrong! Wrong! Wrong! She had the audacity to ask Linna "You from Tye-Land?" Linna said no, from Singapore. Then she went "Then your friend (me) must be from Tye-Land, must be!" Wa, can pole dance only from Thailand! Kao!

As if that was not enough to make us feel sore for how little 'podium dancers' are regarded, for that 2 hours Linna & I were there, no one, not even the organisers asked us if we needed drinks or a place to sit. We just hung around the DJ console during our breaks, sipping and sharing the only bottle of mineral water that I brought. Meanwhile, while some men occasionally gave us the thumps up, or gesticulated an applause to indicate we were really good, not a single woman bothered to fake a compliment, not even when we bumped into them face to face in the small ladies washroom.

Lastly when our jobs were done, guests started to take their leave as well. You should see how surprised some of them were when they realised I drove my own car. Like what? I'm suppose to walk out the spooky stretch of dimly-lit road at 1.30am to hail a taxi? Or pole dancers don't make enough money to own cars?

Anyway, if you ask me, I'd still do it again if the money is right!

From now on if I go to a club and I see podium dancers, I will clap & cheer for them.

P.s. Btw, me and Linna tried some beautiful couple stunts on single pole. So proud of ourselves, that's enough reason for me to want to do this kind of party again! Good practice!

7 comments:

sinlady said...

I know the crowd you talking about. They are really a shitty lot. I applaud you and Linna for positive attitude xxoxx

eatdrinkplayjunkie said...

i guess many people still cannot get around the idea that pole dancing is now a sport, not exactly a strip-club-and-bar-girls kinda thing. despite these atas people, who probably have the money to travel around but not enuf to open their minds.

u should volunteer your services to perform at NDP to that MP! people will change their minds after seeing the performance in such an event.

and show that Thai SPG that singaporean women can pole dance, also, ok!

Anonymous said...

these dumb dumb women are definitely not frm my generation one. and i'm quite sure which crowd they hang out with. whooooohooo! boo to them.

wildgoose said...

Even strip club dancers deserve some cheer. I don't see why there's all these animosity, unless they are afraid you look better and are more sexy than them - which is probably true. =P

Aelgtoer said...

Only one word to describe the women and the way they treated the two of you, Bigoted. But hey, don't worry about others, like you said, as long as you're happy and pole dancing is a totally respectable and refreshing profession, who cares? :)

Suzie Wong said...

SL, ya mean you knew which party? Or u just saying in general u know lotsa people like these?

EDPJ, after this incident, I'd learnt that even if pole dancing had not evolved into a sport, I think all artistes, even strippers or just pole dancers need to be respected. They earn hard for their money, either using a skill or their bodies. The next day, Linna sms-ed me to say her ribs hurt, her calf had a huge bruise etc, her left arm sore, see, tough job really!

Imp, they looked 20s to 30s. I was joking with Linna I must looked the oldest there, for that matter, I'm probably one of the oldest pole dancer around. Lol!

WG-You know Linna lor, she is this minxy kitten when she's in those ultra short silver shorts and just doing her body waves. To top it all, she wore stripper glass plaotforms. woo la la, she was such a threat to women! haha

Aelg, like I've said, if you ask me, I'd do it again, if the money is right. I don't feel sorry for myself, just for some of them really. Haha!

Anonymous said...

Those pp jealous lah! Ignore them.