Strip Clubs: An American Evolution

Strip clubs were around long before they hit the shores of the New World, but it is America that has popularized them in many ways. When one thinks of the origins of nude dancing, Paris and the Moulin Rouge often come to mind. However, modern day exotic dancing has little in common with those early titillations. It isn't a subject addressed by many serious historians, but it's difficult to disagree with the fact that this form of entertainment is as much a part of our shared culture as ballet or belly dancing; many would argue that they are more important. Here is a look at how it has evolved in the land of red, white, and blue.

There isn't a lot of use for the traveling carnival in modern day America, but it was one of the most popular sources of entertainment in the late 1800s. It was in these carnivals, along with the permanent burlesque theaters, that strip clubs were born. Granted, they would be scarcely recognizable by today's standards, but they were far from "clean." A few famous dancers from that day—Sally Rand and Charmion among them—performed live disrobing acts for their patrons. One of Charmion's performances, in fact, was caught on film and stands today as one of the world's first on camera stripteases.

Throughout their history, there has always been a back and forth where the law and strip clubs intersect. Minksy's Burlesque in New York brought about some of the most famous changes in litigation when the establishment was raided in 1925. In the coming decade, these types of burlesque houses were banned in many parts of the country, putting an end to what people of that time called grindhouses. The establishments themselves then became exploitation theaters, but they retained the name from their exotic dancing past. The bans on this form of stripping actually is what gave way to make room for the modern exotic dancing establishments as owners and promoters struggled to find ways around the law.

The form went underground for several decades, until an interest in go-go dancing brought strip clubs back to the popular consciousness in the 60s. It wasn't until the 80s, however, that this form of entertainment began to become commonplace in every major city in the country (and quite a few less-than-major ones). The 90s saw a small decline, but it seems clear that exotic dancing will always have a part to play in our cultural fabric.