Have you ever heard the term “exotic dancer”? Chances are very likely that you have. You probably think this is a modern technique or dance form. Actually, exotic dancing has been around for quite sometime. This form of dance dates back to hundreds and actually thousands of years. During the 14th century exotic or erotic dancing was popular in the form of belly dancing. During this type of dance, no clothes were removed. It was the motion of the hips and pelvis during this dance that brought pleasure to the onlookers. This was done to induce pleasure of a sexual nature, thus making it more popular. Around the 18th century, eroticism began to become increasingly popular throughout the courts. Ladies of the court were paid to entertain the menfolk in the courts as they ate, celebrated, held banquets and such. Exotic dancing as we know it began growing its roots back in the late 1800s.

This is when a new form of erotic dancing evolved into a dance known as the ‘striptease’. This was a gradual, soft, sensual dance where one undressed in order to arouse. Women would undress themselves layer by layer, in order to tease and titillate their onlookers in a suggestive manner. These women would reveal more flesh, revealing pasties and a G-string that covered up their ‘secret parts’. Around the late 1800s and early 1900s this strip tease form gave way to another form of exotic dance known as the ‘hoochie hoochie’. This was a sexually provocative belly dance that is now performed by Cincy strippers. It was introduced in Philadelphia and began to grow more popular.

Around the 1920s the pole was added to the art form. This was during the time of the Depression. Sideshows and other sorts of entertainment were often done in tents. The women began to incorporate the tent poles into their routines. They would climb to the top of the pole, grab the pole and begin swirling, grinding and gyrating against it. This became known as the ‘dance pole’. Around the 1950s these dances left the tents and became increasingly popular in the bars that indulged in that kind of dance. Slowly but surely this form of dance was becoming a staple in the country.

The number of strip clubs began to rise steadily in the 1960s and 70s. By the 70s and 80s nearly all strip clubs had incorporated poles on stage because pole dancing had become more popular.