Scores: the art of striptease
Recently I spent a Saturday night with some friends at the Scores Gentleman’s Club in Chelsea. As I watched the show, I reflected on the artistic nature of striptease, and the accepted societal nature of the ritual which is, surprisingly, not truly sexual in nature. Striptease is in fact the de-eroticism of the female body. The ritualized nature of the spectacle, the various forms of dance, the undulating movements, and the scientific precision in the removal of clothing, all serve to relegate the act of becoming nude into a matter of public ceremony rather than a sexually explicit act. The erotic nature of the clothes themselves becomes a barrier to the chaste innocence of the natural woman, and in the final stage of undress we find that the female body regains in nudity a perfect sense of innocence which is corrupted by the sexualized nature of clothing. Striptease attempts to overcome the human fear of sexuality by way of its transformation into a ritualized spectacle.
December 11th, 2007 at 8:49 pm
I get what you are saying about the desensitizing factor of nudity, but it still is erotic because the reason you went was to see some titties, and don’t you dare lie about that. As for the clothing being sexual, do you find Muslim women in full body burkas sexy? I mean, according to you they are like a Christmas present of sexuality - wrapped up nice and tight holding a surprise in store for you. please tell me this was your dance requirement piece.
December 11th, 2007 at 11:14 pm
Honestly, when I saw this post, I couldn’t believe that you wrote about it. I agree with the above comment on the reason you went to see that, and I feel it is a bit inappropriate…but, it is a new way to look at stripping, as a dance form that is. So, to your credit, thanks for looking at it critically. On the other side, it felt like an attempt to rationalize some intentions that may not have been so….innocent, I guess is the word. But, I guess Scores is a dance show for guys, and Chip and Dales is a dance show for ladies. To each his own.
December 12th, 2007 at 11:38 pm
i don’t know if it overcomes the fear of but i actually get your paradoxical comment on clothing which is supposed to be a form of modesty. and i think you’re probably the only one in the class who could actually take something like this, and interpret it artistically.