Catfight-And the claws came out tonight!
Here we are on Friday eve and I swear it’s a full moon out; craziness is everywhere! It’s been another busy week full of amazing, rowdy audiences…maybe a lil too rowdy! lol A girl jumped on stage with another dancer, and instead of just being playful as most girls are when they wanna jump on stage and tip the dancer, she started parading around attempting to upstage the dancer and take over her show. OK ladies….this is not something you EVER do. Be an attention whore somewhere else, some other time. I was sitting with another dancer and as we were watching, we both were commenting on how that wasn’t right and the girl needed to get off the stage before it got ugly, but ugly came.
The dancer who was on stage at the time, Gia, had asked the girl nicely to leave the stage a few times, then the girl lightly pushed Gia’s arm and that was it…GAME ON! All of a sudden there were heads being smashed on the stage floor, punches in every direction, rolling around wrestling….but there was no tapping out here! lol Finally the bouncer grabbed the half naked, dishevelled girl, put her over his shoulder and took her out of the club. Of course the audience was on their feet and cheering for Gia for standing her ground.
Seriously, you really don’t wanna piss off a dancer. Dancers usually come from some sort of background that has thickened their skin, we work every single week with other girls who are catty and can be bitches so are used to standing our ground not not taking crap and many dancers do have pent up anger and frustrations that they are just waiting to unleash. Don’t go there, it won’t be pretty. We work in a very cut throat industry at times and many girls are always ready for battle. Keep it fun, keep it playful and most importantly, KEEP IT RESPECTFUL. This isn’t always an easy job for some girls and as women we should be supporting eachother, not out to get eachother. Really, Fingerpainting is SO much more fun!
PEACE xx
Halfway In Thunderbay!
Back here in T-Bay and it was so funny, while on the bus coming up here from Winnipeg a group of air cadets who were also on the bus recognized me; it made for an interesting trip to say the least! lol I actually used to be an air cadet, even flew a glider! Of course I get the usual 20 questions with the #1 question being, “Why do you dance? You seem like you can do anything?” My speech as a response back, “Because I love it! And you’re right, I can do anything and have. This is what I really enjoy doing for now. I’m a sensual and erotic woman and enjoy being sexy and exhuberate that through the art of striptease. I’m a passionate performer and embrace my femininity to the fullest. For way too long women have put they’re own sensuality and sexiness on the back-burner, working in a very masculine society and I’m here as a reflection to that feminine power that has been forgotten, both by men and women. I love traveling around the world, meeting so many different people with extraordinary stories and experiencing culture. I love what I do! ” One guy yells out, “Right on! I’ve NEVER heard a dancer say that before. That’s so honest and admirable.” Whooohoo! lol
Then as I’m heading down to the rental car place I have Erin, the gal who totally takes care of my rentals when I come to town, mentions how I’m popular with the ladies. Word travels fast in these smaller towns. Yep! The hotties in T-Bay are my faves! Such a fun, playful audience and the ladies here do own their own sexiness! Love it! I even went into Subway and had my salad made by a lil hottie who comes in for my shows 🙂 I actually used to be a sandwich artist myself! In my pre-dancing days.
Well, here we are halfway through the week and it’s been off the hook and busy every night. T-Bay never disappoints! Breaking out the finger paints for the weekend……
Tortola, the British Virgin Islands Chapter #1
About two weeks prior to departing for a booking in Puerto Rico my agent called me to tell me that she didn’t think it was the best time for me to go there and wanted to postpone or cancel the contract. The owners were putting a lot more effort into a newer nightclub that had just opened up and she didn’t think it’d be in my best interest to work there while their attention was divided and letting things slide at the club I was supposed to be working in. However, a spot just opened on another Caribbean island called, Tortola, and had asked if I’d be interested in going.
I would be the guinea pig with this new booking of hers, she had sent one girl previously and that girl only lasted a day! That girl worked one night then went back to her room, packed her things and took off unannounced. But this girl had a reputation for just randomly bailing out of bookings without notice and being quite a flake. So it wasn’t clear if it was her or the booking that prompted her leave like that. Welcome to the wonderful world of dancing! lol The club was still eager to have a Canadian girl work there and wanted to work through any challenges or diffferences that there may have been. My agent then procceeded to ask me if I minded dancing for ‘Island people’ seeing that they would be the majority of the clientel. “Of course not! I’ve performed all around the world for many different cultures and embrace each experience I get to have. Black, white, Asian…an audience is an audience,” was my enthusiastic response. So I then confirmed it, packed my suitcase and off I went!
I was put up in a beautiful hotel with my room right off the beach and the owners of the club treated me with the utmost kindness and respect; I felt comfortable right away and loved this laid back, Caribbean feel. Whoo hoo-paid vacation in paradise! After arriving at the club I could see why the previous girl may have been intimidated, when I first saw the club it was like a shack. But in the Caribbean, every thing’s a shack! lol And then there were these Island men who were huge and very forward. I kinda felt like I was a bit of an alien at one point. They were intrigued by my porcelain skin and blond hair and was constantly being poked and prodded; kinda like when you have show and tell at elementary school and I was the new toy. Because I was so different they were more interested in trying to touch my hair then watching me dance. I experienced a similar reaction in China. But these men were also SO respectful, passionate and warm. They were just curious. It was great to experience this other essence of masculinity.
When the dj and owner asked me what music do I dance to I jokingly said, “ÀC/DC or Metallica!” Both of their faces went blank-it was hilarious. I then told them I was just kidding and that I could dance to reggae or dance music, whatever their audience prefers to hear. Could you imagine me rocking out on stage to ‘Enter Sandman’ for all these Caribbean peeps..lol Jamaican me crazy, mon! However, at one point, I did go to a birthday party and was completely amused by the fact they were playing Kenny Rodgers when I walked in!
One of the most important things I`ve learned in performing is how to tap into the audience and connect with them. For me, it’s all about the audience connection. The first, instant way to connect with an audience is through your music. So I always survey the audience right before my show to see who`s out there and determine what set I`m going to use. Needless to say, I refrained from using my rock sets!
Planes, Trains, and Automobiles!
Been a little delayed on the blogs, sorry for that peeps, but for the three months I was in Oz my material was more for a book oppose to a blog. Have to say that I had a good time there but it felt like my adventure was more for play/personal growth rather than work. I made some pretty amazing friendships and deepened a few that I had previously connected with. I was elated to get a standing ovation from the audience my last show. The dj told me that a feature performer hadn’t received a standing Ovation at the Crazy Horse in years-so that meant a lot to me. And was happy to see the turn out of the many fans I’ve made along the way. You all made my performances SO much more fun for me during the rough Aussie winter! Thank U!
After a much needed month off work I’m back n at it here in Central Canada. Did 18 shows within 2 days in Winnipeg (my agent told me he’s going to bronze my shoes and label them, ‘Janine’s Jammin Shoes.’ Ha ha ) and now here I am back in Brandon. From two flights, to drivers for all my shows in Winnipeg to the bus out here to Brandon I feel like a traveling gypsy! It was funny, the screening officer at the bus station was reading my shirt which says, “EVERYDAY is a holiday!” and then says, “Must be nice to be you-everyday is a holiday!” We both laugh then I respond, “Yep, it is. But really, it could be for anybody, even you, cuz it is all just a state of mind.” More to come in the blogging dept and will even share a few stories that are blasts from my past! Whoot whoot!
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