Feature Dancing vs. Being a Regular Dancer at Strip Clubs

 Though this might not be so common anymore, back in the day many major porn stars toured strip clubs as feature dancers-  performing there for a limited amount of time.  There are also the regular dancers at the club (called house dancers with the club being the "house").  I was the latter.  Though I did porn, I didn't get my dancing gigs through porn.  In fact, I started dancing years before I did porn.

Working at strip clubs, I learned we house dancers had to actually pay to go into work.  We had to pay the club a certain house fee each shift and also as a courtesy, tip support staff such as veejays.  We didn't usually have a base salary in the U.S. except in places where this was required.  For example, in Washington, D.C. the clubs paid a waitress salary to dancers of $2.15 at the time and then we earned tips on top of that. 

On the other hand, feature dancers get paid to dance at the club and don't have to pay the fees that house dancers do. They can still earn tips on top of this.  Plus, their travel expenses and accommodations are covered while they're in town.

How does the presence of feature dancers affect house dancers?  Like with many topics, the effects can be nuanced.  On the one hand, some house dancers may perceive feature performers as competition and resent how feature dancers are taking business from them- or they worry they could.  After all, the house dancers have to pay fees to the club and don't get the base pay feature dancers to.  

Furthermore, the clubs use money that house dancers make to pay feature dancers.  This includes the required house fees they pay to work there, which comes from income they generate during their shifts.  Or worse, if they don't make enough to cover the house fee on a given shift, then they may need to pay out of their "own pockets." Clubs make money off dancers in other ways too, such as when customers by dancers drinks.  Thus, it is understandable if a house dancer feels that they should be able to keep more of this money they generated instead of it being given to a feature dancer who doesn't regularly work there. Yet, these disparities aren't the fault of feature dancers and we can't blame them for making the most out of their income potential.

  Furthermore, house dancers don't all have the extra porn income- though some may also do porn.  I'll go out on a limb and say most probably don't considering how porn production was centralized in certain specific regions (especially San Fernando Valley in the U.S.) whereas strip clubs were more scattered through the country.  

Yet, feature dancers may also benefit the income of house dancers because their name recognition can draw people into the club.  Since house dancers' income depends on the customers, having more in the club can increase their "bottom line."  I don't think most house dancers have problems with feature dancers and may appreciate if their name can increase business.

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