Striptease

Lore & Background

A striptease is an erotic dance where the performer gradually undresses in a seductive and sexually suggestive manner, either partly or completely. The performer is commonly called a stripper, exotic dancer, or burlesque dancer. The defining characteristic is the slow, sensuous act of undressing itself, rather than the state of being nude; the performer may prolong this by wearing extra clothing or using hands and garments to momentarily cover just-exposed body parts like the breasts or genitals. Historically, the performance often ended once undressing was complete, though modern strippers may continue dancing naked. The costume worn before disrobing can be part of the act, and audience interaction—such as urging the stripper to remove more clothing—sometimes occurs. The term "striptease" was first recorded in 1932. The origins of the practice are disputed, with ancient parallels found in the Sumerian myth of Inanna, who removed an article of clothing at each of seven gates into the underworld. In ancient Greece, the lawgiver Solon established classes of prostitutes, including *auletrides*—female dancers who danced naked before men. In ancient Rome, stripping was part of the Floralia festival. The 6th-century Byzantine empress Theodora reportedly began as an actress performing mythological stripteases, disrobing as far as the law allowed. The Christian Church later obtained statutes banning the practice. In England, striptease appeared in Restoration comedies and became standard in 18th-century London brothels, where "posture girls" stripped on tables. The term "ecdysiast," from the Greek for "to molt," was coined by H. L. Mencken at the request of performer Georgia Sothern for a more dignified professional name. In Western countries, striptease is now usually performed in strip clubs, but also in pubs, theaters, and music halls, or hired for private events like bachelor parties. Legal restrictions on nudity vary widely by location and venue.

Reader's Guide

Striptease has a long and contested history, with elements found in ancient Sumerian myth (the descent of Inanna), ancient Greek auletrides, Roman Floralia festivals, and the Byzantine court of Empress Theodora. The practice was actively opposed by the Christian Church, which obtained statutes banning it in the following century, though enforcement is questioned. No practice of the sort is reported in texts of the European Middle Ages. In the 18th century, 'posture girls' in London brothels stripped naked on tables. French tradition in the 1880s and 1890s featured scantily clad women at the Moulin Rouge and Folies Bergère, with an 1890s act of a woman slowly removing clothes in a vain search for a flea. In the United States, striptease started in traveling carnivals and burlesque theatres, featuring famous strippers such as Gypsy Rose Lee and Sally Rand. Striptease and public nudity have been subject to legal and cultural prohibitions, with restrictions varying considerably around the world.

Did You Know?

• H. L. Mencken coined 'ecdysiast' at the request of striptease artist Georgia Sothern.

Ancient and Mythological Origins

The roots of striptease as a performance art stretch back through millennia, though scholars dispute the precise starting point. One of the earliest echoes appears in the Sumerian myth of Inanna's descent into the Underworld, where the goddess removes an article of clothing or jewelry at each of seven gates; while she remains below, the earth lies barren, and upon her return, fertility floods back. Some have drawn a parallel between this myth and the Dance of the Seven Veils attributed to Salome, who performed for King Herod as recorded in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark. In ancient Greece, the lawgiver Solon recognized auletrides—female dancers, acrobats, and musicians celebrated for performing naked in an alluring manner before male audiences. In Rome, stripping dance featured in the Floralia, an April festival honoring the goddess Flora. Empress Theodora, wife of Byzantine emperor Justinian, reportedly performed a striptease rendition of Leda and the Swan, disrobing within the limits of contemporary law. The Christian Church later secured statutes banning such performances, and no similar practice is documented in European medieval texts.

Theatrical and Literary Evolution

The theatrical stage became a crucial incubator for striptease as a recognized art form. By the eighteenth century, London brothels had made stripping a staple of popular entertainment; women known as posture girls would disrobe on tables for paying audiences. Meanwhile, the Ghawazee tradition of North Africa and Egypt, documented by French colonialists and novelist Gustave Flaubert, featured a dancer known as Kuchuk Hanem performing the erotic dance of the bee, disrobing as she searched for an imaginary insect trapped in her garments.

Performance Technique and Modern Venues

At its core, striptease is defined not by the final state of undress but by the slow, sensuous process of undressing itself. Performers prolong the act by wearing additional garments to remove or by using their hands and clothing to shield newly exposed body parts, maintaining a sexually suggestive rhythm throughout. The costume donned before disrobing often functions as an integral element of the choreography. In earlier eras, the performance typically concluded the moment the undressing was complete; in contemporary practice, dancers frequently continue performing while fully nude. Audience interaction can also shape the act, with spectators urging the performer to remove more clothing or the dancer approaching the crowd to engage them directly. In Western countries, dedicated venues now commonly go by the name strip clubs, yet the art form extends well beyond them. Pubs in the United Kingdom, theaters, and music halls all host striptease performances, and individual dancers are frequently hired for private events such as bachelor and bachelorette parties. Beyond the commercial stage, stripping also serves as a form of intimate sexual play between partners.

Legal Frameworks and Linguistic Identity

Striptease has long existed in tension with legal and cultural norms. Public nudity and erotic performance have been subject to prohibitions, taboos, and aesthetic regulations across the globe. Venue licensing requirements, national and local laws, and health-and-safety rules can all restrict or prohibit full nudity, and these regulations vary dramatically not only between countries but even between regions within the same nation. The linguistic landscape of the profession reflects a similar push toward respectability. Before that, performers were commonly called strippers, exotic dancers, or burlesque dancers. In a notable episode, the American writer H. L. Mencken coined the word ecdysiast—derived from the Greek ecdysis, meaning to molt—after striptease artist Georgia Sothern requested a more dignified term for her profession. Gypsy Rose Lee, one of the most celebrated striptease artists in history, approved of the neologism, lending it a measure of cultural legitimacy.