Devon Hunter

One of the questions I received boils down to this: Are dancers who travel or work together truly friends, or does competition prevent that?

That depends on a great number of issues. Scotty and I are definitely truly friends, regardless of the money we do or don’t make around each other. We help each other in many ways, other than splitting the cost of travel. We collaborate in various ways, talk to each other about problems or concerns, and look out for each other in general. Two other guys who travel together are Will and Johnny, two beautiful Latino dancers from Miami. They really are friends.

Is it always like that? No. Probably not. I’m sure that there are people who travel together out of convenience or to lower indiviudal costs. I know of two dancers from Charlotte who no longer travel together, because one was always creating problems and not covering his share of the gas/hotel. They had no other connection, so the other dancer now refuses to travel with the mooch. It’s the same as any other working scenario: There are people you bond with, and people you tolerate (and people you avoid as well).

As for behind the scenes, I have already blogged about the competition that exists there. But that entry deals with dancers in general, not travel companions. I would say that people who consistently go place to place together over a long term will develop some kind of tolerance for each other (at a minimum), and that others get quite close. But relationships are always evolving. A perceived or actual insult, attack, theft, or any other number of bad experiences can sour a travelling duo’s connection just as quickly as anyone else’s.

My suggestion is to know the person you travel with. This person, if you share a room, will have access to your belongings. You wouldn’t want to get hijacked in your own car. You also need to know that the cash you’ll be keeping on you until you can take it to the bank will be vulnerable. I didn’t invite Scotty to travel with me until we’d danced together consistently for several months. After staying with him several times, eating with him, getting to know more about him as a person, and sharing info about myself with him (to see how he would treat it), I finally knew I could take him on the road with me. I have never had even a moment’s cause to regret that (note: Remind me, please someone, to one day tell you about the first trip we took together down to Macon, GA… HAHAHAHAHA!). But I got to know him first. We became friends first.

So, simple answer: No, not all who travel together are friends, but it’d be a good idea for them to at least respect each other.

So, now that you wanna be a strippa and you’ve gotten through the audition… what do you take with you to work?? Here’s some helpful stuff to keep in your duffle/gear bag: A change of several thongs/underwear, an extra pair of socks, at least a second choice for footwear, armbands, breath spray/mints, deodorant, a large towel, Neutrogena sesame oil (avoid baby oil or any other product that contains mineral oil – see “Oily Strippers Work My Nerves!” for more info about this), gel hand sanitizer, baby wipes, cologne/body spray, hair product/brush, concealer (a type of makeup that you put on to cover up zits) and powder that match your skin tone, a travel size sewing kit that includes needles and thread, and business cards (if you make them out you’ll have them ready and available when someone wants your info for other events – you can print your own at home).

In my last post I made the point that you should look your best and wear nice clothes. I can’t stress enough how important it is to create the image you want, both in terms of your behavior and in terms of your appearance. However, if you don’t know where to find nice stuff, then it’s rather unhelpful of me to tell you to go get something you can’t find. Here are some sites and brands that are particularly attractive and flattering on stage:

Skiviez and DealbyEthan.com – Are online stores that have many different designer brands in one place. Of particular interest are 2x-ist, Calvin Klein, Gigo, and Ginch Gonch. Register with them – they will send you information on sales.

Guess? – Guess? makes some truly fantastic low-rise, slim fit jeans in a variety of washes. The Falcon line is particularly flattering. You can’t tell it from the pics on their website, but Falcon will make your thighs, crotch, and butt virtually pop. Falcon is what I’m wearing in the picture of me doing a pushup on the rocks by the river. They are part of the premier Guess? collection. Normal price is about $140. Look on Ebay if that is out of your budget. Remember, however, that your clothes are an investment, and they will repay dividends.

Vizeau - This site has some absolutely beautiful bathing suits. They are high fashion, and will cost you between $25-$75, depending on style. Click the pic at the left to see their one-leg thong in better detail.

Nike – Nike makes a tiny, soft arm band that is stretchy, and is a great place to put tips. It’s official name is the Nike Dri-FIT Bicep Arm Band. They come in about 10 colors. I have black, navy, white, and red. They also make crimson, green, brown, and purple. There are others. I have a variety, so that my arm bands can match/contrast my outfit. I need some green or brown ones to go with my camouflage gear… hmm… Regular price on them is about $8, but if you go to a Nike outlet store you can find them on sale sometimes for only $1. As of today this site has them, but I can’t promise they always will: Arm Band

Rufskin – Oh my freaking God!!!!! I LOVE these jeans… you have GOT to see them to believe them! They range from $100-$150. I got a pair of the Charly and a pair of the Hustler and they are bananas! They really are sexy. I want a pair of the Cody and the River (see at right, click to enlarge) as well.