I found a research paper labeled "Ovulatory cycle effects on tip earnings by dancers: economic evidence for human estrus?" (www.unm.edu/~gfmiller/cycle_effects_on_tips.pdf) The paper was awarded an "ignoble award". The paper examines a group of dancers working at a club in New Mexico, comparing how much she makes before, during and after ovulation. The premise of the paper is that when a dancer is ovulating is she more attractive and will make more money. The researcher had the dancers log in to web site and record their earnings for sixty days.
It's funny to see a strip club and the associated activities described in dry, research paper terms. My favorite is the description of a lap dance. "The topless female dancer sits on the man's lap, either facing away from him (to display her buttocks, back and hair) or facing him (either leaning back to display her breasts and to make conversations and eye contact, or leaning forward to whisper in is ear). Lap dances typically intense rhythmic contact between the female pelvis and the clothed male penis". It sort of kills the romance of lap dance when it's pictured like that. I'd like to think of myself as a little more than just a "clothed male penis". Maybe I shouldn't use the words "little" and "penis" in the same sentence. I suppose most things don't translate into dry research paper speak.
One of my favorite parts is the phrase "Because academics may be unfamiliar with the gentlemen's club subculture,…" Apparently "academics" don't go to strip clubs. I think it would be more accurate to say "Because academics don't want to admit they have been in, or frequent nudie bars so I'll have to describe the activities that go on there". If there is one thing I like about working in a sales and marketing group is that hanging out in a strip club is considered normal. I'm in a club once or twice a week and I'm behind the curve compared to most guys I work with. There is one sales rep I'm pretty sure is on net 30 payment terms with a couple clubs.
I also really like that "economic norms of tipping are vigorously enforced by the bouncers". That's right pal, pay up or I'll have the bouncer "vigorously enforce the tipping norm" on your ass. That should put the fear of God in them.
The findings seem to indicate that there is some correlation between ovulation and earnings. Dancers who were not on the pill made approximately $350 dollars per shift during ovulation, $250 during the luteal phase, and around $200 during the menstruation phase. Women on the pill did not show any major variation between the ovulation phase and the luteal phase they (average near $200 for both ovulation and luteal phase). The assumption is that women on the pill suppress the ovulation phase so the hormonal changes associated with ovulation never occur.
The only real problem I see with the study is that there is no correlation between the menstrual cycle and the other two fiscal cycles dancers deal with. The weekend versus week day cycle and the end of month I need to make the rent cycle. All it would take to really skew the numbers is if the a few girls ovulation cycle fell on a weekend. The money made on those days would be a lot higher because of the day of the week. On average there is a lot more business on a week end than week day. You can affect the numbers further if the ovulation occurs during middle of the month. At the end of the month when rent comes due the number of dancers that show up for a shift can go up dramatically. With more girls chasing the same dollars everybody makes less.
The Great Dancer Migration of 2008
About two weeks ago I was in a Friday. Just doing a quick count of girls on the floor at 8:30 I tallied 22 girls. Twenty two girls on the floor, that didn't count the girls in the dressing room, at the DJ booth, or in the bathroom. One dancer said there was close to 38 girls were working. Most of the new girls were from Stars. Apparently Stars raised there stage fees, added a couch tax to pretty much any money the dancers were making. Star's has always been much more demanding on the performers than other clubs. They make the girls sell merchandise, the scheduling and rules on the floor are more strict. Girls can't carry their own drinks on the floor. During the feature where they have to buy the Star's merchandise themselves, then try to resell it. If they can't find a buyer they eat the cost of the item. This is OK when everybody is making money. But when the economy turns down people are much less tolerant. When revenue falls off businesses will start looking for other places to make money. You can usually spot the Star's transplant. They are the one wearing the long gown. At Star's you have to a long dress when you go on the main stage.
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