Here's a Pole dancing....
Posted on 12/17/2004 9:15:42 PM PST by freebilly
SANTA CRUZ — The show will go on — just not for people walking down Pacific Avenue to see.
The downtown lingerie and adult-products store Camouflage still plans to stage erotic dancers wearing Santa Claus-themed outfits, but you won’t be able to see them through the front window, as originally advertised. And the lap dances also promoted will be moved inside the store.
Most of the store’s front window will be covered by butcher paper.
Store owner Joan Levine changed her plans after being leaned on by city officials and hearing complaints from the public.
"It’s really the same thing people spend $75 to take their kids to see at Cirque de Soleil," said Levine, who rates the show something of the PG-13 nature. "It’s very wholesome. The dancing is very graceful. It’s something they can see on any basic cable channel."
The outrage came in the wake of a Sentinel article Wednesday about the promotion, featuring pole dancers from Goddess Exotic. Camouflage also had planned a "lap-dance lotto" for customers who spent more than $100.
"It’s not acceptable," Mayor Mike Rotkin said. "She can do it inside her store, but it shouldn’t be in the window for kids walking by to see."
After hearing from Rotkin, City Attorney John Barisone and Ceil Cirillo, director of the city Redevelopment Agency — all asking for a change of plans — Levine quickly agreed to cover three-quarters of the store window with butcher paper and moving the lap dances inside.
She said Camouflage also fielded dozens of phone calls from mothers and people worried about what kids might see.
Keith Holtaway of the Downtown Association of Santa Cruz said "a gazillion" messages filled his answering machine from people who didn’t want the show to be seen from the street.
"The public was very vocal," Holtaway said. "The discussion was not about whether it should happen or not. But what people were really concerned with was that they wouldn’t have a choice of not seeing it while walking by.
"We just don’t really like this being a public display no matter how PG it is."
Downtown resident Mara Lindstrom has a teenage daughter and finds the idea of pole dancers and lap dancing for the public to see offensive.
"It exposes young people to a level of sexuality they’re not ready for," Lindstrom, 55, said. "In Amsterdam you would expect to see something like this, not in family friendly Santa Cruz."
Rotkin and Holtaway praised Levine for handling the controversy "nicely and elegantly."
"I’m a happy camper," Rotkin said. "Butcher paper is the correct response."
Jessica Pyle, pole dancer and part-owner of Goddess Exotic, said she’s disappointed by the reaction.
The dancers’ only intention, Pyle said, was to do something fun and festive for the holidays — nothing offensive.
"A window display is such a huge part of Christmas," Pyle, 32, said. "We thought it would be neat for it to come to life. We naturally thought of using a pole because that’s what we do. But when you put a pole in the picture, it raises eyebrows and brings out the puritanical in people."
Levine and the dancers say the controversy was overblown. Pole dancing has caught on as a popular exercise class at many gyms, they said.
"Women want to learn it," Levine said.
Inside the store window, along with a red lace bra and panties, a red velvet robe and a black corset, is a sign that reads "Our purpose is to help make peace in the war between the sexes ... We believe that love, romance and fun are good for everybody."
The show will go on 6 to 9 tonight and Saturday.
We missed tonight's show. Fortunately, we can still catch a little Christmas lapdance tomorrow....
"Jessica Pyle, pole dancer and part-owner of Goddess Exotic, said she’s disappointed by the reaction.
The dancers’ only intention, Pyle said, was to do something fun and festive for the holidays — nothing offensive."
They just wanted to "Spread" a little Christmas cheer. And darn if they missed out on the free advertising for that wholesome strip joint they're running.
"The dancers’ only intention, Pyle said, was to do something fun and festive for the holidays — nothing offensive"
90% of the women I know find lap-dancing offensive. And that includes about a dozen "dancers" who are in the biz :)
Why are the Poles denied their ethnic dances? I think that's a real shame.
Or something....
Poles and Lapps, dancing....
"Butcher paper is the correct response."
What else would you expect at a meat market?
"It’s very wholesome...."
How do you know a dozen lap dancers...?
90% of the women I know find lap-dancing offensive. And that includes about a dozen "dancers" who are in the biz :)
How do you know a dozen lap dancers...?
......................................................
And could you introduce them to me?
"Levine and the dancers say the controversy was overblown"
But instead they opted to offer hummers.
10 replys and no pics yet? sheeesh....
TMI ALERT!!!
(Don't answer that!)
Mrs Freebilly lifts weights at the gym 3 days per week and has a fearsome left hook. We are staying away from that question.
So now they're outlawing Festivus?
Here's a Pole dancing....
Cruzio Pingio.
In the old downtown, you had Schipper-Dillon, Leasks, Fords, the Westerner, hardware, cigars, and soda fountains.
The new downtown-- if you are purchasing tattoos, g-strings, surgical steel bars for piercing, items from the United Nations gift shop or illegal herbs, its the place to go.
I guess we can thank the redevelopment agency for changing downtown Santa Cruz into the epitome of family friendly fun, since they control the kinds of business that are allowed to operate there. Just think of downtown Santa Cruz as a fine example of your tax dollars at work.
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