Dancing Naked in the Material World

About this book

Dancing Naked in the Material World a unique and illuminating photo-documentary allows us to look beyond the exotic sometimes grimy surface of the world of striptease and into the lives of the women who perform there. The dancers whose humanity and intelligence is graciously depicted in Marilyn Futtermans brilliant black-and-white photographs describe in their own words how they feel about themselves their marginal profession and the men who support it. How does such a sexual competitive occupation affect the self-esteem of these women? What are their fears hopes and ambitions? Futterman after deciding to do a photographic series on strippers became a waitress in one of the clubs in Atlanta Georgia. Working with and interviewing the dancers enabled her to better understand their diverse and complex lives. She witnessed first-hand the strippers working environment the people met there and the relationships between the women. Men go to these clubs seeking fantasy for a dollar with no threat of intimacy. And the women achieve a kind of emotional fulfillment that is remarkably harder to find outside the doors of the club. Dancing Nakeds poignant depiction of this odd social contract is important cultural history vivid autobiography and beautiful photography.