The hype of these shows in Harare spilled to Bulawayo which is somewhat viewed as a reserved city has followed the trend.It is now stripper here, stripper there and strippers everywhere and the trend is going nowhere as an official with the censorship board allayed fears of banning strippers saying as long as the licensed dancers stick to the provisions stipulated in their certificates of performance, there was nothing wrong with their “erotic” performances.“The certificates have provisions that spell out how far they should go in disrobing and has limits to the kind of dances that they can perform along with the language which they can use. Dancers are not allowed to strip beyond the G-string, no physical contact with patrons.
No persons under the age of 19 are supposed to view the strippers, cover up to be supplied to artistes to enable them to dress at the conclusion of the act are some of the provisions stipulated in their certificates,”
Censorship Board secretary Isaac Chiranganyika said.If for some reason they become very excited and go stark nude, jail will be waiting for strippers“If the dancers go against the codes, they will be arrested and the law must take its course. Sometimes we will not be present at their shows, but we believe the police monitor their acts and arrest those operating without certificates,” added Chiranganyika.Investigations by B-Metro at most city night spots, however, revealed that the services of young ladies who are daring, willing and allegedly hungry enough for money were in great demand to undress to entertain patrons.Scenes of completely nude dancers with some wearing knee-high leather boots climbing onto a pole suspended from the ceiling while gyrating to screams is now part of a typical night at most city joints.The huge attendances at these shows are a testimony that striptease is apparently taking the city by storm.
This erotic dancing craze has undoubtedly pushed the dance groups that used to be popular at many joints into the background.Some of the dance groups, in a desperate bid to remain relevant in the entertainment industry, have also resorted to gyrating in a sexually suggestive manner before stripping down to their very skimpy and revealing attires.“For us stripping is not a sexual thing but it’s a social thing,” said a dancer-cum-stripper.At times they invite male patrons to come onto the stage and put money in their underwear before they end up performing live sex in full view of revellers.One club manager admitted that they were allowing dancers performing at their club to go against the codes stipulated by the Censorship Board as a way of entertaining their patrons, mostly men who according to studies enjoy the sight of naked women.“We are fully aware that strippers should operate within the provisions of their certificates but these dancers end up flouting the regulations through altering their dance moves or changing the costumes that they initially said they would use. We usually allow them to do so as a way of entertaining our patrons,” said a manager who preferred anonymity for professional reasons.Most of the girls’ offences are that during their striptease act they invite male patrons onto the stage and perform seductive dances on them and yet certificates in their possession prohibit any physical contact with patrons. Controversial , Crazy Drama , Humiliating
