Money motive for educated lap-dancing women

LONDON, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- English lap-dancing women are motivated by money and career choices and 25 percent have a degree, a study indicates.

The first academic research into lap dancing was conducted by Teela Sanders and Kate Hardy of the University of Leeds, who found the majority of dancers reported high rates of job satisfaction, The Independent reported Friday.

The preliminary findings of the year-long study showed all 300 women interviewed had finished school and gained some qualifications.

Most (87 percent) had at least completed a further education course, while one in four had undergraduate degrees.

About 13.9 percent used dancing to help pay for an undergraduate degree, 6.3 percent to help finance a postgraduate degree, and 3.8 percent used lap dancing to fund further education courses, the study indicated.

Dancers took home an average of $360 a shift after paying commission and fees to the club, with most working between two and four shifts a week for a possible annual income of between $37,232 and $74,464 a year.

Some women begin dancing after graduating from college and not being able to find other work.

"But there is an issue about whether these women become trapped in the job because of the money. I think people often stay longer than they want," one dancer named Amber, who has a journalism degree, said.

One personality trait most share is being very driven.

"I've met dancers who have degrees in astrophysics from top universities. They've pushed themselves hard to get those qualifications and now they're pushing themselves to be successful dancers," Amber said.