By Zoe Bator
Men have historically dominated many career fields. However, there is one in particular where they reserve minority status: burlesque dancing.
“It’s kind of like an art — at least for me. Since I’ve been doing it for a while, it’s become a form of self-expression,” said James Aldridge, a male stripper with the national entertainment company Hunk-O-Mania.
Male sexuality has historically been less monetized by night-life groups than female sexuality but might be explored more in Austin in the coming years. After La Bare, an Austin institution since its opening in 2005 that housed male erotic dancers, closed in 2007, there has been a gap in the market for male entertainers. As the property has stood vacant for about 15 years and the adult entertainment industry flourishes after the pandemic — projected to see exponential growth by 2030 according to Transparency Market Research — NoCo Hospitality Group is hoping to reignite the space with a club reminiscent of the early days of Studio 54, that won’t involve strippers.
Set to open sometime before the end of this year with the co-owner of Hotel Vegas, Charles Ferraro, at the helm, the newly renovated space will be called “Superstition.”
“It’s a building that’s housed many different clubs over the decades, so it’s got a great history. And, the fact that it was empty for so long makes it a space that’s mysterious and has a lot of intrigue for Austin,” Ferraro said.
A few blocks away, on alternating Saturdays at the RIO Bar on W. 6th St, Hunk-O-Mania hosts a choreographed show that features group numbers, solo routines and personalized dances for audience members.
“I run this night-life company where we do burlesque shows, drag shows and Magic Mike shows,” said James Aldridge. “On the weekend the clientele is mainly bachelorette parties, birthday parties and even divorce parties.”
“Throughout the show we have hot seats that customers pay for which entail the bride — or whoever paid for the seat — going onstage and getting a solo dance from one of our dancers. Overall, it’s just about giving the bride one last wild experience or, if it’s a birthday, giving them a memorable day and making them feel special,” said Aldridge.
The female and gay population in Austin often seek refuge in these spaces that are more so meant to serve them.
“I think it’s very important to have night-life establishments that focus on eliminating stereotypes and demoting misogyny. It’s important for marginalized groups like women and people with queer identities to feel safe and enjoy the same benefits as everyone else,” said Francisco Zurcher, a queer college student enjoying his first year of the club scene.
The new Hulu series that premiered on Nov. 22 entitled “Welcome to Chippendales” taps into the lesser explored idea of male entertainment for women. The show is based on its eponymous title — a touring group of male dancers that originated in 1979 with the opening of a singular club in Los Angeles.
A similar concept to the Chippendales group, Hunk-O-Mania also markets its performances directly to women with the tagline “The Most Popular Show for Ladies.”
“We’re there to sell a fantasy the same way women do at a female strip club. Some people come to have a night out, and oftentimes, some are going through divorces and want to feel beautiful and wanted again — and that’s very important,” Aldridge said.
The concept of women as the consumers for this genre of entertainment was far less prominent in popular media up until the start of the Chippendales troupe despite female entertainment being made for men for centuries prior — from pin-up print ads to the Hugh Hefner mansion.
Many people might think that stripping full-time as a man is a poor career choice that in the long-term won’t be very lucrative. However, Aldridge says that since he’s been on the management side of things as well as the performing side, he wouldn’t look elsewhere for a career.
“I’m really lucky because I have my own company with the guy that owns Hunk-O-Mania. I make 120k a year because I manage the company and monitor other locations,” he said.
Aldridge looks at it like method acting and said he has enjoyed creating and selling an experience that viewers don’t typically get to receive.
“I really get into character. I do my signature Matthew McConaughey ‘alright, alright, alright,’ and it feels like acting,” he said.
La Bare was created for women with the tagline “The ‘Ultimate’ Ladies Club” but also garnered attention from the gay community. Located in south Austin by the intersection of E. Riverside and South Congress, the building is a high-profile spot for Austin foot traffic. The club belonged to Austin City Council District 9 and bordered District 3, which has recently undergone efforts to be cleaned up.
District 3 is home to what many Austinites call “Dirty 6th,” which is given its name by the rowdy night life and the beer cans that line the street by the end of the night.
La Bare’s proximity to the Texas School for the Deaf was the main issue contributing to its eventual closing. The Austin City Council decided in 2007 that since zoning forbids “adult-oriented businesses” from being 1,000 feet from a school or park area, the club should ultimately be closed.
Ferraro says he hasn’t run into any issues regarding zoning since the space will not have stripping and therefore will not be forced to classify itself as an “adult entertainment” venue.
“It’s not going to be a male strip club anymore but it’s going to be a night club and dance club with an elevated concept. We wanted to make a space that appealed to both old and new Austin, so there will definitely be some subtle nods to history there,” Ferraro said.
Although Ferraro will not be continuing the legacy of the space, Aldridge believes that the concept of a ladies club will always be alive and well.
“No matter what, it’s an industry that I believe will always be there. People will always get married and have birthdays and want to celebrate that,” Aldridge said.
“At the bottom line, it’s entertainment and everyone loves entertainment.”
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