It's 2 AM, at the moment,...

It's 2 AM, at the moment, and I've just got home from my first visit to Steppin' Out, in North Jay, Maine, on a Thursday night in mid-July, 2006. I'll be returning to the club tonight (Friday) and will add another review comparing the two nights. From what I've heard, Friday night is somewhat busier at this club than either Thursday or Saturday. Tonight, when the show began at 9 PM, there were only perhaps ten patrons, but at the peak of the evening, the number had swelled to about thirty. The club is very nicely laid out. There is a bar near the entrance, a couple of pool tables, a couple of electronic game machines, tables and chair ensembles ranging in capacity from two to about ten, a small stage from where the DJ operated, and a dance floor perhaps 20 ft. square. The lighting was pleasing and bright enough to provide enough visibility to permit effective viewing of the performers. The sound level was appropriate. The men's room was clean and relatively odor free.

I was impressed with the conscientiousness of the bartender (not to mention his friendliness). There was one sign urging patrons to drink responsibility and another indicating that no one would be admitted who was already obviously intoxicated. When I explained to the bartender that I would be drinking mostly ginger ale because I had a fifty mile trip home at the end of the evening, he started to explain the maximum one drink per hour guideline until I told him that my profession happens to be teaching about alcohol and other drugs. Clearly, Steppin' Out is not one of those establishments that place their patrons at risk by pushing drinks for maximum sales.

The show, provided by a Maine-based outfit called "Bodies in Motion" (BIM), ran in three segments, from 9 PM-1 AM. As a preamble, the DJ (Dwayne) explained concisely the rules of contact between customers and the dancers: touching of breasts and nipples was permitted but touching of the crotch area, front or back, was prohibited. Patrons were also reminded not to extend their tongues despite what would be obvious temptations to do so. Then, each of the eight female performers in turn provided an introductory dance. After emerging from the dressing room in a colorful costume, the dancer would chose a man from the audience and direct him to the solitary chair on the dance floor, where the dancer then performed a short lap dance. Next, the man was guided into a prone position on the dance floor, face up. The dancer then performed an abbreviated floor dance for the happy "victim."