Lap Dance

A lap dance is a type of sex work performed in some strip clubs in which a dancer performs an erotic dance either in immediate contact (contact dancing) with a seated patron, or within a very short distance. The dancer may be nude, topless, or dressed in a bikini, depending on the laws in the jurisdiction and the club's policies. With full-contact lap dances, the stripper may engage in non-penetrative sexual contact with the patron, such as "grinding" her body against his. Variant terms include couch dance which is a lap dance where the customer is seated on a couch, and bed dance where the customer lies down. In some places a block session of lap dances (usually half an hour to an hour) can be booked in a "champagne room". In many clubs, the duration of a lap dance is measured by the length of the song being played by the club's DJ. Charges for lap dances vary.

Depending on the local jurisdiction and community standards, lap dances can involve touching of the dancer by the patron, the patron by the dancer, neither, or both. In some clubs, any touching by the patron is forbidden. On the other hand, absent any oversight by the club, various levels of contact may be negotiable between the participants. Clubs vary widely with regard to whether they enforce their rules, or turn a blind eye to violations.

Critics of lapdancing allege that some club owners, by installing dark private booths and charging dancers steep stage fees, are covertly condoning and encouraging the sale of sexual acts between customers and dancers. This can be a concern if, as for instance in the United Kingdom, the club has a Public Entertainment Licence rather than a Sex Establishment License, and in jurisdictions where brothels are illegal. According to the UK paper The Guardian, "Research shows that the majority of women become lap-dancers through poverty and lack of choice."