Portland, OR, frequently cited as the U.S. city with the most strip clubs per capita, and an annual vagina beauty pageant, crowns a Miss Exotic Oregon each year. Local strip club ad rag Exotic (which also publishes a column by Tits and Sass Portland correspondent Elle) hosts the competition, a fine celebration of the strong theatrical elements of Portland stripping. In a town where stage performances are still strongly appreciated, dancers don’t hesitate to augment their pole skills and acrobatics with detailed costuming, stage sets, and choreography.
Sometimes one of them goes even further, bringing a level of emotional commitment and thematic strength to her performance that wouldn’t look out of place at Miss Exotic World. Thanks to my fellow Tits and Sass contributor Kat, I’ve been watching this video in amazement all morning. This is Jordan, who represented downtown’s Golden Dragon at this year’s competition, and her performance is a ten-minute-long tribute to Alanis Morissette. She has two supporting partners in her set, a male dancer playing her lover, and another female dancer he cheats on her with. It’s next-level pageant performance art.
There was a major scandal in the MEO competition this year, with the publisher of Exotic disparaging crown-holder Soren High (her winning set was a Little Mermaid tribute complete with poledancing/lipsyncing to the Disney soundtrack) for not living up to the standards expected of a Miss Exotic Oregon. Here is an excerpt from the editor’s letter from the May 2013 Exotic (I should disclose that something I wrote for another publication was plagiarized by Exotic and resolution is still in progress):
When the eventual winner of the title’s drunken stage slut/prop/wife was ejected from the event for spitting venomous insults and throwing trash at other contestants, I shook it off as I tossed the bitch out on the street. Just another day at the office. The winner was announced, and I congratulated her downstairs, as I presented her with her prize purse.
One thing that will stick in my head from that moment was when I half lectured/half warned her that since she was now Miss Exotic Oregon, she had to do her best to be a true role model to all the other magnificent and beautiful creatures in this city of sin.
Not that the other contestants weren’t worthy, but when art like this doesn’t place, your credibility suffers. You can see this and the other contestants’ videos at xmag.com. For more of Jordan, visit her Facebook page and see her schedule at XoticSpot.
The writer of the exotic article sounded like a hateful, petty douche ( like most guys in this city who think they run the stripping world). Props to Jordan, she’s a beautiful performer, but Soren’s performance blew everyone’s out of the water IMO.
As one of the judges of the contest, Soren’s performance had a huge burst of energy, although Jordan is still an amazing performer.
i was in the audience for that show, and i LOVED this MOST BIZARRE alanis morissette tribute. i mean, it was soooo weird, but so good. there were a few awesome performances, but i have to say i was extremely surprised that the little mermaid won. i wasn’t into her act at all.