I was born in Russia and I am a professional dancer and a choreographer. I was in the dance school since I was 6 years old. As many girls in that time of Soviet Union, I had to take ballet and gymnastic lessons. Then I chase the career of dancing and I had lessons of hip hop, modern jazz, techno, tropical, etc. After that I became a choreographer.
Name: Maria Zonis
Age: 28
Hair Colour: Black
Eye Colour: Brown
Nationality: Russian
Education: High School, Design School, Choreographer, Model and Actress
When I was a teenager I had the possibility to go to Turkey in a folk team and then to United Arab Emirates. There, I had opportunity to learn belly dance that is till now my favourite and I believe that is my best performance. I was acting in a theatre (I am an actress too) in my city St. Petersburg and one of my favourite Russian actors came after the show to ask me if I would like to participate in a casting for a dance job in his club.
I didn´t ask what kind of dance job or club at that moment because I was feeling so proud! I went to the casting and I was performing belly dance and in the end of the casting they told me that they would like to give me the job but in that club, I must remove my clothes on the stage…. They told me about money and about my contract etc. etc. etc. and I started to dream… That night when I arrived to my house I started to think… “…must I remove my clothes???”. Oh shiiiiiiiiiiit… I was so shy in that time!!! Anyway I took the job…
How was the first time for you on stage?
I was preparing my show for two weeks at home. That club was a real strip club, stage shows only and there was not any kind of contact with the customers. My first night was good, I think. I was a little bit worried with the choreography but I had the experience to perform in public so, I think it helped a lot.
What´s the best part of being a striptease dancer? And for how long will you continue?
I like to perform on the stage, I love when men are looking to me, I love to be wished and to get nice compliments, to get applauses. Some years ago the money was very good. Right now is not the best thing on the strip tease business, I think.
I would like to be on this business for many years, as an agent or managing my own club… I hope… but dancing, I think only one or 2 years more…
How do you look at the strip-tease industry in Europe, and the directions it´s going to.
There are many clubs, there are many “dancers”. I say “dancers” because I see that many girls choose to be in the business because it is an easy way to get money, travel, have fun and get friends… But on the stage every time I see worse, and worse dancers. Many club owners are new on the business either. They think that it is a good way to get money, they take any girl to work in their clubs. Of course there are many clubs that are making castings to contract the dancers yet, but the new and small clubs born in everywhere, many of them have strippers, prostitutes and everything together.
This is very bad for the business. Many people think that a strip tease dancer is a prostitute and unfortunately many times is true. Right now is very easy to see a girl going out from the club with a customer, girls getting extra money to do “something else” girls giving personal details and phone numbers.
Well, I don´t like to say that before was better like an old woman uses to say but when I started to dance, a strip tease dancer was like an impossible or untouchable girl. A strip tease dancer had class, intelligence, glamour, etc. They had amazing costumes and bodies, great shows… and now, as I said before, many girls are getting into this business because it is an easy way to get money. It is in our hands to go through the right way but for it, agents, dancers and club owners should work together, specially with honesty. It is hard but not impossible.
What are your plans for the future?
Well, to finish a career at the university but right now, I have my agency and I try to help and to get good contracts for the girls. We are having some success and now we are going to open our main office in Lisbon, we are helping to manage a club in Portugal and why not, I dream about to have my own club!
What do you have to say to a girl, who wants to get into this industry and become a strip-tease dancer?
Well, the same things that I say to any girl that is coming to my agency: If you don´t have body, if you don´t know how to move, if you don´t know how to dance, be honest to your self! There are other ways to get money in businesses alike, for example on the internet in a live chat! Don´t be easy, don´t date with customers, keep your self as a “wished girl”, keep your body in good shape, go to the gym, don´t drink alcohol (it´s the worse thing for cellulite and makes you fat!) and please be professional, respect your self and respect this job!!!
What do you enjoy about your work?
Well, I said it before… To have power over the customers, to be wished, to get compliments and to show my body, but specially to dance! the strip tease dance without a doubt, it´s an art!!!
Tell me about your first night on the job. How old were you and how did you like it compared to now?
I was 18 years old and was good, I was preparing that night for 2 weeks! I am still having my own shows, each show with different costume, different music and different choreography, I am a dancer, a stage dancer. Now, is not necessary to have a great show on the stage, I don´t see strip contests as before. The stages are small and with a pole so, every time is more difficult for me to perform, It´s pity but I don´t use the pole.
Who has taught you the most about your craft and what was the best advice you were given.
When I started in Russia, I was working for a year in the same club, we had choreographer, art director, rehearsals every afternoon! So, better beginning I couldn´t have! Then I started to travel because many people from clubs in other countries were coming to our club offering good contracts for us and with all those trips I got a lot of experience.
What is the best compliment you’ve ever received from a customer?
Well, I don´t want to look arrogant but I use to heard the same: the best show and perfect body, specially my legs 😉
What is your favourite role-play you’ve ever done to satisfy a guest?
I always talk to a guest with respect, I never ask for a drink or a table dance, maybe I look like a shy girl but I always wait till the time that the customer will pay me something. Not always happens but I use to get money!!! I just try to be simple and friendly…
Last comment.
I want to congratulate Strip Magazine for all the good promotion that is giving to this business. I want to congratulate all the dancers that now are running their own agencies or clubs because no one else could do it better. All the clubs that are open for years and years and they still have success and I just want to leave an advice (again): Girls, if you are thinking about to become a strip tease dancer please, be PROFESSIONAL! We are the main part of this business! And it´s in our hands to make it better! Don´t destroy it!
Coverdancer Lou Lou performing striptease shows
Striptease Coverdancer Immodesty Blaize
Striptease and Coverdancer Tania Amazon
Author: Saxon
Strip-magazine.com is covering the European Striptease industry with monthly updates on or famous London Gossip, Interviews with industry people, articles and news from the world of striptease. We also offer a Striptalk forum, Industry Directory with Stripclubs and Agents and a Job board for the Striptease industry in Europe.