Page 32 - AVN April 2016

SOUND ADVICE | STOP, THIEF | |By Nate Glass
| By Nikki Benz
Playing to the Crowd Tips for selecting the perfect feature dance music
I’ve worked in the adult entertainment industry for more than a decade, which has given me some perspective.
Besides modeling and performing, I really enjoy feature dancing because it allows me to express myself
through movement, as well as connect with my fans on an intimate level. Like anything, there are ways to
ensure success when feature dancing, and selecting the perfect music is a big part.
Through The Lee Network, I’ve been booked to perform at nightclubs all across the country, and as
you might assume, music plays a huge role in my performances and how I engage my audience. Over the
years, I’ve refined my style and learned a few things about how music impacts, improves, and stimulates a
performance. Here are a couple tips on how feature dancers can use music to refine their routines. Read on…
Best Genres of Music
I typically only dance to hip-hop, but I used to dance
to rock and techno as well. I noticed that I get tipped
more when I dance to lively, upbeat music; and that’s
normally hip-hop. 98 percent of the key to success
is knowing your audience, and knowing what does
and doesn’t work onstage. I’ve been to clubs where
I scanned the crowd and knew that hip-hop would
work, but if I was doing feature dancing in Arizona
during bike week, then maybe it wouldn’t work.
Just because you like death metal in your car doesn’t
mean you can play it on stage. Music plays into the
entire vibe of your set, so you want to showcase that
you’re having a good time, but you also have to be
selective.
Picking Your Song Selection
My music library is very extensive, so I’ll usually only
play current, top songs. It changes weekly, but what’s
currently hot on the charts includes these numbers:
• Drake’s “Hotline Bling”
• Nicki Minaj’s “Truffle Butter”
• The Weeknd’s “The Hills”
• Rihanna’s “Bitch Better Have My Money”
Then, every once in awhile I’ll mix in an old-school
hip-hop song, like “Hypnotize” by Notorious B.I.G.
Adjusting Your Style to Fit the Music
When I’m dancing, I’m always aware of how my
music sets the tone for the audience, as well as how
it exaggerates fantasy. The slower the song, the more
clothes I take off. For example, with “The Hills” by
The Weeknd, I always make sure to play it last, and
by that time I’m fully naked, so it definitely helps
me seduce the crowd. I feel like any feature dancer
should pick dances that parallel the songs, and know
how you’re going to dance to it beforehand.
Feature Dancing vs. In-House Dancing
Depending on the club, I may or may not keep to the
vibe of the music that’s already playing. For instance,
I’ve been to clubs where they played techno all night,
and I loved it because I knew when I came out to
hip-hop music, I was going to change the whole vibe
of the club. As a feature dancer, you want to stand
out. If the girl before me plays a song that I have in
my set, then I’m going to tell the DJ to take it out
because you never want your music to sound like the
girl before you.
Club Location Impacts Music Selection
Every time I go to a club, I ask the manager
questions about the scene and the crowd. If there’s
a convention in town, then I want to know what
its audience is. You always want to play music that
the crowd will be into or you won’t get tipped, and
you probably won’t be invited back to the club. For
example, when I feature dance in Europe, they’re
very big on house music so I don’t play hip-hop
music there. You have to factor in whatever music is
popular in that place or country.
Playlist Selections Aimed at Women
Usually women are the first ones to get up to dance,
so what I play during my sets are always current, hot
songs on the radio. I’m always playing music that is
relevant to today because at the end of day, whether
they’re male or female, people go to nightclubs to
have a good time and to party, and you want them to
spend more money. Buying drinks and good music
go together, and when that happens, the club owner
is happy and I’m happy.
Music and Costumes
When you’re a feature dancer, you should definitely
have costumes. There’s nothing worse than when
you look like the next 20 girls at the club. My
trademark costume is a pinstripe mafia suit with a
carnation. My fans are known as the “Benz Mafia,”
and that particular costume goes great with hip-
hop music. If I’m wearing more of a girly costume,
I’ll play more pop and R&B music—like Rihanna. I
adjust my costumes to my music, but I also adjust
my attitude as well. People want to see a person
who is happy to be there, so put a smile on your
face. Your attitude is everything. Feature dancing is
entertainment, so never forget that you’re there to
entertain the crowd.
I hope these tips on music help the next time you
are feature dancing. Tweet me your favorite songs to
dance to at @NikkiBenz.
EXPERT TIPS
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