Seduction 101 teaches women how to strut it

Seduction 101. Lap dancing all about confidence
Sandra Thomas, Vancouver Courier
Published: Friday, May 23, 2008

A team of who's who in the exotic dance world will share trade secrets next month at a workshop designed to bring out the erotic dancer in every woman.

But learning the art of arousal isn't cheap. For $235, tax included, Ryann Rain and members of her production company Stiletto Storm teach women everything they need to know about pole and lap dancing, as well as sexy moves like the "stripper strut." The group produces one Seduction Workshop a month.

"It's all about teaching women confidence," said Rain. "And in particular, their sexual confidence."


Rain, who helped organize the recent Exotic Dancers for Cancer fundraiser, said women attending the workshop will be broken up into groups of eight. Each group will take lessons in one exotic art for about an hour before rotating to the next class. Rain will teach the lap dancing classes.

"I've taught a lot of lap dancing," said Rain. "There's a real level of curiosity about it. A lot of women want to give it a try but without knowing how, they might be too shy. This goes right back to the basics on things like how to stand and how to look."

Rain recently taught lap dancing to a group of women in Duncan--all 50 years old and up. Rain said women of all ages and sizes come away from the lessons with a newfound awareness of their sensuality. She adds they have a lot of laughs along the way.

"I teach them how to move, where to move and what to move," said Rain. "And how to maintain control of any situation."

Rain notes no experience is necessary and nothing is off limits. The workshop includes a floorshow and demonstrations by industry professionals, makeup and clothing tips, lunch and a chocolate fountain. Sex toys, lingerie and exotic clothing will be on sale. Rain suggests for maximum "giggles," women should bring a friend--or several.

"It's perfect for a stagette or bachelorette party," she said.

The Seduction Workshop takes place June 14 at the Croatian Cultural Centre on Commercial Drive. Tickets are on sale at www.stilettostorm.com.

© Vancouver Courier 2008

Seduction Workshop

Stiletto Storm is hosting a Seduction Workshop taught by industry professionals. The day will be split into morning and afternoon workshops and will be a full day of sexy and educational fun. Grab your girlfriends and get set for a day of no holds barred, step-by-step introduction to the exotic arts!! Ladies Only! Nothing is off limits. No experience required. Get ready to strut and be prepared to laugh.

The workshop will feature lessons in: Lap dance, Pole dance, Floor show, Stripper Strut, and Makeup and clothing tips. There will be shopping, a chocolate fountain, demonstrations by industry pros, and sexy secrets to inspire and empower! ~
Capacity for this intimate event is only sixty-four women that will be divided into small groups of eight. Register with a couple of friends and enjoy learning to shake it while spending quality time with your girlfriends. Each group will have time in the social area for snacking and shopping. Food will be provided, and what is seduction without a chocolate fountain! I know oozing warm chocolate always heightens my enthusiasm!

Booths will be set up to outfit and accessorize your complete seduction package. From new lingerie, to makeup tips and sex toys for later, we have all the bases covered. A gift bag will be distributed to every guest.

The day is split into morning and afternoon workshops and SPACE is LIMITED. Register now!! To take these classes separately would cost over $600. Stiletto Storm is bringing you an inclusive 4 hour lesson in the exotic arts of seduction for only $235. Book your Stagette or girls party of 8 women and receive a group rate of $1500. (save $47.50 each)

Tickets are $235.00 including GST. Check out the Stiletto Storm website for more information or email me for registration.

Beyond the Neon podcast

In case anyone wants to hear me talk...

Johnny Wadd is an ex strip club DJ in Toronto and we chatted about the biz, Stiletto Storm, and other random stuff. If you want to hear me yabber for a while...

I find listening to myself weird but maybe someone else wants to...

Beyond the Neon Episode 3

Applications online!!!

Stiletto Storm Productions Ltd. is a brand new event production company created by women for women – focusing on highlighting the exotic and acrobatic aspects of dance, while empowering women in a positive atmosphere.

Over the week of July 14-20, 2008, at the Vancouver Playhouse, Stiletto Storm will be hosting a Showcase of Alternative Entertainment—the highlight of which will be the National Exotic Dance Championship.

The company was founded in 2007 by Canadian exotic dancer Ryann Rain. Her vision is to create a celebration and showcase of some of Canada s best exotic and alternative entertainers and bring their power and seduction to mainstream attention and markets. The growing interest in pole dance combined with the increasing demand for women-positive adult entertainment has created a unique opportunity. Stiletto Storm Productions was created to fill that void, by creating a world-class annual theatrical event.

Stiletto Storm’s premiere nationwide event, the 2008 National Exotic Dance Championship, will bring the sensuality, intrigue and art of exotic dance to the masses! The company was designed to showcase female talent, and empower women in an inclusive and positive atmosphere. It will be a week of intense competition and stunning live performances. The competitors of Stiletto Storm possess the appeal of Hollywood starlets. They are also gymnasts, acrobats, and contortionists - but above all, dancers.

The event falls in the midst of the 30th annual Pride celebration, and will incorporate Pride themes to draw from the 400,000 participants attending the festivities. Over the week the Showcase of Alternative Entertainment will bring various forms of erotic and exotic together under one roof for different shows. It will feature burlesque, drag shows, and boylesque just to name a few.

“Our mission is to protect the future of the art and heart of exotic dance,” affirms Rain. “We believe in the power of women and the strength of diversity.”

The event will be a fabulous extravaganza. Competitors will have the opportunity to perform in a full-size theatre, on a professional stage with rigging and a trained crew. Every effort will be made to accommodate special props, creative ideas, and unique skills.

Not only is Stiletto Storm accepting applications for the Canadian National Exotic Dance Championship, but they’re also looking for shows and performers for the Showcase of Alternative Entertainment. Applications are now available online at www.stilettostorm.com

Call for investors

Stiletto Storm is well under way and chugging right along. A lot of the planning has been done and I’ve started to build a great team.

I’m putting it out there. I've had a lot interest from potential investors, but I want to find the right partner. I'm looking for investors that share my vision and are interested in helping create something that is financially profitable, as well as empowering and respectful of the women in the audience and in the exotic dance industry.

Our mission is to protect the future of the art and heart of exotic dance in Canada by creating a lasting world-class theatrical event.

If you know of anyone who might be interested in getting involved please email me at stilettostorm@gmail.com

done with AB

I can’t believe it’s already the middle of September. I have no idea where 2007 has gone. But if the year has gone by this fast already I can only imagine how quickly the next six months are going to fly by. I have so much work to do.

It’s a huge relief to be able to finally talk about Stiletto Storm and our National Exotic Dance Championship. Fiona and I have been hard at work since February creating this project. It’s been a lot of behind the scenes work creating the contest format, rules, vision, and the foundation. But now the momentum has increased significantly. I’m on the hunt for sponsors and everything is coming together.

I’m so excited!

But for now I’m in Edson, AB for one more day. It’s been a good week, good company, and decent tips. This was my only week out of town this season. I have a production to run in Vancouver. I can’t be gallivanting around the country anymore. Really, I don’t want to be. I want to be at home, sleeping in my own bed and enjoying a limited social life. I’m happy working in Vancouver. I think I might just move into Mugs and Jugs (they wouldn’t mind right?)

The strip bars in Vancouver are great. There aren’t many left but they’re great clubs. I enjoy going to work at home. The No5 Orange is like a family. It’s always the same people and it’s nice to actually have the same coworkers week after week. The staff is awesome at all of the clubs. The Penthouse feels like an old theatre. It’s a totally stress-free week.

And it’s been really nice to go to work for the past year and NOT have anything thrown at me. Loonies do add up quickly. It’s not hard to make a couple hundred dollars in loonies. But it’s just annoying. Inevitably someone gets too enthusiastic and throws them too hard and it can sting. Most of the time it’s all with the best intentions but a coin impacting my ankle hurts. I have to constantly be wary of coins on the stage which can be dangerous.

I’m just done with Alberta. I’m going to go home tomorrow, visit my friends, and get cracking on find marketing partners for Stiletto Storm.

Stiletto Storm!!

I have a new project. I’m teamed up with another dancer, Fiona Phoenix, and we’re in the process of creating something incredible. It’s been taking a lot of my energy, and it’s going to take even more.

So… this is what I’ve been up to. We’re out of the closet now and hitting the ground running. I’m super excited!!!

The first story about our project appeared in the Vancouver Courier today.

Daring young women on flying trapeze
Exotic dancers plan Vegas-style circus show in July 2008

Sandra Thomas
Vancouver Courier


Friday, September 07, 2007


Imagine a performance similar to Cirque du Soleil, only sexier.

That's how dancer Ryann Rain describes the first annual National Exotic Dance Championship she's helping organize.

"Most people never see the types of performance these girls can do and they want to show off their skills," said Rain, who doesn't use her real name. "It's so empowering for everyone."

Rain says many exotic dancers have formal training. While she studied ballet as a child and Ukrainian dance for nine years, her business partner Fiona Phoenix, who's helping organize the national championship, participated in gymnastics for 20 years. The two recently founded Stiletto Storm Productions, and the show will be their first large project. Rain explains Stiletto Storm was formed to honour and protect the future of the "art and heart of exotic dance in Canada."

Rain promises the three-day, non-nude competition will be a burlesque-style show at the Vancouver Playhouse worthy of Las Vegas. It will include gymnastics, contortionists, tub shows and aerial circus acts.

"We'll be having a trapeze installed in the rafters," said Rain, who also took part in the third annual Exotic Dancers for Cancer fundraiser last March at the now defunct Drake Showlounge. "Some of the aerial acts are unbelievable."

Rain said she and Phoenix decided to organize a national championship after becoming disillusioned with smaller competitions they'd attended.

"They weren't very positive and not very empowering for dancers," said Rain.

She believes power must be returned to female dancers in an industry dominated by men. She noted the crowds visiting strip clubs are no longer mostly male, and the show is a result of that change in demographic.

"Since pole dancing has become so popular we've seen a huge influx of women at strip clubs," said Rain. "In Vancouver the number of females at a club is easily 15 to 30 per cent, and on a Friday night in Victoria it can be 70 per cent."

Rain feels despite the shift, most strip clubs don't cater to their ever-increasing female clientele. She believes the gap creates an opportunity for Stiletto Storm to step in. She added that while the championship show will focus on the women, men are more than welcome.

"I'm sure there'll be a lot of boyfriends and husbands tagging along," she said.

The show isn't scheduled until next July, but Rain is seeking sponsors now. She's concerned some corporate sponsors will be scared off by the stigma attached to exotic dancing. Money raised at the March fundraiser was initially going to be donated to the Breast Cancer Society of Canada, but the society refused the gift. The society told event organizers some major donors deemed the source of the donation too controversial.

Rain hopes that isn't the case in finding sponsors for next year's national championship and looks for support from women's organizations, activists and business.

"This is a great opportunity for any corporate sponsors who would benefit from a large target audience of women between the age of 21 and 45," said Rain. "It's all about women."

For more information contact stilettostorm@gmail.com.

© Vancouver Courier 2007