Crazy Horse Paris at MGM Grand is beyond gentlemen and strippers

There’s a subset of visitors to Las Vegas that thrive on good vibrations even as certain businesses prosper from those tourism inclinations by offering the, uhmmm…necessary excitations. Call them strip clubs, topless clubs or gentlemen’s clubs, the business model at work here – shall we just say the “presence” of strippers – flaunts largely female forms à la pole, lap or couch.

Not that flaunting the female form isn’t also at the heart of Crazy Horse Paris or that you won’t see a stripper pole or couch on stage during the 90-minute revue at MGM Grand. It’s just that while the former seeks to titillate using blatant sexuality, the latter hopes to titivate with refined choreography.

And the choreography of the numbers in the beautiful 328-seat Crazy Horse Theatre is an outstanding example of creativity, art and performance. Lighting and imaginative strobe effects projected on the performers from across the showroom, minimalist props, slow gyrations or dancing in time with upbeat musical rhythms, merge to enhance the on-stage artistry and vault the female form into dynamic modern art. Artistry and movement draw attention to the female form as a unique and singular visual effect. These dancers are a migrating art installation. Living art pictures. A music video.

At one point dancers appear on stage with an explosion of seduction through their identical maquillage, coiffure and costume. They begin their slinky choreographed routine enhanced by adept lighting and musical refrains when the basement tape from the 1980s Robert Palmer music vid “Simply Irresistible” suddenly comes to mind. The dancers exude that kind of sensual, intentionally orchestrated visual effect.

Whether bare-chested and g-stringed, coiffed in identical wigs and identical nylons, feather boa-ed and top-hat-ted, these women are stunning, lithe and shapely figurines. Their smartly chosen and sparse couture combines with their female form to create a moving artistic image that is to be admired and appreciated.

Not that gentlemen or strippers from those clubs across the tracks couldn’t suddenly become art lovers too.

By Jay Barber, Catalina Media Group