Bella Blanchard was enticed by the nomadic lifestyle the exotic dance/adult club industry offered.
“The freedom to travel with flexible bookings, socializing, music, fancy costumes, staying in physical shape through the expression of dance,” says Bella about her initial foray into the industry. “And, of course, the money. It seemed like a package deal.”
Only Bella didn’t train her sights on traveling the US, she went to the other end of the globe: Japan. After dancing several times, she was recruited to staff Playboy Bunny servers for Ganesa Casino in Shinjuku, a ward in the island country’s capital seat, Tokyo.
“During this time, dancers from back home were contacting me in Japan to introduce them to clubs there. Being that the casino was [allegedly] owned by yakuza, (Nakamura-san), the casino was eventually raided for paying out cash prizes,” recalls Bella, who subsequently returned home.
To her surprise, Japan beckoned again. A couple of showclub owners in Japan, Stargate and 10KT, contacted her and a local dance agency allowed Bella to collaborate as their international talent agent and set her up in their office.
ED Magazine spoke with Bella, courtesy of Bob Chiappardi and StripJointsMusic.com, to ask about how she crisscrosses the globe to match up dancers and clubs for her agency The Best Dancers, how she started in Japan originally, pick her brain about the education traveling has gifted her, and her music tastes. And don’t miss Bella’s personalized Spotify playlist courtesy of Bob Chiappardi and StripJointsMusic.com!
ED: How do you match up dancers with clubs; how did you start?
BELLA: Once I was set up as an international talent agent and had my own office, I didn’t know how to use a computer at the time so I shot all dancer applicants photos with a Polaroid camera, hand-wrote and faxed all correspondence; and Fedexed dancer promo in batches to Japan. Sometimes I’d go to clubs to recruit dancers and hostesses but when the managers would find out, they’d ask me to leave. Eventually I learned to use the computer, work with databases, build websites, compile email lists, write and create my own newsletters, and do my own internet marketing. Dancers and hostesses from all over the world were starting to find me and things just snowballed from there. After a few years, I knew I needed to do my own thing so I left the agency to start ‘Global Talent’…which I renamed “The Best Dancers” in 2000. This came with some animosity from my previous boss (and a few threats towards me), eventually we kissed and made up, had a few chuckles and rose above being competitors.
“I learned to speak a little bit of Japanese but also learned to navigate the rail systems, tried new culinary delights, got educated on the background history, culture and a bit of religion. I once walked into a church on Sunday to pray, but turned out I sat in on a funeral. Oops.” — Bella Blanchard on traveling
ED: What geographical areas do you serve?
BELLA: At the moment, Europe, US and Guam. (I will book almost anywhere, so long as it’s safe, clean, and legal.)
ED: How did you end up in Japan originally?
BELLA: In the early ’90s, there was only one foreign (gaijin) topless club, the Flamingo Bar, in Tokyo, with a three-year waiting list. A local agent refused me twice because I was neither busty nor blonde. Two years later; the owner, Shin, came to Canada with the recruiter and watched me perform. Shin invited me to work at Flamingo Bar (as it turns out, Japanese prefer B-cups, small faces and really don’t mind dark hair at all).
ED: What’s your favorite part of being involved in the exotic dance/adult club industry?
BELLA: Helping my fellow dancers by offering them safe and prosperous places to work. Travel plays a big part of this as well — it expands your mind, your life circle, friendships and understanding of other cultures. I love being able to share this with the ladies.
If I owned my own club it would be non-stop Latino Hip Hop, jazz, Latin pop and Latino lounge music with some casual bouts of Spanish guitar. — Bella
ED: Your website mentions “Traveling is the best education you will ever get” What kind of education did your travels give you?
BELLA: My first time to Japan, I remember thinking “wow” there’s a whole world out there. I felt liberated. I met the nicest and most intriguing people, and was given some amazing opportunities. I lacked nothing and lived like a celebrity. I learned to speak a little bit of Japanese but also learned to navigate the rail systems, tried new culinary delights, got educated on the background history, culture and a bit of religion. I once walked into a church on Sunday to pray, but turned out I sat in on a funeral. Oops.
One of my most memorable trips was to Isla de Margarita, Venezuela, where I met with an American agent who claimed he recruited Brazilians and Venezuelans for Miss Universe pageants. Well, Isla de Margarita was anything but glamorous, so I asked him if we could feed the hungry and stop worrying about the dancers for a while. I spent most of my trip on the back of his moped handing out food to the poor and homeless. It was gut-wrenching to see a family on the side of a highway picking grass for dinner. We handed them a tinfoil package with seafood and rice — they all sat down right there and began eating it with their hands. I was in tears. This was a one-week trip that almost left me stranded there; known as the ‘1999 Vargas Tragedy’ torrential rains and a catastrophic mudslide collapsed towns and hills — thousands perished. That trip triggered a lot of emotion in me and I almost switched gears completely, to return and just hand out food to the hungry… but because of the tragic mudslide, that never happened.
ED: We do this story in conjunction with Bob Chiappardi of StripJointsMusic.com, so we always ask music-related questions. What are your favorite bands or music artists? What is your favorite kind of music to hear in an adult nightclub?
BELLA: I love all music, and danced over 30 years ago so my playlist back then would be ’80s music mostly; but the vibe of Latino club music is hands down my favorite. Men’s Club in Mexico City is one of my faves; the Latino ambiance is sexy and uplifting, it puts smiles on people’s faces. If I owned my own club it would be non-stop Latino Hip Hop, jazz, Latin pop and Latino lounge music with some casual bouts of Spanish guitar.
ED: If you could go to any concert of any musician or band, living or deceased, who would it be and why?
BELLA: I once missed out on going to a Latino Hip Hop concert in Vegas with J. Lo and Enrique (Iglesias) — I’ll always regret that. I think the energy would have been off the charts; I envisioned there’d be a lot high energy dancing, smiles, and fun.
