NIU has never offer a class in Stripping 101, but that didn’t hurt alum Steve Quinn. He found on-the-job training.

It’s not He didn’t learn it at NIU, Steve Quinn is employed in something, 26, from St. Charles, went to NIU in 1986, got two-year associates degree.

Full-time job now, has done some print modeling. Plans to return to Hollywood, where he spent some time. Plans to take some acting clases, perhaps in Chicago.

Does parties, but also has toured with a group, taken to every state.

Prefers

Performs in Chicago, the suburbs, Rockford and DeKalb.

Started stripping in 1984 as an audition for a group Classie Chassie, used to perform at Mathew Boones. “On my birthday, of all days. I had had too much to drink, but I was prepared for it; I knew I was going to do it. I twisted my ankle really bad. But I drank enough so it didn’t hurt. I kind of stumbled out there. I was tense, but it went well.”

From there, he joined the Rockford-based Loverboys, a couple of his fellow performers were Chippendale’s dancers. He traveled to California with Loverboys. “Pat Sajack’s job was up. So I flew out there on a whim,”

“My family don’t say much. They never said ‘Great, you’re a stripper.’ I pretty much turned my mom’s head around when I started bringing home tons of money,” he said.

“It’s very hard to keep a girlfriend in this business. Automatically, they want you to stop dancing because you met them. They want you to change your life because they’re jealous. You almost have to stay single, it’s part of the job, I guess,” he said.

He once dated a stripper. “She was pretty hot. I used to go to her shows all the time, and I couldn’t be jealous because, hey, I did the same thing.”

Charges $65 in DeKalb, includes music.

He goes down to a G-strap, but no farther. “I’m into seduction. I try to create a warm, intimate atmosphere, pretty warm. I always try give that extra touch and be different than other dancers. I think a lot of dancers come in and they bop around. I like to keep eye contact a lot. I try to convey that I really want them.”

“I think of Madonna when I’m dancing. You see a lot of her videos, she has a very powerful performance. She’s seductive to the point of almost being sleazy. I like her style,”

“I’ve gotten into spandex a lot, like David Lee Roth wears. Sometimes I use rip-away pants, with velcro down the sides. I’m trying to put together a cop costume again. I do a really nice genie,” he said.

Preparation of shows — mentally pumps himself up, and dining on fruit. He’s a vegetarian.

“I never bear it all. I like to leave something to the imagination. The guys who do that, I think it’s too far. I think to leave something to the imagination is more powerful, it gives them something to think about.”

“Pretty much, you can take control of a party. You can control the atmosphere and keep it in line.”

“It doesn’t happen much, but sometimes they’re all drunk and grabby and trying to rip your G-strap off.” This usually happens at bars with older woman rather than at parties with college-aged women.

During most party performances, Quinn said he spends the first couple songs concentrating on the honoree of the party, placing her on a chair in the center of a group and dancing for her.

“I straddle on the chair a lot and just get real close to them and take their hands and put them on different parts of my body and the girls get a kick out of that. If the girl has warm hands, it’s great. If they’re cold, it’s a shock.”

Although he accepts dollar tips, “I’m not really out there for the money. I have more fun than anything.”

Quinn considers stripping as just a stepping stone to his acting career, a way to stay in shape. Has conections in Hollywood, expects acting career to take off. Wants to be next Rob Lowe. Plans to start in print modeling and commercials.

He works out for three hours six days a week and goes to a tanning booth twice a week, daily bouts with moisturizers follows strict vegetarian diet that preserves look. “If I don’t eat right, I don’t feel like I can excell. If you put junk in your body, you’re going to look a certain way.”

“I’ve always had problems with stripping. I hated it for a long time because I felt like I was being used out there. I had to come to the realization that to keep my freedom and be able to have time to train in a certain way, I would have to this and make it work for me. I learned to like it, now I love it.

“There’s a phenomenal amount of work in Chicago. You have to think about how many people a week are getting married. Now whenever a woman gets married, she has a bachelorette party.”

Trying to be on his own, no agency.

Prefers parties, because they’re less time-consuming, than dancing in a club.