Is stripping an art form

By Stacie Kitts CPA

These days I rarely have time to do anything that doesn’t directly involve running my accounting firm.  But Kelly – also known as the TaxGirl ® penned an  article that caught my eye Strip Club Doesn’t Meet  “Bare Minimum” in Court.  Punny huh?!

In fact, it so entertained me that I had to change gears to tell you about it.  I admit it, even I think tax is a dry subject for a blog.  But there is that rare story that entertains.

The fundamental question posed in Kelly’s post – Is exotic dancing an art form?

It turns out that in the state of New York, since 1965, sales taxes are imposed on the fees paid by patrons at strip clubs. However, Nite Moves, an adult club in Latham, New York, begs to differ with the state’s interpretation of adult and exotic dances. The club was audited in 2005 by the New York Division of Taxation and told to remit nearly $125,000 in unpaid sales tax – plus interest – for fees paid for door charges and private dances (if you have Tina Turner’s “Private Dancer” song in your head now, you’re not the only one). But Nite Moves claims that the assessment was in error. They believe that the fees paid should be exempt from sales tax and appealed.

In its argument, Nite Moves cited Tax Law § 1105 (f)(1) which exempts:

Any admission charge … except  charges  for  admission  to  race  tracks,  boxing,  sparring or wrestling matches or exhibitions which charges are taxed under any other law of this state, or dramatic or musical  arts  performances,  or  live  circus performances, or motion picture theaters, and except charges to a  patron  for  admission to, or use of, facilities for sporting activities  in which such patron is to be a participant, such as bowling alleys  and  swimming pools.

(Emphasis added)

In other words, they believe that fees for lap dances should be exempt just as fees for the ballet.

The court ultimately disagreed.  They concluded that the club didn’t provide enough evidence that would prove that the “private dances offered in the club were choreographed performances.”  The club simply didn’t successfully sell the court on their argument that stripping is an art form.

I don’t know, swinging around on a pole – upside down secured by a single limb – plus, some of those girls are really bendy and have some pretty impressive acrobatic skills.  (What?  I’ve seen Striptease – you know with Demi Moore) Seems to me that there is some skill involved, some artistic expression…and shall I say it, even some talent.   I think, yes, I think I might have been able to sell that in court….but that’s just me.

Related articles

• Exotic dance, artistic performance: tomato, tomahto, taxes (dontmesswithtaxes.typepad.com)
• NY court says strip club’s lap dances are taxable (boston.com)
• NY court says strip club’s lap dances are taxable (msnbc.msn.com)
• NY court says strip club’s lap dances are taxable (msnbc.msn.com)
• NY court says strip club’s lap dances are taxable (hosted.ap.org)
• Lap dancers take it on chin from N.Y. court (cbsnews.com)