As the disc jockey spins another track, a young woman dressed in a green thong bikini slowly makes her way around the lighted stage.

The woman, who uses the stage name Georgia, stops at each patron and makes each one feel as if he or she is the only person she’s dancing for.

After performing, she leaves each customer with a kiss on the cheek as they slide a folded $1 or $5 bill under the tie on the side of her bikini bottom in gratitude. The dancer moves on to the next client.

Georgia, a student at Iowa State, performs at the Lumberyard, 1504 NE 54th Ave. The club is gaining a reputation as a premier spot for adult entertainment on both the local and national scene. The venue is also set to host the biggest event for any club of its type: The Miss Nude World competition.

Miss Nude World will bring together winners of local, state and regional Miss Nude competitions from across the United States and around the world. The week-long event is held at a different location each year. This year, it’s found its way to Des Moines.

Georgia won’t be competing in the Miss Nude World competition — in fact, none of the regular Lumberyard dancers will. But that doesn’t mean they haven’t been pitching in to make the event a success.

“Everybody around here has really put a lot of hard work into this show,” Georgia says. “People are coming from all over. We want the club to look really professional.”

Georgia says Miss Nude World could mean not only more business for the club, but for the regular performers as well.

Mike Kent, the Lumberyard’s manager, echoes Georgia’s sentiments. He says he’s really happy with how everything is shaping up for the upcoming week.

“In our industry, this is the biggest event in the world. Most of the estimated 10,000 customers who are expected for the pageant will come from Iowa,” Kent says. “Many will travel from other states, however, and those visitors will provide an economic shot in the arm for hotels and restaurants in the Des Moines area.”

Kent says he still can’t believe all the publicity Miss Nude World has brought to the club. Over the last few months, Kent says, he has been on many syndicated radio shows to promote Miss Nude World. He says the hosts of “The Bob and Tom Show” are planning to attend the show.

“As a result of the Miss Nude World contest, we hope to be able to attract bigger names on the adult entertainment circuit,” Kent says. “That should mean more money for the local performers, too, as they will be able go on following some of the biggest names in the business.”

Jay Steines, a DJ for the club who goes by “D.J. J,” says he is also happy with the attention Miss Nude World has brought to the Lumberyard.

“This is going to be huge for this place,” Steines says. “Miss Nude World is going to bring the top names in adult entertainment from all over the world right here to Des Moines. There are going to be performers from movies, women who have been in Playboy and Penthouse and everything in between.”

Steines says the Lumberyard’s audio and lighting systems will be upgraded for the event.

For Georgia, hosting a successful Miss Nude World competition is important, but it’s the good working relationship the performers have with Kent that really matters.

“The Lumberyard is an excellent place to work,” Georgia says. “All performers are freelance. We pay to use the stage, but Big Mike makes this a good place to work.”

As much as Georgia enjoys dancing, she also says when she graduates, it’s the end of her performing career. After all, she says, this isn’t what she wants to do with the rest of her life.

“On a good night, I can make about a grand. It’s good money for a student,” Georgia says. “This is a way to put myself through college. This is not my goal in life. I don’t regret it all, though. I really enjoy this.”

Georgia says it’s not all about the money, though. She says entertaining the wide variety of men that come into the club is what she enjoys most about working there.

“We get everybody in here,” Georgia says. “Construction workers, businessmen — they all come in. We get a lot of birthday and bachelor parties, too. All the guys are a lot of fun to just talk to. I like that about this job.”

Suddenly, the DJ announces Georgia’s name. She turns and smiles as she makes her way toward the lighted stage.

“It’s still early.”

---

What: Miss Nude World

Where: The Lumberyard,1504 NE 54th Ave.,Des Moines

When: Monday – Saturday, Oct. 25

Cost: $35