Stripping Down

BY: Dante Fresse

The Chrysalis is a short documentary film. It is a look into the life of Haley Rolland, an adult dancer who performs to discover her definition of femininity. The documentary begins with the question, “What is your definition of femininity?” Rolland grew up in a home where traditional examples of femininity were celebrated. However, life moved slowly, and the young girls in her neighborhood all started conforming to archetypes of femininity, wearing pink, staying home, and playing with dolls.

When Rolland started to notice men, she transformed, placing more attention on her body and how she moved around other people. Rolland says she grew up admiring women like the Pussycat Dolls, who performed on VH1. They offered her an example of how to be exotic.

After several unsatisfying jobs like waiting tables plus getting groped by men, Rolland looked for a way to take back her life. Her awakening came when she became an exotic dancer. She used it as a way to escape reality; for her, life moved faster on stage, and she could “step into a totally different world.”

Rolland says she felt extremely nervous and vulnerable during her first dance, but she quickly bonded with the rest of the girls and built confidence. Then, on the stage, she felt strong and empowered.

During the onset of COVID, Rolland lost her job at the strip club. As a result, a lot of the girls from the club started taking their work online. Still dancing for strangers, she remembers this as an awkward and scary experience. However, a sense of liberation accompanied this position because Haley now had a source of income.

Rolland’s philosophy of stripping now guides her life. She feels that her performances free her clients from emotional isolation. She also believes everyone needs intimacy and connection, and “this fantasy that [she] provide[s]” frees people from their isolation. It is her purpose as well as her expression and interpretation of femininity.

Yago Hunt-Laudi directed The Chrysalis. You can watch it on Vimeo.