Insomnia is one of Berlin's wildest nightclubs - photos by Cindy-Lou Dale

Berlin's Wild Nightlife: The Other Side of Midnight

Page One

By Cindy-Lou Dale

What I love about Berlin is its unique and irrepressible ambience which exudes from each building and every citizen; one of acceptance and freedom, tolerance even; embracing all things decadent.

There is an air of unpretentiousness amongst Berliners who are open-minded and non-judgmental. As such the city is a magnet for non-conformists and creative minds drawn by the bizarre nightlife. 

Europeans have a healthy outlook on one of life’s remaining pleasures - Berliners especially so; and flirting with a little irregularity myself I succumbed to the promise of bearing witness to the city’s uninhibited erotica scene.

The KitKat Club

To gain access to the KitKat Club, of Lisa Minnelli and Cabaret fame, patrons need to theme dress, and that evening’s focus was the twenties – the 1920’s – and the more outlandish the dress, the better.

I’m not certain exactly what I expected when I met Nada Njiente, one of KitKat Club’s erotic dancers, but petite, genial and butt-naked was definitely not it. I endeavoured to avert my gaze from the tiny buds suggesting a bosom and instead fixed my eyes on her lavishly rouged and over-powdered face (and quietly wondered if a coffin scene was part of tonight’s show).

We wandered into the nightclub’s red-backlit bar area where we could at least hear one another shout, if we sat real close.

Feeling rather prim and somewhat overly dressed, I ordered a Mineral Water. We exchanged smiles and agreed how good it was to finally meet. Then I began coaxing details from her about how her erotic dancing career got started.

Emotional Baggage

Nada Njiente, a performer at the KitKat Club

“Throughout my adult life I managed to get myself entangled in relationships that would end in tears. I didn’t want the emotional baggage that came with these liaisons but hankered only after the physical aspects.” She paused for reflection.

“Thirteen years ago I attended an S & M event which I would personally liken to a born-again experience. A Domina on stage invited all those wanting to ‘come out’ to join her. In an instant I knew that this was me. I was overcome with the need for myself and everyone around me to know me for exactly what I was."

"I subsequently found out that it was the owner of the KitKat Club who helped me on stage. And thus I started my career in eroticism – and I’ve never looked back.”

Nada also stars in a couple of x-rated movies, participates in live sex shows and performs tantra massages.

“I have an insatiable appetite for physical intimacy and need to express these desires as often as I can.” She considered this statement for a moment then added:

Unrelenting Pressure

“I provide service to a society which places unrelenting pressure on us all to achieve. Some of us succeed, others not, and as such there are a lot of screwed up people out there, people with problems and no one to talk to, nobody who understands where they’re coming from and why they need to do what they do. Often they themselves don’t understand why they need it, just that they do, and if they don’t get it they will quietly go insane.”

She lit another cigarette and placed it in a cigarette holder.

“And should this be the vehicle they need in order to express themselves, to be themselves, or just to be in the company of others seeking fulfilment, then so be it.”

Nada tossed her glossy mane to one side and sucked back on her cigarette. The light fell across her gentle face, instantly making her look every day of her 48 years.

“I have an 18-year old daughter,” she proudly announced. “We have a very open relationship.”

“How does she view your profession?” I asked with difficulty.

“She knows what I do for a living and so do her friends. In fact, my daughter’s friends seek my advice and confide in me about personal aspects of their relationships.”

Top Hat and Tails

Nada’s boyfriend and onstage partner joined us. Thankfully he was wearing trousers. A top hat, starched cuffs and collar and a bow tie finished the look. He appeared about the same age as my own son who was sitting at home swatting for his final exams.

Nada and her boyfriend and onstage partner

He swabbed her throat with his tongue then whispered sweet nothings in her ear. Clearly they adored one another. Nada excused herself saying she had to prepare for her performance.

The nightclub was an extraordinary place, musty and dark, unusual art, a swing - I felt my way through the gloom, seeking a good vantage point of the stage. Something nicked the edge of my gaze and made me turn.

Sitting on a black leather sofa to my left was a rotund man clad head to toe in a black rubber Batman costume, complete with goggles. He was in the process of indulging a somewhat aroused body part which protruded from a Velcro y-flap. Maybe it was the threesome on the opposite sofa that was doing it for him, or perhaps the middle-aged lady on the dance floor wearing a PVC mini skirt and a cupless corset.

Nobody seemed too bothered by what others were doing, so neither was I. In fact, I felt it unusually refreshing to see so few inhibitions. Read more