An exotic dancer is suing her former employer in Florida federal court, arguing the club’s management discriminated against her.
Plaintiff Jezhane Smalls filed her complaint Jan. 11 in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, Tampa Division.
Smalls, a Black female and Florida resident, claims defendant Deja Vu Showgirls Tampa discriminated against her and altered the terms of her employment because of her race.
“At all material times, Defendant, through its managers and agents, acted with intentional racial animus toward Ms. Smalls and other Black dancers, and intentionally interfered with Ms. Smalls’ right to make and enforce contracts on the same terms as similarly situated non-Black performers,” the 16-page complaint states.
“Defendant’s conduct – including racially derogatory comments about Black women, selective and harsher rule enforcement, disparate scrutiny, refusal to provide workplace protection, and pretextual discipline and termination – was undertaken because of Ms. Smalls’ race and had the purpose and effect of depriving her of the benefits, privileges, and conditions of her contractual relationship with Deja Vu.”
According to Smalls’ filing, she worked as an exotic dancer and entertainer, performing on stage and providing “entertainment services to customers” at Deja Vu, located at Adamo Drive in Tampa.
During her employment, Smalls claims she was subjected to a “pattern and practice” of racial discrimination, harassment, and disparate treatment by the club’s management – in particular, a manager named Danny.
She alleges Danny made “explicit racist statements” to her and other Black dancers, and disparaged them for seeking fair compensation.
Smalls claims Danny enforced club rules “selectively” based on race, often scrutinizing and criticizing Black dancers for conduct that white and Latina dancers were permitted to engage in without discipline.
She also alleges he engaged in “heightened and inappropriate surveillance” of her during her performances, “staring at her and monitoring her movements far more closely than white dancers.”
She contends Danny also engaged in an “ongoing pattern” of bullying and harassment toward her by sabotaging her stage sets, attempting to force her on camera, and gossiping about her to other staff – and even harassing her online.
Smalls claims she also was subjected to heightened scrutiny of her movements, breaks, and sales in comparison to non-Black dancers.
According to her filing, the discrimination culminated in her termination on Nov. 7, 2025 after a non-Black employee and former dancer entered the stage area and interfered with Smalls’ scheduled set and tip collection.
“Video footage shows Ms. Smalls attempting to engage in a calm, adult conversation, contradicting management’s claims of hostility,” the complaint states, noting that management failed to conduct a “meaningful” investigation.
Instead, Smalls claims she was terminated without progressive discipline, suspension, or prior formal warning.
“As a direct and proximate result of unlawful actions, Plaintiff has suffered actual damages: loss of income, loss of opportunity for future income, loss of benefits, and loss of future pay increases,” the complaint states. “In addition, she has suffered and continues to suffer the loss of her professional and personal reputation, emotional distress, mental anguish, embarrassment, and humiliation.”
She seeks front pay in lieu of reinstatement, full back pay with interest, compensatory damages, punitive damages, pre- and post-judgment interest, and attorneys’ fees.
Imler Law in Lutz, Florida, is representing Smalls in the action.
