To me, there are two kinds of strippers.
There are the one's who dance just to make money--it's just a job. Albeit not a respectable job in most people's eyes, but a job.
These girls are either in school, or not, but if they are not they are not out partying all day and night and messed up in the head. They are just like the girl who works at Kmart and doesnt go to school......
Then, there are the ones who basically LIVE that life. They come in the dressing room (when I am leaving since I work days) already seeming to be fucked up, loud and obnoxious and everything seems to revlove around thier job/stripper lifestyle.
Most people who have these stereotypes of dancers have obviously met too many of the latter kind, and not encountered the normal girls.