“The Last Real Showgirl: My Sequined ’70s Onstage” by Diane Christiansen.

Yes, the 70s were outrageous. Especially if you were a showgirl. One survivor dishes all.

Just out: The Last Real Showgirl: My Sequined ’70s Onstage, a deliciously fun tell-all by an actual Las Vegas showgirl. You know, the ones with endless legs and perfect posture who come pouring down a dazzling stage set bearing giant jeweled things on their heads? And who have very little on the rest of them? This book honors the incredible showmanship of the old-school showgirl revue, the iconic dancers (both girls and boys) and the wild lives they led while working the stages in Las Vegas, Paris, the Bahamas, and Puerto Rico in the 70s.

Diane Christiansen takes us into this amazing world — the highs and lows, the workaday and the fabulous. She does a great job of depicting not just the job, but the lifestyle.

Here’s what I learned: showgirls are serious. They’re anything but airheads and just pretty bodies. They are trained, hardworking dancers who know how to get around complicated choreography. Some are acrobats. Some have specialties. They are tall. The girls are not goddesses, even though they may be dressed that way — if goddesses wore giant feathered “wings” hanging from outstretched arms as they walk sideways across the stage with perfectly flat stomachs and dazzling smiles. But they are really, really good at putting on a show.

Also, they struggle with weight just like most of the rest of us. As Christiansen makes clear, staying fit is part of the job description. But this is the 70s, era of magic powders. There’s a harrowing section in the book where Christiansen, somewhat new to the scene, has been overindulging a bit. It’s a kind of cute showgirl version of the freshman 10. Soon enough, she’s told to lose 10 pounds. The easy solution? A management-sanctioned scrip for high-dose diet pills. Being the young professional she is, she takes them — and they work. But she winds up so addled she can’t sleep for days at a time.

Does management care? They certainly care that she’s trim and taut. The fact that her teeth can’t stop chattering seems like a minor inconvenience — she looks fabulous! It’s Christiansen’s close-knit group of work friends that help her realize there’s a better way to go. One thing that’s clear throughout this story is that she’s always had not only willpower and determination, but bolstering, sibling-like friendships to get her through.

The showgirls and show boys Christiansen works with tend to be deeply committed to their jobs and very responsible people. They’re not losers, dreamers, or victims. They’re pragmatic, strong, tall as mentioned, and young. Most if not all will retire by 35 at the oldest. They keep their rhinestone-covered heels on the ground, but they also fall in love. You could say in Christiansen’s case that she tends to wear her heart on her — sequins. She goes for self-centered, mostly bad choices who tend to have odd names, a humorous aspect she has the good sense of include. But all are gorgeous men and she falls deeply for them, dreaming of a future, etc. Some are stars, the others card-carrying travelers in a world of pizzazz and glamor, and transience seems to mark their attitude towards commitment as well. Heartbreak in this book is as common as exotic locations. Thank goodness Christiansen gets her revenge in the end, in the form of a great life, new careers (plural), a good husband (for a while) kids, and success long after the show is over.

The same discipline Christiansen clearly applied to being a showgirl is satisfyingly applied to this book as well. She makes sure her readers have a good time. She makes sure we see what went into a big showy revue: the productions, the rehearsals, the people who had the vision to carry it out. She honors old school Las Vegas and the stars and showgirls that made it home.

She also conveys a sense of the era, including the emergence of disco and how it changed the shows. But she never feels sorry for herself, at least for too long. She picks herself up, heads in a new direction, and lands on her feet. She writes with warmth and humor, and we’re right there with her. I definitely recommend this surprising page-turner. And no, real life is nothing like the movies. It’s a whole lot better. Since Christiansen is now a top acting coach in Hollywood, I trust her on that.

For more about Diane Christiansen and her book, visit thelastrealshowgirl.com.

Michael Rand