Some Duke University students may be familiar with watching sex workers bare all — but probably not through poetry.

The Sex Workers’ Art Show — a cabaret-style collection of performances by current and former prostitutes, adult-film stars and exotic dancers — riveted a crowd of students and community members in the Bryan Center’s Reynolds Theater Sunday night.

Hot pink-haired host and show founder Annie Oakley kicked off the show by leading the audience in a chant of “naked ladies.”

The remainder of the event featured political statements, musical theater, a mild dominatrix act, the elaborate removal of clothing and an anal sparkler for the grand finale. Audience member reactions ranged from rowdy cheers to awkward silences.

Junior Martha Brucato spent 11 months raising funds for the free show in hopes of initiating discussions about sexuality and the way women’s bodies are often seen as commodities — issues she said are rarely brought up on campus.

“When people are exposed to something so different from what they are used to, it will get them talk about these things,” Brucato said.

The Sex Workers’ Art Show originated in Olympia, Wash., in 1997 as an annual local event. It is now on its sixth tour, planning to hit 36 venues in 42 days.