"Striptease, in the way it is practised in this case, is a form of dance combined with acting."

What's going on in Norway? Judges in an appellate court have declared stripping to be an art form, and therefore tax exempt.

The owners of the Diamond Go Go Bar in Oslo had refused to pay VAT of 25% on entry fees as tax authorities demanded. The local authority had taken the club to court over its refusal to pay tax.

Lawyers for the club's owners argued that striptease dancers were stage artists just like sword-swallowers and comedians and deserved the same status.

"Striptease, in the way it is practised in this case, is a form of dance combined with acting," the judges ruled, according to AFP news agency.