Topless dancers at the renowned Crazy Horse night club in Paris have gone on strike, saying they are not being paid enough to take the shirts off their backs.

The Crazy Horse, one of the most popular establishments of its kind in the world, said it was forced to cancel performances this week for the first time since the cabaret was created in 1951

The night club, which declined to give details on salary demands or current wages, said in a statement that it had always taken the wellbeing of its artists very seriously and that talks were continuing to resolve the dispute.

"It's an exceptional place which has the specialty of presenting a fully naked show," Suzanne, one of the dancers, told RTL radio.

"What's wrong is that we are asked to work 24 days per month for a pay that is worse than miserable," she said.

The cabaret's management said it was doing everything possible to reopen.

"Everything is done to give the Crazy Horse show back to its public," it said.

In the meantime, clients with tickets for a show this week will be offered a new date or a refund, a spokeswoman said.

The Crazy Horse, Lido and Moulin Rouge — where topless dancers perform in carefully orchestrated shows - have been top attractions for generations of tourists and locals.