Definition of a Professional Belly Dancer
There’s not a lot involved in calling oneself a professional, but there is a lot in actually being a professional. Here’s a simple, but extensive list of my definition of a true pro!
1) Cultural Knowledge
If you’re going to enter the professional arena and call yourself a pro, you also need to realize that this dance isn’t just about you. When you belly dance, you’re a cultural ambassador in a sense, representing the many cultures of the Middle East. If you present yourself as a belly dancer who performs the dances of the Middle East, you need to know what qualities distinguish each culture from another – they aren’t all the same. Not only do the many different cultures of the Middle East have many religious and political issues between them, they also have different expectations for belly dancers. You will be expected to know that you don’t play the music of one country at a venue full of people from a different country because of a thousand year old conflict. Since as a professional 75% of your presentations will be for Middle Easterners, this falls as number one in order of importance.
2) Dance Ability
-You need to have advanced, precise technique that includes layering, balance and versatility in movement.
-Proper, aligned posture is a must!
-You have to have the ability to choreograph interesting and music appropriate dances.
-You need to be able to improvise with ease.
-You should be able to dance with a variety of props including: finger cymbals, cane, sword, veil - single and double, wings, cape, tray - fire or Moroccan tea set, tambourine, candles, skirt and candelabrum
-You need to have the knowledge and be able to execute the folk dances of the Middle East (just a few listed here): Saidi, Raqs el Shamadan (candelabrum), Debke (Lebanese, Palestinian, etc.), Persian folk dances (Classic, Baba Karam, Bandari, etc.), Tunisian, Persian Gulf dances (Khaleegi, etc.), North African dances (Zar, Guerda, etc.)
- You have to have the ability to dance to different time measures (just a few listed here): 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 8/4, 5/8, 6/8, 7/8, 9/8, 10/8, 13/8
- You have to have the ability to dance to different rhythms (just a few listed here): Malful, Ayoub, Karachi, Saudi, Falahin, Maksoum, Saidi, Masmoudi, Chiftitelli and Samai
-Many different types of songs should be in your repertoire including: Classic orchestrated, beledi, Om Kalsoum, folk, techno, drum solos, etc.
3) Musicality
-You should dance on beat.
-You must acknowledge musical phrasing by changing up your dance steps.
-You should hear and understand the musical cues and anticipate the changes in music.
-Change the tempo of your dance steps so they match the musical tempo changes.
4) Appearance
-You need a fit body and stamina.
-Pros must have many, expensive-looking, professional quality body-appropriate costumes.
-You need glamorous, heavy stage makeup.
-Clean finger and toe nails, with a manicure and pedicure are a must.
-You need a glamorous hair style, perhaps with wigs, falls or extensions.
-Accessories like jewelry, gauntlets, hair bands complete the professional look.
-A clean body, clean hair and costume free of smells like cigarette smoke or mold is a must.
-An elegant cover-up for before and after performances keeps the mystery.
-Bring a change of professional clothing like a semi-formal dress and heels.
-Update your “look” frequently.
5) Style
-You dance must have contrast in movement.
-You need to have entertainment skills (be comfortable interacting with the audience).
-Subtlety in your dance presentation takes you from amateur to pro!
-You need to be able to express different moods, and knowing what the music is about is the best place to start, so get your music translated.
-Have a polished, established style of your own. But versatility in ability to execute other styles of belly dance like Egyptain Raqs Sharqi, American Cabaret and folk dances are needed as well.
-You need to be able to choose music that is paced well to create a “Whole Package” when you perform so there is a beginning, middle and end.
-Have an entrance and exit with each presentation.
6) Behavior
-Be gracious and focus on giving to the audience rather than how you’re going to blow their socks off!
-Be assertive when needed (not being paid on time, show starts too late, last- minute cancelled jobs – you’ll need to know how to handle these types of situations).
-Be supportive of fellow dancers.
-Be punctual to all booked engagements (30 minutes to one hour ahead of the scheduled start time depending of type of event).
-Do not drink alcoholic beverages or smoke in front of clients.
-Always have a chaperone accompany you to all events.
-Do not perform at questionable events like bachelor parties, strip clubs or men’s birthday parties. All these types of events present belly dance as “The OK, G- Rated Stripper” – do we really need the money that bad?
7) Business Sense / Ethics
-Do not undercut the going rate, period.
-Do not steal jobs from other professional dancers or from your teacher – get your own!
Please note the following about "stealing jobs":
Stealing jobs mainly consists of one of 2 things in my opinion, although this topic can be murky. If a dancer is sent on a job through an agent or a troupe director, the dancer should always give the agent or director’s promotional materials to the client. It would be considered unethical to give one’s own contact information in a situation like this. If a dancer has confidence in her agent or teacher, she should know that when her specific talents are requested by a client that she will be booked again by her agent or teacher.
Another situation would be going into a restaurant with established dancers and quoting a price much lower than the going rate in order to get the job. I do not consider going into a restaurant and offering one’s services directly to the owner at the same rate as current employed dancers as stealing jobs. (It’s a free-market, after all, like any other industry.) Belly dance jobs are far and few between. Dancers on the local restaurant and private party circuit can often be possessive of their jobs, but the truth of the matter is that the perceived “ownership” of jobs is volatile, because there will always be someone prettier, younger and/or a better dancer looking for the same jobs. It is current working professionals’ job to constantly improve themselves and make sure that what they are offering is top-notch and competitive with new-comers. If a pro “loses” a job to a new-comer for reasons other than a dancer giving her personal card out on a job that she received from her teacher or booking agent, or from undercutting, the pro should examine herself and not say that her job has been “stolen”.
When one of the two above situations happens, a pro should wonder how valuable she ever was to a client/restaurant owner because it may have nothing to do with her talent, and only to do with money matters for a client or restaurant owner.
-If you are booked by your troupe director or a talent agency, always give the business card of that person/business, never your own.
-Ask questions about all the events you’re booked for - don’t leave room for any surprises!
-If the client doesn’t hold up their end of the bargain, don’t be afraid to walk away. Don’t put up with being mistreated! Try to get paid, though, since you held up your end – a good reason for prepaid, nonrefundable deposits.
8) Versatility
-You need to have the ability to dance to live music.
-Have the ability to dance to unexpected music last minute. What if your CD doesn’t play?
-The venue might be different than expected. Be prepared to deal with things like low ceilings, hot concrete, etc.
9) Never stop trying to achieve your personal-best!
-There’s always someone better…keep a humble spirit.
There’s not a lot involved in calling oneself a professional, but there is a lot in actually being a professional. Here’s a simple, but extensive list of my definition of a true pro!
1) Cultural Knowledge
If you’re going to enter the professional arena and call yourself a pro, you also need to realize that this dance isn’t just about you. When you belly dance, you’re a cultural ambassador in a sense, representing the many cultures of the Middle East. If you present yourself as a belly dancer who performs the dances of the Middle East, you need to know what qualities distinguish each culture from another – they aren’t all the same. Not only do the many different cultures of the Middle East have many religious and political issues between them, they also have different expectations for belly dancers. You will be expected to know that you don’t play the music of one country at a venue full of people from a different country because of a thousand year old conflict. Since as a professional 75% of your presentations will be for Middle Easterners, this falls as number one in order of importance.
2) Dance Ability
-You need to have advanced, precise technique that includes layering, balance and versatility in movement.
-Proper, aligned posture is a must!
-You have to have the ability to choreograph interesting and music appropriate dances.
-You need to be able to improvise with ease.
-You should be able to dance with a variety of props including: finger cymbals, cane, sword, veil - single and double, wings, cape, tray - fire or Moroccan tea set, tambourine, candles, skirt and candelabrum
-You need to have the knowledge and be able to execute the folk dances of the Middle East (just a few listed here): Saidi, Raqs el Shamadan (candelabrum), Debke (Lebanese, Palestinian, etc.), Persian folk dances (Classic, Baba Karam, Bandari, etc.), Tunisian, Persian Gulf dances (Khaleegi, etc.), North African dances (Zar, Guerda, etc.)
- You have to have the ability to dance to different time measures (just a few listed here): 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 8/4, 5/8, 6/8, 7/8, 9/8, 10/8, 13/8
- You have to have the ability to dance to different rhythms (just a few listed here): Malful, Ayoub, Karachi, Saudi, Falahin, Maksoum, Saidi, Masmoudi, Chiftitelli and Samai
-Many different types of songs should be in your repertoire including: Classic orchestrated, beledi, Om Kalsoum, folk, techno, drum solos, etc.
3) Musicality
-You should dance on beat.
-You must acknowledge musical phrasing by changing up your dance steps.
-You should hear and understand the musical cues and anticipate the changes in music.
-Change the tempo of your dance steps so they match the musical tempo changes.
4) Appearance
-You need a fit body and stamina.
-Pros must have many, expensive-looking, professional quality body-appropriate costumes.
-You need glamorous, heavy stage makeup.
-Clean finger and toe nails, with a manicure and pedicure are a must.
-You need a glamorous hair style, perhaps with wigs, falls or extensions.
-Accessories like jewelry, gauntlets, hair bands complete the professional look.
-A clean body, clean hair and costume free of smells like cigarette smoke or mold is a must.
-An elegant cover-up for before and after performances keeps the mystery.
-Bring a change of professional clothing like a semi-formal dress and heels.
-Update your “look” frequently.
5) Style
-You dance must have contrast in movement.
-You need to have entertainment skills (be comfortable interacting with the audience).
-Subtlety in your dance presentation takes you from amateur to pro!
-You need to be able to express different moods, and knowing what the music is about is the best place to start, so get your music translated.
-Have a polished, established style of your own. But versatility in ability to execute other styles of belly dance like Egyptain Raqs Sharqi, American Cabaret and folk dances are needed as well.
-You need to be able to choose music that is paced well to create a “Whole Package” when you perform so there is a beginning, middle and end.
-Have an entrance and exit with each presentation.
6) Behavior
-Be gracious and focus on giving to the audience rather than how you’re going to blow their socks off!
-Be assertive when needed (not being paid on time, show starts too late, last- minute cancelled jobs – you’ll need to know how to handle these types of situations).
-Be supportive of fellow dancers.
-Be punctual to all booked engagements (30 minutes to one hour ahead of the scheduled start time depending of type of event).
-Do not drink alcoholic beverages or smoke in front of clients.
-Always have a chaperone accompany you to all events.
-Do not perform at questionable events like bachelor parties, strip clubs or men’s birthday parties. All these types of events present belly dance as “The OK, G- Rated Stripper” – do we really need the money that bad?
7) Business Sense / Ethics
-Do not undercut the going rate, period.
-Do not steal jobs from other professional dancers or from your teacher – get your own!
Please note the following about "stealing jobs":
Stealing jobs mainly consists of one of 2 things in my opinion, although this topic can be murky. If a dancer is sent on a job through an agent or a troupe director, the dancer should always give the agent or director’s promotional materials to the client. It would be considered unethical to give one’s own contact information in a situation like this. If a dancer has confidence in her agent or teacher, she should know that when her specific talents are requested by a client that she will be booked again by her agent or teacher.
Another situation would be going into a restaurant with established dancers and quoting a price much lower than the going rate in order to get the job. I do not consider going into a restaurant and offering one’s services directly to the owner at the same rate as current employed dancers as stealing jobs. (It’s a free-market, after all, like any other industry.) Belly dance jobs are far and few between. Dancers on the local restaurant and private party circuit can often be possessive of their jobs, but the truth of the matter is that the perceived “ownership” of jobs is volatile, because there will always be someone prettier, younger and/or a better dancer looking for the same jobs. It is current working professionals’ job to constantly improve themselves and make sure that what they are offering is top-notch and competitive with new-comers. If a pro “loses” a job to a new-comer for reasons other than a dancer giving her personal card out on a job that she received from her teacher or booking agent, or from undercutting, the pro should examine herself and not say that her job has been “stolen”.
When one of the two above situations happens, a pro should wonder how valuable she ever was to a client/restaurant owner because it may have nothing to do with her talent, and only to do with money matters for a client or restaurant owner.
-If you are booked by your troupe director or a talent agency, always give the business card of that person/business, never your own.
-Ask questions about all the events you’re booked for - don’t leave room for any surprises!
-If the client doesn’t hold up their end of the bargain, don’t be afraid to walk away. Don’t put up with being mistreated! Try to get paid, though, since you held up your end – a good reason for prepaid, nonrefundable deposits.
8) Versatility
-You need to have the ability to dance to live music.
-Have the ability to dance to unexpected music last minute. What if your CD doesn’t play?
-The venue might be different than expected. Be prepared to deal with things like low ceilings, hot concrete, etc.
9) Never stop trying to achieve your personal-best!
-There’s always someone better…keep a humble spirit.
