The dictionary defines professional as this:
A person who makes a business of an occupation, practice, etc., esp. of an art or sport in which amateurs engage for amusement or recreation.
Although this technically is true there is so much more to it than that. Just getting paid to dance does not necessarily make you a professional. Most professional dancers of any dance, train for many years before they are considered to be professionals. However, in Middle Eastern Dance the rules are much more lenient and this allows dancers to develop skills at different rates. Some dancers will practice all their life and be considered nothing more than an intermediate while others dance for a couple months and seem to be naturals. Being a professional goes beyond just the ability to perform well. You also have to have a good general knowledge of your dance community (unless you've just moved there in which case you should plan on becoming familiar with your dance community soon). You should also have a minimal knowledge of the history of the dance as well as an understanding of it's different origins and styles. You should also be able to use a minimum of one dance prop and zills.
When You Think Your Ready
Getting Started
To get started I suggest you talk with your current teacher. Tell them that you are thinking of performing in a professional capacity. You may want to work with them on an individual basis to reach your goal. I would also suggest that you video tape yourself dancing and then ask your teacher if they could critique it. Watch the video with them if you can and take notes on what they say needs improvement. Don't get offended or upset but, take it as it's meant... constructive criticism. It's sometimes hard to hear but if you want to improve you need to hear it. Spend time working on the things that need improvement and then video tape yourself again at a later time. Watch the two videos together and see if you can notice an improvement. You may want to ask you teacher to critique you again. You can also dance live for your teacher and ask them to critique you that way but, I find that when you watch a video it's easier to see for yourself what they are talking about. Listen to your teacher and their opinions, most teachers are there to help you and will want to give you good direction in your career. If you really don't think your teacher is being fair, ask another teacher if they could critique you. If they have the same opinion then you know that really is something you need to work on.
Knowing Your Dance Community
When your a dancer people will inevitably come up to you and ask you questions about other dancers they have seen, who else can they or should they see, where else can they see dancers, where else can they see you, are there any other good ME Restaurants that you recommend, where did the dance come from, how did it develop, where did you learn to dance, where are good places to take lessons. There is an endless list of questions that people can and will ask you when they get the chance some people will ask inappropriate questions which you may feel uncomfortable with (I will talk more about this later) while some will ask you history questions or questions about local events and performances. It is a lot easier to deal with all of these questions if you know what you are talking about. You should do some research in your area to find out if there are any well known dancers in your area. Find out who they are, what styles they perform, if they have a school or someplace they teach lessons, etc... You don't necessarily have to promote them but people may ask you questions about them and it promotes a sense of community and sisterhood for others to be able to hear you speak decently of other dancers even though they are your competition. Watch out, bad mouthing other dancers and teachers could eventually earn you the status of being that "bitchy" or "catty" dancer who thinks she's better than everyone else. That doesn't mean that when you are asked to give a recommendation for classes or performances that you can't promote yourself, your school, your teacher, your friends, your troupe, etc... it just means if they ask about another dancer/teacher/troupe/school in the area be nice about it and tell them what you know. Find out about other restaurants that offer dancing in your area and even ones that offer Middle Eastern Food, sometimes there are really good restaurants that don't have dancing but they have fantastic food and if that's what someone is asking you about then let them know. Be aware of any local events that are going on that involve Middle Eastern food, culture, music, art, dancing, etc... as this is often of interest to people who frequent Middle Eastern dance events.
Knowing The Basic History Of The Dance And It's Styles
Although there is very little recorded history on Middle Eastern Dances you should familiarize yourself with the more widely accepted theories. This way when people ask you about history (and they will) you can explain to them something like "there are several theories about that and I personally believe that...". This way you let them know that this is a theory that you believe, but you also let them know that there are other theories which may be true. I would reccommend reading Serpent Of The Nile by Wendy Buenoventura (a very good book on the history of ME dance). You may also want to do some web searching to find other history information. The History section of my site gives a brief overview of some of the more widely believed theories. Also, make sure to familiarize yourself with some of the famous dancers from the Middle East (both past and present) such as Samia Gamal, Tahia Carioca, Fifi Abdo, Nadia Gamal, Dina, Raqia Hassan, Ozel Turkbas, Rezzan, Princess Banu, Inci Birol, Amany, Hwida, etc... You may have more interest in Some and not others depending on the Style dance you are performing. That brings me to the next part of this section which is knowing about the different styles of Middle Eastern Dance. You should most importantly know what your style is and then what other styles there are. This way you don't misrepresent yourself by saying I'm performing an Egyptian Dance when you actually learned Lebanese or Turkish Style. Many US dancers learn a mix so that the are actually perfoming American Style which is a mix of the Middle Eastern styles as well as other styles which can include but is not limited to Flamenco, Modern, Ballet, Indian, etc... I personally feel that all styles are beautiful, but I hate it when I see a style misrepresented. So, learn about the different styles and which one(s) you have learned so that you can accurately portray yourself and the dance. Shira's site has a pretty good online test you can take to test your dance knowledge if you want to get an idea of where you are in your knowledgeableness
Working With a Prop
Working with a prop is another important part of being a professional dancer. Even if you never really put it in your show you should at least know how to use it. There are many props to choose from such as Scimitars, Canes, Candelabras, Pots, Baskets, Veil(s), and even fans. If you want to stick with a traditional prop you may want to use a Cane, Candelabra, Basket, or a pot. A scimitar or a sword would be a good prop for a more modern prop. Or you can use a completely non-traditional prop such as a fan. Whatever you use make sure that you use it well. Pick at least one and stick with it. Ask your teacher for help in picking out traditional or appropriate music for your particular prop. You may even ask for their help in choreographing something with the music to get a feel for how to use the prop while dancing and how it might relate to the music. If you can watch or buy videos and performances on how to use your prop and to see other people and how they use the prop in dancing. Another prop that I didn't mention yet is Finger Cymbals. I didn't mention them before because you don't need to know how to use every prop but every single professional dancer should know how to play at a bare minimum two patterns with their zills. Zills are often very hard to master especially when your dancing with them and playing them at the same time. It takes approximately 3 years for most people to be able to play zills at an acceptable level. Some people develop this skill much quicker (usually those who have a good musical background or an extremely good sense of music and keeping time) and some much slower. If you really want to be a professional dancer you really have to work on your zill skills... even if you never play them you should know at least two patterns. You never know what might happen but there are times when something goes wrong and you have no music and then you'll be glad you can play zills while you dance.
OK. So, your teacher thinks your ready, you know at least a little about your dance community, you have a basic understanding of the history of the dance, you know how to use a prop, and you know two or more zill patterns that you can play. What's next? Preparing yourself for the stage setting.
Getting Ready for the Stage
First Steps
The first steps before you Dance professionally are to make sure you have all the minimum requirements. In addition to being able to dance well, use a prop, and play finger cymbals you should have a minimum of two professional costumes (For Cabaret Style dancers this would be the traditional bedlah {Bra and Belt set) or some form of Cabaret Style dress. For Tribal Style Dancers this would be a costume like you would see Fat Chance, Gypsy Caravan, or Other professional Tribal Troupes perform in.). For Folkloric dancers the costuming will vary with what you are doing but you should still have at least two different costumes for the style. You should also have routines planned out or at least selected music to which you will improvise. I reccomend having at least three different tapes/CD's that you have made up with your selected music. I also recommend having an emergency bag with you (More on this later).
Typical Structure Of A Routine
There is no one set structure for routines although in certain styles there are some fairly common structure ideals. For example in American Nightclub/Cabaret style typically has seven parts although some parts are occasionally dropped or arranged differently. The dancer generally does not go though a costume change in the middle of the show. They generally follow this pattern:
1. Entrance - Fast or Medium paced music (The Dancer may have her costume covered by her veil)
2. Removing the Veil and/or Veil Dance - Slow paced music
3. Fast or Medium paced music
4. Floor work and/or balancing - Slow paced music
5. Tips - Fast or Medium paced music
6. Drum Solo - Fast or Medium paced (for obvious reasons)
7. Finale and/or Exit - Fast to Medium paced music (Generally very short)
Tribal structure can be basically the same as the structure above or it may consist more of songs that alternate fast to slow. The tribal type of routine often does not include veil work or drum solos largely due to the fact that it doesn't really work with the whole group improvisation idea.
Egyptian-style dancers Generally enter with fast music swirling a veil around (they never tuck and cover with the veil). They generally discard their veil shortly after entering and do not use it again. Then it might slow down or speed up, but it's transitions are much smoother to the point that one may not even be able to recognize the different parts. It all flows together without a clear transition. Floor work is not a part of the Egyptian-style as it has been illegal in Egypt since the 1950's. Instead this part is for undulations and smooth flowing hip movements. The dancer will often leave the stage to change costume and come back to do a more folkloric style of dance which could be a cane dance, shamadan, melayla leff, Saidi, or even Khaleegy (although this is not an Egyptian dance).
A typical performance is a 30 minute or 1/2 hour show. Some areas do 15 minute shows and other areas it is more common to see a 45 minute to an an hour show. You generally leave all your props on or by the stage and a worker at the restaurant, a family member or friend, or you (at a later time) will pick them up. Don't pick them up as you exit (It looks un professional and takes away from the dramatic ending/exit) unless you can gracefully work it into your routine.
Understanding Your Work Area
Every stage or work area is different. Some places have carpet, some tile, some wood floors, etc... Some places have actual stages and some you just dance on the floor. You need to take in many aspects of the places you will be dancing and be prepared to deal with them appropriately. For example if the place your going to dance has carpet and no stage you will probably want to have dance shoes with very little friction as it tends to be harder to move on carpet. This means you have to practice in your shoes and get a feel for them before you actually perform. If the place your performing has an extremely high stage you will definitely not want to wear heels but you may decide to wear sandals or some other type of shoe or even no shoes at all. Another thing to consider is that if your in a restaurant there could be a lot of dirty things on the floor that you may not want to step in. If your outside you have to be careful of glass, rocks, and sometimes even doggie doo. The best thing to do is to try dancing on different surfaces to determine what type of footwear if any will be needed for those surfaces. When you know what type of footwear you feel most comfortable in for each surface type then you will be able to plan your wardrobe and routing accordingly. Also, when you do get a job always check out the area you will be dancing in at least 1 day before your gig. Another thing to consider is whether you will have enough room to use your prop. If your in an area that is very small you may not be able to use your prop in the way you would like to. For example if your in a crowded space and you are dancing with a scimitar right next to your audience people may feel scared or threatened by this, people also don't like to be hit with canes or the ends of veils. If your going to use a veil as your prop in a small area I would recommend using a circular veil as you still get all the beauty of veil work but there are no flying ends to hit your audience with... I've been hit with a veil as an audience member before and trust me it doesn't feel good (it down right hurts, especially if it's beaded) and I didn't enjoy the performance as much. If you don't have enough room to use your prop you may want to use your zills instead or enter with a veil and either throw it away without using it or leave it on around your neck and just use it a little here and there only picking up the ends but not actually removing it from your neck and swirling it around you. Make sure you plan it out before your performance... preferably a day or two before.
Being Professional Before And After Your Performance
Whether your waiting around for your show to start or you've finished and are mingling with the audience you should always remain in your professional business mode. Before the show you should cover up your costume with an abaya/galabia, this allows you to be ready quickly for the show since you need only remove your cover-up and it also allows you to save the suspense and glamour for the stage where it belongs part of the fun for the audience is that sudden flash of sparkle and brightly colored fabric. Seeing it before the show takes away from the excitement. You should also cover up afterwards, it shows people that the costume is for the stage performance only and helps people view you more as an artist than as a stripper. Believe it or not this cut's down the inappropriate questions (more about this in a little bit) by at least 50% if not more. It helps people respect what you do. The other thing you need to remember is that when you are there in a professional capacity you should only be talking business. Don't tell people about your boyfriend and the cruise your going on next week or grandma's surgery tomorrow morning. Keep all your conversations related to the dance. Talk about your school, teacher, local events, other places you can be seen performing, etc... don't get personal.
The Dreaded But, Inevitable Inappropriate Questions
Every dancer no matter how professional they are or how covered they are eventually gets asked one of "those" questions. "Are you a stripper?" "Wanna give me a lap dance?" and much worse. Now there are multiple ways of handling this but some just don't get you anywhere. The best thing to do is to set them straight right away. Tell them very calmly and seriously that you are not a stripper/hooker/prostitute/call girl (depending on their innuendo's) and that you are a performing artist. Tell them that that is inappropriate and that they should not make associations between dancers and ... the other. Some may continue to "push" but I find that after the initial talk it is best to ignore them or tell the manager about their behavior. Most will seem shocked and dismayed at this news but will not generally ask any more inappropriate question. The thing to remember is that this particular dance form has been getting the wrong kind of press for a long time and most people just are not educated enough on the subject to know better... I mean seriously do you know how many people think the don't even have electricity in the Middle East, how can we expect them to know any more about the dance. Don't get mad and frustrated just brush it off and try to educate them if you can.
Contracts
Read more under the Contracts page. Contracts are a very important thing for any dancer to have. Although most restaurants won't enter into one and most dancers don't have one or demand one at restaurant gigs it is very important to have for private parties. Especially when dealing with bachelor parties. Often when you do a bachelor party they are thinking you are basically the same as a stripper and having a contract often helps them look at you as more of an entertainer, the legality of the contract helps to remind them to stay in line a little better (it's not a sure fire way to make them behave though). it just makes you seem more professional to your employer and help's protect both parties in the event of the unexpected.
The Emergency Bag
Every dancer should have an emergency bag that is brought with to any gigs. Many dancers have experienced an embarassing moment because they were unprepared. Your emergency bag is for all those little things that you may not have even thought about or that you hope never happens to you. The essentials for your bag are:
1. Safety pins of various sizes
If your clasp breaks, or the seam holding your bra together goes you'll be glad you can quickly
remedy this and finish your set. They also come in handy if you want to pin your belt and skirt
together
2. Needle
This is a neccessarry tool for enforcing seams you just didn't notice were weak before they break, repairing a costume that has a seam come undone and for repairing bead work.
3. Thread (I suggest the little teeny tiny spools or bobbins with matching colors for all your costumes)
Another neccessarry tool for repairing costumes if you don't want to carry all the colors that you
have costumes in then at least have black and white so that dark colored costumes can be
repaired with black and light colored costumes with white. You may need this to repair seams or
beading.
4. Tweezers
This is important to have especially if you dance barefoot or in open shoes like sandals. You'll
want this to pull glass, splinters, and who knows what else out of your feet. Also handy if you
have a few unruly hairs somewhere.
5. Band-Aids
You never know when you might injure yourself and a bandage of some kind comes in really hand if you do, especially since you don't want to risk getting blood on your costumes.
6. Deodorant
You never know when you might need it. Personally I like to apply a fresh coat of a clear
deodorant before a performance, I'd rather smell extra fresh than slightly ripe.
7. Talcum Powder
Some days it's so hot that it's hard not to sweat and you may need to use some talcum powder
to help absorb some of that. It's also nice to sprinkle it on your hands if thier a little sweaty as it
helps you hold certain props better (I especially like to use it if I'll be dancing with a sword...)
8. Pads/Tampons
Hey, sometimes it comes unexpectedly or was heavier then expected either way it can't hurt to
be prepared.
9. Crazy Glue or Frey Check
This is helpful if a strand of beads breaks and you don't have time to repair it right away. Simply
tie it of so it doesen't cause more strands to come undone and then dab a little glue so it won't go
anywhere. Since both dry in a matter of seconds you could dance immediatly after or put the
costume in you bag and go without having to worry about a drying time. Then as soon as you
can repair it properly. You can also use this if you have a run in a stocking or body stocking or
even on seams that ripped and freyed. This way it should halt or slow the damage till you can
properly reapair it.
10. Spare glasses/contacts/solution if you have vision problems
Most people don't dance in glasses but let's say your contact falls out while your dancing on
stage in a restaurant, even if you did find it, would you really want to put that back in your eye!
11. Extra Medications if you have health problems
Let's say it's time to take your medication and your changing room is the restaurant's bathroom,
you go to take your pill and drop it on the floor... let's hope you have a spare. Also it may be a
good idea to have asprins and cold/anti-histimine tablets for unexpected headaches and colds.
12. Extra copy of music on both CD and tape
Sometimes a homemade CD (CD+/-R, or especially CD+/-RW) will not work in older and even
some newer CD players. Sometimes your CD's get scratched or the CD player just doesn't want
to work. Tapes can have problems too but not as many as you experience with CD's. It's best to
have a back-up copy of your music on both fromats (CD and tape). Also keep in mind if/when
your making CD's CD+/-RW formats are more likely to cause problems. I reccomend always
burning onto a CD+/-R as it's more widely recognized on both old and new players.
Many people have other things they put in their bags but these (in my opinion) are very important to have.
