My idol and one of the reigning queens of bellydancing, Sadie, put out a great piece on the business of bellydance:
"The two most important factors of creating a successful career, and not just a few gigs here and there, are your product (your dancing) and your community ties and networking. You have to put in your dues so to speak. Like any other career there is a path to success and it doesn't happen overnight. In order to get out there and get noticed you have to attend and support events such as festivals, workshops and competitions. The community wants to support people who support them and in our business that just makes sense. It is our version of social security. Not only do promoters need to see that you are invested into the community but they also need to see your product and be wowed. What do you offer the community that is unique as a performer and/or teacher? Are you a pleasant person and easy to work with? What are your selling points? Why would someone want to take a chance on you? While there are many more opportunities for bellydancers within the community than there ever was even 10 years ago, the competition is stronger than ever too. The bar is being raised."
To read the full article, click on the link below:
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
I fell in love with belly dancing when I was 16 years old. I was a Russian dancer with a group from my church and we were performing at an international party when I saw belly dancing for the first time. I couldn't stop watching the dancer and decided from that point on that I would focus all of my dance energy on belly dancing. The rest is history...
0 comments:
Post a Comment