| WHY "BELLYGRAMS?"
Over the years I've heard from both sides of the fence about whether we (as "Oriental Dance Artists") should even be using the word 'belly' at all, let alone doing bellygrams. Obviously, I do both. Strictly speaking, of course, calling our dance 'bellydance' is like calling ballet 'tip-toe dancing' - there's a lot more to it than that! But I think of the term as the American nickname for Oriental Dance - in our culture it communicates information about our style of dance and costume. Somehow, 'Oriental Dance-gram' just doesn't communicate as well. As for the acceptability or authenticity of 'grams in our dance form, having dancers entertain at parties is a centuries-old custom, an honored tradition (even if society didn't honor the dancer herself!). And besides the financial benefits (especially since private-party fees are about double what restaurant gigs pay), doing bellygrams can give a dancer valuable experience in handling herself, other people, and unusual situations. I've found 'grams to be invaluable tools for personal growth, and not only in the realm of dance. The safety issue... Yes, I've had some crank phone calls; and even more calls from local hotels at 1am (where in my ads did it say anything about stripping or 'one-on-one' dancing? Too many one-track minds out there!!!).Do you have an answering machine? Use it. Turn your ringer off before you go to bed. If you get a call that makes you feel uneasy, hang up - you don't have to talk to anyone you don't want to. Also, if you have to meet someone to follow them to the party, meet them at a public place and keep your doors locked and windows up, just like mom always told you. Common sense and intuition will take you far. If you get to the location and you don't like the look of it, just turn around and leave; you don't even have to explain. In all my years doing hundreds of grams, I've only been to a couple that made me uncomfortable, that made me feel, not unsafe, but just icky. I probably wasn't what they expected either. But their money was just as good as anybody else's! So follow your heart, and your intuition, and may God bless your endeavors!
(Disclaimer: What
follows
could be called, "The American Way of Bellygrams" because it pertains
specifically
to the American market. Dancing at parties given by Mid-eastern
people
is a whole other ballgame.)
BOOM BOX TIPS - get a portable one that still has a big sound - 4" speakers usually do the trick. If they're detachable, lock &/or glue them on. Use batteries so you don't have to hassle with finding an outlet etc., but keep the power cord in your dance bag just in case. At the gig, YOU take care of the Box - don't turn it over to a stranger who's likely to turn it on at the wrong time, switch it to 'radio' or fast-forward the tape by mistake! Put your Box where you can get to it easily in case you need to adjust the volume during your dance. AT THE GIG - assess the situation immediately:
Ask someone to either put it in another room or restrain it because the noise and commotion can excite dogs into barking or snapping at you. Get someone to describe what he looks like or what he's wearing, or at least where he is. You want to be able to go right up to him, not stand there looking lost. Request any tables or chairs in the way be moved so you can dance & easily approach the Guest of Honor. You may decide on another room entirely, and have everyone move there. Make sure you can easily reach the GOH if you want to wrap the veil around him. Try to get him into a chair at one side of the room - couches are awkward to work around. Make sure you give them a chance for a good shot or two during and after the dance, posing with him using the veil as a backdrop, etc. Ask them if they've gotten enough pictures, they'll appreciate it, and it leaves memories for them to share - and free advertising for you! When you've finished your dance and the 'birthday music' starts, ask him, "Would you stand up please?" (don't ask him to 'get up and dance' with you!) Do a simple shoulder or hip move and say, "Try this, it's like the Twist" or whatever. Once they stand up they're likely to follow through with dancing. Keep the birthday music to about one minute, and go through a few simple moves. Watching him try tummy rolls or arm undulations will amuse everyone greatly. (NOTE: at office parties they often won't do anything - another good reason for only one minute of birthday music!)  DEALING WITH THE PUBLIC - when the 'gram' is over and all the pictures have been taken, shake the GOH's hand, say "Very good! Thank you!" Then you can gather your veil and boom box and retire. The hostess should follow you out and pay you now, if she hasn't done that yet. Be as pleasant and gracious leaving as you were arriving. Don't linger long or join the party, it's unprofessional (even though they'll probably ask you to!). Act as if you have a busy schedule and be on your way, and never do "encores." I market my Bellygrams as "15-minute Shows," in other words, when someone calls up for information, I tell them, "It's a 15-minute show, it includes a card with my picture in it; I read him the poem, then I do my dance; if he's not smoking I'll wrap the veil around him during my dance; and after my dance I'll try to get him up to dance."Yes, I know it doesn't "read" very well, but it "talks" just fine and it gives them a good visual picture and an idea of the show without them having to ask question after question. Many times people ask for a longer show, or how much do I charge for an hour (!). I explain that I've found that 15 minutes is a good length for a party, because people don't want to sit still and pay attention for much longer than that when they're at a party. I make sure they understand I dance for family parties, for "group, mixed parties," and that I'm not a stripper. BUSINESS DETAILS - Here's
the "Job Sheet" I use to keep track of all
the
info I need - feel free to print it out and make copies for your own
use.
Keep them by the phone along with your calendar. If you have more than
one phone, it's really easier to have Job Sheets and a duplicate
calendar
at every phone instead of running around whenever someone calls. (And
keep
a calendar in your purse too - the 'month-at-a-glance' type work well.)
Keep those calendars updated!!!
MUSIC TIPS - It's
been
a long time since I made my bellygram tapes and some of this music may
be out of print. I've used "Hyetti", which was mostly keyboard &
drum;
Ya Salaam's "Tamerhenna" with some editing to shorten the first song to
3 minutes; also the Sultan's "Music for Amaya" is excellent, one side
being
'cabaret-style', the other sounding more 'ethnicy'.
A WORD ABOUT 'CYMBALS' - Nothing beats finger cymbals for adding that touch of the exotic to your show, they bring the excitement level up immeasurably! If you haven't started playing with them yet, find an instructor to tutor you and/or work on them yourself at home! For bellygrams, you really only need to use them for the entrance, then you can take them off and set them next to your boom box so you don't forget them. Even just 'triples' used with taste here and there in your entrance dance are better than nothing! Good luck, and check out my "Understanding Music and Rhythm" DANCE TIP booklet for more info on cymbals, including patterns and 'unique touches'. |