There are so many different types of professional belly dance
gigs, not to mention the many variables within each kind of job, that it would
be completely impossible to
describe them all. Depending on where you live, and how much of a go-getter you
are, you’ll probably have the opportunity to try your hand at some of these
gigs. Here’s an overview of the most common belly dance jobs, so you can weigh
the options and decide which of these venues would be right for you.
This article covers
what will be expected at special one-off events that are
larger than private parties, such as corporate shows, atmosphere or walk-around gigs, benefits and charity shows and
lecture-demonstrations.
Corporate Gigs
Corporate gigs are kind of like private parties- on
steroids. As with a private party, the hired dancer will be doing a
specially tailored show that’s not open to the general public, but instead of
dozens of guests, there might be hundreds, and often the going rate is what you make it. A corporate gig isn’t merely an office party- it’s
often a humongous affair thrown by a large corporation with a sizable
budget. I have worked at many corporate gigs for major world-wide companies as well
as attended a few as a guest, and lots of them are pretty extravagant!
That being said, of course
there’s a range within the genre; some companies -and their social functions-
are much smaller than others. But on the other hand,
I also know dancers who,
along with Arabic musicians and singer plus an assortment of other entertainers, who (with all
expenses paid) were to the
Caribbean on a private jet to work at a private corporation’s yearly retreat!
On the flip side, there are many smaller “mom and pop” companies without luxury
budgets. I’ve also known dancers who’ve been contracted by a corporate Human
Resources Department to teach a weekly belly dance class as part of a
company-wide employee wellness program.
I myself
worked a corporate gig for one of the leading cigarette companies in the 1990’s. They
were running an Arabian
Nights-themed campaign, and wanted belly dancers. So in addition to
performing a couple of times a
week on these shows, I was also the liaison for hiring other dancers to appear
and perform at clubs, concerts, outdoor events, and so on. I was paid a sizable monthly salary for
this in addition to my performance fee.
When a company or corporation
contacts you to do a show, treat
it as you would any other gig- find out as much as you can about the job
before mentioning your price. If the organization contacting you is a
major corporation putting on a large-scale event, don’t even think of undervaluing yourself,
set your prices accordingly.
Atmosphere and Walk-Arounds
For these jobs, the dancer is hired to set a mood or add to the
ambiance instead of doing a traditional performance. This type of
job often occurs at a large event with a theme, such as an “Arabian
Nights”, “Under The Big Top” or “Ancient Egypt”. Sometimes, a belly dancer will be booked along with
close-up magicians, acrobats, fortunetellers, or other variety artists and
costumed characters. Often, dancers will be eye-candy, expected to greet guests
at the door, mingle among the crowd in costume, stand by a trade booth or
silent auction table handing out price lists, or moving around among seated guests stopping for
mini- shows (done to background music) at every table.
Payment for this type of gig is usually based on an hourly or
full-day/evening rate and dancers
are usually hired more for their appearance rather than technique or talent.
Though
atmosphere and walk-around
jobs may seem relatively
easy, they often require long hours standing around in costume, and
it is usually not a tipping situation. Though these gigs are frequently
one-off deals and don’t feature the dancer as anything other than a costumed
character, many performers find that the occasional walk-around is a nice
supplement to their income.
Benefits And Charity Shows
Benefits and charity shows are like many other gigs; they can
be small and intimate, or very large, elaborate affairs. Sometimes, there is
quite decent pay involved; other times, there might only be a small honorarium, and it all depends on the organization.
Either way, once you have committed to a benefit show, you should treat it in
the same way as you would any other gig: showing up promptly, acting
professionally, and performing to the best of your ability.
If you are not getting paid for your work, ask if it’s
possible for you to get a charity donation receipt from the organization- that way, at least you’ll get
a tax write-off.
You can also work under the stipulation that you be featured
prominently on press or promotional materials, and let the organizers know that
you are available for interviews and photo ops- many publications jump at the
chance to feature pictures of pretty women, so there’s a good chance you’ll
wind up getting some press.
Another thing to do in exchange for your services is to ask if you can
have an ad placed (for gratis) in the program, if there is one. Also, make sure
it’s fine for you to leave
out promotional materials and hand out business cards… I have always gotten paying gigs from
leaving my cards at charity
gigs- and I’ve also been personally referred for other well-paying shows by the event planner who engaged me for the charity gig.
Often
doing a benefit is a nice way for a dancer to give back to the community
or contribute her time to a cause she believes in., but these gigs can also be
a good way to network and get
exposure.
I once danced without pay at
a large-scale charity event held
at a major film studio, and wasn’t expecting anything other than a night’s
work. However, I not only met- and hung out in the dressing room with -some
major household name celebrities ( Why hello, Sir Paul McCartney!) got three more paying jobs from
it, and two months later, I got a
call from a prime-time television show. Turns out they had taken film footage
at the event, which included my dancing, and they wanted to use it on the show.
Who knows how they tracked me down, but when I said yes, I was immediately
issued a large check…. And over ten years later, I still get royalties from
that show every time it airs!
Ok, I live in Hollywood, and admittedly this was an once-in-a-lifetime happy accident,
but my point is that you never can anticipate what can come from accepting a
high-profile gig, even if you are dancing without payment.
So weigh all the possible options and outcomes before
accepting or declining a “free
gig”- you never know what might happen!
Lecture/Demonstrations
Usually, this sort of job often comes through an organization
that promotes the arts and/or cultural diversity such as a university, a
women’s group, or through the public school system.
This educational “show and
tell” style gig is tailored to be an educational experience for the
audience. Your performance
consists of sharing your own
knowledge and specialties combined with public speaking; the demonstration
portion could feature anything from
technique for a certain type of dance, costumes and props, a full
costumed performance, video or film clips or historical photos, often followed by a Q & A
session with the audience. Sometimes these shows are aimed at children, in
which case “audience participation” (like a lesson on veils or finger cymbals)
always goes over well.
The amount of payment you receive is dependent upon who is
hiring you, and usually cannot be
negotiated- many schools or groups have a set budget intended for this type of
presentation. However, some privately funded groups are able to pay you well for your time and expertise. In either case, this type of show is
usually won’t interfere with your regular dance jobs and is great addition to
your resume, as well as a way of educating the general public.
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