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From Student To... What? - Page 2© Shira
Most communities have some kind of annual festival that showcases local amateur talent, and this could be a good place for your troupe to appear. Don't limit your thinking to the town you live in--look into dancing in neighboring towns, too. County fairs are another possibility.
Belly Dance Events Some communities have several belly dance teachers, some of whom organize events for everyone. These could include festivals, seminar shows, or haflas (parties). Try to perform as a group or as a soloist at each such event, if possible. If your community doesn't have any such events, check into whether the belly dancing teachers in neighboring communities have anything like that. They might. If there is a dearth of belly dance events in your community, then start your own! Organize a party. Invite attendees to bring potluck snacks and drinks to share. Invite each of the belly dance teachers in your community to perform, and take the opportunity to perform yourself. Offer performance opportunity to others who may wish to bring a costume and dance. Try holding one of these parties every 3 months. Put on some "open dance" songs in which everyone gets to have a turn to get up and dance. Or, set up a monthly "student night" program. Each month, feature the students of a different teacher in your own community or a neighboring one. Each of that teacher's students gets to dance, and then the teacher herself closes the show with a performance of her own. Create flyers for these teachers to distribute to their own students and the families of their students. Attend Workshops Polish your performing skills by attending workshops featuring big-name dancers. Even if you have to drive a few hours to another city, these offer tremendous opportunities to build your overall dance skill. The corresponding shows will give you an opportunity to see performances by a variety of skilled dancers. Consider attending a weeklong belly dancing retreat. This total immersion for an entire week will really develop your dance skill. Most workshops are followed by a show featuring appearances by local dancers plus the featured instructors. Don't miss these opportunities to see a variety of dance styles! Escort Your Teacher To Gigs Ask if you may accompany your teacher to as many of her paid gigs as possible. Help her out: carry her boom box and props, help her get dressed, take charge of cueing up her music and starting it for her, and hand her props when she is ready to use them. Distribute her business cards when her show is over.
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