Classy or Tacky: Which Are YOU?
Far too many people still think belly dancing has something to do with stripping. And they're not entirely wrong. The Middle Eastern dance performances at the 1893 Columbia Exposition in Chicago became incredibly popular because they seemed deliciously scandalous to a society which squeezed its women into corsets. The popularity of those performances and the publicity caused by the surrounding scandal led Vaudeville entertainers of the early 20th century to create their own variation, which was known as burlesque. Eventually, burlesque led to the entertainment form known as striptease.
Today, modern-day Oriental dance artists (also known as belly dancers) are still fighting the question, "Isn't that something like stripping?" when they tell people what they do. As a dance community, we find ourselves confronting this all the time. It becomes even harder for us when some of our own dance colleagues do things that The General Public thinks are tacky.
Are you classy or tacky? Your clothing and behavior can make a big difference in how people view you and your dance. Here are some thoughts on how you can gain respect of your audience members, employers, and fellow dancers.
When You're Not In Costume
Sometimes you deal with the public when you're not in costume. You may be visiting a nursing home before the day you're scheduled to dance to examine the performance space. Or maybe you're calling on a club owner to interview for a dance job. Or maybe you're having a business meeting with a videographer you're hiring to produce a video. It's important to be "in character" as the beautiful professional dancer even in these situations.
Whatever the occasion, whenever you're conducting belly dance business, even if wearing everyday clothes, you are still seen as a representative of this dance form. If you show up for these meetings in a stained shirt and tattered blue jeans, you will leave the impression that you don't care about your appearance. A prospective employer will conclude that you probably will look ragged even when wearing the costume.
So, whenever you will be appearing in "normal" clothes but identifying yourself as a dancer, make the extra effort to look just a bit special. Wear a nice shirt with slacks, or a dress, instead of wearing a T-shirt with blue jeans. Put on just a bit of make-up even if you don't normally wear it. Style your hair attractively, and pay attention to your grooming.
It does take extra effort to do these things, but it will pay off in the level of respect that other people pay to you.
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