Belly Dancer

Q. Why does your work stand out from others who do what you do?

A. I always aim to present the most polished, elegant, and professional image that I can at every gig I do. From the moment I meet the client (via e-mail, phone, or in person) I strive to make every impression pleasant and informative. Whether the event is large or small, it is important that I be the best that I can be before, during, and after I am performing. There are no run-of-the-mill gigs!

Q. What do you like most about your job?

A. It's impossible to pick just one thing, but I can narrow it down to several! I love bringing people joy through my dancing; the look on people's faces when I enter an event fills me with great pleasure. It is also my great thrill to be able to "give purpose to my passion" by having the opportunity to bring authentic bellydance to the public in a professional capacity. I love learning new things about my dance and exposing others to new things as well.

The greatest compliment I can have is to leave a sea of delighted, smiling faces as I end my show. Having folks dance with me during my show is a wonderful review as well. My job is to inspire you to dance, too!

Q. What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?

A. People always want to know how I learned to belly dance. Although I've been around dance of all kinds my whole life, that's not what make me a dancer. I had to take lessons. Lots and lots of lessons! I have no unusual advantages or talents; what I did have are great teachers and a lot of perseverance.

Although being raised in a particular culture certainly gives one an advantage due to early exposure, no one is born a dancer. The real ability comes with developing innate aptitudes that are already present through quality instruction, consistent practice, and mental focus. Some skills can be transferred from other physical, athletic, or musical pursuits, but there are really no shortcuts.

Q. What do you wish customers knew about you or your profession?

A. I want folks to know that entertainers don't work on a "per-hour" basis. We work "per-service." What you are paying for--regardless of how long we perform for--is everything that made it possible to bring that show to you. This includes (but is not limited to) lessons and practice, show design, music knowledge, costumes, coaching, advertising and marketing, travel, and so on. The time we are performing for you is the fun, easy part ... as well it should be!

Q. What are your most common types of jobs?

A. Most of the shows I do are for weddings and birthday parties, but I perform at a wide range of different types of events. I've done fashion shows, concerts, award ceremonies, middle-school graduation dances, fundraisers, blood drives, you name it. I'm waiting for the gig to come along that I haven't done some version of yet!

Educational programs hold a special place for me; It is important that everyone be exposed to music, dance, and other cultural influences from places and peoples far from their own. We humans all share the ability and inclination to express ourselves through music and dance, and there are countless ways that we go about doing so.

Q. Tell us about a recent job you did that you are particularly proud of.

A. Recently a mentor of mine presented a Middle Eastern Dance presentation at a local elementary school. It was my pleasure to be asked to perform a couple of choreographies that we know and are often presented at formal adult occasions like wedding receptions. We were hoping that our show would not be boring for schoolkids who often have a shorter attention span. To our great delight, the kids not only went wild, they were mesmerized ... we felt like rock stars. Our troupe nearly missed a couple important musical cues because the cheering was so loud, first when we came on in a wings number, and again when we picked up our swords. Such an enthusiastic and appreciative audience really makes all of the hard work worth it, and when one gets to do a good community service along with it, it's just great!

Q. Do you do any sort of continuing education to stay up on the latest developments in your field?

A. Yes! I take ongoing classes so that I can keep my technique up to a professional standard. Whenever possible, I attend workshops from out-of-town teaching luminaries so that I can stay on top of the latest trends in music and costumes as well as network with other dancers.