It took me years to shake off all the labeling and angst over which style of belly dance I'm doing. It's a very normal process... but don't let it bug you. The earlier you can shake all of this off, the greater freedom you'll feel!
Personal Style/Artistic Voice
This is a loaded term: your own personal style. Every single time I mention this in a blog or to my students, there's an immediate recoil from some folks. Again, it's very loaded. I think that we have made it more than what it really is. I actually now prefer the term 'artistic voice' instead of 'personal style.' It seems less loaded. ;)
With the term 'artistic voice', it seems a bit clearer that all that it is really is your take on this dance using a given piece of music. It's your viewpoint on a topic. In a Zen fashion, there's no right or wrong... it just is. And it can change through time.
The truth is that all that isn't necessarily pre-planned. I mean that, for all that you may be on a quest for personal style/artistic voice, what will emerge as such is dependent on what you put out as a performer and what sticks with you. What I mean by that is that you will do different pieces and then common themes, ideas, moves, etc. will start to emerge. And then you're edging towards that Holy Grail of artistry. But you can't know it until you have done enough performances and experimentations with your art. And even then, it doesn't have to be set in stone.
(I'll most likely expand on this whole personal style and artistic voice concept in a future blog... I can't write everything here... but you have enough to get my gist.)
So I'm saying to not even bother with that at this point (unless you are an experienced performer/artist). It will come all on its own. Don't fret.
Misrepresentation
A big pet peeve of mine is when dances are misrepresented. For example, you say that it's belly dance but there's only a chest circle in it. Or you say that it's tribal but all that's tribal about you is the costuming... or vice versa if we're talking cabaret/raqs sharki. I think that that's what prompted some of my pondering on which style of belly dance do I normally do.
Labels
If you look back at some blogs that I posted on tribe.net, you'll find a good chunk that have to do with me wondering which style I'm doing. Am I more fusion? Or downright tribal? Or cabaret? I think that it's a normal process also because we are all somewhat seeking some sort of appartenance. If you don't fit neatly in a bucket, it can feel a tad lonely... or so you think! Mwahahahaha!
All kidding aside, this was what plagued me the most for a while. And, with Tempest reminding me on a regular basis of how pointless this was, I finally let go of it. So I do whatever sub-style of belly dance... so what? THE most important thing is that it's belly dance and that it's MY take on belly dance!
And, yes, people will try to bucket you. Whatever. Let them try! A prime example is Tempest who is dubbed (by different folks) tribal, tribal fusion, gothic, steampunk, oriental, North African, raqs sharki, etc. belly dance. (Oh and never mind that she's not tribal at all... although she's very tribal friendly.) People feel safe putting others in neat buckets but, truth be told, very few people really fit neatly into just one. ;)
And the answer is...
Well, if you don't have reading comprehension, you may still remember the title of this blog: it's "you" belly dance. So that means that the true style of belly dance that I do is simply "Celeste Belly Dance". This is really the most important thing: to be true to your art and your heart. And, as such, everything else will fall into place.
So don't fret over the style of what you are doing. Don't fret about whether it's like anything that anyone else has ever done. Don't fret about being as good as so-and-so. For all that so-and-so is good at their style (so "so-and-so" belly dance), they can't be good at "you" belly dance the way that YOU can be.
What makes a belly dance performance interesting and entertaining is seeing someone's take on the whole thing. Again, be the best that you can with what you got! And everything will be A-Okay!
Monday, January 17, 2011
Workshop offerings
I now interrup this usually introspective blog to do some self promotion.
Please see the link for my current workshop offerings: http://celestebellydance.com/workshops.html
Contact me to get me to teach workshops in your town! And feel free to spread the word! :D
Much love!
Celeste
Please see the link for my current workshop offerings: http://celestebellydance.com/workshops.html
Contact me to get me to teach workshops in your town! And feel free to spread the word! :D
Much love!
Celeste
Monday, January 10, 2011
There's enough to go around for everyone!
I know that I must not be the only person who has ever felt like that. I am a woman (no revelation here, I hope). As such, I can be competitive as often unfortunately happens to our gender. And I can be real hard on myself. So there have been a number of times when, if I go in a show after someone who has had tremendous applause that I feel like I will fail, be boring, blah blah blah... insert negative comment from my stupid inside negative voice. There have been a series of experiences that have made me realize that, really, it's not because someone had success that I won't.
There's room for all of us!
Well, one night, a couple of years ago, I was watching two local dancers whom I really love (Amirah and Gabriela) and I mused that it was so neat that there was enough room/space for all of us. I meant there that we all had something very different to say with our dance and it was great to see all 3 different perspectives and aesthetics.
The audience wants to be entertained!
Truth be told, the audience wants you to succeed! Mira Betz mentioned that in her intensive I took with her a few years ago and it was a revelation... as silly as it sounds. Seriously, the audience wants to be entertained from start to finish! They don't want to be bored! (And don't let that statement make you nervous!) They want to see what YOU can do with the dance. That is really what they want. And for those who do funky stuff (I most certainly am funky), the audience may have some preconceived notion of what they want but, hey, you can shake that up. Sometimes, we don't know what we want until we see it.
And, again, it's not like they're looking at the program, pinpointing at a (random) name and say "I want to be entertained by THIS person." Well, they are bound to say that of the main act in a belly dance show... that person at least better be entertaining. But they also want the rest of the acts to be entertaining as well.
It takes many different acts to make a circus!
I was talking to my student Adriane and my tribe sister Kat (while at the airport on the way back from 3rd Coast) about this concept and I found a good analogy. It's less intuitive because you may not perceive the competition as much because they are technically different disciplines but, say, for a circus, there are magicians, trapeze artists, contortionists, jugglers, etc., and they all have their place! We need to have them all! Adriane is the one who came up with this: THEY make the circus. So, yes, they might be competing each for a place in the show to begin with but we need all of them to get a circus show. And it's the same thing for belly dance: we need all acts to make a belly dance show!
Focus on what you have to bring!
I started to come up with that whole concept right around Tribal Revolution and I pulled from it also at 3rd Coast. At Tribal Revolution, I was going after Sarabi who had brought down the house. At 3rd Coast, Raphaella did a splendid job (for as much as I could tell from backstage). So I focused on what I had to say with my dance. Those ladies did their thing and presented what they had to say. Next was my turn. I was presenting what I had to say. It was most certainly different than what they had done. But it's a case of neither is 'right' nor 'wrong'... they're just different... period. It's kind of like having a differing viewpoint. Or, actually, one has nothing to do with the other (except for being in the same show).
Do the best that you can with what you have!
Tempest often mentions in her workshops and in her blog posts that you should do the best that you can with what you have RIGHT NOW and under the set of circumstances of the day. So do the best that you can with your skill at the level that it is right now, with the body that you have right now and under the day's circumstances (e.g., if you're tired, do the best that you can given that you are tired). You don't have to be the next best thing since sliced bread to be in the belly dance show, you know! Just do your best!
There's room for all of us!
Well, one night, a couple of years ago, I was watching two local dancers whom I really love (Amirah and Gabriela) and I mused that it was so neat that there was enough room/space for all of us. I meant there that we all had something very different to say with our dance and it was great to see all 3 different perspectives and aesthetics.
The audience wants to be entertained!
Truth be told, the audience wants you to succeed! Mira Betz mentioned that in her intensive I took with her a few years ago and it was a revelation... as silly as it sounds. Seriously, the audience wants to be entertained from start to finish! They don't want to be bored! (And don't let that statement make you nervous!) They want to see what YOU can do with the dance. That is really what they want. And for those who do funky stuff (I most certainly am funky), the audience may have some preconceived notion of what they want but, hey, you can shake that up. Sometimes, we don't know what we want until we see it.
And, again, it's not like they're looking at the program, pinpointing at a (random) name and say "I want to be entertained by THIS person." Well, they are bound to say that of the main act in a belly dance show... that person at least better be entertaining. But they also want the rest of the acts to be entertaining as well.
It takes many different acts to make a circus!
I was talking to my student Adriane and my tribe sister Kat (while at the airport on the way back from 3rd Coast) about this concept and I found a good analogy. It's less intuitive because you may not perceive the competition as much because they are technically different disciplines but, say, for a circus, there are magicians, trapeze artists, contortionists, jugglers, etc., and they all have their place! We need to have them all! Adriane is the one who came up with this: THEY make the circus. So, yes, they might be competing each for a place in the show to begin with but we need all of them to get a circus show. And it's the same thing for belly dance: we need all acts to make a belly dance show!
Focus on what you have to bring!
I started to come up with that whole concept right around Tribal Revolution and I pulled from it also at 3rd Coast. At Tribal Revolution, I was going after Sarabi who had brought down the house. At 3rd Coast, Raphaella did a splendid job (for as much as I could tell from backstage). So I focused on what I had to say with my dance. Those ladies did their thing and presented what they had to say. Next was my turn. I was presenting what I had to say. It was most certainly different than what they had done. But it's a case of neither is 'right' nor 'wrong'... they're just different... period. It's kind of like having a differing viewpoint. Or, actually, one has nothing to do with the other (except for being in the same show).
Do the best that you can with what you have!
Tempest often mentions in her workshops and in her blog posts that you should do the best that you can with what you have RIGHT NOW and under the set of circumstances of the day. So do the best that you can with your skill at the level that it is right now, with the body that you have right now and under the day's circumstances (e.g., if you're tired, do the best that you can given that you are tired). You don't have to be the next best thing since sliced bread to be in the belly dance show, you know! Just do your best!
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
What will you do with your dance?
As the end of the year draws near and it's time for pondering on what happened over the last year and making New Year's resolutions, I invite you to ponder a few things about belly dance... or if you are an artist who does another form of art, you could easily substitute "belly dance" for "your art". ;)
Several years ago (about 4, to be precise), Sabrina Fox (then from Atash Maya) had posted on tribe some questions that left me pondering... and I'm asking them to you.
Where do I want dance to take me?
This one was interestingly hard to answer. I mean, to give an honest answer requires you to dig inside of you and see what you want... what you really really want. (And I'll stop there because I'm starting to sound like a Spice Girls song. :p) "Where" here is obviously not a physical location... although it could be.
Where will I let dance take me?
This one initially totally highlighted how much of a control freak I can be. "What do you mean, let dance take me somewhere? I'm in charge here!" It actually ended up being the start of me realizing that, oftentimes in art, you have to let go of your heavy grip on things and allow the art to take over. If you don't practice art daily, that can be real hard to do. I promise that it gets easier with time, though. ;) But the question is also more than this... explore it.
What will I do with dance?
This one, I'm adding to the mix. It wasn't part of the original set of questions... only the first two were. So you've been taking classes for a while and have been enjoying them thoroughly. You've watched a few shows and have been amazed at what you saw. Now... what will YOU do with dance? Will you join in the ranks of performers? Or keep it as a physical activity without the performing aspect? PLEASE note that neither answer is right or wrong... it's right or wrong for YOU... and the answer might be different depending on the moment.
Fun in dance... NOW!
Performing is loaded with so many heavy things... but, please have fun with this dance. That's really what it is about. And don't push out when you'll perform based on some silly notion that only exists in your head (if only I was 10 lbs lighter... if only I had these many years of experience... if only I had this piece of costume... if only...). There is nothing like RIGHT NOW to get you started. Don't wait!
Write down thoughts/feelings
Do feel free to grab a notebook and pen and write down thoughts on these questions and your feelings around dance and performing and whatever else you feel like writing about. Vent your heart out on paper. Or you could do it electronically. I find that, oftentimes, writing down my feelings, especially if they are heavy, helps me get rid of them and gain better clarity.
Remember to DO!
For all that I'm inviting you to ponder and write and all that, don't fall prey to what I do: I tend to overanalyze, overthink, over-whatever... It took SEVERAL times of being told by both Ariellah and my yoga mentor that it's time to do stuff instead of thinking before it finally sank in. Now, I know better how to keep a balance between all of it. Why, yes, you need to actually dance in order to dance. :p
Several years ago (about 4, to be precise), Sabrina Fox (then from Atash Maya) had posted on tribe some questions that left me pondering... and I'm asking them to you.
Where do I want dance to take me?
This one was interestingly hard to answer. I mean, to give an honest answer requires you to dig inside of you and see what you want... what you really really want. (And I'll stop there because I'm starting to sound like a Spice Girls song. :p) "Where" here is obviously not a physical location... although it could be.
Where will I let dance take me?
This one initially totally highlighted how much of a control freak I can be. "What do you mean, let dance take me somewhere? I'm in charge here!" It actually ended up being the start of me realizing that, oftentimes in art, you have to let go of your heavy grip on things and allow the art to take over. If you don't practice art daily, that can be real hard to do. I promise that it gets easier with time, though. ;) But the question is also more than this... explore it.
What will I do with dance?
This one, I'm adding to the mix. It wasn't part of the original set of questions... only the first two were. So you've been taking classes for a while and have been enjoying them thoroughly. You've watched a few shows and have been amazed at what you saw. Now... what will YOU do with dance? Will you join in the ranks of performers? Or keep it as a physical activity without the performing aspect? PLEASE note that neither answer is right or wrong... it's right or wrong for YOU... and the answer might be different depending on the moment.
Fun in dance... NOW!
Performing is loaded with so many heavy things... but, please have fun with this dance. That's really what it is about. And don't push out when you'll perform based on some silly notion that only exists in your head (if only I was 10 lbs lighter... if only I had these many years of experience... if only I had this piece of costume... if only...). There is nothing like RIGHT NOW to get you started. Don't wait!
Write down thoughts/feelings
Do feel free to grab a notebook and pen and write down thoughts on these questions and your feelings around dance and performing and whatever else you feel like writing about. Vent your heart out on paper. Or you could do it electronically. I find that, oftentimes, writing down my feelings, especially if they are heavy, helps me get rid of them and gain better clarity.
Remember to DO!
For all that I'm inviting you to ponder and write and all that, don't fall prey to what I do: I tend to overanalyze, overthink, over-whatever... It took SEVERAL times of being told by both Ariellah and my yoga mentor that it's time to do stuff instead of thinking before it finally sank in. Now, I know better how to keep a balance between all of it. Why, yes, you need to actually dance in order to dance. :p
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Tips for preparing a performance - Other considerations
So this is essentially part 2 from the last blog. Again, I want this to be at a high level so I won't go into like choreography 101 or things like that... I'll cover those more detailed things in other blogs at some point.
All right... so you have figured out your music... what else do you need to think about?
Costuming
You want to think of your costuming early. Sometimes it takes time for the ideas to fully develop and will morph as you're working with the piece. But thinking about this earlier rather than later is a good idea... b/c you don't want to be scrambling at the last minute to find costuming items or make them. As I've talked about in a previous blog, remember that the costume should ideally work synergistically with the performance to enhance the mood and the overall aesthetic of it all.
Remember practical considerations:
What accessories will you put with your costume? I'm putting this as a separate category because, sometimes, we forget about those. ;) Also think of the level and style of bling you want to wear. Do you want to go for mega sparkle? National Geographic look? Minimalistic? Just like everything else, it all should work in synergy. If your costume is already very sparkly, maybe your jewelry doesn't need to be... or you could go for the 'disco ball' effect (not necessarily bad... it depends on what you do).
Hair and Makeup
Again, in that blog on synergy and all that, I mention considerations. But, yes, think of those things early too... what if you need to learn a new technique for something specific that you had in mind? Or you need a certain product?
Shoes or barefoot
Sometimes it's a stylistic choice... sometimes it's a practical one... and sometimes people can only do one or the other. But think about it proactively. It may modify your costume and your moves if you do one versus the other. So keep that in mind. Also keep in mind that, for all that you were thinking of dancing barefoot, sometimes it just won't be possible. So have an idea of footwear that you could wear. For example, I did a performance a few years back where I had planned to be barefoot but the stage was really in a bad shape; I ended up dancing barefoot anyway and got a splinter... not fun...
Make decisions
There will be times when you will be faced with options and ideas that are of equal values... they will fit but it will give a different slant or just a smidgeon of a different flavor... or they could even be drastically different but just as good. Then you just need to make a decision. There's no right or wrong oftentimes so it's not uber easy to just pick (though it gets easier with time) but you just gotta do it. Listen to your gut feeling. It will rarely stir you wrong. And if that gut feeling is conflicted, just pick. ;)
Time and its pitfall
Say, you are preparing way in advance of a performance or you don't even know yet when you will be performing or whatnot so you have a loooooooot of time to get ready. That's both good and bad. It's good because you do have time. It's bad because you will have a harder time making decisions, fooling yourself that, since there's so much time, you can choose later. Then your progress may end up being slowed because you aren't making decisions that you should. So don't fall prey to that.
Another consideration is that (and that's my issue often), I end up not working on things that I should be working on because I have plenty of time... and then suddenly it's crunch time. One day, maybe, I'll learn. Though, I've come to realize that I work better under pressure so maybe a part of me is putting myself under pressure purposefully. The pitfall with that, though, is that life will interfere at precisely the wrong moment... thus putting even more pressure (and less time to work with).
Things that you want to do with this performance
I will talk about this in more details in a future blog but one thing that you may want to think about proactively is what you want to do/accomplish with this performance. Here, I'm not talking about the message that you want to convey but 1 or 2 simple things that you want to work on to make your performance skills progress. (This tip comes from Miss Tempest. I used to have too many things that I wanted to do with a performance and she wisely advised in the workshops in Indy to pick only 1 or 2... more than that is too much to process.) For example, it could be things like 'Not look down.' or 'Remember to smile.' Again, more on that in the future but it's something to keep in mind as you are developing your piece and, specifically, when you get close to performance time.
Past performance playlist
So I talked about the 'Performance ideas playlist' in the previous blog. The 'Past performance playlist' is a list of all the pieces that I've worked on in the past. The reason why I keep it is mostly for a convenient and quick way to find a past performance music piece (my music library is rather large). I keep it in chronological order. And it's fun to look back and see what you have worked on... you may eventually notice trends about your work and what inspires you. And that is information that can be very relevant for future performances. In addition, should you want to revisit a piece, it's right there! ;)
All right... so you have figured out your music... what else do you need to think about?
Costuming
You want to think of your costuming early. Sometimes it takes time for the ideas to fully develop and will morph as you're working with the piece. But thinking about this earlier rather than later is a good idea... b/c you don't want to be scrambling at the last minute to find costuming items or make them. As I've talked about in a previous blog, remember that the costume should ideally work synergistically with the performance to enhance the mood and the overall aesthetic of it all.
Remember practical considerations:
- Will the venue allow for bare bellies? (Most do.)
- Will you be using a prop? If so, does that mean that things are off limits because of it? (e.g., be careful with anything protruding like spikes if you're doing veils)
- Will you be doing floorwork? If so, you need to make sure that your costuming is something that can allow you to go down and off the floor without hindering. Also consider whether you would wear kneepads and, therefore, whether the costume hides them well enough.
Those are just some ideas of things to keep in mind.
AccessoriesWhat accessories will you put with your costume? I'm putting this as a separate category because, sometimes, we forget about those. ;) Also think of the level and style of bling you want to wear. Do you want to go for mega sparkle? National Geographic look? Minimalistic? Just like everything else, it all should work in synergy. If your costume is already very sparkly, maybe your jewelry doesn't need to be... or you could go for the 'disco ball' effect (not necessarily bad... it depends on what you do).
Hair and Makeup
Again, in that blog on synergy and all that, I mention considerations. But, yes, think of those things early too... what if you need to learn a new technique for something specific that you had in mind? Or you need a certain product?
Shoes or barefoot
Sometimes it's a stylistic choice... sometimes it's a practical one... and sometimes people can only do one or the other. But think about it proactively. It may modify your costume and your moves if you do one versus the other. So keep that in mind. Also keep in mind that, for all that you were thinking of dancing barefoot, sometimes it just won't be possible. So have an idea of footwear that you could wear. For example, I did a performance a few years back where I had planned to be barefoot but the stage was really in a bad shape; I ended up dancing barefoot anyway and got a splinter... not fun...
Make decisions
There will be times when you will be faced with options and ideas that are of equal values... they will fit but it will give a different slant or just a smidgeon of a different flavor... or they could even be drastically different but just as good. Then you just need to make a decision. There's no right or wrong oftentimes so it's not uber easy to just pick (though it gets easier with time) but you just gotta do it. Listen to your gut feeling. It will rarely stir you wrong. And if that gut feeling is conflicted, just pick. ;)
Time and its pitfall
Say, you are preparing way in advance of a performance or you don't even know yet when you will be performing or whatnot so you have a loooooooot of time to get ready. That's both good and bad. It's good because you do have time. It's bad because you will have a harder time making decisions, fooling yourself that, since there's so much time, you can choose later. Then your progress may end up being slowed because you aren't making decisions that you should. So don't fall prey to that.
Another consideration is that (and that's my issue often), I end up not working on things that I should be working on because I have plenty of time... and then suddenly it's crunch time. One day, maybe, I'll learn. Though, I've come to realize that I work better under pressure so maybe a part of me is putting myself under pressure purposefully. The pitfall with that, though, is that life will interfere at precisely the wrong moment... thus putting even more pressure (and less time to work with).
Things that you want to do with this performance
I will talk about this in more details in a future blog but one thing that you may want to think about proactively is what you want to do/accomplish with this performance. Here, I'm not talking about the message that you want to convey but 1 or 2 simple things that you want to work on to make your performance skills progress. (This tip comes from Miss Tempest. I used to have too many things that I wanted to do with a performance and she wisely advised in the workshops in Indy to pick only 1 or 2... more than that is too much to process.) For example, it could be things like 'Not look down.' or 'Remember to smile.' Again, more on that in the future but it's something to keep in mind as you are developing your piece and, specifically, when you get close to performance time.
Past performance playlist
So I talked about the 'Performance ideas playlist' in the previous blog. The 'Past performance playlist' is a list of all the pieces that I've worked on in the past. The reason why I keep it is mostly for a convenient and quick way to find a past performance music piece (my music library is rather large). I keep it in chronological order. And it's fun to look back and see what you have worked on... you may eventually notice trends about your work and what inspires you. And that is information that can be very relevant for future performances. In addition, should you want to revisit a piece, it's right there! ;)
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Tips for preparing a performance - Music considerations
In the last blog where I talked about seeking out performance opportunities, I mentioned that you could start preparing ahead of getting an actual okay to perform... and I also mentioned that I would write a blog about tips... so this is it. I started writing this post at first, thinking that I would cover a bunch of different tips but then I had so many things to say about music that I felt like it will be better served by putting music as its own post (other tips to follow in a separate entry).
This post (and the following one) won't be delving into being artistic and all that but do keep that in mind anyway. It will be more "Performance 101" type.
Picking out the music is obviously an important step. And one that sounds so easy... yet, you'll find that it's not. Here are a few guidelines that may help.
Duration
Generally speaking, solo spots in shows nowadays have a 5-minute maximum duration allowed. It varies from shows to shows. And, heck, it's now often being shrunk even more. So you want a piece that will be maximum 5 minutes. If you will be doing a group piece, the max nowadays will vary between 7-10 minutes. If you are doing ATS/ITS, a good rule of thumb will be about 1 minute per the number of dancers. So, say, if there will be 6 dancers, a piece that is about 6-7 minutes will be a good one.
Keep it short
You don't have to fill in the maximum time allotted. It's actually a very good idea to leave people wanting more! What's more: you need to be able to sustain it! When you are a new dancer, you will be surprised at how quickly your energy will be sapped out in performance. So you want to keep it short enough that you'll be able to sustain the stage presence and energy level for the duration of the piece. For newly starting performers, 3-4 minutes is again a good rule of thumb.
And I speak from experience on this... My very first solo was like 5 minutes long. I'm pretty sure that my energy level wasn't constant throughout the whole thing. And, man, was I tired after it. My 2nd solo was like 2:45-3 minutes. I forget how long exactly. The energy was much more constant. Since then, I've been hovering in that range from 3:30-5 minutes, generally, going on the lower end (so between 3:30-4). And it's not like I don't have the stamina to do more: I dance 12-20-minute sets at Greek Islands without any issues. Anyway, I'd rather do 2 shorter pieces than 1 long one. More from a 'not boring the audience' point of view than anything. ;)
If you will modify the music... do it well!
If your piece is too long and needs to be cut or you want to put a few pieces of music together or tweak the music however you feel, use a good software to do it and spend the time to do a good job. I've heard countless times bad mixes that make me cringe. It sounds so amateurish. I don't care what your actual level is, you don't want bad editing in your music to detract from the performance. There are a number of people in any area who will be good at it or you may have a DJ friend (or someone who knows someone): don't hesitate to ask for help instead of doing a bad job yourself. I took the workshop with DJ Amar at TF 10 that was about editing music in Audacity. It gave me lots of tips and tricks on how to do it... and made me realize how time intense it can be if you want to do a good job at editing the music.
Oh and while we're on the topic: if you will use more than 1 piece, consider using a software to put them together especially if the show asks for an mp3 version. The main reason for that is that you are much better off sending 1 file than multiple files that risk not being put in the correct order (even though you will have told the person in charge what order to put them in) or being cut short because the person in charge of the music at the show ends your music before the 2nd one pops or there's too much time (or more than you wanted) between the pieces b/c of the equipment used to play the music. Or other reasons... anyway, it's safer that way. Come to think of it, even if you will be providing the music on a CD, it's safer that way too... for some of the same reasons.
The "Performance Ideas" Playlist
You may end up having a ton of ideas of music that you would love to perform to... yet when comes time to pick some music, your mind goes blank. That's why a 'performance ideas' playlist on your iTunes (or whatever else you use) is a good idea (and if you don't have music in mp3, you can make a list on paper or in Word). That way, you can go in, review the pieces, and pick one from the list... or not. ;) But it's at least a starting point!
The music needs to move you or at least make you move
So, when choosing music, it obviously needs to move you. That's obvious, right? What we mean exactly by 'moves you' is stir something inside of you. It needs to create a response. It will usually be a feeling that you'll sense when you hear it (e.g., joy, happiness, contentment, torment/sadness/despair [for the dark inclined]) or it could be something like 'beauty'. Whatever response you have is what is going to make you connect to the music. And that's very important.
Now, when in a group setting, not everyone will react exactly the same way to the music so keep that in mind. We're generally striving in ATS/ITS for something that will make you want to move. Your hips won't stay still when you hear that music. And that's another way to connect with the music. It will also generally make you feel something... it just may not be at the same depth... or it may.
You need to REALLY like that music
In the course of practicing, getting ready, and knowing your music inside out, you will have to listen to the piece over and over... ad nauseam... so you need to really like it enough to listen to it enough. It may happen after a performance that a music is 'burnt'... i.e., you don't want to EVER listen to it again. In the early days of Black Rose Caravan when we were still choreography-based, there were a few pieces that ended up creating this response in us. And, even with the best intentions, it can happen. But do make sure that you can listen to the music back to back to be able to go through the whole process. ;)
Sometimes, you just have to pick!
At times, you will have 20million pieces that you feel like doing because they all sound amazing to you. That's both awesome and overwhelming. Then you just have to pick one. Just like, in the morning, you end up picking one outfit out of your wardrobe, you may need to just pick one. Now, if you know the venue and the theme (if there is one), this may help dictate your choice. But if you don't or there's no theme, then you just have to choose. And, believe me, you don't want to delay the choice for too long. I've been guilty of that many times and then ended up in a time crunch. So just pick one... you can always do the other ones later (make sure to put them on your 'performance ideas playlist').
This post (and the following one) won't be delving into being artistic and all that but do keep that in mind anyway. It will be more "Performance 101" type.
Picking out the music is obviously an important step. And one that sounds so easy... yet, you'll find that it's not. Here are a few guidelines that may help.
Duration
Generally speaking, solo spots in shows nowadays have a 5-minute maximum duration allowed. It varies from shows to shows. And, heck, it's now often being shrunk even more. So you want a piece that will be maximum 5 minutes. If you will be doing a group piece, the max nowadays will vary between 7-10 minutes. If you are doing ATS/ITS, a good rule of thumb will be about 1 minute per the number of dancers. So, say, if there will be 6 dancers, a piece that is about 6-7 minutes will be a good one.
Keep it short
You don't have to fill in the maximum time allotted. It's actually a very good idea to leave people wanting more! What's more: you need to be able to sustain it! When you are a new dancer, you will be surprised at how quickly your energy will be sapped out in performance. So you want to keep it short enough that you'll be able to sustain the stage presence and energy level for the duration of the piece. For newly starting performers, 3-4 minutes is again a good rule of thumb.
And I speak from experience on this... My very first solo was like 5 minutes long. I'm pretty sure that my energy level wasn't constant throughout the whole thing. And, man, was I tired after it. My 2nd solo was like 2:45-3 minutes. I forget how long exactly. The energy was much more constant. Since then, I've been hovering in that range from 3:30-5 minutes, generally, going on the lower end (so between 3:30-4). And it's not like I don't have the stamina to do more: I dance 12-20-minute sets at Greek Islands without any issues. Anyway, I'd rather do 2 shorter pieces than 1 long one. More from a 'not boring the audience' point of view than anything. ;)
If you will modify the music... do it well!
If your piece is too long and needs to be cut or you want to put a few pieces of music together or tweak the music however you feel, use a good software to do it and spend the time to do a good job. I've heard countless times bad mixes that make me cringe. It sounds so amateurish. I don't care what your actual level is, you don't want bad editing in your music to detract from the performance. There are a number of people in any area who will be good at it or you may have a DJ friend (or someone who knows someone): don't hesitate to ask for help instead of doing a bad job yourself. I took the workshop with DJ Amar at TF 10 that was about editing music in Audacity. It gave me lots of tips and tricks on how to do it... and made me realize how time intense it can be if you want to do a good job at editing the music.
Oh and while we're on the topic: if you will use more than 1 piece, consider using a software to put them together especially if the show asks for an mp3 version. The main reason for that is that you are much better off sending 1 file than multiple files that risk not being put in the correct order (even though you will have told the person in charge what order to put them in) or being cut short because the person in charge of the music at the show ends your music before the 2nd one pops or there's too much time (or more than you wanted) between the pieces b/c of the equipment used to play the music. Or other reasons... anyway, it's safer that way. Come to think of it, even if you will be providing the music on a CD, it's safer that way too... for some of the same reasons.
The "Performance Ideas" Playlist
You may end up having a ton of ideas of music that you would love to perform to... yet when comes time to pick some music, your mind goes blank. That's why a 'performance ideas' playlist on your iTunes (or whatever else you use) is a good idea (and if you don't have music in mp3, you can make a list on paper or in Word). That way, you can go in, review the pieces, and pick one from the list... or not. ;) But it's at least a starting point!
The music needs to move you or at least make you move
So, when choosing music, it obviously needs to move you. That's obvious, right? What we mean exactly by 'moves you' is stir something inside of you. It needs to create a response. It will usually be a feeling that you'll sense when you hear it (e.g., joy, happiness, contentment, torment/sadness/despair [for the dark inclined]) or it could be something like 'beauty'. Whatever response you have is what is going to make you connect to the music. And that's very important.
Now, when in a group setting, not everyone will react exactly the same way to the music so keep that in mind. We're generally striving in ATS/ITS for something that will make you want to move. Your hips won't stay still when you hear that music. And that's another way to connect with the music. It will also generally make you feel something... it just may not be at the same depth... or it may.
You need to REALLY like that music
In the course of practicing, getting ready, and knowing your music inside out, you will have to listen to the piece over and over... ad nauseam... so you need to really like it enough to listen to it enough. It may happen after a performance that a music is 'burnt'... i.e., you don't want to EVER listen to it again. In the early days of Black Rose Caravan when we were still choreography-based, there were a few pieces that ended up creating this response in us. And, even with the best intentions, it can happen. But do make sure that you can listen to the music back to back to be able to go through the whole process. ;)
Sometimes, you just have to pick!
At times, you will have 20million pieces that you feel like doing because they all sound amazing to you. That's both awesome and overwhelming. Then you just have to pick one. Just like, in the morning, you end up picking one outfit out of your wardrobe, you may need to just pick one. Now, if you know the venue and the theme (if there is one), this may help dictate your choice. But if you don't or there's no theme, then you just have to choose. And, believe me, you don't want to delay the choice for too long. I've been guilty of that many times and then ended up in a time crunch. So just pick one... you can always do the other ones later (make sure to put them on your 'performance ideas playlist').
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
So... you want to perform...
You've been taking belly dance classes and want to do *something* with it... how do you go about that?
Ask around!
Most shows will have a 'call for performers' but sometimes there won't be. Back when I started doing solo work, actually, calls for performers were relatively rare. So I would ask the hostess if I could participate into the show. Yes, I was inviting myself. It feels odd at first but it gets easier the more you do it. Most importantly, just remember: what's the worst that they will say? They'll say no... that's it. No harm done. No worries.
Performance attached to workshops
Just know that there will be performances that are attached to workshops... so they will require you to take the workshops (either all of the workshops or a predetermined amount) for you to participate in the show. Apparently, it's not like that everywhere but it definitely is in the Midwest. So don't be surprised if you get a reply that states that.
Don't forget Haflas and World Music Nights!
Let your hair down haflas where people just show up and there's like a DJ or an iPod on random playing or you can bring your own music and dance are few and far between. But ISAMETD hosts them every now and then. And maybe Carenza will again once she's back in town (hint! hint!). ;) But those are excellent low pressure moments when you can perform.
Also, remember that we are very lucky to have il Troubadore who do the World Music Nights once a month. It's not a performance like being on a stage... it's actually better! You get the experience of dancing to a live band, in front of an audience that's right there. Most people around here seem to not realize it but, seriously, a lot of people I know would kill to have this opportunity. Anyway, it's another moment when you can hone your performance skills. Even though it's a different setting, it still very much counts.
Prepare for it... NOW!
If you've been contemplating performing, don't wait until you have an okay to start working on a piece. Chances are, you may get an okay closer to the date than you anticipated and then you will feel like you don't have enough time. Also, there are a number of events now that happen on an annual basis so it's getting increasingly easier to prepare ahead of time. (Note: I will write a separate post on tips and tricks that make preparation easier.) The more you do it, the easier it gets, though. ;)
Am I really ready?
If you are contemplating performing, generally, it means that you were ready to perform some time ago. Our sense of preservation and that negative voice are real good at putting doubt in our minds. My stance is that you hardly can start performing too early. As Tempest often points out, the key is doing the best that you can with what you've got. And I always bring up this example but there was one gal that I saw perform many years ago and she was obviously a beginner student and had a limited number of moves that she knew... but, damn, she did them well and had good stage presence. It was a great start.
Also remember that very few people are natural performers. So this will take time. So you may as well start now. ;)
Record performances
You will want to consider recording your actual performances for 2 main reasons: 1) to see how it actually went and analyze the performance to improve your performance skills; and 2) some shows will require you to submit a video of you performing in lieu of an audition. Since I have this quirk where people forget to take pictures or videos of my performances, I didn't have a video to show for the longest time. So for those performances that require a video, I was hosed.
That being said, one thing that you could do if you really want to put in a bid for such a performance is have someone record you dancing in full costume and all that as if it was a performance but it's in the dance studio or your living room or whatever. I mean, it's not the best, obviously, but it's better than not showing anything.
The dreaded bio/blurb
Once you're accepted in the show, they will often ask you for a bio/blurb that the MC will say or that will be in the program. I nearly guarantee that you will draw a blank. What should I write? Well, you don't have to write a whole lot. I've found over the years that short and sweet will do just fine. I typically write a simple sentence about me (it generally will be "Celeste is a dark belly dance and improvisational tribal style performer and instructor in Indianapolis.") and then add a sentence or two about the piece. That can contain like the name of the song, the artist, etc. or just be about the piece per se. If you need to put something in to bring context to the piece, you can. My stance is that I want the dance to do the talking. ;)
Ask around!
Most shows will have a 'call for performers' but sometimes there won't be. Back when I started doing solo work, actually, calls for performers were relatively rare. So I would ask the hostess if I could participate into the show. Yes, I was inviting myself. It feels odd at first but it gets easier the more you do it. Most importantly, just remember: what's the worst that they will say? They'll say no... that's it. No harm done. No worries.
Performance attached to workshops
Just know that there will be performances that are attached to workshops... so they will require you to take the workshops (either all of the workshops or a predetermined amount) for you to participate in the show. Apparently, it's not like that everywhere but it definitely is in the Midwest. So don't be surprised if you get a reply that states that.
Don't forget Haflas and World Music Nights!
Let your hair down haflas where people just show up and there's like a DJ or an iPod on random playing or you can bring your own music and dance are few and far between. But ISAMETD hosts them every now and then. And maybe Carenza will again once she's back in town (hint! hint!). ;) But those are excellent low pressure moments when you can perform.
Also, remember that we are very lucky to have il Troubadore who do the World Music Nights once a month. It's not a performance like being on a stage... it's actually better! You get the experience of dancing to a live band, in front of an audience that's right there. Most people around here seem to not realize it but, seriously, a lot of people I know would kill to have this opportunity. Anyway, it's another moment when you can hone your performance skills. Even though it's a different setting, it still very much counts.
Prepare for it... NOW!
If you've been contemplating performing, don't wait until you have an okay to start working on a piece. Chances are, you may get an okay closer to the date than you anticipated and then you will feel like you don't have enough time. Also, there are a number of events now that happen on an annual basis so it's getting increasingly easier to prepare ahead of time. (Note: I will write a separate post on tips and tricks that make preparation easier.) The more you do it, the easier it gets, though. ;)
Am I really ready?
If you are contemplating performing, generally, it means that you were ready to perform some time ago. Our sense of preservation and that negative voice are real good at putting doubt in our minds. My stance is that you hardly can start performing too early. As Tempest often points out, the key is doing the best that you can with what you've got. And I always bring up this example but there was one gal that I saw perform many years ago and she was obviously a beginner student and had a limited number of moves that she knew... but, damn, she did them well and had good stage presence. It was a great start.
Also remember that very few people are natural performers. So this will take time. So you may as well start now. ;)
Record performances
You will want to consider recording your actual performances for 2 main reasons: 1) to see how it actually went and analyze the performance to improve your performance skills; and 2) some shows will require you to submit a video of you performing in lieu of an audition. Since I have this quirk where people forget to take pictures or videos of my performances, I didn't have a video to show for the longest time. So for those performances that require a video, I was hosed.
That being said, one thing that you could do if you really want to put in a bid for such a performance is have someone record you dancing in full costume and all that as if it was a performance but it's in the dance studio or your living room or whatever. I mean, it's not the best, obviously, but it's better than not showing anything.
The dreaded bio/blurb
Once you're accepted in the show, they will often ask you for a bio/blurb that the MC will say or that will be in the program. I nearly guarantee that you will draw a blank. What should I write? Well, you don't have to write a whole lot. I've found over the years that short and sweet will do just fine. I typically write a simple sentence about me (it generally will be "Celeste is a dark belly dance and improvisational tribal style performer and instructor in Indianapolis.") and then add a sentence or two about the piece. That can contain like the name of the song, the artist, etc. or just be about the piece per se. If you need to put something in to bring context to the piece, you can. My stance is that I want the dance to do the talking. ;)
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