Minimum Items to Perform

On Saturday, the hafla ended up running a little early so I had to scramble to get myself ready.  I was teaching the last workshop of the day and ended up being pressed for time. That was my fault as I could have done things differently and not be so pressed for time but, hey, live and learn.

That prompted me, though, to think about writing something in case you are ever confronted with this situation. When you are pressed for time, you'll need to make some decisions as to what you will perform without.

Now this post will assume that you are a soloist. If you are in a troupe, then you'll need to either have everything on like everyone else or they will need to do the same as you. If you're the lone one who doesn't look like the other ones, you'll definitely stand out and probably not for the best.

Note that this is obviously not AT ALL an ideal situation but, let me tell you, you're better off shaking an item or two than be late to perform.

Costume elements
Wear underwear. Whatever happens, wear underwear. That's a must. But that'd be the topic for its own entry and how not to leave the audience guessing.

Bottom.  You'll need to wear something on the bottom, obviously. Depending on your costume, this can be one layer or multiple layers. If it's one layer, then it's very simple: you need to wear it. If you have multiple layers, though, like pants/pantaloons, skirt(s), scarves/shawls, you may ditch one or more layers. Now which one to keep will be dependent on the fabric of the items and which movements you'll be doing in the piece. But, again, if pressed for time, consider if you need all the layers or if just one would work.

Top.  Again, you'll need to wear some top. Generally speaking, we only wear one layer so then it's very self evident that you need to wear it. If, however, you're wearing something like a choli with a coin bra over it, you could wear just one of the two.

Belt. Depending on who you ask, the belt falls under costume elements or jewelry. It might depend on the belt too. :p The belt on a costume will really showcase your hip movements well so you don't want to skip it. Worst case with a belt: you could put it on as you're walking up to the stage. Try to make it look like you're really re-adjusting it as opposed to putting it on for the first time. ;)

Makeup
Bare minimum. So if you're absolutely, crucially, pressed for time and can't do the whole makeup thing, at a very minimum, you need to put on some eyeliner, mascara, blush, and lipstick.  That being said, this bare minimum will make you look bare indeed and utterly undone.

Medium minimum. So a step above that would be wearing foundation or at least some powder to even your skin tone. You'll want to also wear at least one eyeshadow on your eyelid.  And consider doing your eyebrows as they are a very expressive feature in your face.

False lashes. Essentially, what I typically will do without makeup-wise will be the false lashes when I'm pressed for time. These take a lot of time to apply correctly (and if you're trying to rush, it will take even longer) so, if I see that time is of the essence, I just won't wear them. But I will do my full makeup as much as I can because I find that the face being fully done conveys more stage-readiness than a half done face.

Bindi. I don't typically wear bindis for my solo projects so that's not an issue for me. But if you do, consider skipping this step, although it's one that really can be fast to do, especially if you're using those bindis that are self-adhesive.

Hair
Well, can you skip something for your hair? It depends. It thoroughly depends on what you had intended for your hair but, really, you can always perform with your hair down. Make sure that it's not looking like a hot mess, though, so contemplate brushing it a little or at least taming it with your hands.

Jewelry
This is probably THE place where I will skimp the most on when pressed for time.  You could go on stage without any jewelry but that'd be really bare.

Bare minimum. At a bare minimum, I will wear a necklace and at least one bracelet.  You can skip the earrings (if you're not already wearing some) and the rings and the extra bracelets.

Time Management
So, what it boils down to is having good time management skills. That involves knowing how much time you have to get ready and how long it takes you to do certain steps.  You can get creative with your time and assess if there are ways that you can make things more efficient for you. For example, if you have everything within arm's reach and items were laid out so that you can easily access them (in your luggage), it will make it faster.  I've also had an instance when I've done my makeup before taking the last workshop of a day because I knew that I would have little time in-between the workshop and the performance. (I have good makeup skills so it was fine. ;)) So look at your schedule for the whole day and assess if there is time for you to help yourself out.

One of the key things too is keeping your stress level down when pressed for time: the calmer you are, the faster you'll be able to do your things. Now is not the time to try on a new technique for your makeup or hair. And if you have an order in which you normally get ready in, use it! The familiarity will help you keep calmer.  For example, I personally do my makeup first, then I'll put on my costume, do my hair, put on jewelry. I leave the false lashes for the very very end just in case I run out of time.

And that's the order that I did on Saturday.  I was already wearing a necklace and it was going to take me too long to change it so I didn't. I also didn't put on false lashes. But, outside of that, I had everything else on.  At the end, I was piling on jewelry until I felt like I really had to get out there and be ready to hop on stage. If I had had more time, I would have worked on my hair a little bit more but I was wearing a very nifty headband. Those are VERY convenient to pretty up your head quickly.

Purchase vs. Make it

(Just a quick post as I'm coming back from an amazing event and am still in the catch-up mode of it all and I'm putting finishing touches on my own event.)

It's no secret that I buy the majority of my costumes or now I've actually started to have them made custom for me. Here's my rationale for purchasing: they know what they are doing so it takes them less time and will yield better results.

See, I'm good at sewing but I'm good enough to get me into trouble and have a general idea of how to do things but not enough to fully pull it off for it to look professional enough.  Truth is, if I didn't have a day job, I could probably do a better job at costuming than I do. But I happen to have a day job.  And we can really say that belly dance is a second job for me. I do spend a minimum of 7 hours in the studio each week teaching. And then I need to spend a bit of time on my own personal practice. And I have gigs or events. And I have to sleep. And spend time with the husband. Heck, there are some friends who I barely see because I'm so busy! So if we add costuming to the list of things that I have to do, I quite frankly don't have time to do as good a job as I'd like to.

So instead of having a subpar costume, I purchase my pieces. There are a number of very talented ladies  who will do a better job and do it faster than I could.  So, sure, on the surface, it would cost less if I made it myself... but that's when you count the cost of materials only. Add in the amount of time that it would take you to do it and consider giving yourself minimum wage for those hours. It doesn't take long for you to figure out that item X that seems pricey is actually reasonably priced.

AND the amount of time that I'd be spending on costuming is actually time that I wouldn't spend on my own dance. I fully take to heart Asharah's advice about it's better to be a well rounded dancer than having a ton of costumes. That goes in the knowledge vs. trinket mindset for choosing how to spend your money as well as how to spend your time.  If a costume would take me even a meager 10 hours to do (in costume time, that's not a lot), then that's 10 hours that I can't spend dancing and honing my skills... or resting. Because you do need rest.  Also, chances are, what would take me 10 hours, might take 5 hours (or less) to someone who is more skilled at costuming than I am.

See the math?

Now, obviously, purchased costumes are not free... but there are ways to maximize the investments. Sets are great but if it's something that can only be worn together, then you have one costume. If you have a bra and a belt that can be worn with other items, then you have more than one costume options in your stash.  It's really kind of like most advice on work wardrobe: buy separates that can be worn with other stuff.

Also, beware of the "OMG! This is awesome!" effect. So you're madly in love with a piece but it's pricey. Think about it for a minute and analyze whether it would work with what you have or where your dancing is going.  If the items are nice but you'd need a whole new everything with it, it may not be worth investing (unless you are looking into investing).  If your style is fusion but the item is screaming cabaret, it may not be what you want (unless, of course, you're going cabaret).  And think about whether it's too similar to something that you already have. I've been guilty of essentially buying very similar items in the past because, well, I liked them... which is a duh! moment.  Think of the color schemes that you have and those that you do not have but maybe want to branch out towards.

So, before embarking on a costume making endeavor, ask yourself where your time will be better spent: making the costume or dancing?  And be honest about the amount of time it would take you to make the item(s).  Some items are worth your time like a simple skirt or simple pantaloons. But, for other items, it may not be so. If you do decide to do the costume, start it early enough so that you don't have to be sewing the day of the performance. So, yes, this would require planning ahead of time.


And remember: you can always resell the items that you purchase. Of course you won't get the full price but the items can be resold to a portion of the price and be enjoyed by someone else... thus giving you money to re-invest in more costuming.


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I think that it's only fair that I tell you where I get my more unique stuff.

Tombo Studio, featuring Anaar's amazing skills: http://www.tombostudio.com/
Note that she has an Etsy store. She made an overskirt for me as well as my (now) infamous bra with feathers and metal wings. And she's making me something new that will make its debut very soon.

Geisha Moth: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Geisha-Moth/101129349421
She makes all kinds of lovely items in limited quantity per fabric.  She definitely caters to all shapes and sizes.  Purchasing can be done through Etsy, flashes, and wherever she vends.  And I gotta say that a lot of her stuff (pants, skirts, cake capris), I end up wearing outside of dance a lot.

Yasemin Yildiz: http://www.tribalbazaar.com/yayicubraand.html
She makes awesome bras, belts, skirts, arm thingies, head thingies, and all kinds of shiny thingies. Her items are always attention-grabbers and properly shiny for stage.

Red Camel: http://www.redcamel.net/
Not costuming per se but where I buy most of my jewelry. You can find DIY items there and on the Tribal Bazaar site as well.

Just listening is not enough

When you're preparing for a performance, be it improv only or choreographed, you will obviously need to listen your piece... A LOT! I know that I've mentioned this before but, when I have selected my music for an upcoming performance, I listen to it back to back for like 1 hour each day for a while, typically at work or at home while doing something else.

Whether you've listened to your piece a few times only or back to back for 1 hour each day for a while, you may be surprised when you start playing with the piece in the studio/practice space that the dancing is not flowing as fast as you thought it would. What gives? Why isn't it just flowing out? You love that piece so what's wrong?

First thought that may come to mind is reconsidering whether this is the piece that you should be doing. While, sure, you can reconsider it, I would challenge you actually to keep working on it. You love the piece and you should follow your instincts. Also, quite honestly, it has been my experience that my best pieces have started very very awkward in the studio and have required a whole lot of work to make it happen... and those are the pieces from which I learned the most. So keep at it.

What I think is happening actually is a disconnect between how your ears are taking in the piece, how your brain is interpreting the sound waves, what emotions the piece evokes in you, and how your body responds to all that. First off, that's a whole lot of input that your body has to react to so it may get confused as to what it should be obeying to.

Secondly, when you're listening to the piece and not moving at the same time, your brain will generally be free to wander in whichever direction it wants to... but when you decide that it's time to dance on it, your left side of the brain may kick in too hard and is forcing your body to obey it and its very strict appreciation of the piece... or if it's your right side of the brain that kicks in too hard, you'll find yourself twirling and going "wheee!" and you'll be left wondering where the dancing went. :p Bottom line: you need both sides of the brain to work together... but it's very likely that they will fight at first. They'll eventually come to an agreement of who keeps track of what and it will get better from there.

Also, quite honestly, sometimes your body doesn't quite know what to do... and your brain may not even know what to tell the body to do. It happens. Again, it doesn't mean that you need to ditch the piece.

One striking example that I have about this phenomenon is whenever our troupe practices for an upcoming performance. We agree on a piece and everyone listens the hell out of it. Cool beans. The first time that we do our group improv to it in rehearsal, it's choppy, it's messy, and it never goes as planned. It comes as a surprise to a good number of the members. Well, the thing is that they had listened to the piece but had not tried to move to it. So now the body was going "Huh... what do you want me to do here?" and the left side of the brain is going "Where's the beat again? This is the first time that I'm hearing this!" and the right side of the brain is going "What do you mean I can't play now? I know that piece!" ;) Then we do it again and it gets better and better.

There are two take away messages that I want you to get from this blog post:

1. If the first attempt at working on a piece isn't perfect: do not despair! It will get better!
2. For all that I'd love to tell you that you can just pick a song and dance to it right away flawlessly, that'd be a lie. Just listening to a piece is not enough. You need to actually move to it too to get ready.

Go all out!

This is a post that I meant to do right after 3rd Coast Tribal but then I forgot and time passed and all that. ;) It was particularly evident at 3rd Coast, where the crowd is always oh so supportive but I'm sure that you've seen this phenomenon before.

Nearly inevitably, in a belly dance show, there will be a dancer whose technique is just all right or not that great but, damn, she's having fun on stage, she doesn't care what the hell people think, she's just giving it her all... and the crowd reacts to her and give her some lovin'. Meanwhile, another dancer's technique is uber polished and she's hitting all the accents of the piece spot on but it's a little cold because she's holding back or something and the crowd is not reacting nearly as much.

As a fellow dancer, this may leave you scratching your head... but there is one important lesson here: whatever you do, GO ALL OUT!

First off, going all out means also exaggerating things. See, with distance between you being on stage and the audience, your normal smile won't cut it. I joke with my students and tribe sisters to do the "crazy cheerleader on crack smile" to get a smile that will be noticed in the crowd. Many have tried it and, you know what? This is generally just about the right amount of smile that will be noticed.

Secondly, the crowd will react oh so much more if you just give it your all vs. being reserved about it. So, yes, looking like a damn fool will give you more kudos than restraint. The stage ain't a Victorian salon. ;) That being said, that's not to say that you should strive for looking like a fool at all costs. But you know what I mean right?

It's oh so much easier said than done, I know. It took me quite a while to get the hang of it... it's getting much much better.

I know you've most likely heard this one before but it's oh so very true: no one on their death beds (or late in life) will lament "I so wish that I had held back for that performance!" It's rather the opposite.

So go all out! Much better than holding back!

Group Number = Trust!

After we hit a little glitch or two during our performance this past Saturday, it made me ponder on how a group piece is all about trust... ESPECIALLY if we're talking about ATS/ITS. But it's actually true also in choreographed pieces.

That trust is not built overnight but takes time to develop. Depending on your personality, you'll either start with trusting others until proven wrong or mistrusting of others until proven wrong. It's okay. It's normal.

Whichever way you start out, though, the trust is built in the studio in rehearsal time. How can you make people trust you? Well, you need to show up to rehearsals, participate in them, learn what you need to learn, you probably will need to practice on your own too, and just simply be there when you need to be there.

So, for a choreographed piece, if you're the choreographer, you trust that your fellow dancers will learn the choreography and practice it so that the group looks polished and delivers on the choreography's promise. If you're a participant, you trust your choreographer that he/she will do a good job interpreting the music and putting together a cohesive piece that will make the group look good. If it's a choreography built by the group, then you need to trust each other to do all that: learn what needs to be learned, practice, interpret the music correctly, etc. You will also need to trust each other in a group-built choreography that each member can speak his/her mind freely and a healthy discussion can be had about ideas.

When it comes to ATS/ITS, again, there's a whole lotta trust there! As the leader, you trust that the followers will understand your cues. As the followers, you need to trust that your leader will cue the movements correctly. And that's why we drill, right? To get those cues in your body memory.

Note also that whatever I said that you trust the other person to do is what that person needs to deliver. For the trust to be built, you need to deliver on what people trust you to do. ;) And there's nothing like glitches to prove how it's actually going to work.

So, Saturday, one member of our group ended up having a brain fart... but we followed. The ending of the piece didn't go exactly as planned (natural pitfall of dancing to live music) but I made them shimmy the hell out of their bodies and they followed. I didn't even have to turn around to know that they were following. I felt it. Granted, us three who were performing that day have been dancing together for 7 years now so we're VERY familiar with each other. But the point is that, even though we were totally off ITS script, we still were able to deliver a cool performance... because we trusted each other.

When you see a troupe that has great chemistry, the #1 ingredient is trust... even beyond friendship and just liking each other. We've all had friends that we love to pieces but, damn, they're always late, never do what they promised, etc. We still love them, but the trust is not fully there. So the same thing can happen in a group. I dare say that a good chunk of group drama is about this trust issue... and, well, crystal clear communication (but that would be a topic for a whole different blog entry). So, just like I mentioned in my Be A Good Belly Dance Citizen entry (see http://celestesmusings.blogspot.com/2011/08/be-good-belly-dance-citizen.html), you need to do what you said you would to build your trust with your group. And then you have fun moments like shimmying for ever while on stage and get to laugh about it. ;)

Belly Dancers Crowd

I want to go back and expand on some of what I talked about in last week's blog (http://celestesmusings.blogspot.com/2012/01/3-groups-in-crowd.html ). Namely, I want to address the fears around dancing in front of other belly dancers.

It is very common for belly dancers to be afraid of performing in front of other belly dancers. I used to feel like that too and I still do every now and then but that fear has eased substantially over the years.

Fears

One of the biggest fears is that other belly dancers will figure out where you went wrong in your choreography. Really, we don't know. There is no way for us to know where you went wrong in your choreography unless you give it away. So if you have a good poker face, we won't ever know. Heck, there have been a few times when one of my students added in her performance one of our ITS combos but the combo had been tweaked... or so I thought... so I would say something like "I really liked what you did in that combo, how you modified it." and nearly every time, the answer was "OMG! I messed up the combo! I had meant to do it as is." And that is when I teach them the lesson of just saying "Thank you!" :p So, again, I knew what the combo was supposed to be but they had changed it... and I had no way of knowing that it was an accident. ;) There actually is no magic guide that tells me where you went wrong unless you tell me either through your words afterwards or in your face during the performance.

Another fear is that dancers will see all your technical flaws. Well, yes, it's possible that we'll see them. Generally, though, that thought will quickly come and go, especially if you're really flowing with the piece.

You may also fear that another dancer would disagree with how you choreographed the piece. Well, you know, there are many ways to skin a cat. So while, yes, I may have had a different approach, yours is valid too.

Really, what it boils down to is the fear of being judged. Unless you're participating in a belly dance contest, you won't be. Seriously.

Advantages

On the surface, dancing for the general public seems like it's so much easier. And it is easy. But, actually, there are a number of advantages to performing in front of a belly dance audience.

Educated audience

You'll have the benefit of an educated audience. They will know what belly dance is (and isn't) so you don't have to educate them as to that. For example, you won't get the "take it off!" cat calls. But more than the crude comments, they'll actually understand when you're doing a piece that is more folkloric or the intricacies of lead/follow in ATS/ITS or things like that.

Technically savvy

They'll also be technically savvy so your amazing combo won't be lost on them. The general public will have about the same reaction for a simple hip drop vs. an amazingly well layered combo... seriously, they won't see much difference. But the belly dance audience will see the difference. They will also realize when a simple isolation has been very well executed.

Feedback

You can get valuable feedback if you ask the appropriate people (see this previous blog entry on that topic: http://celestesmusings.blogspot.com/2010/09/finally-long-awaited-follow-up-blog-on.html ). I know, you don't want to be judged and all but you can ask someone what they thought about your performance, what can be improved upon, etc. This is material that will help you grow and you simply won't get that from the general audience.

Understanding of your level

For the general public, they won't realize the difference between a belly dancer who has been doing it for 6 months vs. 6 years... so they will lump all performers in the same bucket and judge you equally. So, yes, of course, your performance may not stack up but they won't get that nor why. A belly dance audience will totally understand what your level is and will assess your performance at that level.

We're all in this together

Another thing is EVERYONE who performs gets nervous before going on stage. Seriously. Even Rachel Brice and Ariellah and Tempest and < insert any dancer's name >. So there's this element of "we're all in this together" that brings us closer and makes for a supportive feeling that you won't get from the general public. In the general public, just a few people are performing... in a belly dance crowd, lots of folks will step on that stage... so they understand what it feels like to step on that stage.

Bottom line

So while, yes, a general public audience is less nerve racking, a belly dance audience is not nearly as much of a monster as you make it out to be. I seriously can count on the hands of one hand the events when the belly dance audience wasn't extremely supportive. And I can't think of a time when it was downright hostile. It's really all in your head.

Having seen also a number of dancers who very rarely perform for a belly dance audience, I can also tell you that I've generally seen less improvement in their performance quality than those who routinely dance for belly dance audiences. Again, I strongly believe that you will learn a whole lot about performing by dancing in front of other belly dancers. And they won't judge you the way you think they will.

The 3 groups in the crowd

As most of you who read this regularly know (or if you know me), you know that I used to have stage fright. It's really an irrational fear of looking like a fool on stage. But who's taking notice, right? The audience is. That's who I was afraid of. As I mentioned in the past, really, the audience wants to be entertained and just wants you to do your best. They're really on your side. Logically, that sounds true but I had a hard time believe it...

Until I had a dream. The dream itself wasn't important but it revealed to me the 3 groups in the crowd who will always be there, pretty much wherever you go.

The Fans

These are the audience members who love you whatever you do. Bless their hearts, they make you feel good about yourself. These can be your students if you're a teacher, your teacher if you're the student, people who have seen you progress and grow, your spouse, your family, etc. As you progress in this dance, this group will become larger.

You don't need to worry about these folks when you perform because they will love it, no matter what. You can actually use their positive energy to fuel your dance! I most certainly do that! Finding one of those friendly faces in a crowd is a blessing! Use them to your advantage.

The Haters

Those people will hate what you do, whatever it is. So, yes, the total opposite of The Fans. Now, why they hate what you do may be different depending on the source of their hate. It could be that your style is one that they abhor. It could be because they don't like belly dance in general (that'd be the case when I'm dancing at the restaurant, for example, and I find someone (or a group) who seems to give me dirty looks). It could be because they only like < insert narrow definition of belly dance > and that's not what you're doing.

You also don't need to worry about these folks! There is absolutely no point in spending time and energy worrying about them or trying to convince them that they're wrong. They have passed judgment on you already... oftentimes even before you're hitting the stage. Don't let their attitude bring you down. They will generally not tell you anything anyway so you won't even know much that they're there. But, again, no point in worrying about them.

Interestingly, as you progress in dance, this group can become smaller or bigger! It all depends on so many things.

The Rest aka The Jury

The rest of the folks have no idea who you are, what you do, what you are about, and they're just willing to go along for the ride. So, I called them "the jury" because, simply put, the jury is still out on you. Quite frankly, for all that you may try to bucket folks into each of the categories, the truth is that the bulk of your audience will be in this category. I don't quite like the term "jury" because it's not like they're really passing judgment on you... though they are certainly entitled to have an opinion about your piece, just like everyone else.

Now, should you worry about them? No, actually, you don't even need to worry about them whatsoever! With them, you are actually starting with a completely clean slate and, well, they are taking you in as you're dancing and all.

General Population versus Belly Dancers

So, whether you're doing a show for belly dancers or for the general population, the 3 groups will be there... the proportions may be different, though.

General population

Generally speaking, in a show for the general population, nearly everyone will be in "the jury" category: few people will really have seen belly dance before and, unless they have some misconception of what belly dance is, they will be quite open to the experience. Now, there's a possibility that you will have some "haters" because of said misconceptions. But it's actually a much smaller proportion of people than you'd think. And, quite frankly, I've had a number of folks who have told me that they started with a misconception and I dispelled it. (Happens a lot when I dance at the restaurant.) So they were not full on "haters" but more like "biased jury". :p

Belly dancers

We often feel sooooooooo self-conscious dancing in front of other dancers. You think that they'll figure out where you went wrong and all that. Truth is that, actually, the bulk of the audience will still be in "the jury" category, unless it's a toxic crowd, which happens every now and then... but I think that I can count on one hand the number of times that this happened to me. Really, we're not there to pass judgment on you. Just like the general population, we want you to do your thing. Now, you may find a bit more "haters" in a show for belly dancers but, again, they'll generally be silent so you won't even notice them too much. You will have a whole lot more fans there, though.

Bottom Line

Really, bottom line, for all that these 3 groups are in the audience, there's really no point in worrying about any of them. You can use the fans to your advantage, pulling their positive energy to keep you going. The rest is up to you. Simply put, you need to do the best that you can under the circumstances and the crowd will react whichever way it will react. Some audiences are very supportive; others are not. It's unfortunately part of the performance experience. Learning to deal with each type of support is an important part of learning how to perform. But it's also important to realize that what each group in the audience is thinking about you is totally out of your control.

The only thing that you have control over is what you are actually doing on stage. That's why you prepare these things ahead of time. The day of the performance is the time to execute to the best of your abilities. Be present, in the moment. And don't spend time worrying about what the audience thinks.