How do I become a professional belly dancer?

bellybeginer

New member
Hello out there experienced beautiful bellydancers! I just started a bellydancing course for beginners (egyptian style) It is a lot of fun, however I'm not sure if I should register for a program at a University or continue with the workshops? What is the best route to take if in pursuit of becoming a professional?
 

Jane

New member
It's an investment, learn everything within your reach, but make sure you are getting good quality! Years of lessons with a second rate instructor will be a poor investment compared to fewer lessons with a top notch one. Read books, take classes, watch instructional videos, travel to the Middle East if possible, take workshops, practice tons, watch performances, take private lessons and stay on this forum. ;) Quality matters.

If you work hard and have a natural talent for this dance it can be done.
 

da Sage

New member
Hello out there experienced beautiful bellydancers! I just started a bellydancing course for beginners (egyptian style) It is a lot of fun, however I'm not sure if I should register for a program at a University or continue with the workshops? What is the best route to take if in pursuit of becoming a professional?

You should take as many classes as you can with the best teachers that you can. Weekly classes (or more than once a week) are more important than workshops. If you can't find a good local teacher whom you enjoy working with, you should relocate to an area with one or more good teachers.

A college course in bellydancing may or may not be as challenging as "normal" classes. It depends on the teacher and the curriculum.

It is a rare bellydancer who can progress well with workshops alone. Workshops are supplemental, unless you are doing that whole Suhaila thing.
 

Kashmir

New member
First get a good grasp of the "basics" - this includes posture, the underlying movement vocabulary, technique, understanding of history & culture. Ideally with an experienced and respected teacher. A class a week is a bare bones minimum - if you want to go pro you'll need to get a more than that plus workshops as they arrive. You should also plan on some private lessons. This stage probably will take 5-10 years.

You will need to master some props - such as zills, veil and cane as a minimum.

I assume you already have passion, talent and charisma. A pro dancer will also need a good level of fitness, flexibility and "conventional beauty". The general public are more interested in looks than ability. So you will need to work on these - ideally guided by professionals in the field eg sports physios, well tarined persoanl trainers (not the done a weekend workshop type) who know about the requirements of dance.

You will need pro level costumes - no wrap around belts - and more than one costume change! Plus you own (legal copies) of a wide range of appropriate Middle Eastern music. So start building up what you need.

Travel to the Middle East isn't essential - but it helps. But training under some Middle Eastern teachers is highly recommended. University isn't usually part of the process.

Skills in business are a plus - even if it is just how to deal with an agent. Networking with other dancers is very useful.

Classes in ballet and/or jazz may help - especally if you have no prior dance background.
 

lizaj

New member
I assume you are either American or from the UK.
You are thinking of choosing between learning to bellydance and go to university..to get a career I assume.
If you like to eat and keep a roof over your head get a career.
Learn to belly dance as well and supplement your income with fees from dancing when you are competant ( and are told by experts you are ready)and have managed to find the money to buy at least a couple of professional style costumes.
I know only a handful of very talented and hard working people who earn a living from Belly Dance here in the West. If you are from elsewhere I cannot say.
 

da Sage

New member
I assume you are either American or from the UK.
You are thinking of choosing between learning to bellydance and go to university..to get a career I assume.
If you like to eat and keep a roof over your head get a career.
Learn to belly dance as well and supplement your income with fees from dancing when you are competant ( and are told by experts you are ready)and have managed to find the money to buy at least a couple of professional style costumes.
I know only a handful of very talented and hard working people who earn a living from Belly Dance here in the West. If you are from elsewhere I cannot say.

Oh, you think she was thinking of throwing over college to study bellydance? :shok: I thought she was asking us to help her choose between studying bellydance through a college course, or studying bellydance only through workshops.

Neither of which is ideal - most colleges only have a year's worth of ethnic dance classes of any one kind, and she needs more than a year's worth of study to reach professional level. Workshops are hit-or-miss, and don't provide what dancers need to learn and reinforce the basics.

Quitting (or avoiding) school to pursue dance is a stupid move. Everyone I know supports their dancing with their day job, or used their (professional) day job to pay for years of training to become a professional dancer.

If you have a good regular job, you can take or leave dancing gigs. You never have to undercut or accept bad working conditions to pay the rent. Because you don't have to compromise your art to earn money from it, you are able to present a better face to the public, and eventually set yourself up to earn much more per gig/teaching engagement than a dancer who "needs the money".

If you actually were considering skipping/leaving college to become a professional bellydancer, you should DEFINITELY rethink your goals. Someone who doesn't understand why leaving school would slow your progress, doesn't have the business acumen to run a successful dance business.
 

jenc

New member
Why are you thinking of becoming a professional yet?? Your current goal is to improve your dance. You cannot have learnt the basics yet - if you think you have I can assure you that it takes everyone years to prefect. Maybe you will stay with the dance long enough, but to look at it now in terms of becoming professional is the surest way to risk disillusionment when you find out how long it takes
 

Liynaa

New member
Why are you thinking of becoming a professional yet?? Your current goal is to improve your dance. You cannot have learnt the basics yet - if you think you have I can assure you that it takes everyone years to prefect. Maybe you will stay with the dance long enough, but to look at it now in terms of becoming professional is the surest way to risk disillusionment when you find out how long it takes

I can relate to how she thinks. I haven't been taking lessons for very long, but if I can't see myself doing something for the rest of my life then it's not worth pursuing. I think about being a pro one day... although I know it's not going to be anytime soon. Being excited and motivated about what I could one day become is what pushes me to continue to work hard!
 

lizaj

New member
You should take as many classes as you can with the best teachers that you can. Weekly classes (or more than once a week) are more important than workshops. If you can't find a good local teacher whom you enjoy working with, you should relocate to an area with one or more good teachers.

A college course in bellydancing may or may not be as challenging as "normal" classes. It depends on the teacher and the curriculum.

It is a rare bellydancer who can progress well with workshops alone. Workshops are supplemental, unless you are doing that whole Suhaila thing.
You mean you can do a degree in belly dance? Dance..yes but not BD alone surely?
But then you still have to earn a living and even a degree wouldn't guarantee the bread on the table. Even a law degree doesn't guarantee you employment!:rolleyes:
 

jenc

New member
I can relate to how she thinks. I haven't been taking lessons for very long, but if I can't see myself doing something for the rest of my life then it's not worth pursuing. I think about being a pro one day... although I know it's not going to be anytime soon. Being excited and motivated about what I could one day become is what pushes me to continue to work hard!

maybe because I'm already 59 but the way I look at it is - I want to do the best i can Iwant to learn more about if it takes me a lifetime..... that is the way forward
 

da Sage

New member
You mean you can do a degree in belly dance? Dance..yes but not BD alone surely?
But then you still have to earn a living and even a degree wouldn't guarantee the bread on the table. Even a law degree doesn't guarantee you employment!:rolleyes:

The OP has not popped back in to clarify these questions about her original options, but I assumed that when she mentioned taking a college course, she meant a single course in belly dancing, or Middle Eastern folk dancing, or something of the sort, at the college she's already enrolled at. See my second post above, where I mentioned that most colleges will not have more than a year's worth of classes on any one kind of folk dance.

I went to school with a girl whose major was dance, and her focus was Flamenco. She took all the core courses for her major (and then some) at the college, but she spent a lot of her time training with a wonderful local flamenco troupe - because they could offer her more in her specialty than any of the college faculty could.

So in short, when the OP mentioned a college course, I assumed she was talking about a class in bellydancing that runs for one or two semesters, at a college that she's presumably already enrolled in. There are such classes out there, although they're rare. If she wants to be a professional bellydancer, she would look pretty silly if she didn't take such a course when it's available, wouldn't she? And workshops, while valuable, really wouldn't compare to such an opportunity early on in her study of bellydance.

Assuming that a college bellydance course is offered, and that the OP takes it (as part of a dance major or just an elective), taking the course will not hurt any of her future earning opportunities, whether she becomes a lawyer or a dance teacher.

Of course, it's entirely possible that I misunderstood the options the OP is considering. We won't know unless she speaks up.;)

Maybe you are thinking course = a multi-year agenda of study? We call that a major or a degree here in the US. We commonly use course to mean a single class, meeting frequently over a few months' time, then coming to an end.
 

jenc

New member
Hello out there experienced beautiful bellydancers! I just started a bellydancing course for beginners (egyptian style) It is a lot of fun, however I'm not sure if I should register for a program at a University or continue with the workshops? What is the best route to take if in pursuit of becoming a professional?

As many classes per week as you can manage but not tooo advanced tooo soon

BOTH????
 

da Sage

New member
Hi, original poster...can you post where you live, and tell us more about the educational options you were considering?
 

shiradotnet

Well-known member
Hello out there experienced beautiful bellydancers! I just started a bellydancing course for beginners (egyptian style) It is a lot of fun, however I'm not sure if I should register for a program at a University or continue with the workshops? What is the best route to take if in pursuit of becoming a professional?

You may find this article on my web site helpful: Belly Dancing: A Good Career Option?

Regarding a dance program at a university - it won't teach you the skills needed to master good belly dance technique, secure work at Middle Eastern restaurants, get jobs dancing at weddings and other private parties, etc. You need a good belly dance teacher for that.

However, there are other skills you can learn at a university that would help with a dance career. One option to look into is an "arts management" program, that teaches business skills such as marketing, sales, accounting, how to set up a non-profit, fund-raising, etc. If your local university doesn't have that, try their business administration program, especially if it has a course of study geared to start-ups and entrepreneurs. Another option is a "theater" program, which teaches such skills as stage lighting, acting (which comes in handy for stage presence), pedagogy (the craft of teaching), etc.

As for skills specific to belly dancing...

My most important piece of advice would be this: Research your teacher. Not every teacher is capable of helping you reach this goal. If your current teacher doesn't have what it takes, find a teacher who does.

You need a teacher who:

  • Has successfully trained other dancers to become working professionals. If her advanced students aren't out there performing at Arab weddings and restaurants, then chances are that she doesn't teach the skills necessary to do that.
  • Has worked professionally herself, performing at the types of venues in which you aspire to perform. If she hasn't done it, how can she prepare you to do it?
  • Has been belly dancing long enough to actually know something. Sadly, a lot of people believe themselves qualified to teach after just 2 years (or even less) of belly dance study. Some might be good enough to perform professionally (but most aren't), but they won't have enough experience by that time to train other people up to become working pros.
 
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bellybeginer

New member
Wow thank you all for your sharing your knowledge and inspiring advice, I really appreciate all the replies. Sorry this is actually the first time I checked back, only because my week has been quite hectic. About the courses, well I was hoping to enter a dance program hopefully acquiring a BA in dance ethnology. I guess the University question was silly. I would like to focus on becoming a better bellly dancer and wondering if the classes offered would be enough. Thank you I will be doing a lot of research and taking many more classes I found an academy here in Toronto that seems pretty good, arabesque dance :) thank you all for your time and advice again!
 

da Sage

New member
Wow thank you all for your sharing your knowledge and inspiring advice, I really appreciate all the replies. Sorry this is actually the first time I checked back, only because my week has been quite hectic. About the courses, well I was hoping to enter a dance program hopefully acquiring a BA in dance ethnology. I guess the University question was silly. I would like to focus on becoming a better bellly dancer and wondering if the classes offered would be enough. Thank you I will be doing a lot of research and taking many more classes I found an academy here in Toronto that seems pretty good, arabesque dance :) thank you all for your time and advice again!

I know a BA in dance ethnology would be really cool, and that Rachel Brice majored in something like that. A lot of women are interested in similar majors because of Rachel's success. The classes would definitely help your dance development. However, Rachel didn't develop most of her bellydance-specific skills in a college classroom - at first she took from whomever was available to get started, then she sought out the best teachers to develop her skills, and all through it she spent tons of time watching other dancers and herself on video. Plus, practice, practice, practice...crosstrained with yoga, IIRC she even learned anatomy for massage therapy.

Tangent aside, the only way you're going to learn enough bellydance at a college is if it's the specialty of one of the professors, and you do a lot of "independent study" semesters with her. You should only major in dance ethnology if you are truly interested in the broader subject. Otherwise a regular dance major or a more mainstream major will serve you better (never underestimate the importance of being able to earn money for belly dance classes!).

Just go to a good college near a good bellydance school, make sure you have appropriate transportation, and leave time in your schedule for 1-3 belly dance classes a week and lots of practicing. Then major in whatever you like!
 

Caroline_afifi

New member
You mean you can do a degree in belly dance? Dance..yes but not BD alone surely?
But then you still have to earn a living and even a degree wouldn't guarantee the bread on the table. Even a law degree doesn't guarantee you employment!:rolleyes:

There is someone who now teaches dance at Hope University in Liverpool who has a PHD in Middle Eastern dance ( I think).

She studied in Dartington in Devon.
 

lizaj

New member
There is someone who now teaches dance at Hope University in Liverpool who has a PHD in Middle Eastern dance ( I think).

She studied in Dartington in Devon.

Yup . But here in the UK I wonder how many universties would take belly dance seriously and even if you end up with all those initials will you get a job!
But I imagine the USA is a different matter with a much wider view on dance studies and I envy anyone who can follow that course..brilliant and good luck.
 

shiradotnet

Well-known member
About the courses, well I was hoping to enter a dance program hopefully acquiring a BA in dance ethnology. I found an academy here in Toronto that seems pretty good, arabesque dance

I have a high opinion of Arabesque. I'm confident you'll receive excellent instruction there.

There's a dancer, Sahra Kent, who has a master's degree in dance ethnology. Her focus was on Egypt. If you ever have an opportunity to attend her Journey Through Egypt workshop, I highly recommend it. (There's a Part 1 and a Part 2. I think I remember hearing she'll be offering both back-to-back in Winnipeg soon.) Anyway, she got her master's in dance ethnology at UCLA in California.
 

karena

New member
Yup . But here in the UK I wonder how many universties would take belly dance seriously and even if you end up with all those initials will you get a job!
But I imagine the USA is a different matter with a much wider view on dance studies and I envy anyone who can follow that course..brilliant and good luck.

I think she's still doing a PhD

All PhDs are about knowing everything there is to know about something very specific, to prove yourself as a researcher. So could be Middle Eastern Dance as much as anything. You then get a job in academia within your discipline, and your specialism will be your research area(s). The discipline itself will be wider than your specialism, so you could be a geographer specialising in golf courses. So, you could do a PhD researching bellydance in the UK as much as anything else. Your employability relates to many many more things more than the subject area of your PhD.

I am led to believe that the USA actually has a narrower view of what is and isn't valid as research for a PhD, and the level of academic freedom we have here is envied. Don't know how true that is...

(Sorry for the tangent!)
 
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