Your first solo

[Mouse]

I was wondering if anyone would care to share their experiences of their very first solo performance?

I'm asking because I did mine last night and the experience was just slightly this side of terrifying. It was only in front of a fairly small very encouraging group, but I was still very nervous to the point where I felt stiff. It gets easier right?

 

[Inanna]

I was scared out of my mind before my first solo, I worried about just about everything, I thought that anything that could go wrong would.... everything from forgetting what I was doing, to falling on my face, or being laughed off stage. But then once I got on stage and just started listening to the music, I got a whole lot more comfortable with everything, and in the end I had a blast and was kind of sad that I only had one solo piece to perform, lol. I also got a good piece of advice from another girl in our group who has been doing solos for awhile, she said don't look at your audience as if they are a seperate entity just watching and judging you... make your audience a part of your dance, play with them, and it makes everything a lot less scary.

 

[Aaeesha]

I was *terrified* for my first solo, to the point I felt nauseated for a couple hours leading up to the performance. I had a dream the night before that my music started and halfway through my performance, the CD started skipping and I didn't know what to do. This fueled an immense anxiety that something like this could go wrong. I felt stiff also. The whole experience was a little surreal and I kind of felt a little out of my own body. Looking back on it, I can chuckle about it. The first one is always the hardest. Cheers

 

[Mouse]

Thanks for the replies & advice - very much appreciated!

Aaeesha, surreal is a very good way to describe it, thats exactly how I felt. Even the music felt muted somehow.

 

[Demelza]

concragtulations anyway Mouse !!
behind the nerves, I'm sure you looked and danced wonderfully. Keep it up and you will enjoy each performance more and more
Love Demelza x

 

[slinks]

I was really nervous too !! lol I finished before the music did but I did okay ... it was my first and only solo ... I only dance at home now

 

[Zahiraah]

Hi Mouse,

Congratiulations to your first perfomance! The first one is always the hardest and most nervous one; I can assure you that it can only be better the next time(assuming your breast won't pop out from the bra or something).

My first performance wasn't so nervous; the only thing that disturbed me was the shaking in my whole body, but it got better as I danced. One thing that helped me a lot was my confidence, because I've got quite some amount of it ^_^. My mother was more nervous than I, haha. I think it helps to think that the audience probably don't know more about belly dancing than you do and they won't laugh at you because of some small mistakes(they probably won't see them at all).

I have now performed three times, and I seem to forget about the audience every time; I think you will do too. I now dance because it is fun and they enjoy watching me.

Another thing which may help you a lot is: perform in front of very small groups who you know very well and feel very comfortable with, for example friends or siblings. If you do this many times it will feel a lot easier when it is time for the big gigs ^_^.

 

[Mouse]

Thank you Demelza & Zahiraah I did enjoy the performance.. after it was done *lol*... and I will definitely do it again.

I can assure you that it can only be better the next time(assuming your breast won't pop out from the bra or something).

Now that gives me something to worry about besides my feet!

 

[Maria_Aya]

Congrats Mouse !!!!!!!!!!
I cant say I was terrofied at my first solo, cause till then I had many opportunities at school dance nigths to dance in front of public even if they were other students.
But I was almost in heart attack when opened a show alone on stage playing tabla for 1min.
The detail that make the difference is that I DONT KNOW TO PLAY TABLA lol
I just repeated for several times specific simple rythms lol



congrats to all that have the courage and step for first time on stage
maria aya

 

[Amulya]

My first solo was for an aunts 25th wedding anniversary with lots of people I knew so not that terrifying. It was rather easy. But the first paid gig was different, especially because I never expected it to come up (I was teaching but hadn't thought of performing pro yet). Awfully terrifying: I thought I was dieing! But after it was over it felt different. People liked it and the next time went much easier.
I think it needs time, you get used to it. Or not, some people just don't like it.

 

[Mouse]

Thanks maria aya

Hearing about every one elses experiences is wonderful and really encouraging. Thank you all for sharing!

*hugz*
Mouse

 

[Zorba]

Dunno if you've seen my first solo experience or not:

http://www.doubleveil.net/solo.htm

With pictures!

 

[Mouse]

That was a fantastic read! I had a big grin on my face the whole way through. Loved the pictures too - thank you for the link!!

Funnily enough I was reading a few snippets of your site over my sons shoulder earlier today. Will definitely have to go back and read some more - I love the way you write.

 

[Viv]

I honestly don't remember much about my first performance. Which probably means it was either that bad that I blocked it out or I'm old and it was that long ago...LOL!

However I will share the tale of two of my student's first performance. We were performing at the end point picnic for a local motercycle club's bike run. As typical with these gigs, things are running late and they hadn't showed by the time we started. I figured no big deal, they got cold feet and bailed out. It happens and this was a fairly low key gig since it was a freebie for one of the troupe gals. She and her boyfriend are part of one of the motercycle groups that organised the run.
About halfway through the show I realise the two newbies had snuck in the back. Great they did make it! We all step back for a solo and one of the gals leans over and apologies for being late. They had been in a car accident on the way to the show!! We finish up the show, pack up and head for our local hangout for some much needed caffine, pie and to hear what happened.
They had been rear ended by some gal driving with no insurance a few blocks from the show site. So there they were standing on the side of a busy the road on a Saturday afternoon, in costume, waiting for the cops to show up. The cop shows up, takes statements and all that fun stuff. Then he asks the two gals where they were going. They tell him and he laughs. Of all the cops in the city to show up to the call it was the son of one of our troupe members!! I know this is a small town but really that was too funny. I give those two gals all the credit in the world to for showing up after having been in a car accident!

 

[slinks]

^^^

Wow, what a read !! lol

 

[miss_shimmy]

great

It sure is wonderful that you all shared your experiances,great thread mouse.
I am to do my first performance ever in about 3 weeks.
I have been dancing a little,but for for that long.
I will be dancing solo,I am choreographing my routines,which is all very exiting and I am ignoring the nerves!!!LOL

I have been on stage lots before doing different performances,its been a little while.but I do love being on stage.

though as a dancer...wow its a very new experiance.so any tips are so very much appreciated,how long had you been dancing before you made your first performance?



amanda
xxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[Mouse]

I'm sure you will be fantastic Amanda! I've been dancing for a little over a year.

 

[miss_shimmy]

hi

a year huh,well done to you,its been about 6mnths for me,I am learning at home with dvds,there arent any teahcers in my area.

your words of encouragement sure do lift me up,thankx so much.
i was thinking today about music and the choreography.i couldnt find the music yesterday,but i know it will all come together.

hugs and smiles


amanda
xxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[Zahiraah]

Now that gives me something to worry about besides my feet!

Hehe, sorry. As long as your bra is good and fits you well, it is nothing to worry about.

though as a dancer...wow its a very new experiance.so any tips are so very much appreciated,how long had you been dancing before you made your first performance?

I had danced for ten months before my first solo, my first performance was after 4 months of practice.

 

[Aniseteph]

Lots of lucky (?) dancers out there getting the chance to do solos! I've been bellydancing for about a year and a half now and have my first performance as part of a group in a couple of weeks.
But still I'm sort of itching to choreograph something for myself and choose the music and costume. It's interesting to hear how long others have been dancing, because I never know if I'm being unrealistically overambitious or really underconfident!
So I think you are very lucky to be in classes where you perform for each other so soon. The classes I enjoy most are the ones where we get to improvise a bit and take turns to do a few moves in the middle of the circle.

Dancing regards

Aniseteph xx