First Competition, Seasoned Restaurant Dancer

[CiGi]

Hello fellow Belly Dance lovers!

I have followed this forum for a few years and used to post here and there under a different user name but when I wanted to make this post I couldn't find any of my old information. So anyway...

I have been working in restaurants regularly for the past three years. I never get nervous and feel completely in my element. I have also done several stage performances and other types of performance art but I have never been judged in a competition of any sort and I recently signed up for the Tribal Fusion competition at the Miami Bellydance Convention.

Point being.... I am freaking out.

And, on top of that, I was searching through the forum for other mentions of the MBC and read a very disheartening review by Cassandra Fox whom I am familiar with by way of Youtube and a big fan of.

Anyway, I am here to ask for pointers, suggestions and stories about competitions in general... And maybe a little encouragement. Thanks in advance for your replies.

 

[Darshiva]

Do it for yourself, dance your best, and don't take their feedback to heart. If anything said conflicts with the style & persona you've been building over the years, ignore it. Anything that can help you to improve in your particular style & persona, write it down and ignore it for a few days. When the thrill of performing under those circumstances has died down, take out the feedback & use it to work on.

And lastly, do it for yourself. I know I already said this but it is such an important point I felt it best to make it twice. Just remember who you are doing this for and why, and let THAT inform how you experience competition.

 

[CiGi]

And lastly, do it for yourself. I know I already said this but it is such an important point I felt it best to make it twice. Just remember who you are doing this for and why, and let THAT inform how you experience competition.

WOW! Thank you for your words and you are right, this is what I have to keep in mind. I love performing and I love dancing, more than ANYTHING in this world, it is only a change of venue and I shouldn't let that affect my mood as much as it is. Again, thanks, just reading these words helped center me. I thank you sooooooooooo much for this reply!

 

[MissVega]

Hello fellow Belly Dance lovers!

I have followed this forum for a few years and used to post here and there under a different user name but when I wanted to make this post I couldn't find any of my old information. So anyway...

I have been working in restaurants regularly for the past three years. I never get nervous and feel completely in my element. I have also done several stage performances and other types of performance art but I have never been judged in a competition of any sort and I recently signed up for the Tribal Fusion competition at the Miami Bellydance Convention.

Point being.... I am freaking out.

And, on top of that, I was searching through the forum for other mentions of the MBC and read a very disheartening review by Cassandra Fox whom I am familiar with by way of Youtube and a big fan of.

Anyway, I am here to ask for pointers, suggestions and stories about competitions in general... And maybe a little encouragement. Thanks in advance for your replies.

Congrats on entering your first competition Don't be nervous! They are fun, mind you I love competitions and have been competing at horse shows since I was a child. The best advice I can give is be yourself and have fun. I use competitions to push myself since I can only seem to really "throw down" when I have an audience. When I practice I tend to lolligag

Miami was my first competition for dance, ever and sadly it was not what I would describe as a positive experience. However this was mostly in part a result of the judging and the unprofessional behavior of one judge in particular. It was not a reflection of the entire weekend. I've also been now to Belly dancer of the year, Belly dance nationals, Belly Dancer of the Universe etc and this was a bit of a common theme. I was (and still am) used to horse shows where there is a judging standard and I know that the judge KNOWS HOW TO JUDGE as yuo have to have sufficient experience within the field, take courses, and apprentice to get your rating to judge at national competition and this was something that was lacking in belly dance judging for me. I did NOT buy a plane ticket to simply be told that I should wear turquoise and not ivory

Anyway, I have sent Nathalie who organizes MBC my feedback and she was very receptive to it and genuinely seems to want to improve with each year. She is a hard worker. I am going back to MBC as well. I figure I will give it a second chance and see if any of my feedback (and I am sure feedback from other attendees) has been taken into consideration.

I will see you at MBC Are you taking any of the workshops?

 

[Amanda (was Aziyade)]

I think one thing we ALL learned from the competition is not to wear white or ivory!!

And you may be judged higher if you wear Sharifwear.

 

[MissVega]

I think one thing we ALL learned from the competition is not to wear white or ivory!!

And you may be judged higher if you wear Sharifwear.

LOL You know I thought about wearing that same costume again, almost out of stubborness. However I am working on a Royal blue and white one that I hope to have ready in time

I still love that costumes, even with my paleness *folds arms across chest*

 

[Darshiva]

I think you look lovely in it. I keep thinking of it as your 'princess peach' costume.

 

[Amanda (was Aziyade)]

I love it too -- I thought it was beautiful and very flattering to you.

 

[MissVega]

Aww thanks ladies. I've just started a new one, hopefully this one is an alright colour on my complexion.

Actually I'm severely farmer's tanned at the moment. From head to toe I'm at least 5 different shades which mean that I should be able to wear any colour right? LOL I'm like a skintone/tan shade pallette

 

[Darshiva]

You just watch. Navy blue will be out this season & they'll tell you to go for a more peach tone!

 

[CiGi]

Congrats on entering your first competition Don't be nervous! They are fun, mind you I love competitions and have been competing at horse shows since I was a child. The best advice I can give is be yourself and have fun. I use competitions to push myself since I can only seem to really "throw down" when I have an audience. When I practice I tend to lolligag

Miami was my first competition for dance, ever and sadly it was not what I would describe as a positive experience. However this was mostly in part a result of the judging and the unprofessional behavior of one judge in particular. It was not a reflection of the entire weekend. I've also been now to Belly dancer of the year, Belly dance nationals, Belly Dancer of the Universe etc and this was a bit of a common theme. I was (and still am) used to horse shows where there is a judging standard and I know that the judge KNOWS HOW TO JUDGE as yuo have to have sufficient experience within the field, take courses, and apprentice to get your rating to judge at national competition and this was something that was lacking in belly dance judging for me. I did NOT buy a plane ticket to simply be told that I should wear turquoise and not ivory

Anyway, I have sent Nathalie who organizes MBC my feedback and she was very receptive to it and genuinely seems to want to improve with each year. She is a hard worker. I am going back to MBC as well. I figure I will give it a second chance and see if any of my feedback (and I am sure feedback from other attendees) has been taken into consideration.

I will see you at MBC Are you taking any of the workshops?

Thank you! I am really excited. Nervous too but I am feeling more confident as the days pass! I am soooooooooooooo excited to hear that you will be there! I hope we get to run into each other! I am taking a few workshops, I haven't made any final decisions but I am leaning towards Renata Lobo's "Diverse Rythems & Combos for Dancers", Nathalie & Ozzy's Live Drum Solo and Ruby Beh's "Floor Work". I also want to take a tribal fusion workshop since I am competing in that style but I haven't decided which yet. Which workshops do you plan on attending?

I read through the entire thread following your review and was shocked at what you over heard another dancer say... I saw the photos and I thought you looked beautiful and as I said before I have seen you dance on YouTube and you are amazing. Not only are you a pleasure to watch because of your energy and stage presents but also your technique is spot on. I read the break down of their judgments that you posted and couldn't believe what I was reading because my impression of your dancing was not reflected at all.

See you in September!!!

 

[RetroRaqs]

I think one thing we ALL learned from the competition is not to wear white or ivory!!

And you may be judged higher if you wear Sharifwear.

Crap...I'm planning on wearing white.

 

[Shanazel]

Actually I'm severely farmer's tanned at the moment. From head to toe I'm at least 5 different shades which mean that I should be able to wear any colour right? LOL I'm like a skintone/tan shade pallette

Perhaps the single thing I hated most about dancing professionally was the effort to keep an even skin tone in the summer. All those hours of laying in the sun toating my tummy during my lunch hour... hated it, hated it, hated it.

 

[LadyLoba]

That sounds like those judges got awfully picky over the color of the costume...seems a little nit-picky to me. I can see it if somebody walked out in a costume that was inappropriate or dirty...but dwelling on a perfectly acceptable color of a perfectly clean and appropriate costume seems like it would be more annoying to the dancer than helpful. That happens in a lot of areas though. I've had some writing teachers that would do that....go on and on and on about something that was their "thing"...like if a certain theory was not used enough...or one detail of one form...and I'd get nothing about the work overall.

 

[Leah]

Keep us posted on how it goes for you!