Do what I'm known for, or try something new?

[Jaya92]

Hi! I'm new to the forums. So, I started belly dancing in fall 2011 when I found out my college has a club. About a year ago, I auditioned to join our performance troupe and made it after only 3 months of learning! So to join our troupe, you have to re-audition once a year in the fall. Due to a family emergency, I missed the fall one and have to re-audition this month. The spring audition is usually harder to get accepted because our annual show is in a month and you really have to bring your A game.

So for my solo, I really want to wow them. My dance style is very cabaret. However I don't dance to traditional music. I perform all my solos set to Korean pop (Kpop) music, which is usually very bouncy and cutesy. Big cheesy smiles. That's what I'm known for doing. But I'm trying to change that. I've picked a few songs that are very slow and sensual sounding. Nothing like I've ever done. My question is, should I go for it? Or should I stick to the style I'm used to, and what people expect from me? What if I can't pull it off?

 

[gisela]

When trying to join a troupe, I would probably aim to perform a piece that shows the troupe I can do what they need me to do. If they dance to middle-eastern music, then I would too. Or perhaps put two songs together to show what I do for solos, and what I am able to do in the troupe.

If I was choosing a new member for my troupe, I would like one that has a solid knowledge of how to interpret middle eastern music. I would probably NOT choose one that was dancing to something completey unrelated to what my troupe does. That would make me doubt both the knowledge and the goal of the dancer.

Not meaning to sound harsh though. This is all from my point of view. If the troupe does all kinds of fusions, uses all kinds of music and is looking for someone like that, then Kpop could be allright.

 

[Jaya92]

I guess I wasn't clear with my question. It'll be Kpop regardless. Our troupe is all different styles from traditional to Beyonce to Mortal Kombat. What I'm curious about is, should I stick to the cutesy pop style or branch off into a sensual style?

 

[Roshanna]

I guess I wasn't clear with my question. It'll be Kpop regardless. Our troupe is all different styles from traditional to Beyonce to Mortal Kombat. What I'm curious about is, should I stick to the cutesy pop style or branch off into a sensual style?

I'm not sure that you will find much advice here on this question, I'm afraid. What you and the troupe are doing sounds not a lot like the bellydance that most of us are familiar with. Do bear in mind though that a dancer's 'style' does not mean only ever expressing one type of music or emotion, but to be able to express a wide range of moods in a way that is distinctively your own

I do advise you to try practising and dancing to some Middle Eastern music as well as the Kpop. I've never seen bellydace to Kpop before and I'm not going to make any judgements on that, but even if your ambition is to perform mostly fusion, it really helps to be familiar with the type of music that this dance is traditionally performed to.

 

[Darshiva]

I agree with Roshanna, but I have slightly different advice for you.

If you were approached by the troupe to audition, do your signature style. Otherwise, couch your audition carefully to what they are known for.

Personally, though, I'd stick to dancing to ME music, after all, that's what bellydance is!

 

[SeeJaneDance]

Okay, within the context of your question, stick with what you're good at. Given the time constraints, and the fact that they obviously liked what you do well enough to have you in last year, don't try to do something else last minute.

That said, moving forward, definitely work on branching out in your style, and your music selection. It will do nothing but make you a better dancer all around, if you can express the emotion in a variety of different types of music, as well as understand and express the emotion present in ME music, which isn't always interpretted the same way as western music. And then there are as many different types of ME music as there are Western (or Asian) music. So there's that, too.

 

[Afrit]

This is a wind up? Right? Sorry, no-one is up to performing in public after 3 months of lessons. And obviously whoever was "teaching" you is totally clueless if they thought you are up to soloing after that time. That you even think bouncey, cutesy dancing to kpop to belly dancing really shows how much you have to learn. Whatever you are doing honey - it is not belly dance. Stop pretending. Find a real teacher - you probably have talent as a dancer.

 

[Munniko]

I agree with Roshanna, but I have slightly different advice for you.

If you were approached by the troupe to audition, do your signature style. Otherwise, couch your audition carefully to what they are known for.

Personally, though, I'd stick to dancing to ME music, after all, that's what bellydance is!

I'm definitely going to second this. If someone books you for a gig give them what they paid for (nothing more though just the dance they wanted within your comfort zone), but if you are trying to join a group then try and lean towards what they do to show you are able to adapt to their needs, but throw in your own personal flair.

 

[Darshiva]

This is a wind up? Right? Sorry, no-one is up to performing in public after 3 months of lessons. And obviously whoever was "teaching" you is totally clueless if they thought you are up to soloing after that time. That you even think bouncey, cutesy dancing to kpop to belly dancing really shows how much you have to learn. Whatever you are doing honey - it is not belly dance. Stop pretending. Find a real teacher - you probably have talent as a dancer.

Okay, I'll take umbrage with this because I have seen excellent dancers with precisely that much bellydance education and having come from no other dance background. It all depends on the teacher and the dedication of the student.

Two years ago, a teacher arrived on the Melbourne scene with a huge wow. She'd only been in the area for a few months and had two students who came to study with her I think it was 2-3 times a week. She went from nobody in Melbourne bellydance to one of the biggest names in Melbourne bellydance as a result of the student performance (she did perform with them). They were very very good, and had they not been announced as her students I would have assumed they were a troupe of three for several years with several more years bellydancing under their belts.

So, it's unlikely to happen, but if all the stars align and the right combination of talented teacher & student combines, it does actually happen.

 

[gisela]

Yes, It happens. In the right setting, performing after three months is fine. Some are ready, some are not. Noone is a pro after three months, but again, in the right setting with the proper introduction...

 

[Kashmir]

Yes, It happens. In the right setting, performing after three months is fine. Some are ready, some are not. Noone is a pro after three months, but again, in the right setting with the proper introduction...

Her teacher has her dancing to kpop!

 

[Darshiva]

I don't think either of us is suggesting that this is the case here, but it's certainly not unheard of for the stars to align to give a pretty good performance from a baby bellydancer.

 

[Jane]

OP- You are wasting your time with this teacher/group IF you want to be a belly dancer. I'm sorry there is no nice way to put this. No reputable teacher is letting students dance to Korean pop or join a troupe at three months. You will be better off in the long run if you find a good teacher with ethical public performance standards. You sound like you have great talent and potential. Don't waste it. Best wishes to you on your dance journey.

 

[Yame]

As a general advice: stick with what you're good at if you're doing an audition, and definitely stick with what you're known for if you're auditioning for something you were invited to.

Specific advice: if all you dance to is kpop, you are not belly dancing. Don't sell yourself short... find a teacher who will give you the REAL experience.

 

[Tammyraks]

Sounds like a pain to audition once a year.

 

[gisela]

Her teacher has her dancing to kpop!

I meant introduction as in presentation before the performance, "here comes etc etc".