How long does it take to become a professional belly dancer?
- Thread starter Rupa
- Start date
Mariesaffron
New member
let me put it simple, you get out as much as you put in, and it goes for every thing you do. make sure you know the history and the roots of the dance as much as you know how to interprete the music. for Egtptian style it is very important to feel the music, and abandone yourself to it. read the thread " you know you are a belly dancer when "................ Marie
Rupa
New member
Hiya Marie thanks for the simple yet lovely message ;-) I avery expresssive in my dance when it comes to performance and choose my music and do totally feelas though i abandon myself to it.. however when i see other belly dancer whohave been dancing for years and years the their expression is so much more powerful.. and this isthe stage that i want to get to.... how long have you been belly dancing and do you feel that you are at your best?
Mariesaffron
New member
I have been dancing for more than 15 years, I do not know if I am at my best, I dance for the joy it brings to me, I am a Goddess type of dancer but if you are looking for facial exteriorization of the " feeling " just observe Egyptian dancers or take a workshop that focus on the aspects of the dance that you think you are lacking, if you know the lirics of the songs, it can help too. have a nice day. Marie
chryssanthi sahar
New member
Go to our video sub forum
http://forum.orientaldancer.net/video-clips-youtube/
and look for videos of Fifi Abdou, Soheir Zaki, Nagwa Fouad, Mona al Said, Dina... Or search for them directly at youtube.
By the way, it is difficult to say how long it will take you to become a really good belly dancer, because it depends on many things. You can learn to dance well already after 3-5 years, but by that time it is still rather improbable that you have the entire knowledge and the entire skills which will make you an outstanding belly dancer. You have to understand the whole system, have a big repertoire of movements, be able to improvise with music you don't know, be able to dance with a live band, be able to dance also the folklore parts of Arabian belly dance (like cane dance, play the zills etc.). Actually you must count with at least 10 years of permanent work and exercise, if you want to reach a high level. This doesn't mean, that you must wait 10 years in order to become a professional belly dancer. You can start dancing professionally even after 3-4 years, but at that time you'll surely not be the best yet. And of course you have to keep on learning.
I started performing already after one year and became a professional dancer after about 4 years, but when I watch my videos from that time today I laugh at myself. The only thing that made me successful at that time was my Greek temperament and my youth:lol: Now I've been dancing for more than 20 years and although I have reached quite a high level, I still keep on learning. One should never stop to learn, because the field "belly dance" is huge (like almost every dance, if you deal seriously with it).
So go on learning
Aisha Azar
New member
Kharmine
New member
According to Russell Meriwether Hughes, also known as La Meri, a specialist in ethnic dance history:
"You are not considered a true professional just because you once danced for pay. What defines a professional is the attitude, commitment and skill level of the dancer. A professional always strives to perfect her art."
"You are not considered a true professional just because you once danced for pay. What defines a professional is the attitude, commitment and skill level of the dancer. A professional always strives to perfect her art."
Amanda (was Aziyade)
Well-known member
I once met an old man who hand-carved arrowheads. Gorgeous things they were, and of course he made it look especially easy to do. I asked him, "How long does it take you to make an arrowhead?"
His reposnse: "About 5 minutes ... and 30 years."
I like that.
I thought I was a pretty hot-stuff dancer a couple of years ago, but it amazes me how much BETTER I keep getting after each workshop, lesson, month of daily practice, etc. It really does take a lifetime.
Go to our video sub forum
http://forum.orientaldancer.net/video-clips-youtube/
and look for videos of Fifi Abdou, Soheir Zaki, Nagwa Fouad, Mona al Said, Dina... Or search for them directly at youtube.
By the way, it is difficult to say how long it will take you to become a really good belly dancer, because it depends on many things. You can learn to dance well already after 3-5 years, but by that time it is still rather improbable that you have the entire knowledge and the entire skills which will make you an outstanding belly dancer. You have to understand the whole system, have a big repertoire of movements, be able to improvise with music you don't know, be able to dance with a live band, be able to dance also the folklore parts of Arabian belly dance (like cane dance, play the zills etc.). Actually you must count with at least 10 years of permanent work and exercise, if you want to reach a high level. This doesn't mean, that you must wait 10 years in order to become a professional belly dancer. You can start dancing professionally even after 3-4 years, but at that time you'll surely not be the best yet. And of course you have to keep on learning.
I started performing already after one year and became a professional dancer after about 4 years, but when I watch my videos from that time today I laugh at myself. The only thing that made me successful at that time was my Greek temperament and my youth:lol: Now I've been dancing for more than 20 years and although I have reached quite a high level, I still keep on learning. One should never stop to learn, because the field "belly dance" is huge (like almost every dance, if you deal seriously with it).
So go on learning
Yes! Learning for life! That goes for just about everything you want to master. Look at Tennis players and golfers...They may do well young in life, but to stay at that level they must continue learning and practicing their techniques. Do you as a professional dancer go back to basic moves and practice them again? Or are they instilled in your mind and you do them like you are on automatic pilot?
Fire Lily
New member
Reading some of those replies was really interesting. But it goes without saying. 'You won't get anywhere without practice' And I live by that.
Even if it's just half an hour each day drilling one particular move you'd like to improve on.
I've been bellydancing 6 years now. and not once have I looked back. But in that time i've had 4 teachers. The first teacher i had. Made a very clear point that it would take exactly 5 years to learn everything. 6 years down the track i'm still learning.
In the 3 years i was with her, she held 1 workshop that went for a hour on drum solos. She TRIED to convince me to do another workshop with her for 1 move. The shimmy. I don't need to pay $100 for an hour long workshop on the shimmy. It's one move i'm actually capable of pulling off reasonably well.
Even if it's just half an hour each day drilling one particular move you'd like to improve on.
I've been bellydancing 6 years now. and not once have I looked back. But in that time i've had 4 teachers. The first teacher i had. Made a very clear point that it would take exactly 5 years to learn everything. 6 years down the track i'm still learning.
In the 3 years i was with her, she held 1 workshop that went for a hour on drum solos. She TRIED to convince me to do another workshop with her for 1 move. The shimmy. I don't need to pay $100 for an hour long workshop on the shimmy. It's one move i'm actually capable of pulling off reasonably well.
There's one poem (by Ron Chipman) what keeps me going cause otherwise I would get so infuriated and upset with not progressing a fast as I would like. It helps me to remember that even if things don't seem so good, I'm still moving along and it's a good thing really.
Aye an Bevin’ut were pretty rough.
Tha’ad to be a tough’n.
In’t winter tha wer nithered.
In’t summer, like an oven.
Then t’Bevin’uts wer all pulled dahn.
Must’bin summer o’ 55.
Efta pneumonia and scarlet fever.
A wor lucky to be alive.
All ar goods were put on t’andcart.
And we upped and did a flit.
It wer only into t’Prefabs
But we’d moved up ladder a bit.
Aye an Bevin’ut were pretty rough.
Tha’ad to be a tough’n.
In’t winter tha wer nithered.
In’t summer, like an oven.
Then t’Bevin’uts wer all pulled dahn.
Must’bin summer o’ 55.
Efta pneumonia and scarlet fever.
A wor lucky to be alive.
All ar goods were put on t’andcart.
And we upped and did a flit.
It wer only into t’Prefabs
But we’d moved up ladder a bit.