2 performance related questions

[Moon]

Hi everyone,

The "What happens when you perform"-thread made me think of 2 questions.

1. Did you ever had the feeling after a performance that you did well, then see a video of yourself later and think "oooh noooo!"
2. Did you ever dance just for fun for your boyfriend / girlfriend / husband / wife etc.? How did you feel?

My own answers:

1. After my performance I thought I'd done pretty good but when I saw the video one week later, I was almost shocked because I thought I was way better than that. I looked sooo stupid. Or am I just to critical on myself?
2. I tried to dance a few times for my boyfriend but than I get sooo nervous I almost have to cry and I can't think of anymore moves. Rather strange because I trust him and I know he will find me great wathever I do. Maybe I just want it to be perfect for him? When he came to my first performance, I was a bit scared at first I would get very nervous because of his presence, but I had no problems and I was actually very happy he showed up.

 

[da Sage]

The "What happens when you perform"-thread made me think of 2 questions.

1. Did you ever had the feeling after a performance that you did well, then see a video of yourself later and think "oooh noooo!"
2. Did you ever dance just for fun for your boyfriend / girlfriend / husband / wife etc.? How did you feel?

1. No, because I've never seen a video of myself dancing. I've actually *had* a video of myself dancing (not belly dance) in a show for several months, but I'm afraid to watch it!

2. No. I started dancing again after my last breakup (a coincidence!).

addendum: I have gone all Rachel Brice a couple of times, and filmed myself practicing (without a mirror). Wow, my technique become much sloppier when I don't have instant feedback!

 

[Yshka]

Hi Moon,

1. I have watched several videos of myself performing over the past few months. I have never in three years seen myself performing so it was pretty odd to see a routine I've been doing for quite some time, after all that time (just got them lol). In one of our troupe routines I saw myself make some weird flapping move with my arm... I was like: what was that? and I felt pretty weird about it .
But then again, when I saw myself cane-dancing on a video for the 1st time and I saw myself do a backbend I was more like: impressive...

2. Nope. I have danced for friends though which was quite a lot of fun, but then again we all got up and danced so it wasn't a big deal really

 

[Aaeesha]

Hi Moon,

1. I never like the way I appear on video even if other people tell me how amazing I was or whatever. I am my own worst enemy and this happens to me every single time I see myself on video. I can walk off the stage *knowing* I did a good job, then see myself on video and just about die even when other people are simultaneously giving me very positive feedback.

2. I can't dance for my boyfriend. I think I would pee myself laughing. I've danced for friends and I've done impromptu demonstrations for the curious, but my boyfriend makes me feel weird. Nothing he's doing, it's just me. I don't think that makes sense.

 

[Lydia]

usely when i come of stage ,i feel i could have done better even after so many years of performing,,,,even when my musicians and the crowd say,s it was great.i still feel i could have done better ...perhaps 1 out of 10 shows i feel today was ok.....when i see myself on tv or vedeo i usely think it looks fine....Lydia

 

[Lydia]

Sorry Moon ,i forgat the 2nd Q....i never danced for boyfriend .....But plenty time,s for friends because they regular visit the places where i perform,,,it is good for me because i get a honest feedback about the show my musicians and the whole event,the dancing part stay,s the same..i feel and perform the same,people are people for me when i perform,and i don,t see them as a differant ,,body,,watching me dance(i hope you know what i mean) but after the show i wil call them from the dressing room to say it was great that they attended the show,what i mean...lydia

 

[Alaya]

Hi Moon.
1. I have never seen a video of my performance and maybe thats better.but I feel good after performance when I am sure that I made all the moves right. or at least I think so.
2. I know whot you meen. I am always more stress when I have todance in front of people I know. I am forgeting my own choreo and making just basic moves. I sow video that my cousin made when I was danceing for my family. i was realy depresed, That was terible.

 

[tim ema]

This is an interesting thread!

1. No, I'm too new at this to have been filmed yet!

2. My sweetie has walked through the room when I am practicing, but when I think of "performing FOR him"...it would feel too much like I was trying to do a Mata Hari Sexy dance - and that would be WEIRD because that's not really how I feel about BD.


AT

 

[Mouse]

1: there is a couple of videos of me floating around but I haven't seen them yet - not sure if I want to either!

2: yep heaps of times.. my hubby (along with my kids) is my practice audience. I figured if I can dance in front of him/them then strangers should be no problem - not that it actually worked out that way But I dance for him as I would for any other audience & don't think I'd be able to do it if I was deliberately trying to be sexy - it just wouldn't feel right.

 

[Moon]

Thanks for all the replies ladies
I'm glad to find out that I'm not the only one who feels less comfortable when dancing for people I know than when dancing for strangers.
I hope I didn't give the wrong impression when I said "dancing for boyfriend". I never try to dance "more sexy" when dancing for him. I try to dance like I dance when practicing or when in class.

 

[Safran]

Hi Moon!

1. It is kind of odd - when I watch a video of myself in recent performances, it doesn't quite feel that it is me. I do watch that girl dance there, think - "oh, this isn't quite right there" or "hey, that looks pretty good" (more of the first than the latter, of course ). But I don't take it all personally. I kind of hope that it is a healthy way of learning, not danying

I do prefer not watchin the videos from my very first performances though... That makes me feel kind of embarrassing.

2. No. The only close people allowed to see me dance are my dancing friends and my mother. They are the only ones among my friends who can sit in the audience and I can still feel comfortable. Everyone else can be there as long as I don't know it nor notice them. Oh, and dancing extra for bf - that would most probably end just like your attempts, Moon.

 

[Aniseteph]

Great thread... very topical for me

1. First performance coming up... do I fill in the order form for a copy of the DVD? I'm curious to see what I look like, but my inner voice is screaming Nooooooooo! Don't do it!!! I usually hate what I look like in photos, makes me want to go and crawl under a rock, so video has the potential to be that much worse.

2. No. I think we'd both be embarrassed. Glad I'm not the only one.

 

[Viv]

1. Did you ever had the feeling after a performance that you did well, then see a video of yourself later and think "oooh noooo!"
2. Did you ever dance just for fun for your boyfriend / girlfriend / husband / wife etc.? How did you feel?

If I let myself I can watch a video of myself and tear it all apart no matter how good or bad I feel the show went. I'm not perfect, I'm human and I'm going to make mistakes. I usually watch for things that jump out at me, like the excessively twitchy left hand when I shimmy for example, that I need to work on. What I find happening more is that I watch the videos of shows I didn't feel I did well in and discover I wasn't as "off" that day as I thought. They might not be my best performances, but they aren't as awful as I thought they were at the time.

I don't dance for hubby in particular. He sees me practicing, teaching and performing all the time. He's our video/photo guy so he's at every show I'm at. I count on him to be honest with me about how my performance was and anything he saw for the troupe that was fantastic/awful. In truth I find it reassuring to have him watch because no matter how the show goes, if we've got a "good" or "bad" audience, I know I've got one person out there who wants to watch me dance because they think I'm great.

 

[tim ema]

....I hope I didn't give the wrong impression when I said "dancing for boyfriend". I never try to dance "more sexy" when dancing for him. I try to dance like I dance when practicing or when in class.

You did not give the wrong impression at all! Personally, I just feel almost like I'm "supposed" to be that way if its "one on one" with him - I don't know why...HE doesn't expect it! I think it's all the media stuff nowadays. I hate to use that as an excuse - I like to think I'm unaffected by it, but there is a lot of "bellydance in the bedroom" stuff in magazines and I think it's clouding my focus when I try to perform for "my man".
~~sigh!~~
I'M BRAINWASHED!!! AAAaaHH!


AT

 

[Yasmine Bint Al Nubia]

Whenever we have a performance, there is usually my teacher's husbnd videotapes our big performances. The first few videos that I've seen of myself, I was so critical of everything. But I look at each video to help me improve.
Secondly, when I first started taking classes, I would perform fopr my significant other. Oddly enough I didn't find it as equally lovely performance in return
Yasmine

 

[miss_shimmy]

tonight

I am so inspired,tonight I am going to record myself dancing,this will be interesting!!

when I dance for my hubby,which isnt so often,he always says that I am realy good,even though I dont feel I was.so by recording,I will have a better idea!!



amanda
xxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[Jessenia]

1. I just saw a few videos of my performances and I believe I performed in the way I had thought, I had no surprises
2. I am too shy to dance to a boyfriend or someone who is very close. I prefere big presentations which are not so intimidating.

 

[Moon]

2. I am too shy to dance to a boyfriend or someone who is very close. I prefere big presentations which are not so intimidating.

I feel the same

 

[Rajuli]

my man loves it when i dance- but i can hardley do it- i feel so much more comfortable dancing for strangers then for him- its sooo much pressure- i lov ehim and i want to do so well- plus he never dances for me! haha- he always goes you never dance for me- and i go well the atmosphere is not right- really he just makes me nervous because he is the most important audience member there is.