Involving the audience

curl1982

New member
Hi there, I've just gone through one of my choreo's which I want to use for my sis-in-laws 30th birthday do. The song is called 'Simarik' from the GORGEOUS turkish singer Tarkan. It's an easy going, vibrant turkish pop song (link below). I want to involve the audience a bit. They're all friends of mine too and we're very pally. I basically want the people (about 50-70 odd) to have fun as my biggest ever worry is to bore people and that they start wandering off.

Has anyone got ideas about HOW I could involve people (e.g. make them copy a move, make audience laugh a bit etc.)? Is it generally difficult to get people on stage/to involve them?

Here's the link

YouTube - Tarkan - Simarik
 

Eshta

New member
Forward past the first 30 seconds or so, but lots of 'classic' ideas here:


BUT!
When you invite someone up to join you, they don't always behave the way you want them to, especially if you have an audience who aren't used to interacting with belly dancers. Audience interaction is pretty unpredictable and you have got to be confident enough that you can go with it, but keep it under your control at the same time. This comes with practice & experience, and if you are worried you are going to lose your audience so quickly, I'm getting the feeling you are not yet experienced as a performer...?

Simarik is a well-known, well-liked, up-beat pop song. Also it is SHORT! If you work hard on your performance you shouldn't lose your audience that quickly - I think you would be better off practicing your performance than worrying about gimmicks about how to get the audience involved. Make sure you remember to smile/not frown in concentration at least, and don't look at the floor the whole way through.

If you want to get a reaction from the audience but not actually drag them up to dance with you, for this particular song you can always make eye contact with someone in the audience and direct your accents on the 'kiss kiss' towards them, this normally gets a laugh, but just be careful how you do it so it comes across as playful or funny rather than seductive or sleazy!

For more inspiration, Sophie Mei danced to the Holly Valance version on Britain's got Talent this evening!
 

Aisha Azar

New member
Audience interaction

Dear Curl,
Do you know what the song is about? Sometimes that can give you some idea of how to interact with the audience. We occasionally give them something. For example, in our last show, we gave out carnations to some of the audience members. It was during a basket dance and the background dancers went out into the audience when the principle dancer did her solo part and gave out the flowers. We have also done things like a shaabi number during shows so that other dancers can get up and dance with us. We also gave out strawberries once during a skit to an Egyptian song in which the singer talks about the virtues of "Farowla". So sometimes your music can give you great inspiration on how to interact with the audience. It does not always have to be in the most accepted or usual ways where you pull somebody up out of the audience. Give a single red rose to an older lady in the audience and that will charm the heck out of everyone!!
Regards,
A'isha
 

Aisha Azar

New member
Audience interaction, etc.

:redface: Awww, I LOVE this idea!! I'm melting at the thought of it alone!!



Dear Eshta,
I got rather bored with the pull some poor unsuspecting victim out of the audience thing many years ago and decided to experiment with different kinds of audience participation, and this was one of my alternatives. I have occasionally given the rose to an older gentleman as well. I like the idea a lot and am so happy that someone else thinks its good!.
Regards,
A'isha
 

Shanazel

Moderator
The rose is a lovely idea! Unfortunately, it is harder and harder to find people who are "older" from my point of view...

Just making eye contact with the audience makes people feel a part of what you are doing. Never underestimate the power of making someone feel like an audience of one, even for a few moments.

Lydia Dubai has a wonderful custom of giving veils to girls or young women in the audience. A chiffon veil only costs a few dollars (especially if you hit the flat fold tables at chain fabric stores) and bestowing your veil on a maid of honor, flower girl, or mother of the bride would be a lovely gesture that would be remembered.
 

Caroline_afifi

New member
It sounds like a lovely idea A'isha but where did you keep the roses?
Did you bring them out with you from the start or get someone to do it for you, did you manage to keep them hidden or was it part of your entrance?

I have seen rose petals scattered as part of a dance and a champagne bucket with glitter in it carefully placed to look like the dancer was going to throw icy water over a mans head. This was of course in the name of humour, and carried well in the context of the evening.
I suppose the key is to keep it sweet and simple without going down the path of too many gimmicks.
 

Marya

Member
The rose is a lovely idea! Unfortunately, it is harder and harder to find people who are "older" from my point of view...

LOL, I know what you mean. If there are children in the audience they usually are totally entranced by the glittery costumes and the movement and I will smile and maybe wave at them. It is so much fun.

Marya
 

Aisha Azar

New member
Dance etc.

It sounds like a lovely idea A'isha but where did you keep the roses?
Did you bring them out with you from the start or get someone to do it for you, did you manage to keep them hidden or was it part of your entrance?

I have seen rose petals scattered as part of a dance and a champagne bucket with glitter in it carefully placed to look like the dancer was going to throw icy water over a mans head. This was of course in the name of humour, and carried well in the context of the evening.
I suppose the key is to keep it sweet and simple without going down the path of too many gimmicks.



Dear Caroline,
At private parties where I have done the rose thing, there was usually a table of some sort or other place where I could lay a veil with a rose in its folds, or there are numerous other ways to not be obvious about it. Or, if it is a person's birthday or something, you can just carry it in and give it to the individual without any undue stress! Each situation is different and it does not even have to be a rose. It can be anything sweet and simple. I ruled out candy because some people do not eat it for medical or health reasons. But almost everyone loves roses. The idea is to interact with your audience in positive, acceptable and nonthreatening ways.
Regards,
A'isha
 

maylynn

New member
Lydia Dubai has a wonderful custom of giving veils to girls or young women in the audience. A chiffon veil only costs a few dollars (especially if you hit the flat fold tables at chain fabric stores) and bestowing your veil on a maid of honor, flower girl, or mother of the bride would be a lovely gesture that would be remembered.

i LOVE this idea!
 

Eshta

New member
Ooh, with your permission A'isha, can I please copy your rose idea? I have what I suspect will turn out to be a rather camp 40th birthday party in a few weeks, and the birthday boy sounds like an absolute sweety, I bet he would melt for a birthday rose!!

:pray:pwetty pweeeze!:pray:
 

Aisha Azar

New member
Rose

Ooh, with your permission A'isha, can I please copy your rose idea? I have what I suspect will turn out to be a rather camp 40th birthday party in a few weeks, and the birthday boy sounds like an absolute sweety, I bet he would melt for a birthday rose!!

:pray:pwetty pweeeze!:pray:



Dear Eshta,
Please feel free to use the rose idea! I am honored that you liked it. I feel that if we all share these little tidbits, we can help each other be the best we can be and that's what its all about! Loved Lydia's veil idea, too. She is such a doll! In the States it could get VERY expensive because fabric is not cheap here.
Hugs to you,
A'isha
 

Yshka

New member
I LOVE interacting with my audiences. For me it depends on the performance and the music, people, setting etc what to do. With Shaabi it is great fun to go with the lyrics when interacting with the audience.

I could get people up to dance, make the birthdayboy/girl copy a move, it just REALLY depends (I once encountered an elderly man whose shoulder shimmies were awesome!!). With kids watching, I usually turn or do something big, end the move low, give them a single glance/smile and blow a kiss their way, it NEVER fails to get them to smile!!!

Also getting kids to dance along is quite fun. Doesn't always work the way I want it to though. I had a little boy 'chase' me around the stage a while ago at a party where I was dancing for elderly people. He walked on to the stage and kept following me around everywhere. I made a nice game of dancing away from him and reversing the chase sometimes.

Dear A'isha, I second Eshta on your rose thing, it's adorable!!! I'm hoping you'll let me use it as well sometimes:pray: please?

Oh and on topic, I agree with what has been said before. If you're still wondering wether you'll lose their interest, you might want to consider working on your dance and presentation and not worry about audience participation this time. They'll probably love your dancing! Put on your biggest smile, go along with the flow of the music, the lyrics, you'll do fine! If everybody has a good time you might even get them up to dance as well. Best of luck:)!
 
Last edited:

belly_dancer

New member
sounds like you are dancing for family & friends... so it SHOULD be low stress... if you want to get the audience up to dance with you, I suggest a "plant" in the audience... somebody you can approach 1st who will PROMISE to hop right up with you... USUALLY how goes the 1st, goes the rest... so if the 1st person refuses... THEN you could be the girl nobody wants to dance with... BUT if the 1st person says yes... then the rest are way easier!!!
btw... I use Tarkan's "kiss/kiss" song ALOT as my last song... getting the party rocking... this works well if you have a DJ who can then just ooze right into the party's "dance" music......
 

Kashmir

New member
Dear Curl,
Do you know what the song is about? Sometimes that can give you some idea of how to interact with the audience. A'isha
I thought A`isha was about to give a warning on this one. Here's a translation of some of the lyrics:

Eyes painted black
coquettish with glaring red lips
she stands up to me defying me
and grins at me insolently


Not too bad, but ...

You are a nutcracker
pulling a snake from its hole
my big disgrace
when I get hold of you ... (kiss, kiss)


Don't get me wrong, its an upbeat song that I use from time to time at parties - as long as no-one speaks Turkish ;)
 

Kashmir

New member
As far as interaction goes - I agree this piece is so short there really isn't any time for interaction (if this is the only piece you are doing) - other than making eye contact, smiling etc.

You can hold the audience by just getting them to wait for the next accent on the Kiss Kiss - we usually do a different one each time getting a little less straightlaced with each one - leaving blowing a kiss right to the end.

A variation on the rose idea which I've used with a different piece is to end by throwing roses to the audience.
 

Shanazel

Moderator
You are a nutcracker
pulling a snake from its hole
my big disgrace
when I get hold of you ... (kiss, kiss)

Sooo, instead of a rose, you could present the gentleman being honored with a nutcracker... or a snake... that should liven up the party.:D
 

Shanazel

Moderator
Hey Shanazel,

any tips on where to hide the nutcracker while you're dancing?? :D

Goodness gracious, you don't HIDE it my dear- it is a prop just like a veil or a sword. Spin it around your head or balance it on your nose- the possibilities are endless. Didn't you know that in the original Nutcracker Suite, the coffee (Arabian) dance was meant to be done with the nutcracker, but the prima ballerina who was dancing the part of Clara at the time protested, so now only Clara dances with the nutcracker? Tsk. Really, my dear, you must keep up on these important historical instances in dance.
 
Top