When are you good enough?

Nejmeh

New member
To perform in public? Perhaps a little bit of a strange question, but I`ve seen a lot of different 'levels'with performers. What skills do you think a dancer should have before they go perform?
 

Darbla

New member
It depends on how widespread bellydance is in your area. If your audience members never see any other bellydancers, then you'll be the best they've ever seen. :dance:
 

Kashmir

New member
Depends on the dancer, depends on the public, depends on the type of dance. For a good student, I'd expect them to be able to dance with a student troupe to a learnt choreography to an audience of friends and family in 12-18 months.

If you mean as a soloist in the general public not until you have a half dozen choreographies off pat and can improvise as well. Most people won't reach that level before 5 years - many never.
 

Nejmeh

New member
It depends on how widespread bellydance is in your area. If your audience members never see any other bellydancers, then you'll be the best they've ever seen. :dance:


Hehe, well, the town I live in is a studenttown, so we think we are actually blessed with a relatively big dancecommunity. Which is nice, because we also have 'bellydancenights'where daring perfomers can get some stage-experience for a friendly crowd!
But somehow the fact that there are a lot of good bellydancers around doesn`t seem to stop some other girls from dancing in restaurants and stuff. Recently I`ve visited a maroccan place, the dancer there, well I don`t know how to put this nicely, but I could have danced her of stage and I`m a novice!!!:confused:
 

Nejmeh

New member
Depends on the dancer, depends on the public, depends on the type of dance. For a good student, I'd expect them to be able to dance with a student troupe to a learnt choreography to an audience of friends and family in 12-18 months.

If you mean as a soloist in the general public not until you have a half dozen choreographies off pat and can improvise as well. Most people won't reach that level before 5 years - many never.


Wiehoe, then I`m on the right track, my first groupperformance is next may, just a little less then a year(ofcourse it`s gonna be a simple choreo, but hey, I`m a spass, so I`m a lil proud of it!):dance:

Ah ok, thats usefull, then I have something to work for, a goal! So at least I can tell my friend I won`t be able to dance at her bachelorparty next year:D
 

feedyoureye

New member
Thats very helpful to me too! I have been dancing for 10 months and my teacher and another member of her troop have mentioned to me they want to recommend to the lead dancer of the troop that I become a member. I keep telling them I think I need about another 8 months before I might be good enough to do so... sounds like my intuition is right on. When I started lessons I gave myself 5 years to create a solo to do for friends and such.... I might be on track there too! Thanks, K
 

Yshka

New member
Hey Feedyoureye, I think you are on the right track. It differs from dancer to dancer though. If your teacher has recommended you to the troupe leader you might have something she is looking for. Joining a troupe (I don't know if the troupe performs professionally or not) takes a lot of discipline, hard work, training and dedication. I think if you don't feel ready it's best to wait awhile and then go for it. But definitely keep at it! You seem very motivated!

Re the question in the first post. I go with Kashmir, but also this may differ from dancer to dancer, for example how much you are willing to invest in many ways towards becoming a good performer.

Good luck and happy dancing to you both.
 

feedyoureye

New member
Yshka, thanks for the reply.

The troupe dances at the State Fair, Earth day, art openings, and open call kind of restaurant gigs. Its for fun, not money. I told them I think I need around 8 more months till I'm ready for background troupe dancing or the like. I am thinking about picking up a second class a week soon to get more time in with a teacher.
 

sparklyraven

New member
wow. I was on stage after 3 months. I don't do that to my students though. The town I live in is chock full of amatuers, so its easy to be good. (I can teach and perform only because of where I live) We tell our students they can perform at the drum jams as soon as they feel good dancing regardless of skill (coz' its a drum jam and anything goes), but for actual performance we make them take 2 classes (8-12 weeks each). But then, we get to be more lenient because the best is not all that great to begin with, so it's a low bar. So it really depends on where you live, how is the dance community? How supportive are they? Can you be onstage and not freak out?
I have been dancing 10+ years and I still don't feel like I am "good enough" to perform (and I would not if I lived in a major city), and then I read this quote recently that said "only the mediocre are constantly at their best" and I was like "oh." so I guess it's ok to go ahead and perform. you might be a lot better than you think, and if it's a just for fun troupe, then, what a great chance to get better, even if you are not performing. Surely they wold let you practice with them anyways until you felt like you were ready.
 

feedyoureye

New member
I guess I'm sort of vein... I have something of a public image in the art world, and don't really want to perform until I think I can at least wow them a little. We do have some good dancers here in the public eye... Some troupes that perform internationally... such as Unmata. I do think that practicing with the troupe would be very good practice. I went to a workshop given by two professional dancers in town yesterday, it was a blast, and gave me some more confidence that I could keep up at least most of the time. ... sometimes layering that smile on is hard!

thanks for the comments, K
 
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