technorati tags:belly+dancing, belly+dance, bellydance, bellydancing, belly+dancing+devon
Belly Dancing Bloopers! What Can I Say? If it Could Happen, it Did Happen to Me!
By Leyla Najma Latrimurti
Just about every dancer out there has a blooper story to tell. Bloopers are almost like a right of passage and there are a lot of us out there that are seasoned!
Bloopers can happen for many reasons; like you forgot to check your costume and make sure your snaps and hooks are sewn on tightly. I mean, when you dance every weekend and perform 2 to 4 shows in a night your costumes will start to suffer.
I had ten costumes that I checked and made sure they were ready to dance in. Then, I just started to let the “costume check” slide a little. By appearance my costumes looked good but hidden from the general public were a few pins here and there. And that, my friends, is where the bloopers come to life.
I remember I was dancing for a recreational camp for kids and there had to be at least 200 kids ranging in ages from kindergarten up to teenagers all watching me perform. Before I knew it as I was doing my favorite turn, my back straps broke and there for a few seconds were my breasts bared for everyone to see. The younger kids didn’t quite get what had happened but the older ones did. Fortunately I had my niece with me who pinned my back straps together and I went back out to continue my performance. To my dismay the group leaders were already leading the kids out of the room and only a few stayed to see me finish. I don’t think I helped our community out much at that performance. To my knowledge they haven’t invited any belly dancers back. Moral of the story: Check your snaps and hooks!
Weight fluctuation is another blooper waiting to happen. I learned the hard way that my daughter’s socks are not a good substitution for bra pads. I had lost weight and fixed one costume but not the other. I figured that socks would give me the boost I needed while being hidden from view. So I decided to wear the costume that I didn’t fix first because what did I have to fear, I had my daughters socks. But socks, as I found out, have a mind of their own.
I was dancing for a huge group of diplomats from Iran and our FBI at a local restaurant that I perform at. Everybody was yelling my name and clapping as I came out ready to dance the night away. And that was exactly what I was doing until I noticed a few grins and giggles from the audience. One man pointed to my bra and from my vantage point, my breasts and bra looked fine. But when I did a chest circle there to my horror was my daughter’s sock hanging down my right side. So I did what any professional would do, I pulled it out and threw it. Everybody laughed and applauded and I continued to dance with one big breast and one small breast. After the evening was over and everybody had left I went looking for my daughter’s sock. I couldn’t find it anywhere and even had the wait staff (who were still in hysterics) help me look for it. But it was nowhere to be found. Weeks past and I forgot about the missing sock until the owner of the restaurant told me that my sock was given to the head diplomat as a gift and reminder of his stay here. So whoever took it had it framed and presented it to him. Also to go along with the sock were 5 video cameras that captured the infamous sock rolling down my right side. So moral of this story: bra pads!
Long skirts can be a bloopers' best friend. I like my skirts long because I am short and if my skirts are just a little above my ankles they make me look even shorter. So the bottoms of my skirts get dirty and I have to wash them a lot. I had one particularly long skirt that I just loved. It was separate from my belt and I loved this because than I could mix and match to my hearts content. Well, one evening I wore my favorite skirt for a big dinner party at a nightclub I use to dance at. The family who had the dinner party filled most of the club. They had especially asked for me and I was very honored to dance for them.
So the night began very innocently with me dancing around tables and on chairs. They even put me up on the tables a few times. It’s amazing what your skirt can get caught on. There I was dancing and just finishing up my drum solo when I decided I wanted to end on stage. So I jumped down off the table and began to stroll over to the stage only to realize that my skirt didn’t want to come with me. As my audience tried to get me unstuck my skirt somehow got pulled down and was close to my knees. (Thank God I had on matching underwear). Finally my skirt was pulled free and I gracefully pulled my skirt up and was able to finish the last minute of my show. The family loved the little drama and said that they would remember that night for a long time. The moral of this story: Stay on the stage and don’t dance on tables!
Props can either be friend or foe. Sometimes I really believe my veil, cane or sword is on the side of the bloopers. You know how it is, you practice in the studio or home and everything goes great but as soon as you get out and perform something bizarre happens to your prop. I have often wondered if my props were possessed. It’s amazing how your veil will get caught on your costume or how your cane flies out of your hand. My sword was better behaved but would occasionally act up.
One evening in Fort Worth I was dancing in a very crowded restaurant and I was dancing with my cane. Everybody was enjoying themselves and the owner of the restaurant was sitting at a table not far from our little stage. I was twirling the heck out of my cane when to my surprise the cane flew out of my hand and landed on the restaurant owners lap. The whole restaurant applauded and yelled for more. So I slowly went up to the restaurant owner and asked for my cane and he gave it back to me with an amused look on his face. Fortunately for me my cane music was almost over and I didn’t have to try for another amazing encore with my cane. So the moral of this story: If you mess up with your prop, make it look good!
The last of the bloopers are the hidden kind. You know, the kind that don’t show themselves until you are on stage dancing and then you realize that the stage is uneven or worse you just stepped on something that feels very slimy. And let’s not forget the shrinking stage.
Let’s face it, when we get hired to dance at a party or event, we can’t always check the stage out beforehand. I remember when I was hired for a party and I asked how big was the space where I was dancing and they replied that it was a good-sized space, at least half of a room. So I choreographed a dance accordingly to what I was told. Well, my stage was 4ft by 3ft. and by a raging fire in a fireplace with little kids sitting all around me. My choreography changed immediately and I was amazed that I didn’t pass out from the heat.
The uneven stage is the one blooper that hides itself very well. I have been on stages that looked even but when I danced on them turned me into a lopsided sideshow. I remember at this one restaurant that whenever I would spin that I would slowly but surely spin into a table on the right side of the stage each time. I would stop at that table just before I’d loose it. I finally asked the other dancers if they did the same thing and they all replied yes. Thank God! Who wants to be lopsided alone? The slimy story gives me shivers up my spine so I think I’ll pass on it. Besides I think you can visualize the scenario without me giving you the details.
So these are just a few of my blooper stories. The one thing I realized throughout my 22 years in dance is that even though we all strive for perfection in our dance, the bloopers keep us grounded. Sometimes I think back and have to laugh at the dumb and embarrassing things that have happened to me. If you can laugh at yourself then you have just given yourself a wonderful gift. Laughter keeps us humble and it keeps us healthy. So keep on laughing and keep on dancing!
Leyla Najma of Albuquerque, NM has been performing as a professional Belly Dancer for 22+ years. She offers workshops, private classes and has recently started producing a series of shows called "Cleopatras Courst" as benefits for local organizations. Leyla can be reached at leyla@leyla-najma.com, or http://www.leyla-najma.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Leyla_Najma_Latrimurti
technorati tags:belly+dancing, belly+dance, bellydance, bellydancing, belly+dancing+bloopers
technorati tags:belly+dancing, belly+dance, bellydance, bellydancing, belly+dancing+gifts
Belly Dance Burnout
By Leyla Najma Latrimurti
Much thought has gone into this article regarding belly dance burn out. For most dancers who are just starting out working in restaurants and nightclubs, it is hard to fathom ever getting to a point where you find yourself sitting on the side of the bed trying to talk yourself into getting ready for another show, but in reality it happens and the amazing thing about it is that it isn’t like a virus that just hits you and you can get over it. It is gradual and towards the end of this emotional rollercoaster, you feel like you just can’t get it together to go out and perform for even the most appreciative audience.
Dancers, who experience belly dance burn out, feel like they are unappreciative of their position in their dance community and guilt complex sets in. So let’s talk about this and look at some warning signs before hand so that no dancer has to experience “Belly Dance Burnout”.
Most dancers who are motivated to perform within the 4 to 6 year career spectrum are ready to conquer the world. These are my favorite dancers because nothing gets them down. Most dancers at this level are motivated from an inner core of self confidence. But after awhile life takes a toll on this inner core and self doubt sinks in slowly but surely. Why this happens is a very important question.
No matter how you look at belly dancing, this is an entertainment that effects the life of the dancer which includes, family, friends, coworkers, and even the dog or cat. When you are in this type of dance many things in your life change. The first thing that most women notice is the effect it has on their body image. Belly dancing will show you what is right about your body and it directs you to a path of enlightenment.
ATTITUDE CHANGE.
When we change our attitude, there seems to be one thing that we forget to change with it and that is our perception of the world around us. Perception is very important because it helps you see the difference between the shallow aspects of our dance to the deep and profound experiences. Many dancers forget that attitude can be momentary and fluctuate between having a great show to having an off performance. If your perception and knowledge of your dance are kept equal than your attitude will follow in their footsteps.
EGO CRISIS
Another problem that can create havoc in a dancers world is a crisis of ego. And there seems to be different types. Type number 1 is usually created when a performer doesn’t understand that she must work her way up to performing in different venues. If any position is handed down to her, she won’t have any respect for the venue or herself. Any performer who leaves this situation stressed has to understand that anything handed to them must be acknowledged as a gift and treated with respect. Through trial and error can a true performer understand her place in her community. TYPE 2: happens when performers get accolades early on in their career and forget their humility. We all want to be told we are amazing and incredible dancers but the fact is there are a lot of amazing and incredible dancers out there.
Remember that compliments are a dime a dozen. The point is to dance from humility. Compliments aren’t guaranteed and they won’t always come your way. There will be moments when a dancer performs and finds the audience isn’t watching or interested. Eventually the feeling of “what’s the use” creeps up and there you have the beginning symptom of belly dance burn out. Remember why you started dancing in the first place. Go back to those first moments of enthusiasm that you felt when you first started learning how to dance. In those beginning moments all that mattered was that you were doing what you loved and wanted to do. Center yourself on always being appreciative that you have the chance to perform. Remember you are continually shining your diamond of the dancer with in you. Peoples compliments are just icing on the cake.
TYPE 3: is the dancer who feels she can perform and compete with the best of them even if she has only been dancing a fraction of the time of her contemporaries. Time will usually teach this dancer a lesson by shocking her with an experience she is unprepared for. This experience alone can knock her off her feet. It will make her think twice and hopefully get her back on the path of humility. These types of “Ego Crisis” when experienced for long periods of time can strain the enthusiasm of any performer. Make sure you replace the ego with self confidence.
CHOREOGRAPHY BRAIN FREEZE
This can create repetitive, boring moves. This is one area that all dancers who have been performing for many years experience one time or another. Remember that this is a dance of how you live your life. You bring in your experiences into your dance and that in itself will keep choreography fresh. Self criticism or comparing oneself to another dancer is not healthy and it creates stagnation in the creative process. Remember that there is only one of you in the Universe and what a true blessing you are. Your creativity is already unique because “You” exist. Also remember that you must dance from your own creativity. Becoming someone else’s carbon copy or imitating another dancer may seem like a compliment but it takes away your own creative process. Dancers need to perform from their own place and image. All performers have their own treasure trove of moves. Just look inside yourself.
THE PROFESSIONAL “NO TIME” PROBLEM
Time management is something that effects the professional dancer. First is the fact that many performers dance so much that they forget to practice or don’t make time. Moves get sloppy and repetitive and the dancer’s enthusiasm goes down the drain. As a performer we must honor ourselves and our audience by dancing the best show possible. Training and practicing enhances techniques and they keep all of us in shape not only physically but mentally. Another factor is not having time with family or friends. The dance can to take over the life of the dancer. So the dancer has to make decisions based on what kind of family life she wants to preserve. Performing can also become addictive so make sure that the gigs that you agree to are worth it in time and money. Remember, you can always say “no” to a gig.
THE DEAD AUDIENCE
This definitely does not help in the confidence area. Most people if they are not educated regarding our type of dance, don’t understand what they are watching. And if a performer doesn’t know how to perform in front of different types of audiences, this can be devastating. One way to know what to expect in advance is to find out what kind of venue you may be performing at. It seems simple and rather basic but when dancers perform a lot, certain questions can easily be forgotten. And there are those performances that you know in advance might be questionable. Either way just know that you have to end the performance with confidence knowing you did your best. There are venues where a dancer was incredible and still will get a luke warm response from the audience. Don’t judge yourself by the audiences response. Judge yourself by how you felt inside. Your gut will always tell you the truth.
Remember that second guessing yourself just adds fuel to the fire of self doubt. So here’s a little secret I would like to share with you:All performers have an advantage before they ever get in front of people. This one advantage is the fact that the story they will tell will be one of a kind. This in itself is a miracle. And to remember oneself is a reminder of the miracle that you are and dancing is a way of telling the world about miracles. So when you are feeling the “belly dance burn out” just remember the miracle that you are and the miracles that you need to share.
Many Blessings,
Leyla Najma is a professional Belly Dancer living and working in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Leyla has been performing and teaching for 20+ years and is recognized as one of the top dancers in the state of New Mexico and in the Southwestern United States. Leylas' website is located at http://www.leyla-najma.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Leyla_Najma_Latrimurti
technorati tags:belly+dancing, belly+dance, bellydance, bellydancing, belly+dancing+burnout
technorati tags:belly+dancing, belly+dance, bellydance, bellydancing, belly+dancing+festival
technorati tags:belly+dancing+book, belly+dance+book, bellydance+book, bellydancing+book, oriental+dance, oriental+dance+book, bdss, bellydance+superstars
technorati tags:belly+dancing+book, belly+dance+book, bellydance+book, bellydancing+book, oriental+dance, oriental+dance+book, belly+dance+costumes, bellydance+costumes
technorati tags:belly+dancing+book, belly+dance+book, bellydance+book, bellydancing+book, oriental+dance, oriental+dance+book, bdss, bellydance+superstars
To join the pre-notification list and find out more on what you can expect from "Belly Dancing Secrets Volume I" please fill in your details below.
Belly Dancing Secrets Prenotifcation
My Belly Dancing eBook "Oriental Dance: Discovering the Art of Belly Dancing" is finished and I'm going to release it next week, plus a whole bunch of extras (I got carried away)!
I'll be letting you know more about it in this blog and you can post your questions and comments. But if you would like to be on the pre-notification list and be in with a chance of winning some BDSS goodies, head over to the website and sign up:
http://www.bellydancingsecrets.com/prenotification.html
I'm looking forward to sharing more with you (actually, I'm so excited I'm practically peeing my pants - is that just a bit too much info for you?).
Bring out your inner goddess,
Lisa
technorati tags:belly+dancing+book, belly+dance+book, bellydance+book, bellydancing+book, oriental+dance, oriental+dance+book, bdss, bellydance+superstars
I received an email this morning from the Belly Dance Superstars website. There is a new feature on there called "The Casbah After Dark" which is a new Abarbic radio station (created by Miles Copeland). So if you love listening to Arabic music take a look at:
http://www.milescopeland.net/bellydance/radio/
Enjoy!
Lisa
technorati tags:belly+dancing+music, belly+dance+music, bellydance+music, bellydancing+music, arabic+music
She is also a featured photographer in the bellydance community and events such as Burning Man."In photography, I've found a way to make people happy... besides the creativity, this is what I love most about it. The feedback seems to tell me that I make people feel better about themselves, love each other more... If this is my life work, I accept it."
I found this article about photographer Pixie, who loves to photograph belly dancers. Her site link is below and features some really lovely shots. Take a look around her site to see what I mean:
http://www.pixievisionproductions.com/
Lisa x
technorati tags:bellydance, bellydancing, belly+dance, belly+dancing, belly+dancers, belly+dancer+photos, belly+dancing+photos, belly+dance+photos, bellydance+photos
He went on to tell the young woman that the belly dancing style comes from cheap and defective cultures, and that the body movements make it look cheap and expose modest body parts.
Belly dancing forbidden even in full dress - Culture from Israel, Ynetnews
A very sad article on the comments made by a Jewish Rabbi on Belly Dancing.
Lisa
technorati tags:belly+dancing, bellydancing, belly+dance, bellydance, jewish+belly+dancing
Over the past few years more and more women in the UK have been trying belly dancing as a fun way to exercise. Part of the popularity is due to the dance troupe Belly dance Superstars who toured the UK recently with their wonderful show.What makes belly dance such a good workout is that it exercises all parts of the body; arms, legs, waist, spine and buttocks. It is also great for the pelvic floor muscles- the London Birthing Centre use belly dance moves in their antenatal classes.
Home - Suffolk belly dance, belly dance exercise
Good to see that Belly Dancing is becoming more popular in the UK, although I think it was already pretty hot over here before the BDSS.
Lisa x
technorati tags:belly+dancing, belly+dance, bellydance, bellydancing, belly+dancing+uk, belly+dance+superstars, bdss
