Thread: Dancing at a sports bar???

Someone in our community is planning to dance at a local sports bar on "guy's night", hosting a contest & all... I think that's an odd thing to do, and just wondered what you all think.

i guess it depends on the context...........what kind of contest, music, how it's being presented/promoted...........if it's a celebration for someone, that kind of thing.........it's better if there were more facts

Originally Posted by Sonja2

Someone in our community is planning to dance at a local sports bar on "guy's night", hosting a contest & all... I think that's an odd thing to do, and just wondered what you all think.

Sports bar? Been there, done that, don't see anything wrong with it. Tons of chicks go to sports bars, too. And it can be an ultra fun, unpretentious, enthusiastic kinda crowd!

Sports bar on guy's night? This is where the Belly Bus stops at Shadyville....

What kind of "contest," dare I ask?

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I'm afraid I immediately flash on an image of dancing in this bar where there's a TV on, or more likely multiple TV's . . . and the guys are looking right past you to see who scored that last goal. Somewhere I have a photo of my daughter dancing in a restaurant (no, not even a sports bar) and there's a big bright TV screen behind her with a soccer match going on.
Maybe the key point of compromise is . . . they have to agree to at least . . . TURN OFF THE SOUND!
Oh sorry; I just . . . don't . . . grok . . . sports.
Rosette

There's a bellydance showcase every Sun night at a little dive bar in the San Diego area. It's a great place and lots of fun. Anyone can sign up to dance. Pay is your tips and 1 free drink. The regulars at the bar are very respectful of the dancers. It's a great place to try out new things. Speaking of which, I must call the DJ to sign up : )

My reservations are a bit of a different nature: Dancing while the local team plays is just way too distracting! I'd probably stop to watch and then comment on the game instead of shimmying - wondering how that would be received ;-)

But then, I have celebrated the Penguins this season by dancing to their theme song after they won, pretending my cane is a hockey stick. Hm, zills remind me a bit of pucks, too ...

We used to have the Southside Haflas at a sports bar called Tommy's. It was mostly BDers and their family/friends in attendance, although sometimes the bar patrons would look up from the game to enjoy the shimmying.

The fact that it's a contest, though, and on a guys night is a little off putting, though.

For some reason, this reminds me of a story a friend of mine had, about the time she went to amateur strip night at a local bar. This woman was a very sophisticated dresser - think 90s Prada type looks, sleek narrow pant-suits and Joe 90 glasses, tall and model slim, and an actress/comedian.

During her entire five minute slot, she teased and tantalised and took off ... her jacket.

She won.

Okay, I'll offer the "more facts..." This local sports bar has a girly-type contest quite regularly on 'guys night' -- last week was a bikini contest, looking for a wet t-shirt contest -- this would be the place to find it. The guys all get to vote for the winner (or heckle anyone they don't enjoy looking at.) So this is the context of the "bellydance" competion... I know the gal that 'organized' with the venue owner as her picture was in the advertisement... On the 'up'-side the establishment apparently offers some really great prizes (including plastic surgery) to the winner. One hopes that bellydance is found to be a respectable, beautiful art form by the end of the evening but I'm not holding my breath... Just trying to help out with context Ruta & Lisa...

Hmm, classy. I just hope she's going with some burly and/or feisty friends.

Everything sounds good to me except 'guys night'. I would do research and talk with other dancers that might have performed there. Good prices are wonderful but some situations are simply not worth any prize.

Bikini night, wet t-shirt contest, belly dance. I dunno...not for me, anyway. My gut reaction reading this was actually 'ew'. I do recall a place near me (SF Bay Area) that had lunch time bikini shows that wanted to add occasional belly dancers (going back about 15 years now). A friend took the gig without knowing the scene, and chose *not* to return.

And a prize of plastic surgery? Ugh. "Congratulations. You're the hottest chick in the bar this evening, but now go away and come back hotter!"



Edited to add: Nothing against the venue in general, I think--I know!--a sports bar gig could be just fine. If the info provided is accurate, this particular one sounds dodgy.

Originally Posted by Monica

And a prize of plastic surgery? Ugh. "Congratulations. You're the hottest chick in the bar this evening, but now go away and come back hotter!"

..l;, ..l;, ..l;,

A well-respected local dancer puts on annual shows in a sports bar/restaurant - they have a good stage, incredible views from the well-laid-out tables, and every time the place sells out in advance. She, her dancers, and the show are all class acts - and they turn off all the TVs in the restaurant!

after too many lame bellygram experiences, I have two rules: no bowling alleys and NO SPORTS BARS.

I have nothing against a sports bar as a venue for a bellydance show (see examples above where things are nicely planned and a dancer is in control of the scene). I also have nothing against dancing for a guys night (when I do a bachelor party, I am largely in control of the situation - I know the venue, what the audience will be like, and have the opportunity to make the expectations clear). BUT, to combine the two... no way.

The night will clearly be billed as another version of a "woo! take it off!" night. And god only knows what kind of riff raff will show up and how much they're going to be drinking. for me, it just wouldn't be worth the personal effort to keep things from getting out of hand (it IS possible, with the right dancer with the right experience, to make a bar full of potential woo-take-it-off guys remain respectful and polite - but it's HARD WORK). in addition, I feel it dishonors our artform to showcase it in such a situation. I'm all for opportunities to educate the GP about our beautiful dance, but this just isn't one of them.

leave this one for the exotic dancer types who've taken a 6 week bellybunny course so they can get up there and shake it like shakira and then go off and get boob jobs. ;)

Originally Posted by SatinWorship19

Sports bar? Been there, done that, don't see anything wrong with it. Tons of chicks go to sports bars, too. And it can be an ultra fun, unpretentious, enthusiastic kinda crowd!

Sports bar on guy's night? This is where the Belly Bus stops at Shadyville....

What kind of "contest," dare I ask?

I did a gig at a sports bar. I thought it was a family restaurant. It was a total nightmare. It was sketchy from the beggining when the owner would not even greet me, offer me or my boyfriend a table, dinner, a drink. Not even came out to give me any information, a dressing room, nothing. The barmaid would tell me what to do. Then They wanted me to wait around till 12 midnight till more people came(there only seemed to be men coming in. Mind you I was to start at 9 PM. On top of that he advertised nothing in the ladies room jut by the mens room. (I didnt understand that). By 12 PM there were nothing but men(no women) turned out to be a stag party. I was told it would be an all mixed crowd I was tricked. And they introduced me as an exotic fantasy dancer. (it was a Latin sports bar with all men. They kept flashing these bright disco lights at me( I asked them not too about 6 times, no one listened to me) Guys wewre screaming for me to sho something and take it off! A flag went up ! I didnt even bother to dance after one song. I went right to the owner (who was hiding in his offce)and told him how unprofessional this situation was and that he was rude, demanded my pay for all the aggravation and driving over an hour there in the snow.. I walked out (with my pay)end of story. Never again.

Originally Posted by songofincense

Okay, I'll offer the "more facts..." This local sports bar has a girly-type contest quite regularly on 'guys night' -- last week was a bikini contest, looking for a wet t-shirt contest -- this would be the place to find it. The guys all get to vote for the winner (or heckle anyone they don't enjoy looking at.) So this is the context of the "bellydance" competion... I know the gal that 'organized' with the venue owner as her picture was in the advertisement... On the 'up'-side the establishment apparently offers some really great prizes (including plastic surgery) to the winner. One hopes that bellydance is found to be a respectable, beautiful art form by the end of the evening but I'm not holding my breath... Just trying to help out with context Ruta & Lisa...

ok, the context helps..........

tho we are entertainers, we are not a side-show in the 21st century.......and i can almost picture a bunch of salivating guys thinking bikini/wet tee, etc....i'd question any dancer who takes part.....tho BD DOES have competitions, it's not usually set for a sea of sex-addled testosterone wondering when it's 'coming off'..........

i agree with many..........if it's advertised as classy, well organized, and geared for a mixed public, sportsbars can be fine, and have been.....just not gigs involving BD as go-go or chicky-contest...........

Well the date of the gig passed, so here's an update... apparently (by second-hand accounts) the dancer in charge took charge and made sure there was no contest (as the manager had advertised there would be), and turned it into what sounds like a pretty positive experience for the dancers who participated. Much to my relief, because I know (by acquaintance) most of the girls who danced, and really like all of them, and would have hated to see them hurt by mean-spirited people. So, it sounds like it worked out okay after all, and maybe some images were changed for the better instead of the worse. I guess you never know how something will go over until you give it a try.

here's to bad-ass bellydancers! i'm glad she stepped up and made a good event of it.......

Good good! A positive victory in your quaint little dysfunctional community. (Sorry...hahaha)

I got a little worried when I first read this post--namely because of the "contest"--but it turns out not everything is exactly what it seems. Performing at a sports bar is definitely one of those Tread With Caution scenarios, but can certainly be fun, safe and harmless if you scope out the venue and meet the owner firsthand and telegraph your intentions in a crystal clear manner. Unpretentious, raucous venues can be welcome change in pace from the typical weddings and banquet halls....says the girl who babysits construction workers for a living, anyway

I am glad the head dancer struck a good middle ground and convinced the owner to do away with the scheduled contest. Now, if only those flyer-stealing asshats would follow her tactful lead.....p::

No No No - not for me! Just ask yourself when in a situation like this - WWFD?
What Would Fifi Do?
Not Dance in a sports bar!
This is part of what makes it a struggle to accept belly dance as an art form on the level of ballet, music etc... obviously a heavy topic.
I don't dance in the laundromat, bachelor parties, sports bars, starbucks, hooters, the local pub, the bowling alley - you get the idea -no venue that isn't as fabulous as you are - that's my rule!

Originally Posted by eshtabellydance

No No No - not for me! Just ask yourself when in a situation like this - WWFD?
What Would Fifi Do?
Not Dance in a sports bar!
This is part of what makes it a struggle to accept belly dance as an art form on the level of ballet, music etc... obviously a heavy topic.
I don't dance in the laundromat, bachelor parties, sports bars, starbucks, hooters, the local pub, the bowling alley - you get the idea -no venue that isn't as fabulous as you are - that's my rule!

Yes. This. The same thing happened in my town (at the sports bar where my son cooks and tends bar no less), and I thought it was an inappropriate venue. I would never allow any of my students to dance there if I had any influence with them at all.

Well, they're having another go at it. Not for me, but to each her own...