Thread: Teaching business etiquette

After an unpleasant New Year's experience, I thought it was important to note the importance of teaching students wanting a professional career in bellydance on how to negotiate effectively. After my set at a ME restaurant, I watched a newer professional dig her own grave by acting like a total diva. I'm 100% sure that the restaurant will never book her again and is spreading a negative image so early!

Does anyone out there teach this to their students already? What key points/tips do you share for a successful dance career? I'm hoping this thread will be useful for both newbies and teachers. Thanks for your input! Happy new year to all!!

I have had to explain the concept of under-cutting on more than one occasion, but usually in response to this issue arising. I still haven't figured out how to be proactive about things like this, so I'm looking forward to reading what tips everyone else may have.

In a previous thread, someone mentioned the idea of hosting an Etiquette Workshop at no charge to participants, which is a fabulous idea, but unfortunately we can't force everyone to take it. Sigh.

Originally Posted by thussell

After my set at a ME restaurant, I watched a newer professional dig her own grave by acting like a total diva.

I would suggest that anybody who uses such behavior as her natural way of handling the situation probably wouldn't learn much about professional etiquette from a teacher trying to teach it to her. Some people believe that bullying behavior will get them what they want - and maybe that behavior does prove effective within their own families. Such people often don't respect people who (in their opinion) are doormats or too nicey-nice.

Then again, maybe she had a teacher who TAUGHT her to behave like that.

I throw in little etiquette tidbits from the get go. At first it's usually about performing (or even just attending) haflas, but then it goes on from there.
I have several students who are also professional performers and have an open door policy with them- they can ask anything they want. I ALSO recommend appropriate students to take Artemis Mourat's "So You Wanna Be a Star" workshop when she teaches them
... AND quite frankly I EXPECT any dancer who wants to go professional to be researching enough online to HAVE questions for me. If she's not doing her "homework"- she doesn't want it enough to cut it by my standards.

As unpleasant as that experience may have been, it is not uncommon to see this type of thing taking place. I have also seen it a number of times and the sad thing is that 90% of the time these "divas" are totally unaware of what they are doing. A common thing I have found is that when a teacher over does praise in the early days the ego just becomes gigantic. I look out for this at class level and address it immediately when it occurs. I get angry with the proprietors or managers for not doing their homework proper before hiring these dancers. We already have a problem defending this art form and don't need the additional aggravation . I belong to a group with a 7 level student and then a 7 level teacher certification process that is very comprehensive and part of the syllabus covers ethics, professionalism and respect for the culture of this art form. I am very happy to use it when I feel the need as the contributors to the syllabus are all well known, well respected and masters in the field from belly community all over the world.

Great responses guys! There were some really great ideas. I hope this is useful to everyone. And I do agree that sometimes it is just that person's personality coming through. I definitely hope anyone even considering performing professionally has done their research. You should treat this like you would any job. If you want something or disagree with your 'boss,' you would never lose your composure like that. With every experience we learn more though, and this is just another one of those learning opportunities.

Originally Posted by ZaiaHadiyyah

As unpleasant as that experience may have been, it is not uncommon to see this type of thing taking place. I have also seen it a number of times and the sad thing is that 90% of the time these "divas" are totally unaware of what they are doing. A common thing I have found is that when a teacher over does praise in the early days the ego just becomes gigantic. I look out for this at class level and address it immediately when it occurs.

The diva attitude is becoming increasingly common, and not just in would-be bellydance superstars. You see it in children who are raised with a sense of entitlement because they are praised for every little thing they do, and catered to like royalty. It really is sad that they aren't even aware of it. The current crop of young adults entering the workforce now has some of the early victims of this kind of upbringing, and it shows in their productivity. Some companies now have to hire professional motivators to visit the workplace to throw confetti and tell the employees how great they are, because it's what the kids are used to and easier than trying to teach them that a job well done is its own reward. I am curious, Zaia, how you handle this issue when working with adults. What exactly do you look out for, and how do you address it with the student?

Like SamiraShuruk, I sprinkle advice and etiquette into my teaching as much as I can. And when I take students out on belly dance field trips we talk more about stage, performance, costume and professional etiquette. If we ride together, we use the car ride to and from the event to discuss these topics that we don't get to go over in class in detail.

When any of my students move into the intermediate category of classes, we normally spend our first day going over the unwritten rules of the dance. Before shows we talk costumes and behind the stage etiquette.

I too, expect that my more advanced students do their own research and come with questions regarding the "belly dance lifestyle". Although, I do encourage questions from the get-go.