Thread: How to...?

I'm not sure if this belongs in this thread, but I am very curious.

How does one get the opportunity to be hired at different places in the world? I myself have danced at several venues worldwide but never in the sense that someone contacted me, hired me, and paid me to perform for weeks at a time. I know that the dancer has to be professional, etc, I am just curious as to how a dancer gets in contact with people who might be looking to hire. I am professional and very willing to travel; this dance is my life and I love adventure. It is a dear wish of mine to be able to do this, I am just not certain how to go about it.


I also wanted to ask how dancers get invited to do workshops and the like? I teach workshops, but again, have never been a guest teacher anywhere. Please help me out; I am a gypsy-style traveler so I spent most of my time on the road learning and performing, and I am not as familiar with these kinds of things as I might have been if I had always lived in one place.

You have made a first step by coming here ..g.:

Actually, networking is a must. If people don't know you, they won't hire you.

Now, how do you define "different places"? Other countries? Other continents?

For me, the step to teach in a different country was relatively short because I live in the middle of Europe, in a small country. So expanding my business was kind of a must. I started going to festivals in Germany and took it from there.

It's like throwing a stone into a lake: first there are small circles, then they get bigger.
So my first ever workshop was not in an exotic destination but only 4 hours by train away in Frankfurt.
Then I slowly built up a reputation until I got invited to places that required taking a plane because they were to far to drive (London, Oslo, Vienna....).
And finally somebody who knew my from the former MEDdance-mailgroup invited me to California to teach Bollywood dance.
Ah yes, important point! Have at least one speciality! Something you are known for, where you are an expert. Something that makes people go: "Well, if you REALLY want to learn this style/skill, you have to hire dancer XYZ, she's a specialist!"
For me it was Lebanese style and Bollywood dance that brought me to the States and as far as Honolulu...
If you just teach what people think they can teach themselves, why should they pay for your ticket?

I suggest you start teaching workshops in the next state, then a bit further etc. I also think, it would be scary if your first ever out-of-town workshop was in a completely foreign place.

Good luck

MEISSOUN

Hi Meissoun!

Thanks so much for responding. I do mean 'other countries and continents'. I have taught in Canada, the US, and Hawai'i (which is the US as well, I know!). I have performed all over the US, as well as in Canada and Scotland. I have spent most of my time as a poor dancer, learning, teaching, and performing at different places. Therefore, I have been more invested in my education and travel than anything else for quite some time, but now I would like to try dancing/teaching in the sense described above (ie, hired!)

You are right about networking. I believe this is a business in which networking is a must! Even though I have been dancing for years, if no one has heard of me no one can hire me. That is one of the reasons I decided to start posting here. I will eventually be purchasing advertising as well so that my name will 'get out there'.

I like your advice about specializing. Improvisation is probably my speciality, as well as instruction in the history and culture of the dance. I'd also like to be a speaker at events; I am a very passionate history and anthropology student who plans on becoming a professor. Those are my good points, and the subjects of the workshops I teach. However, I assume you mean to become an expert in a particular style.

If I wanted to teach workshops in the next state, how would I go about doing that? Do I set it up, or do I write to other dancers to ask if they will sponsor me? That's the part I was confused about. I have taught workshops locally before but never that way.

Thanks for all the information; I really appreciate it!

Put together a perspectous. Find up coming events which you would like to be included in. Contact the organizers. See what happens.

{{{{HUGS}}}

What also helps is having other dancers over from other countries to teach workshops, then travel to the country of that dancer to teach there. There are more dancers out there who want to have international experience.

Only problem is that you need a fairly large student base to get enough people to follow the workshop from a (relatively) lesser known foreign teacher to pay for the travel expenses and hotel cost.

I think I'm coming in a bit late on the topic, but......
This is all great advice, and I'll add my two cents here by saying that when networking, appearance counts!
What I mean is: when you go to events, even if it's just to attend workshops or a haflah, make sure you dab on a bit of makeup, wear some of your favorite jewlery, and have an outfit that makes you feel good and ''put together'' while you're there. You'll feel much more comfortable mingling and networking as a professional, and you'll look the part as well.
Also, you should have a portfolio of high-quality professional dance photos, with a variety of poses, costumes, and looks that suit you and highlight your best features. Get your makeup and hair professionally done and get ready to spend some money--but it's worth it! Sounds kind of obvious, but I think good pics are one of the most important things that a promoter or agent would want to see.
What I don't mean is: make yourself look like someone you're not or hold yourself to an unattainable, unrealistic standard just to get this kind of work.
These are things that have really helped me in my dance journey, so I hope I don't sound patronizing :)
Good luck to you!

Hi everyone!

This all sounds fantastic. Razia- thank you for the advice. It doesn't sound patronizing at all! I recently had professional photographs done. I am also planning a dance festival next summer with dancers from around the world (Tarik Sultan, Chryssanthi Sahar, Malia in Hawai'i,etc). This is the first festival I've ever planned so it's going to be a challenge getting it all together! Nothing is confirmed yet as I am still working on it.

If I want to sponsor teachers from other parts of the world, what is necessary? I know the agreements I've come to for the festival but having a 'guest dancer', do I need to pay for airfare/housing/etc? I have the studio space and time available for things like that, of course, just curious about the economic side of things. I am very open to having visiting instructors!

Thanks for the advice, Tehira! I will investigate upcoming events and contact the organizers. I wasn't sure about the etiquette with something like that; I didn't know if I could contact them or I'd have to wait for someone to ask me.

As I mentioned, most of my recent involvement in dance has been of the travel and learn, travel and learn variety, as well as performing wherever and whenever I could. I am building a student base now.

Any advice is helpful! This is great. Thanks everyone!

There should be one or two threads about "How to organize a workshop", just look around a bit.

I get e-mails from dancers who want to teach here (that I don't know) so it's not an unusual thing to contact sponsors out of the blue.
I've also done this, sometimes when I travelled. Like this Summer I will spend 3 weeks on Lake Geneva, so I contacted some studios in the area, offering them to teach workshops.

MEISSOUN

To be hired for a UK festival to teach workshops over here, all you need is a reputation and a specialism also really helps.
But for instance at JoY we rarely have never heard of a dancer. Some regularly promote or travel the country doing workshops. Some have instructional DVDs out.
In London Planet Egypt is a showcase for dancers. I have never been but I know it is very popular both to perform on and attend. If you were to perform there and people liked you and/or you did something usual, I have no doubt word would spread and festival organisers would be interested in you.
A website helps with your experience in dance ( not just belly dance), your teaching and your performances in national or international events.It's like offering up your CV after all.
MandyT on this forum runs the very successful JoY and she would give you pointers as to how she selects teachers and from an attendee point of view there's always someone for me to appreciate!!!!I will say standards of dance tuition and performance are getting higher all the time.

I think the short answer is:
1) Be really good
2) Get seen being really good

Dancers aren't going to sponsor someone they (and their students) have never heard of, no matter how nice your approach is. But if you target an area and travel there to take workshops & dance in the shows -- and you're good -- you'll be asked. Pick one or two neighboring metro areas first and start traveling there and being seen. Get your clips on youtube as well, if they're not already there, so people can see you dance.

Another thought: Enter some competitions (if you haven't already). Yes, competitions are flawed and imperfect. But the feedback you'll get from the judges will really help you to discover how your dancing is perceived by others, in a realistic and objective way. You'll either find out what might be holding you back so you can work on that, or you'll wind up with a fancy title you can add to your marketing materials (and people in your region WILL talk and be impressed if you come back with a title, even if they don't approve of competitions in general).

Also, if you have expertise, be generous about sharing info online. There are quite a few dancers I would turn to as potential workshop instructors who I "met" online and found to be loaded with knowledge and great communicators -- including Kimahri, who's teaching her second workshop for me next month!

Pay for a domain name - I think the design of your website is fine, but the pop-ups are irritating and show that your website is free, which leads people to think you are more of a hobbyist than a professional. I understand not having the money to hire a full-fledged web-designer (look at my site! It is very obviously designed in drag-and-drop fashion by yours truly!) but I think a website free of advertisements and popups is a must if you want to be taken seriously.

It's not expensive to get a domain name - I think I pay $10 a month through Yahoo Geocities for mine.

Originally Posted by danielabellydance

It's not expensive to get a domain name - I think I pay $10 a month through Yahoo Geocities for mine.

I pay $12.95 for my domain name and webhosting and all the tools. I agree with this 100%

{{{HUGS}}}

Hi everyone,

Yes, I know my website is shamefully free! I am getting a domain next month (I actually used to have one, but many things have happened in my life in the last year, big upheaval, etc, so was paying attention to other things). I tried to make it as professional as I could with what I had. I will work on my site some more to provide the information I have gleaned over the years I have been dancing. I have looked at many other beautiful, professional dancer websites and been jealous! :) I've been such a traveler that I haven't looked to the 'business' side of things in that way! :)

I do hope to enter the Midwest Bellydance Challenge and actually had intended to participate in both Wiggles of the West and Bellydancer USA last year, but again, upheavals...ergh. Personal life getting in the way of the dance! Boo!

Thanks everyone, this is all really helpful stuff.

I second the webdomain. Even with drag and drop design you can make your site look professional. I also have several sites at geocities and with some clever photoshopping you can get impressive results without doing very complicated programming.

Don't forget to include a section on how you love to travel and have experience in teaching workshops in several places

edited to add: I wouldn't put the pictures of your student groups on the top of your gallery page. The first seconds that people see your page are crucial because that's the image that will linger in their unconcious.

Mekyria-

Thanks for the advice! I will rearrange the photos, and mention my passion for travel. My new site will be coming soon!

Very interesting topic! Have been wondering about this as well.

Yes, please share, everybody! This is fascinating stuff.