Thread: Your thoughts on a potential gig

I've been offered a gig starting this fall at a hookah bar/restaurant. They are awesome people, and have even offered to pay me more than the standard area cost. I'm really looking forward to working with them.
I have two questions:
1. The primary patrons are young adults & college students, which is probably about 1/3 Middle Eastern, 2/3 American. What would be a good choice for music? I know probably pop, but I HATE dancing to pop music. Am I just going to have to suck it up and deal with it? Also, are college students generally receptive towards bellydance, or are they usually not very interested?
2. The place is about a block away from my apartment. Would walking there be a bad idea? I know it would probably look unprofessional, and could be dangerous if anyone follows me and discovers where I live. But, parking is a pain here, and I usually park much farther away than the place is. So, I'd get in my car, drive a few blocks away, and then walk home. What do you think?

Thanks!!

Don't walk alone. Or see if a friend can pick you up after the show and drive you home.

I think that college students would be interested but be careful that they don't get interested for the wrong reasons! Perhaps one of the restaurant staff could take a few minutes to walk you the block home? Driving just seems a little silly. I assume that you would be in some form of cover up while walking or changing at the venue?

1) Pop music, or at least upbeat traditional stuff. Otherwise you'll likely lose the college students' interest. For the first couple times you dance there maybe you could do primarily pop with one of your favorite traditional songs thrown in, and see how the audience reacts.

2) Walking is fine if the area is safe, I did it for two years to one of my gigs. I always wore street clothes to and from the gig though.

I guess if I were in your position I would walk there in my street clothes and leave in my street clothes with as big of a back pack that I could find so I could "blend" into the student crowd. Hopefully they have a dressing room where I could "transform" then do my job (Got a wig or hair piece? hahah!). I would maybe find some Trans global Underground, Naked Rhythm or R.E.G songs and dance to them. They're trendy and party without the pop - music. Sounds like an awesome opp. Good luck!

I dance in a hookah bar on a college campus that is a hot spot. You don't always have to dance to pop, but do mix it up with some stuff that college students can enjoy. Saidi and mizmars are not a big thing with the young crowd. Sometimes I use 007 or Mario Brothers remixes as drum solos and they get a kick out of it. It kinda "pulls" them back from the liqour and shisha :) There is some good pop, just need to look past the BDSS craze...

I find that college kids are very receptive, but I sometimes have to work very hard to win over the girls. Sometimes I get the deathstare, but I continue to smile and reach out and invite them to dance. If they aren't going to give in, I'll eventually just ignore them.

When I'm finished dancing, I pull back my hair, change into street clothes, and then put my caftan on over that. I take my stuff to the entrance area and while no one is there, remove the caftan (the view is obscured from the restaurant and the street). I emerge looking a little tarty (for the makeup), but otherwise like anyone else on the street without ruining the image in the restaurant. I think as long as you are careful about it, walking is a great idea.

Originally Posted by amity

Sometimes I use 007 or Mario Brothers remixes as drum solos and they get a kick out of it.

I bet that's super cute to watch ..l;,

Maybe a small rolling suitcase would be an alternative to a backpack. Less likely to injure your back, no worry about marks from the shoulder straps leaving visible red splotches, less likely to wrinkle or damage veils or other costumes, etc. The walk would be a great option but I agree it would be wise to change into street clothes for the jaunt. You might want to find a lightweight jacket or raincoat and keep your cell phone and maybe even a body alarm in a secure pocket - always accessible. Peace-of-mind is priceless.

Originally Posted by amity

I dance in a hookah bar on a college campus that is a hot spot. You don't always have to dance to pop, but do mix it up with some stuff that college students can enjoy. Saidi and mizmars are not a big thing with the young crowd. Sometimes I use 007 or Mario Brothers remixes as drum solos and they get a kick out of it. It kinda "pulls" them back from the liqour and shisha :) There is some good pop, just need to look past the BDSS craze...

That is too cute!! So do you mix it with a drum solo or just do the remix itself?

Thanks everyone for your replies!! I know I'll definitely have my bf or a male friend walk me home, I'm more worried that someone will find out where I live and then wait for me later. Am I being too paranoid?
I'd also change into/out of costume at the place and wear regular clothes home. I'm not sure of the exact layout of the place, but I'm pretty sure I can sneak out when no one's looking.

*sigh* Pop it is then. I do like it, I just don't want to dance to it for 20 minutes straight. But I'm sure I can put together some routines that will make everyone happy.

Thanks again!!

Ditto on the dont walk in costume or coverup.
You can put a more oriental piece (short) in the middle of your set if you want to.
Pop does go over well with the type of audience you mention but you can use your performance to introduce them to more traditional music.

Do you do sword balancing? That always seems to impress the heck out of the younger crowds (and gets the boys to take a step or two back!). It gives you an excuse to dance to something slower without losing your audience.

I'll do up to 1 or 2 classical pieces in an evening of 3 to 4 appearances (say 10 to 15 minute sets each.) You do kind of have to sneak the classical pieces in but, hey, you do what works. Pop is a crowd pleaser... just is. In fact, every one of us that dance at the Hookah bar here are asked for Hakim every time we dance,r:; . Last weekend I danced choreo to Talakit both Fri & Sat night and brought in both Eah Da Ba'a and Tamni AleekCDs for improv and open floor and was still asked for Hakim... I'm Hakim'ed out..c:: !!!

Sorry, got on a tangent/rant and didn't address the other part of your post... I agree with everyone else here, I don't think walking will be a problem at all as long as you leave in street clothes, which you plan to do... I have the manager walk me out and watch me get into my car but that doesn't sound pratical for you so just be smart and alert...
Blessings,
Rach

The walk would be a great option but I agree it would be wise to change into street clothes for the jaunt.

Yes. For some reason every time I just pop out to the shop in my bedleh I find it impossible to be unobtrusive. Go figure.

I would imagine a certain degree of fusiony gothy tribally stuff would probably go down well with such a crowd, if that's your bag.

Hehe, I guess I have to get prepared to be Hakim'ed out.

I don't think I could ever do gothy tribal stuff, though it probably would go over well since there are a lot of art students and they'd probably think a goth chick is a lot cooler than some peppy blonde bopping around to pop music ;) I'm happy in my sparkly bedleh.

Originally Posted by songofincense

I'll do up to 1 or 2 classical pieces in an evening of 3 to 4 appearances (say 10 to 15 minute sets each.) You do kind of have to sneak the classical pieces in but, hey, you do what works. Pop is a crowd pleaser... just is. In fact, every one of us that dance at the Hookah bar here are asked for Hakim every time we dance,r:; . Last weekend I danced choreo to Talakit both Fri & Sat night and brought in both Eah Da Ba'a and Tamni AleekCDs for improv and open floor and was still asked for Hakim... I'm Hakim'ed out..c:: !!!

Me too! Although...Hakim is kind of catchy after a while.

Yes, Rachel is right--on our college campus, pop is pretty much it. Even for the non-Americans... The folks from the Middle East seem to want something they can sing along too, also. I've thrown in an occasional American song, and I do maybe one or two classical pieces, but they look bored during the classical numbers. Drum solos get a great reception. I put on a classical piece when I want everyone to sit down and let me have the floor to dance. ,r:;

As for walking... I would feel safe walking in our town if I was in street clothes. Not in my costume, though. And you might ask someone else from the restaurant to walk you home, or else have a friend meet you.

I dance for a college crowd very frequently and will say that my particular crowd can be hard to win over. Whenever there are MEers in the audience, they really get into it so it's good that you have a mix of American and Arab people. I usually enter with an upbeat oriental piece with a little veil, do 2 pop songs and finish with a drum solo. They love the drum solos! Anything with shimmies is a winner for them. I don't think you need to stick to pop, but I'd recommend not doing many slow songs. I personally hate techno-y remixes and stuff and have never danced to them. I've also only done Hakim once :) I throw in recent pop songs by Haifa, Nancy Ajram, etc. and the Arab kids love it (but they also love Bahlam Beek and non-remixed Enta Omri)

Originally Posted by bellydonsah28

*sigh* Pop it is then.

I don't know; I wouldn't underestimate your average college student's desire to have an Authentic Cultural Experience (TM).

I mostly perform for college students, and they're fascinated, for instance, by instrumental taxims that are expressed by slinky, internal movements. I think you can get away with quite a bit of classical music if it reads as sufficiently exotic to your college-aged audience.