Thread: Designing a high-quality belly dance show

Share your "best practices" on techniques for designing a high-quality belly dance show! Here are some of my favorites:

1. Find out in advance what song each person will dance to, and what style of dance (Egyptian, Tribal, folkloric, etc.) she intends to use. (As well as other info in #2 below). If the dancer doesn't know, tell her you need an answer by <insert deadline> or else she'll be cut from the show. Organize your show so that you don't have too many of the same style back-to-back.

2. Create printed programs that identify each dancer, where she's from (if not local), title of the song she used, 2-3 words identifying the style of dance she will be performing, and name of the choreographer.

3. Place an intermission at the 45-minute point. Make it 15 minutes long - longer if there aren't enough bathroom stalls to accommodate everyone within the 15-minute span.

4. Start on time.

5. Show should be no longer than 90 minutes (that's 75 minutes of performing time, 15 minutes of intermission).

6. Select dancers according to skill appropriate to the type of audience this show will be marketed to, diversity of style, and ability to behave professionally (such as showing up on time, being courteous in the dressing room, etc)

Okay, who else wants to chime in?

Um, is this unusual? I mean, seriously. I've never been to a belly dance show where those practices were not adhered to, with the possible exception of the length bit, and the promotion to public bit, but the latter is subjective.

Your points are very well taken -- so well-taken that I do the same!

Just to flesh things out a bit:

1) Song/Style: when I've done pro-shows, I select the performers for specific reasons, namely, variations in dance and presentation style, music choices they generally make, etc. For example, a dancer in my area does a fantastic multi-blade balance/dance presentation and when I asked her to perform in one of the pro shows I produced, I also asked if she would include that in her set. Luckily, she was thrilled to accommodate me!

2) Printed programs: although I use printed programs, I haven't yet included song titles, choreographers (well, all the dancers I've hired dance their own choreos), etc. I am looking forward to including this info in the next dance concert I produce.

3) Always make the second half of the show shorter than the first!

4) I'm pretty well known for starting and ending on time. I think it's important; it adds a certain level of credence to one's professionalism.

5) The shorter the better; always leave 'em wantin' more! When I do a 90-minute show, I do it straight through without a break, however.

6) Selecting the performers based on your anticipated/marketed-to audience is absolutely key!

New Stuff:

1) Keep things moving! I produced a show once that featured a band and dancer as a set. To make things flow smoothly, I made that set the opener for the show (folks love live music!) then, while they were clearing their stuff from the stage, I took a few moments to introduce myself, talk about the show, etc. In this way, there was no interruption of the flow -- it just made perfect sense to do it this way!

2) Keep individual performances relatively short, even in a pro show, say about 10 minutes.

3) Although BD really is a "solo sport," it's nice to have a very polished group number here and there during the show; it helps to break it up for the GP plus there's just something about the energy a group produces!

I'm looking forward to reading the responses!

Deborah

If at all possible, please have a professional DJ or sound person running the music. It's not a guarantee that there won't be music problems, but a pro is more likely to know how to handle things when they come up and possibly have a workaround.

Get high-quality performers. Mix up different styles. Have one or two troupes. Have a live music set in the second half. Build the energy to a high point by the end. Good dancers = good show. Unless they are all doing the same exact style of music and costuming, it's going to be good.

Good lighting is often hard to come by in venues that aren't a theatre or professional nightclub. But it makes a big difference. Invest in inexpensive, homemade light poles and gels if necessary.

For our shows we always create an Excel sheet where we put in all the infos about the dances, styles, costume colors etc.

This allows you to easily move around the different dance numbers so you can be sure not to have 3 veil dances or 2 red costumes in a row.

MEISSOUN

Originally Posted by zumarrad

Um, is this unusual? I mean, seriously. I've never been to a belly dance show where those practices were not adhered to, with the possible exception of the length bit, and the promotion to public bit, but the latter is subjective.

Oh, my dear Zumarrad, if you were in my town, you would be strangling yourself with your hip scarf...

#1 - practically a myth. Very few organizers in my community go to the effort of getting performers' info in advance (and very few performers could provide it, since so many seem to decide the day before the show what they are dancing to).

#2 - informative programs? Surely you jest.

#4 - start on time? BWAHAHAHAHA

#5 - hell no! We like our shows 3 hours long! MINIMUM!

#6 - Ergh...

In all seriousness, I totally agree with all the points Shira posted. I try to adhere to these points in my annual student recital. There are others who are also making an effort. But my community is FAAAAAR from achieving these very sane, reasonable show guidelines. [/cynicism]

Nisaa

Originally Posted by laura 2

If at all possible, please have a professional DJ or sound person running the music. It's not a guarantee that there won't be music problems, but a pro is more likely to know how to handle things when they come up and possibly have a workaround.

I agree that this is really important! Having pro sound (and if possible, lighting) makes such an enormous difference in the quality of the program.

Originally Posted by laura 2

If at all possible, please have a professional DJ or sound person running the music. It's not a guarantee that there won't be music problems, but a pro is more likely to know how to handle things when they come up and possibly have a workaround.

I second this as well as someone professional to set up the sound system. I have numerous horror stories I could tell with performing music issues.

Lisa

Use a stage manager - they will ensure performers are where they need to be when they need to be there and handle any back-stage crises that may arise.

Don't talk or announce between pieces. An intro at the beginning and maybe the end is usually more than enough.

Have a tech rehearsal or dress rehearsal in the space if at all possible.

I agree that having the dancers submit info and setting the order of performances to keep similar ones seperate is the best way to go. Failing that, at the very least PLEASE make sure two dancers are not using the same music!

I'm a fan of dropping the MC, or having minimal MC-ing, as elljay suggested. If you must have an MC announce every performer, make sure they know how to pronounce everyone's name in advance. Do not let the MC tell jokes as these are usually not funny and make the entire show seem cheesy and unprofessional.

Definitely have a rehearsal in the show space, especially if it is unfamiliar to most people. Avoid doing this in the few hours before the show so that the performers can be fresh and rested for the evening's performance.

Originally Posted by rachelw

I'm a fan of dropping the MC, or having minimal MC-ing, as elljay suggested. If you must have an MC announce every performer, make sure they know how to pronounce everyone's name in advance. Do not let the MC tell jokes as these are usually not funny and make the entire show seem cheesy and unprofessional.

I do use an MC at my recital, but the MC just provides a brief introduction to the style of dance being presented in each number. I don't have much of a budget for extremely detailed programs (though I try to include song titles, dance style names, and performers' names), so I want to be sure to include educational tidbits in my program. Most of the attendees know nothing about ME dance, so it's a great opportunity to educate.

However, I don't like MCing where the MC is just announcing the performer and maybe gushing around about the dancers (and half the time it's the event organizer gushing around about her buddies or students). And I TOTALLY agree that a joke-cracking MC is completely annoying. We have one around here that is infamous for his endless rambles and un-funny commentary during shows. Blech.

Nisaa

Originally Posted by rachelw

If you must have an MC announce every performer, make sure they know how to pronounce everyone's name in advance. Do not let the MC tell jokes as these are usually not funny and make the entire show seem cheesy and unprofessional.

Along these lines, if your MC is male, don't put him in a bejeweled turban and satin robes.

Re: MCs. Yeah, this is NOT an easy job. It's a performance, you have to engage the audience and yet it's not really all about the MC, it's about the dancing.

There are lots of unfamiliar arabic words to pronounce and if you don't know all the dancers personally, there are strange names. MCs who ad lib sometimes get into dangerous territory - one MC introduced me as a "lady of the evening!" WTF. Or they make it about themselves and their opinions and what happened to them today on their way to the show, and tell corny jokes. Yech.

MC's need to prepare for their performance just like dancers do. Getting info from dancers ahead of time is sometimes like pulling teeth, though, at least around here. I often MC at local shows and I am usually handed some quickly hand-written notes to read 1 minute before the show.

Our guild encourages dancers to write their intros with info about their dance style, music, and/or costuming. Audiences have said they appreciate knowing a little about all the different styles they are seeing.

Pay attention to how you organize your set list--i.e. make sure there is a sensible progression from one dance to the next, a mix of slow & fast music & styles of dance.
Be a gracious hostess, have thank yous prepared for your guest performers. H2O and some snacks backstage & in the tech booth.
If you don't have a background in theater/stage design bring someone in to do your lighting design. Professional lighting takes a show from wow to WOW!!
Sound check. Tech rehearsal.

Let the perforners know the stage setting.... Is it in the round... short ceiling...

Other thing is asking each dancer to only have one track on the CD. Less likely to play the wrong music.

I like the shows that are set up with a detailed program, (I always keep them for music info.) a DJ only at the beginning of the show and after the intermission.Most importantly, when there aren't 4 dancers dancing to the same song.

Originally Posted by atareen

Let the perforners know the stage setting.... Is it in the round... short ceiling...

Ooh, this is a good one. It could help some people decide what would be the best choreo for the layout, or even make them decide to do improv rather than choreo.

I would add that if you plan to sell videos or use a videographer to make sure he/she is of good quality and that the video will be as well (check out the equipment, etc)

Use surveymonkey.com to get feedback from your attendees after the show. Seriously, I got awesome feedback that was so useful!!

Originally Posted by JasmineRose

I would add that if you plan to sell videos or use a videographer to make sure he/she is of good quality and that the video will be as well (check out the equipment, etc)

Along these lines...pre-sell your videos to the performers.

What are your feelings on a curtain call? I personally like them, but I know others who hate them. I feel like it helps "close" the show.

Also, do you all do "meet & greets" after the show with the performers?