Thread: what's your belly dance goal?

i just realized i'm not sure I have one. I dance w/a troupe and i would love do to more solo work at conventions and whatnot but there's only so many opportunities for that. i can't dance for money like at restaurants since i have somewhat strict parents i guess you could say, so that's out of the question as well. and within the last year i've managed to pick up flamenco, samba, polynesian, and bollywood so i guess that piles onto the question of what my goal really is for all that stuff. and now that i think of what i want for myself in any of these dances i want to just perform and be out there doing what i love but not as a job, more than just a hobby..and no pay i guess?

by no means am i discouraged but just a little..confused i guess? i didn't learn bd, as well as any of the other danecs, for the money at all, but just to learn and i loved it. so not getting paid to dance is only a bummer because that means i don't get to do it as often as i'd like to. i love the glitz and glamour of stage performances but i only get to do that twice a year for our biannual showcase and that's with my technique class and troupe. i like doing convention type stuff but even that doesn't happen as often as i'd like and i'm still in a group setting. the only solo spots i can count on is at haflas and those are supposed to start happening monthly at the place i go to. i've been asked to dance at the st.pete hafla angelina sponsors but i can't make that drive down there and plus it's at a restaurant and ya know how the parents react to that one

i guess this is a partial rant but also i'm wondering if any of you bhuzzers have felt the same way, been in the same situation, and ultimately figured out what you wanted?

Zana, I almost envy you! I have this bizarre workaholic affliction -- the instant I take up a hobby, I'm trying to figure out how to make at least a part-time business out of it! I even did it with parenting, became so obsessed that I started up a parenting magazine.

I wish I could trust myself to take up something, ANYthing, and just keep it in my life as food for my soul.

On the other hand, I do appreciate that I've managed to cobble together something like a living from a variety of things I've been very passionate about over the past 15 years -- I don't mean to be unappreciative.

Anyway, it sounds to me like your area lacks student performance opportunities. Maybe it's in your future to organize some simple, fun, low-key haflas so you and others like you can have a couple more performance opportunities each year!

well i think i must have some workahlic streak in me if i'm not sure of what my goal is and most of my week consists of dance hehe

and we're going to have more opportunities with the monthly haflas and whatnot. i guess it's just a bit frustrating that whenever i think of a new choreography i have to think 'oh well i get to perform that in 'X' months at the hafla!' if i were dancing at a nightclub even i would be able to perform more which is what i want.
am i limiting myself for not getting out there on my own, which would be going against my parents, or am i being limited by them or by the universe?! lol!

Originally Posted by Lauren_

I have this bizarre workaholic affliction -- the instant I take up a hobby, I'm trying to figure out how to make at least a part-time business out of it! I even did it with parenting, became so obsessed that I started up a parenting magazine.

I wish I could trust myself to take up something, ANYthing, and just keep it in my life as food for my soul.

Dude, I so know this affliction. ..l;,

Z, on the one hand I think it's totally okay to pick up a hobby that costs money just to feed the soul (as eloquently put by Lauren). On the other, if performing for pay is what you really want to do, you might have to detach yourself enough from what your parents think you should and should not do in order to pursue it to your heart's content. It is one thing to respect your parent's wishes, another to live for another's wishes (giving this unsolicited advice/speaking from experience).

To answer the question in the title, I want to get good enough to enter a competition with a fair expectation of placing well. I can't say I'll be able to afford it so I just say I want to be good enough. How do you feel about competitions?

Originally Posted by wayauwohali

To answer the question in the title, I want to get good enough to enter a competition with a fair expectation of placing well. I can't say I'll be able to afford it so I just say I want to be good enough. How do you feel about competitions?

I've only entered one, but I would do it again. Once performing started feeling sort of everyday, I found myself a little jealous of the adrenaline rush I saw in new student performers. And I found myself getting really blase about practicing or pushing myself.

Entering a competition really put me on my toes. I created a choreography, pushed myself to rehearse, forced some new skills into my body.

I didn't dance well the day of the competition, but that's life and I'm over it. I still have the skills I mastered in preparation. For me, it was all about giving myself a goal and pushing myself. And I got superb feedback from the judges to improve myself for future, and I placed *reasonably* well considering, so that was also nice feedback.

I would do it again. Not to say winning wouldn't be a rush and a cherry on top, but I think it's better to think of competing as an internal experience rather than trying to beat anyone or be better than them.

My Bely Dance goal for the year is to enter the Jewel of the Nile Competition! It will require my upping my game and lowering my weight!

a competition sounds great but intimidating lol and i can't say i've heard of one advertised here in the orlando area so i would probably have to do some bit of traveling as well. but i would love to watch one tho to see how it all works!

Zana, have you looked into venues that offer student showcases or slots for dancers of all levels? You may have to travel a bit, but I think most cities have something like this.

As far as my own dance goals. I really want to sharpen up my technique and learn more about the rhythms of ME music. I'm also wanting to get away from Tribal Fusion and get more into Egyptian style.

This is a great question. Having a goal gives you a direction to head toward; however, what if dancing in and of itself is the goal? Earlier this year, I read a great book called Mastery that was written by Thomas Leonard. The book was inspired by an article that he wrote about mastering Aikido (I believe), but then he realized that the principles of mastery can really apply to anything that we do. The basic premise is that on the road to mastery, the practice is the goal. He describes various other paths, one of which is the Obsessive, which is something that I can identify with. The obsessive is the person who has lots of goals and wants them now. This person will work really hard to achieve these goals, but when you are learning a new skill, you have ups, downs and plateaus. For the Obsessive, the ups are great, but the downs and the plateaus are frustrating. I find that this path has led me to burnout multiple times. It's not a path that can really be maintained for a long time.
So, anyway, to wrap this up, I would say that my goal is to explore the path of mastery, which might mean that I only dance for myself in my new, soon-to-be-finished guest house studio, or perhaps I'll start teaching in a large capacity again. Who knows?

My goal is to learn a slow, sensuous dance that showcases arms, and undulations. I've already learned 2 drum solos and I want to add to my repertoire. I'm trying to learn "Venus" from Blanca's Sensual Belly Dance DVD.

Edna

uh oh, there's a bd competition in miami this year
.w.:
scares me just to think about it!!

My goal is to completely choreograph a Meleya Leff and make a costume for it.

This is a timely question for me, and the phrases "the practice is the goal" and "feed the soul" speak to exactly where I'm at right now. In fact, I was thinking of starting a thread about dance goals for us obsessed hobbyists.

Recently I've come to realize that dance is my spiritual practice. Sounds kind of wonky but there it is. Haven't quite figured out what precisely I mean by that, but dance is my heart's home. It's not important to me to be able to do *every* aspect of belly dance well, but only what does feed my spirit. And that can change. Getting a handle on balady style. Understanding the music on a deeper level. Being able to let go and *dance* once I've mastered the technique. Lately I've been entranced--not quite literally, but almost--by drilling. I know I'm working towards perfecting a certain move, but it's also a means to leaving behind everyday cares and difficulties, to being here in the moment, and to clearing my mind of the daily ****e that plagues us all.

I expect I'll be thinking more about this as the year rolls on. As they say, dance is a journey.

My top goal in Middle Eastern Dance is simply to learn, learn, learn and grow, grow, grow. Eventually, through the learning and growing process, I hope to become a great dancer and possibly an educator of the dance. Would I love the opportunity to make bellydancing solely my professional career? You bet. Will I be devastated if it never happens? No way.

I already feel blessed to be part of such a great dance community here in San Diego. I have progressed rather quickly in this dance in very little time and have surrounded myself around individuals that have graciously contributed to my development. For me, at the end of the day, that truly is more important than anything else. I have to agree with Lauren in her post above, this dance definitely feeds my soul first and foremost. Having the glitz, glam, accolades and anything else in between is all secondary to me.

Get the zils down pat and under my skin.

BTW, these are some really impressive goals.

My main goal is to become a more calm and confidant dancer--the way I am when nobody's looking ,r:; When performing, I often get flustered, and want everything to be perfect, I end up rushing and then over analyzing mistakes, and ultimately feeling frustrated that I'm not the dancer I want to be. Sometimes I forget to enjoy dancing, which is really the point after all.

On the more technical side, I need to work on zils, and maybe someday in the distant future, I'll be able to do the one-legged backbend a la Shabnam.

Oh, and business cards and maybe a website...

Originally Posted by mathkitty

one-legged backbend a la Shabnam.

Whaaaa? Do you mean a backbend with a one legged shimmy (like Saida) or is it standing on one leg and then doing a backbend? Is it a full backbend? Do you have a picture or video? This sounds like I have to see it to believe it.

Originally Posted by Taj

Recently I've come to realize that dance is my spiritual practice. Sounds kind of wonky but there it is. Haven't quite figured out what precisely I mean by that, but dance is my heart's home.

I love this, and I know what you mean by it.

Singing is a common spiritual practice in most religions -- chanting, hymns, etc.

We sing with our bodies.

Also, there's a mind/body/spirit connection. *types a bunch of new age hoo haa that's probably too far off topic and will make some people think I'm a nutty heathen. Deletes it all*

Originally Posted by Lauren_

I love this, and I know what you mean by it.

Singing is a common spiritual practice in most religions -- chanting, hymns, etc.

We sing with our bodies.

Also, there's a mind/body/spirit connection. *types a bunch of new age hoo haa that's probably too far off topic and will make some people think I'm a nutty heathen. Deletes it all*

I love this stuff. And I want, no need to hear the deleted part. Pretty please?

Originally Posted by joanneraks

I love this stuff. And I want, no need to hear the deleted part. Pretty please?

I know! I was thinking, "Bring back the deleted stuff!"

Originally Posted by Lauren_

*types a bunch of new age hoo haa that's probably too far off topic and will make some people think I'm a nutty heathen. Deletes it all*

I wouldn't mind a separate thread on this topic, if you'd care to start it with your hoo haa.

Originally Posted by Lauren_

Zana, I almost envy you! I have this bizarre workaholic affliction -- the instant I take up a hobby, I'm trying to figure out how to make at least a part-time business out of it! I even did it with parenting, became so obsessed that I started up a parenting magazine.

I wish I could trust myself to take up something, ANYthing, and just keep it in my life as food for my soul.

..l;, I'm right there with you.... I once thought bellydance would be my "low-key hobby" HA!!!!

Originally Posted by damariz

Whaaaa? Do you mean a backbend with a one legged shimmy (like Saida) or is it standing on one leg and then doing a backbend? Is it a full backbend? Do you have a picture or video? This sounds like I have to see it to believe it.

No shimmy, it's crazy athletic floorwork, around 1:20:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5omqcllXTls]YouTube - Shabnam floorwork taxim[/ame]

I can do regular backbends on the floor and am pretty flexible, and first thought I should be able do this, but I was oh, so wrong! Need to develop a lot more strength and flexibility.

aah, that's pretty cool! almost like a "back catch" or whatever they call it in western style dancing.

I'm not sure what my goal is right now; I haven't been performing for several months and am feeling in a rut, discouraged, and not sure if I have a place in the local community. For a while I thought about selling my costumes and moving on to something else. I'm debating entering a competition to give me something to work towards, but I keep talking myself out of it. I know it's probably the winter blues or something.

My goal last year was to be performing regularly, and I had a show 2-3x/month up until September. That gig was due to my instructor adding me to the schedule; I keep debating going out on my own to seek gigs but again I talk myself out of it...

My main goal is to always keep learning. Even if it's a style that I don't dance anymore, it's important to get the perspective. It can make my dancing that much better.

I also want to work on spins and turns. It's something that I know that I'm not confident in doing (cursed wide, flat feet), and a lot of the troupe choreography have turns. I just have to buckle and work on it.

One goal I'm definitely looking forward to is working with makeup. I'm learning to put together an inventory of makeup so that I can do different looks for my performances. I even hope to do makeup on students for our showcases.

I faced up to the fact that I am a costume HO! They inspire me, have their own stories to tell, mix with the music and are half the reason I dance. I also have known for a while that I needed to start choreographing my pieces. I need to commit to my own musical opinions through choreography. I practice, but haven't choreographed my stuff for a few years.

SO. My goal for 2009 is that I will only sell a costume if I have choreographed a piece with that costume in mind, and video taped it in that costume. I just finished my first choreography, and it feels great!

Alimah

Originally Posted by tinasargent

This is a great question. Having a goal gives you a direction to head toward; however, what if dancing in and of itself is the goal? Earlier this year, I read a great book called Mastery that was written by Thomas Leonard. The book was inspired by an article that he wrote about mastering Aikido (I believe), but then he realized that the principles of mastery can really apply to anything that we do. The basic premise is that on the road to mastery, the practice is the goal. He describes various other paths, one of which is the Obsessive, which is something that I can identify with. The obsessive is the person who has lots of goals and wants them now. This person will work really hard to achieve these goals, but when you are learning a new skill, you have ups, downs and plateaus. For the Obsessive, the ups are great, but the downs and the plateaus are frustrating. I find that this path has led me to burnout multiple times. It's not a path that can really be maintained for a long time.
So, anyway, to wrap this up, I would say that my goal is to explore the path of mastery, which might mean that I only dance for myself in my new, soon-to-be-finished guest house studio, or perhaps I'll start teaching in a large capacity again. Who knows?

This gives a lot of food for thought. I'll have to check out this book!

Alimah

My goal is simple, continue to improve my dance.

Istanbul.
Waiting for prices from my travel agency. Can't get enough days off for the Helene Erickson tour (cry) but I think I'll still make the festival in early May. It's the most expensive time to leave Japan (falls in a 5 day every-one-has-a-vacation time) but if I don't go I think I will kill a co-worker.