Thread: How do you prefer to receive your tips?

I have seen three ways of dancers getting tips so far:

1. The belt tucking method. Which is actually not legal in our area.

2. The dropping money over your head to rain down on the dance floor area.

3. A tip jar.

And are there others that I haven't seen before that you prefer better?


Personally, every dancer around my area does #2, although usually someone else picks the money up for them (I've never seen one of them picking up their own money off the ground).

Love money dropping, it adds another dimension of excitement! I was taught that you never pick up your own money, always have a friend do that for you.

This is actually kind of timely - I just added a clause to my contract about how to tip approriately. Both to clarify, and also to plant the seed that tipping is totally okay and even common.

I chose money shower for the same reason as Surida, but in 4 years of performing I've only ever gotten one (well two, but it was at the same event). I think if you dance for the ME crowd you can expect it, but I dance 99.9% of the time for the GP and they are completely (and uderstandably) unfamiliar with the custom.

One thing option that's not on your poll is when people simply hand me the money as I dance by. I then take it and stuff it in my belt or waistband myself.

I've seen the money necklace, a kind of origami-like long necklace of bills that gets draped around the dancer's neck.

I was never very comfortable taking tips in the costume from strangers, but I've seen dancers who can pull it off magnificently, e.g. Delilah of Seattle. She makes it feel like a party!

Money showers are the most exciting but as Laura2 says the GP doesn't usually know about them. We have found that passing the hat usually works well.

I am fortunate to dance with my troupe, so I send out one dancer to collect tips in a tambourine during the last song of the night...right before the "everybody dance song".

I have a faux leopardskin fez that's been used for "pass the hat."

R

Money showers are fun! I don't object to tipping in the belt, but so far the places I've danced have never been rowdy. I've seen some groups get carried away, of course that would bother me.

I've only been in a pass-the-jar situation once (well, actually it was a bucket decorated to look like an Easter chick, not sure what that was about) but that was alright. Except in that situation I had zero interaction during the tipping, I missed the playfulness and interaction and feeling like *maybe* I had some control to encourage it!!!

In large denominations.

Originally Posted by Zana

In large denominations.

..l;,..l;,..l;, I feel you on that!

Originally Posted by Zana

In large denominations.

..l;,

I prefer money showers because I tire of the "duck and dodge" that is so often necessitated when taking body tips, though I am not unwilling to take body tips. The Arab people I know will do money showers until they know they can get away with body tipping. It's really up to the dancer to set the tone.

With regards to money showers, it doesn't always have to do with approval of the dancer (though a lot of the time it does). A lot of it involves conspicuously displaying wealth...i.e. if Mohammad throws down 10 ones, well, then I'm going to throw down 20, and so on.

Originally Posted by Zana

In large denominations.

..l;,

I knew I liked you. When I saw this thread the first thing that came to mind was ... in cash. Where would you stash your "swiper" for CCs?

I voted for money shower; it provides excitement plus interaction! And that one-upmanship that can happen in Arab clubs can be quite lucrative . . .

That said, most of the tips I receive are the "tuck in the belt" variety. In 30 years, I have had very few "inappropriate" costume tipping experiences. It's a fun way to kill some time and interact with the audience.

Here's an interesting thought: I really don't want my 18-year-old daughter to accept costume tips. She has yet to dance in that sort of environment (she's either been onstage or gotten tips via "pass the hat"), although I did when I was her age. Hmmm . . . is that hypocritical???

Deborah

Originally Posted by beki

..l;,
Where would you stash your "swiper" for CCs?

When I was just a kid (probably under 25), dancing around the room at a private party gig, somebody's grandpa asked me if I accepted credit cards. Not to be outdone, I said something like, "shucks, I left my credit card machine out in the car," laughed and danced away.

Deborah

Originally Posted by nisaasaintlouis

I prefer money showers because I tire of the "duck and dodge" that is so often necessitated when taking body tips, though I am not unwilling to take body tips.

I actually don't do the "catch the bouncing hip" thing. I know it's really common, and I definitely don't have a problem with anyone else doing it or thinking it's fun. But for me personally I just prefer to stop for a moment so they can put it in my belt, smiling and thanking them while they do it.

Originally Posted by casbahdance

When I was just a kid (probably under 25), dancing around the room at a private party gig, somebody's grandpa asked me if I accepted credit cards. Not to be outdone, I said something like, "shucks, I left my credit card machine out in the car," laughed and danced away.

Deborah

In Secrets of the Stage 2, Michelle mentions icky guys asking if they can use your cleavage to "swipe" their credit or debit card. I thought her suggested response was brilliant - tell them it's a $150 minimum, and then dance off laughing merrily at the expression on their face. ..l;,

Nothing beats the thrill of a money shower.

Originally Posted by laura 2

I actually don't do the "catch the bouncing hip" thing. I know it's really common, and I definitely don't have a problem with anyone else doing it or thinking it's fun. But for me personally I just prefer to stop for a moment so they can put it in my belt, smiling and thanking them while they do it.

Oh, I don't like that either. What I meant was the strategic dodging when tippers come at the front of your belt, bra cup, etc. Too much bobbing and weaving for me.

Any way I can get them - as long as its decent!

Originally Posted by nisaasaintlouis

Oh, I don't like that either. What I meant was the strategic dodging when tippers come at the front of your belt, bra cup, etc. Too much bobbing and weaving for me.

Oh, I gotcha!

Ok, you know what? I have no idea what a money shower is. At all. I mean, does someone just throw a large pile of ones at you as you dance?

As for me, I found that balancing a basket on your head for you last act worked really well. People were impressed to watch you bend down to accept their tip without spilling the contents. And I make a game of it too, when people ask where the strings are and such I pull it off my head to "prove" it's really my skill.

Originally Posted by _Sarai_

Ok, you know what? I have no idea what a money shower is. At all. I mean, does someone just throw a large pile of ones at you as you dance?

Well, it's more like the tipper (or a stand-in, sometimes it's a waiter or something) comes up to you with a handful of bills and kind of drops them over your head while you're dancing, so you're "showered" in money.

money showers or cash in an envelope (parties, weddings, etc)
group events - a tip basket is nice.

its also really cute when restaurant customers give the tips to little kids to hand to the dancers. the kids usually do 1 of 3 things:
1) boldly hand it to the dancer and join in
2) get shy and hide behind their mother
3) take the money and run away

Originally Posted by _Sarai_

Ok, you know what? I have no idea what a money shower is. At all. I mean, does someone just throw a large pile of ones at you as you dance?

Aside from seeing people just throw handfuls of money over a dancer; I've also seen (esp ME men) hold a stack of (usually singles) bill over the dancer as she is doing something and then swipe their hand over the top of the stack taking one bill off at a time and repeating very quick. Usually going through a stack of twenty ones in a couple seconds.

Originally Posted by JShane

Aside from seeing people just throw handfuls of money over a dancer; I've also seen (esp ME men) hold a stack of (usually singles) bill over the dancer as she is doing something and then swipe their hand over the top of the stack taking one bill off at a time and repeating very quick. Usually going through a stack of twenty ones in a couple seconds.

That's the way I've always seen money showers done, even if it's just a few dollars and whoever it's done by. It adds to the excitement and the tipper is for a moment a part of the performance.

Hey JShane,

I think I know what your talking about. I've seen this done with a dancer on youtube. In this case, the waiter does the "tip drill" over the dancer's head. It's the coolest thing. I posted the youtube clip - hope the link works...

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f07S-hK2lo8"]YouTube - belly dancing at Carousel Restaurant 1[/ame]

I love money showers. That is how I encourage people to tip. after that, I prefer they hand it to me. Then, after than, tucking it in my belt directly on the side of my hip. keep your friggin' hands off the bra, though!!! :-)

Originally Posted by laura 2

I actually don't do the "catch the bouncing hip" thing. I know it's really common, and I definitely don't have a problem with anyone else doing it or thinking it's fun. But for me personally I just prefer to stop for a moment so they can put it in my belt, smiling and thanking them while they do it.

Oh, I like it! I do the bouncing hip when there is a big party. It always gets a big laugh from the rest of the table, and lots of clapping. You have to gauge the audience, though. It usually ups my tips, so I'll keep doing it! ..g.:

Originally Posted by JShane

Personally, every dancer around my area does #2, although usually someone else picks the money up for them (I've never seen one of them picking up their own money off the ground).

Oh you NEVER pick up your own money!!! And, rule #2....hubby NEVER picks up your money!!!!!