Thread: Bellygrams

Do you do them? How much do you charge in relation to a 25-30minute party gig? If it's in a restaurant that isn't ME...what do you do about your music? Do they play it over the restaurant speakers? The job I'm doing (assuming restaurant management gives an ok) is in a "semiprivate" area of the restaurant. Not sure what to request in terms of accommodating my music. Thanks for your insights!

What's a "Bellygram", Sonja?

Check Samira's site for $$ standards in your area (I wish I could remember the URL, but I'm sure another helpful Bhuzzer will chime in with it!). This is the standard in my area (New Orleans Metro).

I charge $125 for a Bellygram...which is a one song performance. In and out...I hang out for photo op and short conversation, etc afterward...all in all I'm there roughly 15 minutes. There are a few extra little options that I'll add a charge for (travel, holiday surcharge, cake balancing), but that's a basic gram for me.

My show is roughly 15 minutes long (I quote by the song rather than timing...so all my sets are 3 songs long. It prevents them getting upset if I happen to choose really cool music that totals up to less than 15 minutes in length). A single set at a private party starts at $250. Again, variables for travel expense, special requests, etc. I also give people the option of adding a second set and even a costume change for more $$. The addition of live music depends on which of the bands I work with that you are wanting but is anywhere from $100 more for a single drummer to $2500 for the full band.

There are so many variables that I rarely quote people the same price, but that's my jumping off point.

About the music...if I'm dancing at the restaurant having been hired by the restaurant I typically use their sound system (if they have one). If I'm dancing for a private party in a private or semi private area, I typically use mine. Otherwise the restaurant gets a freebie. LOL If you are trying to get a job at the restaurant or don't have a good portable system than talk to the restaurant about using theirs.

I ask my clients to get permission from my performance in writing if possible from the venue. I've read some horror stories here on Bhuz about showing up for a gig and not being allowed to dance. So now I nip that in the bud and ask them to get it in writing. If they can't get it in writing I go down there myself and talk to the manager/owner (and make sure that I'm really talking to that person and not some waiter or hostess on a power trip) and make sure that I'm kosher.

Originally Posted by ANA_bellydancer

What's a "Bellygram", Sonja?

A belly-gram is a mini party show- usually in the 10 minute range.

Sonja, Hi!!!!!
Ahhh, this is a good question as people will look at the cost for a 20-25 minute show and figure half the time will be half the price.
Honestly what I tell people it this: In the two hours time (prep, travel, get there a little early, get paid etc) I invest in your event, doing a shorter show only saves me 10 minutes out of that two hours... or less, as I take the time to make a special CD just for you.
I charge my regular rate or just under.
Some places have a separate sound system for their party rooms, in which case as long as their system goes loud enough, I'd opt for "not carrying around a boom box." I'd have one with me just in case. When having the party get approval through management I have them ask about their sound system- that way I know if I should bring CD, MP3 player or boombox.

Oh, I didn't know it was called "Bellygram"! Thank you!
I'll try to find a translation for it into portuguese, but I don't think there is any... ,f::

Most of my gigs are! I usually do them with my CD player (now with my ipod dock). I come ready to dance, dance for 10 minutes say congrats or happy B-day and I'm out.
I usually opt using short veil, short sword to pop music and a drum. (mine can go 10-15 minutes). I make it fun, and use lots of energy. Lots of humor as well. They are fun to do, remembering that you are there for the GP audience who wants to have fun at this persons party, didn't come to see a dance show (in other words, explore your art in another venue and give them fun and flash!)

I strongly recommend you speak to the owner in person.

I just had this same problem - I was hired to do a set at an Indian restaurant in a semi-private area for a woman's birthday. The woman's husband who hired me, assured me the restaurant had a sound system...

well, good thing I went and talked to the owner. He was unaware the party was hiring a dancer and he did not want to pipe loud Middle Eastern music through the whole place for the party. I brought my own boombox to the gig and arranged to have one of the wait staff set it up quietly for me in the corner of the semi-private area.

The gig was a success, but it would have been a disaster if I hadn't gone down to the restaurant in person and talked to the owner!

It's also good to have a look at the space you'll be dancing in. For example, if you've planned to do veil and the semi-private area has a tiny area the size of a napkin for you to dance in, you may want to know that ahead of time!

Good luck with your bellygram!

Thanks! I quoted a price under my regular party rate for this one, but probably won't do that in the future, for the reasons Samira described. The good thing is this is literally 5 min from home for me. I plan to enter a veil, switch to zills and then try to get the 60 year old birthday boy to dance... Then be out the door.

Thanks for the mngmt heads up. When I get the" final" word on Monday I'll call the restaurant & double check!!

General practice for most of the dancers I know in our area is not to charge any less for a "bellygram" than a regular 20-30 minute party. The reason, as Samira intimated, it really is just about the same amount of work for the dancer--you still need to do all the prep, all the schlepping, all the driving etc. whether you're doing a quick-hit 10 minutes or a full show. Plus...those "bellygrams" have a way of sometimes turning into longer than 10 minutes--maybe not the performance itself, but the time you spend waiting (because they're more often a surprise, so there's often a few minutes of extra coordination once you arrive) and the longer "shows" sometimes end a little sooner (when the person who *thought* she wanted 30 minutes of dancing realizes after 15 minutes that the guests are happy but really ready to get back to their dinner party and it's ok for the dancer to gracefully end the show.) Therefore, for simplicity, it makes sense to just quote one private party rate as "up to 30 minutes" with the understanding that may well be less and anything more is extra.

As far as if the event is at a restaurant with a private/semi private room...it's important either to check with the restaurant yourself or to ensure that the person booking you clears it with them. I've done plenty of things like this and often the final arrangement has involved a boombox/portable sound system in the area where the party was held so that it *didn't* go through the entire restaurant, esp. if the restaurant's sound system wasn't equiped to channel music only to the appropriate area. Still, it was important to be sure the venue was ok with what was happening, and that the staff was prepared and able to help--that there was an outlet available, that they could place the boombox, etc.

I only charge $20 less for my "bellygram" because of all the reasons mentioned above - the time is in the preparation, not the dancing. And I have to prepare the same amount if I'm dancing for 10 min or 20!

Which is probably why I've only been hired for a "bellygram" once - most people figure they should just shell out the extra $20 and get a full show!

Originally Posted by ANA_bellydancer

Oh, I didn't know it was called "Bellygram"! Thank you!
I'll try to find a translation for it into portuguese, but I don't think there is any... ,f::

for those for whom english is not their first language... :)

the term comes from "telegram." first there were singing telegrams, then you had dancing telegrams. eventually, instead of "telly" some clever person inserted "belly" for a bellydance telegram. I've also heard them called dance-a-grams, which is a play on tel-a-gram.

make sense? there must be a word in portuguese for telegram, maybe you could combine that with belly or dance or something like that?

Of course there is! It's from greek etymology (tele + gramma) and it means "distant letter of alphabet". Actually, our vocabulary comes mostly from Latin, Greek, Arab and Celt.
So, "Bellygram" would be something like "Ventrigrama" ..l;,

Originally Posted by ANA_bellydancer

Ventrigrama" ..l;,

Hmm...maybe some of us should advertise those.... Would confuse the North American GP really nicely.

someone commented about on here...but I agree, always speak with the owner/manager of the venue and check it out in person if you can. I had an event not to long ago, and decided to check the space out in person first. Boy was a glad I did!

Originally Posted by aamel_MirahAmmal

Hmm...maybe some of us should advertise those.... Would confuse the North American GP really nicely.

In Portuguese ("dança do ventre") is the same as in French ("danse du ventre"). So, comparing to other portuguese words, I'm sure it would be "Ventrigrama". I'm going to advertise it in Portugal, thanks to this thread!
In French it would be "Ventregrame" ou quelque chose comme ça...
..l;,

Bellygrams, by their nature, are meant to quick, in-and-out (hmmm . . . does anybody else want a burger?) surprises; for that reason, mine are no more than 10 minutes in length.

I charge less for a 'gram than I do for a regular show (my regular shows are 15-20 minute max) because I want to encourage these short gigs! I've found (as most dancers have) that most private party gigs don't really want a full-length show.

My 'grams start at $150; price varies due to travel distance/time, and sometimes for other factors.

Deborah

If the wife hires me, which she usually does I try and get HER up to dance instead of the birthday boy. I tie my veil around her hips and try to get her to shoulder shimmy, that seems to go over well!
And yes I use my own CD player no matter what, stinks to weight around for your CD back (if you want it back). It also makes a great place to put your "cash on arrival" or tip, just tuck it in the tape deck.

Oh and keeping business cards in the tape deck so they are handy is also a good idea!

Originally Posted by casbahdance

I charge less for a 'gram than I do for a regular show (my regular shows are 15-20 minute max) because I want to encourage these short gigs! I've found (as most dancers have) that most private party gigs don't really want a full-length show.

I totally agree. My usual BellyGram is GP birthday party where I perform in a living room/rec room, with a space the size of a postage stamp to dance in. I actually try to talk my clients down to the BellyGram even if they initially want to book the more expensive 25 minute full set for gigs like this. Anything much over 10 minutes, the novelty starts to wear off and I can see in their faces that they're wondering how long before they can go and get something to eat or another drink.

Exactly as above, mine are 10-12 minutes, priced to encourage them because they're popular. There's very little preparation or rehearsal for these, other than getting dressed, because it's the same schtick over and over.

I feel like a lot of newer dancers misunderstand this gig, so apropos of nothing on this thread here's my thoughts in general.

It's not really a 'show,' it's more like just the audience participation part of a show. Meaning it's not about you, or the dancing. It's about the guest of honor and the party guests and making everyone laugh and creating memories. (imagine if you booked a singing telegram and the singer did 20 minutes of light opera while expecting you all to appreciate her amazing art. Ugh. It's supposed to be about laughter and fun!!)

In the eyes of the people hiring us for these, we're more of a costumed character than a dancer. Meaning they never would have hired a tap dancer, or a ballroom couple, or a jazz dancer for their party and they don't really want to see a dance show.

It was either a bellydancer or a gorilla or an Elvis impersonator....someone who will come in, make everyone laugh, create a few photo ops and some memories, and get out. (the hiring parties are often imagining that they're getting a sexy harem girl show, they're expecting us to dance on the floor in front of the birthday boy or on his lap, etc. I won't do any of that, but I make my show really fun and they never complain)

I usually whirl in with a veil entrance (creating photo ops with the guest of honor or any children), then do sword (and I pull out a plastic sword with a helium balloon tied to it and have the guest of honor balance that, another big Kodak moment). Then audience participation -- I also get the hiring wife (it's always the wife!) up to dance, the guest of honor, any small children, and I let the GOH select victims at will. If he doesn't have any ideas, I go after the older guests. If the environment is right, I'll start a conga line, too.

Then I amaze them with a quick drum solo and get outta there.

The plastic sword with the balloon tied to it is a leave behind, and I use a hole punch on several business cards and tie them to the bottom of the balloon ribbon.

Again, I'm more 'costumed character' than dancer, but hey, I have to buy costumes somehow!!! And I have had people approach me to ask about classes on my way out, so I'm guessing they can see that there's some dancing happening too!!

What Lauren said.

I've been doing this for 30 years and, really, most party-type gigs call for a more "'gram"-type performance. Really.

I try to price my 'grams to make them a rather attractive alternative to the full-length show.

Deborah

Originally Posted by laura 2

I totally agree. My usual BellyGram is GP birthday party where I perform in a living room/rec room, with a space the size of a postage stamp to dance in. I actually try to talk my clients down to the BellyGram even if they initially want to book the more expensive 25 minute full set for gigs like this. Anything much over 10 minutes, the novelty starts to wear off and I can see in their faces that they're wondering how long before they can go and get something to eat or another drink.

(emphasis in quote is mine)

Absolutely.

And it really doesn't matter if you're Jillina, Randa or any other top dancer -- a max of 15-20 minutes for just about any party is really very adequate and keeps the excitement going.

Deborah

Hey I love the plastic sword idea! May have to steal it some time. Went by & checked out the venue today, and made sure everything was a go. Should be SO easy, and the restaurant management is being SO acommodating!