Thread: Making the most of your pre-performance introduction

What would you say are the most important items to mention in your pre-performance intro?

What items are completely unnecessary?

What about length of intro?

I suppose it depends on the type of show. At the Middle Eastern Dance Guild shows we post the following list backstage to help performers focus when filling out their intro cards for the MC. We aim to educate as well as entertain our audiences. Most performers don't include everything, but this gives them ideas of the kinds of info we are looking for:

Name of Performer, or name of group:


Names of group members, if applicable:


Title of your performance, and/or name/description of dance style:


Title of your music, or name/description of music style:


Info about your costuming/props:


Where on the globe does your dance/music style originate?


What is the inspiration for your performance?


Tell us a little about your dance background (how long, important teachers, special studies abroad, etc.)


Anything else you would like the audience to know:

I also take into consideration who is going to be the MC. Some of our MCs aren't so good at pronouncing foreign words, so I might leave out the actual song titles if that is the case. Also, if it's a more formal show with a program, I would try to have the MC say something other than what is in the program, if possible, and keep it short and sweet.

I hate these introductions, I wish I could just be introduced by my name and let my dancing speak for itself! I can see the merit in saying something about the kind of dance you're performing, for example, if it's a specific folkloric style, especially if you're dancing for a non-BD audience.

As an audience member I really can't stand the overblown introductions that go on and on and on.....the dancing never lives up to them. I think there is an inverse correlation between length of introduction and quality of dancer . I don't care about your first teacher, how many countries you've danced in, or your Turkish grandmother - just entertain me!

The choreographer if it's someone other than you.

For Oriental pieces, a quick phrase regarding what the song is about, such as "a joyful song about being in love."

If it's folkloric, a comment about the folk culture or what the dance portrays: "The schikhatt is a dance historically done at weddings to teach the bride what to expect."

Stuff that I don't think is needed: lots of biographical information about the dancer. I can see announcing if it's a beginner's first public performance, or I can see mentioning one or two particularly key facts about the dancer such as which restaurant she currently performs at every night or which competition she has recently won. But usually, the longer someone has been dancing, the more I think their performance skills should be allowed to speak for themselves.

Originally Posted by Emma

I hate these introductions, I wish I could just be introduced by my name and let my dancing speak for itself! I can see the merit in saying something about the kind of dance you're performing, for example, if it's a specific folkloric style, especially if you're dancing for a non-BD audience.

As an audience member I really can't stand the overblown introductions that go on and on and on.....the dancing never lives up to them. I think there is an inverse correlation between length of introduction and quality of dancer . I don't care about your first teacher, how many countries you've danced in, or your Turkish grandmother - just entertain me!

I agree Emma! I really hate these things where people give their life history. Something quick, short and to the point is appropriate I think. Most of the time no one remembers what was said about you later anyways, esp. if it's a event with a lot of dancers.
Patricia

Yes, I too agree with Emma and Patricia.

I agree that the intro shouldn't be overblown or long-winded. Feedback from our audiences is that they really like being informed about the different styles they are seeing.

What do you want the audience to know? Where you dance, where/what you teach, maybe info about the music or the choreography.

In general, if people are likely to say "What was that?" about your dance, cover your bases by telling them what it is, first (a particular folkdance, a tap-belly fusion you did on a dare, whatever).

ditto emma and shira. less is more, add more if you think it will enhance the audience's experience. and always give credit if credit is due.

I'm always more charmed by hearing "amira lives to dance and races motorcycles when she's not decked out in sequins and beads" than "amira is a popular performer at every major dance club in town." talk yourself up like that, and then you have to walk the talk! the pressure! ;) tell us something fun and unusual about yourself instead.

oh, I should add - your intro at a hafla would be completely different than at, say, an ethnic dance festival on a stage in a theater in front of an audience full of the gp.

I'd like to post a plea for leaving out the trite stuff. As soon as I hear "Dancer X has been dancing since she was three/born/in the womb", I roll my eyes and look to see if the venue has a bar.

And as soon as I hear a laundry list of famous teachers that Dancer X has "studied with" (translation: "took a workshop from once"), I am heading directly for the bar, and not passing Go.

Depends on the audience but generally I prefer to hear less about the dancer, more about the dance she'll be performing.

At a hafla or workshop show, I want to know where she's from, how long she's been performing (so I know whether to put on my student goggles or my pro goggles) what music she'll be dancing to and what her style is (a brief explanation if she'll be doing anything unusual, like Melaya or folk dance, that students might not be familiar with). I love it when a dancer's intro is about why she was attracted to this particular piece of music, or other info about her piece, and less about herself.

I don't personally care who a person studies with. I often think people want to know about that more for political reasons than anything else, and it colors their judgement before she dances (Oh, she's one of Shapoopie's students, I hate Shapoopie, none of her students can dance). I'd rather just watch with an open mind.

Dancing for the GP, especially at a show with multiple dance styles, I think it's VERY important to let people know if they're seeing a student rather than a pro/teacher. I also think it's very important to speak about the dance style they're going to see and give them some background. In these situations, information about the dancer (beyond her name and where she teaches) isn't very relevant at all and sounds really arrogant and self-serving. Just tell them about the dance.

I've probably been guilty of "all of the above" at one time or another. I just hate figuring out what to say - its hard not to sound self-serving in these kinds of things.

Most of the shows I've been in that use intros are "dancing for dancers" as opposed to "dancing for the GP". I've tended to name my two major instructors, then a bit about what I'm dancing today.

Then again, this was what I used at a recent show:

"Zorba, 'The Veiled Male'

Even though male Belly Dancers are rare; Zorba is forging a unique place among them as he specializes in veil dancing, and possesses a very smooth, graceful, and flowing dance style that is generally not seen among his male peers. 'I don't let a minor detail such as mere gender stand in my way' he says.

Today, Zorba will be performing '*How to make Schwarma'."

*Joke title, insert appropriate as needed.

I dunno; too much, not enough, too lame, too self-serving?

Its pretty short compared to some of the bios I've heard read out - and the announcers seem to get a kick out of mine for whatever reason.

I would prefer just to have "And now please welcome to our stage _NAME HERE_!"

I don't mind having more info in the programs. The program is a good place to learn more about a dancer. If I know something interesting about her, like where she's travelled recently, about her love for dogs, her favorite styles of dance - that's fun for me. It helps me relate to the dancer. If it's her first solo, definitely let me know because I will look at her with a kinder eye.

The last time I was performing I talked myself and my piece up a bit, because in some shows people have the MC talk about theire dance form in a way that tends to imply certain things (improvisation for instance) are totally unique to what they're doing. And I thought to myself "well I'm actually largely improvising all by myself for the next 10 minutes and perhaps people need to *know* that Oriental dance is often not choreographed." Because I've found that you get even relatively serious but newish dancers who've mistakenly believed that Oriental is always choreographed and always involves use of a prop, for instance, because nobody ever mentioned the facts.

I would rather be introduced simply by name to be honest. I would rather let my dance speak for itself. Especially if I'm closing.

Originally Posted by Nepenthe

I would prefer just to have "And now please welcome to our stage _NAME HERE_!"

I don't mind having more info in the programs. The program is a good place to learn more about a dancer. If I know something interesting about her, like where she's travelled recently, about her love for dogs, her favorite styles of dance - that's fun for me. It helps me relate to the dancer. If it's her first solo, definitely let me know because I will look at her with a kinder eye.

This is my preference, too. I tried this at my student show one year, with detailed notes in the programs, and then discovered that many people *don't read!!!*

So now I give minimal verbal intro (name, how long dancing, style info if any), but with lots more in the program.

I guess it really depends on the show -
My preference for show introductions:
(Required)
1. Name
2. Dance style
3. Student, Instructor, Performer
4. Choreographer (if any)
5. Location (local, out-of-town, etc.)

(Optional)
1. Name of Song
2. Choreography or Improv?
3. Personal tidbit from dancer
4. Personal tidbit from MC about dancer
5. Dedication (if any)
6. Relevant info (dvd release, upcoming show or workshop, etc.)

(Can do without)
1. overblown self-promotion
2. flowery language
3. Long lists of anything (teachers, travel locations, gigs, etc.)

I really think that introductions should take no more than 30 seconds - maybe a minute if you are the superstar headliner of a weekend dance festival.

Of course, my own tend to the terribly unimaginative - recent example:

Mahsati Janan is a performer and instructor in Asheville, NC specializing in Classical Egyptian style. She has been performing professionally as both a soloist and group artist for over 10 years and is currently the director of Qamari Dance Collective and Banat al-Qamar. Her second DVD release, Fabulous FanVeilZZ Level II, is scheduled for May 2009.

As a journalist I am highly intolerant of puff and to me introductions shouldn't be about how wonderful you are. So I like yours, Mahsati!

i'm with emma too.
"ladies and gentelmen, cory zamora".

Originally Posted by zumarrad

As a journalist I am highly intolerant of puff and to me introductions shouldn't be about how wonderful you are. So I like yours, Mahsati!

Thanks! I always feel so unimaginative when I go on after someone who has one of the "siren in the desert, windswept jewels, golden paradise" intros and mine is "Hey - it's Mahsati." ..g.:

Originally Posted by zorba

"Zorba, 'The Veiled Male'

Even though male Belly Dancers are rare; Zorba is forging a unique place among them as he specializes in veil dancing, and possesses a very smooth, graceful, and flowing dance style that is generally not seen among his male peers. 'I don't let a minor detail such as mere gender stand in my way' he says.

Today, Zorba will be performing '*How to make Schwarma'."

I dunno; too much, not enough, too lame, too self-serving?

only since you asked, and I don't mean AT ALL to be critical or know-it-all, and want you to know that I'm coming from a less is more, get to the point, yet, add some humor school: when I hear a bio that makes any sort of subjective statement such as "so and so has a smooth graceful flowing (delicate and precise, sharp and sassy, whatever) style" my first thought is, oh, yeah? according to whom? you may well have a smooth and flowing style, but I prefer to be the judge of that myself after watching you dance. it gets me a teeny tiny bit uppity. ;)

it's an *opinion* that you possess a particular style or grace, but it's not a *fact.* i want facts, or I'm going to hold you to it and feel critical of you if you don't deliver. it's a fact that "zorba strives to embody a smooth, graceful, flowing style that is generally not seen among his male peers." *that* is a fact I can get down with. instead of thinking, oh, yeah? I think, oh, cool, good on you, show me what you've got! :) the "I don't let a minor detail" quote is exactly what I like to hear - a personal tidbit with a bit of humor.

and that, my dear, is strictly my opinion so do with it what you will. ;)

Originally Posted by zamora

i'm with emma too.
"ladies and gentelmen, cory zamora".

Best. Intro. Ever.

It's also hugely starry. Sets up that you're so important and fantastic that you don't NEED an introduction. A lot of people don't twig to that, unless they're in the audience. Perhaps all the puff is actually modesty or insecurity?

Just the facts. Short and sweet.

I usually just have them introduce that I'm an instructor and performer from Kingston, Ontario and will be performing such and such a piece (style, artist & choreographer).

That's it.

I'm with the others who feel the extra fluff leads you to either expecting something overly grand or that the dancer is totally high on herself.

Originally Posted by zamora

i'm with emma too.
"ladies and gentelmen, cory zamora".

love it!

Originally Posted by Lauren_

This is my preference, too.

Hello, Pot. I'm Kettle, nice to meet you. I prefer to simply be introduced as Andrea, Director of Simone's Seventh Veil. Some folks *cough Lauren cough* flower it up and I get so embarassed because people will think I wrote it myself. I've never been very good at self promotion, though.

I have the same uppity reaction as Elisagamal when I hear how fluid someone is, how enchanting they are, and how well they feel and interpret music. It almost feels like a challenge for me to play Spot The Contradiction.

Originally Posted by Andrea2

Some folks *cough Lauren cough* flower it up and I get so embarassed because people will think I wrote it myself. .

LOL! I don't think anyone at my recitals thinks you wrote it yourself, that's an 'insider' assumption and our audience is almost all GP. And like I said, I've figured out no one READS the program, so I have to say something if I want them to know what's going on.

Next time I'll keep it simple.

Originally Posted by elisagamal

only since you asked, and I don't mean AT ALL to be critical or know-it-all, and want you to know that I'm coming from a less is more, get to the point, yet, add some humor school: when I hear a bio that makes any sort of subjective statement such as "so and so has a smooth graceful flowing (delicate and precise, sharp and sassy, whatever) style" my first thought is, oh, yeah? according to whom? you may well have a smooth and flowing style, but I prefer to be the judge of that myself after watching you dance. it gets me a teeny tiny bit uppity. ;)

it's an *opinion* that you possess a particular style or grace, but it's not a *fact.* i want facts, or I'm going to hold you to it and feel critical of you if you don't deliver. it's a fact that "zorba strives to embody a smooth, graceful, flowing style that is generally not seen among his male peers." *that* is a fact I can get down with. instead of thinking, oh, yeah? I think, oh, cool, good on you, show me what you've got! :) the "I don't let a minor detail" quote is exactly what I like to hear - a personal tidbit with a bit of humor.

and that, my dear, is strictly my opinion so do with it what you will. ;)

Hey - works for me, thanx for the feedback! I like the "strives for" idea. Actually, I'm all for the "Here's Zorba" kind of intro - maybe "Here's Zorba, 'The Veiled Male' from Monterey" - problem is a lot of venues want you to give them your entire life's story (and some dancers provide it).

30 seconds? WAAAAY to long. 15 seconds tops - and that's if you're a nobody like me. A "somebody" certainly only needs their name - at least at a 'dancers for dancers' type show. "Here's Fahtiem". The rest of the 15 seconds is spent waiting for the hall to quiet down when everyone there goes nuts about the "somebody"!

Printed programs? Has anyone ever been to a Belly Dance show where the lineup stayed with the program? Even if every dancer listed shows up, and there are no substitutions (when does THAT ever happen? ..l;,), someone'll be late, have a prop/costume problem, etc, blah, blah that necessitates re-arranging the lineup. I'm being somewhat facetious here, but its still largely true!

Most shows seem to have the announcer (who was probably pressed into service at the last minute) spin some BS about each performer (each of whom s/he hopefully has at least seen dance once before) - I've had some VERY creative announcements. Makes it hard to keep from cracking up as you make your entrance! Indeed, once I laughed through the first half of my set about being introduced as the "Token Male" - at least I had a smile on my face!

Originally Posted by Lauren_

Next time I'll keep it simple.

Actually, you're not the only one who's changed my blurb just the only one who's on Bhuz.

Originally Posted by zorba

Printed programs? Has anyone ever been to a Belly Dance show where the lineup stayed with the program?

Mine!! I collect everyone's music ahead of time, burn show CDs, and that's what happens. If anyone ever wasn't onstage when they were supposed to be, it would be a very big deal. Actually I once had an entire GROUP pull out of my show the day before, and they won't be invited back. (come on, NO one in the group could honor your commitment? People have paid for tickets to a show, what would happen if everyone behaved that way?)

Mine is a stage recital, not a hafla. I'd be much more relaxed in a hafla situation.

I also insist that people send me blurbs for my program describing what they're doing. My philosophy is 'If it's not interesting enough for you to generate a couple of sentences about it, why should people pay money to see it?'

I'm .p:: about my shows. I want to raise people's view of our art form, not lower it.

The only thing I want in an introduction is get my name right and keep it under 10 seconds... Anything longer than that is to much.