Thread: YAY!!! My first gig...

Gonna do a bridal shower for one of my mom's coworkers. I'm so excited. Just a few questions though...

1) What the hell should I do? I'm thinking I'll do a show and a lesson. Do I do my show in costume, then change and do the lesson? Do I leave my costume on? Do I do the lesson first and then change and do the show? I saw a thread about this on the old Bhuz but can't seem to find it.

2) What the hell do I charge? Whatever I do, I'm thinking it's gonna add up to an hour or so. What's the going rate for something like this in the LA area?

3) Any suggestions on what to teach? Of course it shouldn't be like a real class, just some easy stuff that won't frustrate them. I was thinking "snake arms", mayas, shimmies...what else?

4) Is an hour long enough?

Hey congratulations!! You must be so thrilled!
I have a few ideas, I hope they're helpful...

I think it's a good idea to teach a few easy movements - snake arms, head slides, shimmies and figure 8's would be my suggestions. They're fun moves if the party goers head out to a bar afterwards!

I think it would be fun to teach them some moves, and make a circle, and everyone dances individually to a few bars of music. That's a fun game, tends to make everyone laugh. I'd pick easy music though; like arabic pop or simple instrumentals, something where untrained ears will be able to pick up rhythms and beats fairly easily.

I'd say an hour is plenty long enough, in my opinion, to keep their attention and enthusiasm...especially if they'll have already started the celebrations, if you catch my drift!

Good luck with the gig, and CONGRATULATIONS!

Natalie

Congratulations! I'm sure you'll have a lot of fun - bridal showers are great! Just to share, my usual routine is as follows:

- Arrive dressed in most of costume, with coverup. Use a room to put on finishing touches. Because I'm going to teach, I usually wear a sparkly, but comfy skirt, ballet shoes, bedlah belt, colourful crop top (more comfy than bedlah top), full hair and jewellery.
- ~5 min performance - if I'm a surprise they'll be wondering why I'm doing a bellydance for a group of women, so this is just long enough to get them excited and focusing on moi
- Quick drink of water. Announce I'm here to teach them. Quickly dress up hen (I bring a wrap-around skirt and top, or similar, bling-ey headband and headscarf, plus hip scarf which she gets to keep)
- ~30-40 min lesson. I usually teach hip flicks, lifts/drops, hip & shoulder shimmies, big hip circles, maybe snake arms. Practice moves to lots of upbeat music, (something more slinky for o's) then finish with an easy choreo that they can follow along. Get the hen to dance with me in the circle.
- Pack up! I leave a CD with the hen so they can keep dancing.

I agree with Natalie above - one hour is plenty, perhaps even too much if they've been drinking much or there's very little space. I include the cost of scarf and CD in the price, and charge a fair whack (~ equivalent to what other hens party entertainers charge).

Keep it up-beat , don't be overly concerned with technique and be prepared to go with the flow, and you'll have a ball.

I think an hour is definitely too much! Even if they are having fun, they will get antsy and ready to go back to eating and drinking after a half hour or so.

Here is what I do for bridal showers, if they request a show and lesson -

-20 minute show (my typical show)
-sometimes I exit to catch my breath, sometimes I just end the "show" by pulling everyone up to dance with me, and then keeping them there for the lesson. You have to get a feel for the particular audience with this to know which is better.
-10 minute mini-lesson (or a little longer if they request it) - just some shoulder shimmies, hip shimmies, hip drops, snake arms and big undulations. Throw them all together in some sort of order for a "choreography" at the end.
-Guest of honor gets a souvenir hip scarf.

Price: $250-300

I agree that one hour is too long for most parties. Most of the time they have been eating and drinking for a little while by the time you get there. They are not necessarily drunk, but enough to effect their energy.
They are also usually wearing dress clothes and high heels etc.
Occasionally, I do get hired for a longer lesson, but its usually before the the ladies head out for the night, not at the party.
I used to book longer lessons at parties, but I always found that most everyone was pooping out after 15 minutes or so and I would never complete the full time, so I started explaining this to people when they asked to book a longer lesson.
I usually do a show of about 10 minutes and then 15-20 minutes of "lesson" which is usually just handing out hip-scarves teaching some fun basic moves and stringing them together into some very short combos.
If they seem up for it I make them form a big circle during the last song with everyone taking at turn in the center, starting with the guest of honor.

My schtick is really similar to Natalie's. I usually perform only for about 10 minutes or so, I try to keep the focus on the guests, with special attention to the GOH. My goal is more to entertain/keep them laughing than to actually teach/perform.

I teach in a circle wherever there's room and give them lots of leeway to tease each other during the 'class.' I usually teach big hip bumps (closing the car door) and little lifts, shimmies, snake arms, and some basic ribcage work. The moves I teach them are actually the beginning of a short pop choreo I teach beginners, so once they've learned them, I can put the music on & poof! they're doing a simple choreo. They love that. Then I offer to show them the rest of the dance they've just learned, and they usually want to see it, so that makes a nice closure.

An hour might be too long, especially for your first time, unless you're very experienced at leading a group & entertaining them with impromptu jokes. (the more you teach, the more little funny nuggets you have ready to drop).

I charge $175 for this, which is a lot lower than dancers in larger cities or farther out toward the coasts can charge.

Thanks guys! These are some great ideas. I am really nervous but also very excited. Thanks for all the input! I'd love to hear more!

Originally Posted by danielabellydance

Price: $250-300

Hey Daniela, I know you are in New York...do you know if this is the "big city" going rate? The bridal shower is gonna be here in LA. I don't wanna be an undercutter!!!

re: undercutter
your price seems correct in LA. absolutely no less than $200-$250 [if you are cutting the time down] especially if you are doing a show + lesson.

we want to collectively raise our prices. not lower them. :)

best of luck. just go in with confidence and a smile. you will be great.

good luck and happy dancing

-sabrina

Originally Posted by ejaghana

Hey Daniela, I know you are in New York...do you know if this is the "big city" going rate? The bridal shower is gonna be here in LA. I don't wanna be an undercutter!!!

$250 is what I charge for a 20 min (standard) set. A Goddess Party is usually closer to $300 - $350. As this is a "Friends and family rate" it is allowable to give a discount.

I also second Danela's basic layout with two exceptions: make the set shorter and the lesson longer, and you might want to quickly (think less than 30 seconds) change out of your costume into yoga pants and a top of some kind.

Of course, I think it is Kimhari who does this the other way around. She comes in wearing yoga pants and a hip scarf, does the mini lesson and sometime along the way, while everyone is up and boogy-ing, she slips away and changes into her costume. THEN she performs.

{{{HUGS}}}

PS: To find out more about going rates in different areas of the country...

http://www.samirashuruk.com/standard...uidelines.html

{{{HUGS}}}

I teach first then perform.
I wear most of my costume (without belt and arm jewelry), a cover up and a hipscarf. The reason I teach first is because hen I will have a better audience. i tell them a very brief history and I teach them proper belly dance audience etiquette (participatory, clapping etc). I even teach them how to zaghareet at the end of the lesson section- this gets them all riled up, too. :) AND makes them a good belly dance audience for future performers. My teaching section is anywhere from 15-40 minutes, depending upon the event. I prefer in the 20-30 minute

....oops. Our adorable new kitten jumped on the keyboard and pressed Enter. :)
OK....so
Then I perform. Often a slightly shorter set then usual in the 15-20 min range. Typical rates for this from me (I'm in DC) are $200 for the show and $150 or so for the lesson.

Yes, these are the rates for my area, although in Manhattan they could be slightly higher (I am in Queens).

I prefer performing first, because it gets the guests excited and wanting to get up and try it. I feel that if you do the lesson first, they don't really know what they are learning, and might feel shy about just jumping up and dancing. They don't know what they are in for!

I perform first as well. The old, "oh that is just shaking around" is kind of fun when you start teaching and makes for a few fun jokes!
It is so much fun doing a performance AND a little lesson!!!!
Have FUN! Show you love this dance and they will have a good time as well!