Thread: Entrance issues

I am having problems with my entrances in restaurant work (for a mainly American audience). A few of my dancer friends have told me that my entrances are not strong enough, not peppy enough, not attention-grabbing, etc. I know that I need a strong entrance... but it's not happening. Does anyone else struggle with this?

I'm only dancing at one restaurant, to recorded music, one 20-min set. There is somewhat of a central area to dance in, but not much - nothing resembling a stage. The owner doesn't turn down the lights when I start or anything like that. I go back and forth between using zils or veils in my entrance. My veil skills admittedly need more practice - I have the technique but not the muscle memory and improv skills for good veil. But also I don't feel like I have enough room to properly do full veil work there either. I will hit someone's head or hummus (I am tall, long arms). Would using a half-circle veil help?

Music is a big issue. I have struggled and struggled to find a song that is strong but not too long, not overused, and fits my personality, preferably with a brief "waiting in the wings" intro. I've been using Aswan Dances and Samer. I'm taking Samer out of my rotation and will work more with Aswan Dances and also Amani El Omr. Something like "Tales of the Sahara" or "Drama Queen" I feel doesn't suit my personality... I don't feel like I can pull it off. (Does this mean my personality is not suited for restaurant work??? ,f:: )

I have been reluctant to use a really fast, energetic song because I don't want to tire myself out too early (by this I mostly mean: get too sweaty early on). The owner likes fast, "funky" music as he calls it. I always do a drum solo and 1-2 peppy pop and/or shaabi songs toward the end. But I worry that people are getting bored before that point. This could be an endurance issue. Maybe my cardio fitness it not where it needs to be for restaurant work if I'm worrying about sweating

I'm also curious how much of your entrance number is choreographed... At this point almost 100% of my set is improv'd. Do I need to choreograph my entrance?? I guess that could help me to showcase some better veil technique and work in stronger, bigger moves that I'm probably lacking.

I did 20 minute sets as well, and I always entered with veil if there was space for it (one restaurant was basically working in between tables; no space). What about "Tales" doesn't work with your personality? I use Aziza, Enter the Rakassa, and others that had a minute or two of bright, happy entrance music and changed tempos every few minutes...this way it stays interesting and you don't need to keep the energy level up forever. Also what works is using those 2-3 min. finale songs.

Mixing the tempo up throughout your set not only gives you a break but it gives your audience a break too! And remember that just because the music is fast doesn't mean you have to move fast...this was a tough thing for me to learn.

RE: choreographing entrances. If I'm working with veil, I'll usually choreograph that portion because I'm not good with improving veil stuff. You don't need to do a bunch of tricks; if you do too much it'll look frantic.

Hmmmm, I use an upbeat song and zill to it in my entrance, and I always let the music play at least 15-20 seconds before entering, depending on the song and the type of intro it has. My intro is between 3 and 5 minutes long. I then do a 2 1/2 minute veil song, then my drum solo, then I do Move your belly which is a nice slower piece which you can use to get people up to dance to. Then another 2 upbeat songs for more audience participation. So basically I do my mini-set then get people up to dance.

If you are worried about space, you can do veil work standing still and the audience loves it if you do a veil wrap which just shows your eyes peeking through. You don't have to do too much to impress an American general public audience with veil. A shorter 2 1/2 yard veil is perfect for restaurants with small space issues.

Getting people up to dance is your time to take a break.. cuz you are showing them moves and having them copy you.

Also, the audience is just taking you in at first, they are looking at your costume, hair, zills so you don't have to whip out all the tricks at the beginning.

Getting people up to dance at this establishment is tough. I dance early, like 7:45. The audience is couples, double dates, some families and groups of friends. I get a fair amount of "stink eye."

Maybe I will try putting a slow-ish song toward the end of my set. I definitely don't want to be too "busy" or frenzied... right now I think I'm being too boring, but I guess it's possible I'm being too busy and boring at the same time. I might be traveling too much. The restaurant is sort of L-shaped, and I feel like I have to keep circulating.

If it's really busy the owner just lets me do my own thing, but if it's not busy (e.g., last night) he turns my set into his own personal party. Last night he stopped my CD after my 3rd song and changed it to his own CD so he could dance to his favorite song d'jour. It sounded sorta like debke music, but not really - I did my best to dance to it, but I was really irritated. I didn't get to do my drum solo or my shaabi song.

I spend a lot of time before each set deciding on my music. Sometimes I repeat a CD, but usually I burn a new one. I guess he didn't like the music I picked. I've been dancing there since May and he's never done that to me before. Usually it's too busy for him to meddle. I am a new dancer on the pro scene and stuff like this does not help to boost my confidence.

The American public will lose interest quickly, our attention span is only so long. Maybe you can focus on one area and go around giving your attention to 2 or 3 tables at a time. Young kids and children love to dance, get them up! Also try to get people up as a group or friends together. Find out if it's a birthday and get that person up to dance, or if they won't, then ask them who they'd like from their party to dance for them. I always make eye contact with the women if they are with a date. You can also get people to cooperate by having them mimick you in their seated position, you know like doing snake arms or head slides with their hands above their heads.

I would talk to the owner and get a list of his favorite songs and incorporate one of them into your set... maybe?

Also, sometimes people just want to watch you dance!

At the places I dance, there isn't much room for veil work, so I limit it to my entrance songs. I like to enter with a veil because I feel it really "announces" me. I, too, am on the tall side, which can actually be an advantage for veil in tighter spaces. I hold it up way high (v-arms) to enter and have figured out moves that are either up high or that I can do closer in my own space to avoid the food and votive candles on the tables. ..g.:

I don't know the in's and out's of your situation, but this is my general advice - I recommend planning out the veil portion (if there is one) and loosely choreographing the rest of your entrance. Of course you won't be able to duplicate it with the server-dodging and other obstacles! But that's exactly why it's nice to have a loose plan for the first song - the space and the people are different every night. Your entrance is your opportunity to project your confidence and claim your space, so to speak, to subconsciously assure everyone there you know what you're doing and they're going to have a great time with you. If you can be a little on auto pilot movement-wise (with loose choreo), then you can focus more on connecting with the audience and assessing who might want to dance with you later.

I have to listen to SO much music in order to find songs that I like. Even after I pick something out I think will work, I might use it only once or twice and they decide it's not quite right for my sets. Others I like so much I wish I could use them all the time! Keep listening and you'll find strong entrance pieces that fit your dance personality. I list all my set music here - Kiyaana's List . There are several other "Dancers' Picks" lists on BellydanceDownloads.com that might inspire you.

I'm all for the very upbeat entrance song. It grabs people, and then you can chill during the next segment. I'd start with veil just because it makes your presence bigger, but ditch it after circulating once or twice and then move on to zills (in the first song). I find that people are initially attentive but throwing the zills into the second half of the song reinvigorates them. I focus a lot on the "entertainment" end of things. If people want me to pose for pictures during the first song, no problem - whatever makes people feel involved. I prefer to put my showier stuff (beledi progression, sword or candles, and/or an actual veil piece) toward the middle, when people have settled in more. Then I finish it off with fun AP stuff and a drum solo/finale. It helps me to sandwich. I rarely do two AP songs in a row, and I'll only do a beledi prog before or after a prop piece if I intend to be fairly interactive with it. ...Especially in an oddly-shaped restaurant where half the people won't see you half the time!

Did you talk to the manager about switching up your music?
I know how something like that can kill your confidence! If it seems like there are a lot of repeat customers who are "guests," it might not hurt to ask for suggestions. The more people know and love your music, the better the crowd energy will be.

Good luck with it!

P.S. I also like Aziza, Emad Sayyah's Amiritna Habibitna (esp. for zills), Ay Ya Zein, Mezdeke's Topkapi Geceleri, Idris Cakmaktas's Elhawa, and Elie Atieh's Khidni Habibi (more for wings, though). Sometimes I cut Aziza before it changes so that it's under 3 minutes and then hit the crowd with something new. I have a short drum solo that starts slow and ends fast, and if you splice a pop song onto the end of it it definitely keeps the GP interested. I love slower stuff, taksims and beladis, and beautiful classic pieces, but I try to restrain myself and give the people what they want!

Learn to zill. Zills announce the dancer. Also become comfortable in a restaurant situation that there is no accounting for what will happen and what won't. If you depend on choreography, you are dead in the water from the get go. (I have had owners change my music, CD plays not be able to read my CD's, etc. Plus you never know what the GP is going to do!)

Set your set up like a traditional AmCab 5 part set. Ooey gooey in the middle. I woul also make drum solos in a restaurant very short. Most of the GP does not get them.

{{{HUGS}}}

What everyone else said.

I've had my music cut off in the middle of the song, while I was dancing ,m:: because the owner didn't like the song & wanted me to dance to something else. Ticked me off, too. But, do what jewels said & ask the owner what songs he likes then incorporate one (if you can) in each set. Keeps the owner happy to hear a song he likes (and let him dance, maybe it'll get others up to dance, too) during your set, & keeps you from strangling him with your veil when he snatches your music off.

I agree with tahira, zills announce the dancer. Everyone knows what they are & if they hear them what it means - "here comes the bellydancer!".

I always follow the fast - slow - fast format, with a couple of gp friendly pop songs.
For the 1st song I always use faster, upbeat songs. It doesn't have to be fast, can be medium fast, but overall it needs to be happy, upbeat, energetic: that's the first impression I give to the audience, and I want to make an entrance. I think the 1st song usually sets up the atmosphere. Zills, yes, even if you're not very good with them, play for the 1st song, or for the entrance.
I sometimes use a veil, if there is room, but that does not mean I am dancing to a slow veil song - I am just using the veil to frame me, and make me more visible.
2nd song usually slow, medium slow, depending on the place.
3rd song, fast again, something upbeat.
I myself also don't use drumsolos, because the gp is not always into them, or like Tahira said it, they're not into it. The last thing I want to do is stand there doing a drum solo, and they're like: ok, that's nice. I like it more, when there's a quick drumsolo section in a song, but very short.
Last couple of songs, as time allows I usually go around, try to get people to dance, get some tips and have some more fun.

Using a fast, upbeat song doesn't mean you will tire yourself out quickly. You don't have to dance "hard". You are making an entrance, it's more traveling than anything. Usually bigger movements are better, and not even a lot of shimmies. This is when they look at you, probably checking out your costume, you, your face, your energy. Anything intricate, or complicated would be lost anyways. so why bother?

I actually think Drama Queen is great for an entrance song in a restaurant. Zills are very easy to play to it, too.

Originally Posted by TexasRuya

I've had my music cut off in the middle of the song, while I was dancing ,m:: because the owner didn't like the song & wanted me to dance to something else.

Dude, I just had this happen to me a couple weeks ago! Woman got up, commandeered my set mid-drum solo, and made me dance to Israeli music! I went along with it for one song, but when she asked if I could do two more Israeli songs (after I'd already been dancing 20 mins), I lied and said I had to run to another gig ,m::

I felt horrible about this until I picked my former teacher's brain about it. She said the same thing happened to her the week before at a hookah place. I guess it's "normal" .w.:,r:;

Yasmin Henkesh's Dancing with Genies has two great entrance songs. The Sea of Alexandria from Outi's CD is also a great choice.

When I dance places with little room (no wing span space) I come in with a veil egyptian style (swish, swish, drop, sometimes drape on my neck for a veil song later) and make sure to take my time to circle what ever space I have at least once, if it's tables I glide through the table space letting everyone see the dancer has arrived.

Fast (zills), slow (veil), medium (sword) drum solo, fast (pop song, crowd participation or at least get them clapping) and exit. Bing bam boom and I'm outta there.

Isis has some nice catchy "Americanized" bellydance music.
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Bellydance-Party-Isis-Wings/dp/B000BO0QQS]Amazon.com: Bellydance Party: Isis & The Wings of Isis: Various Artists: Music[/ame]
by that I mean pop-sounding, which is nice for restaurants (don't you love restaurant gigs!) It's such a challenge when there's no stage or special atmosphere -

Managers tend to stick their two cents in on music every now & then, usually they should keep their mouth shut frankly; but I"m sure they get bored being there every day, right? They want to hear some 'hits' that perk them up. They should put their energy into making a nice performance space IMO ..l;,

Also don't worry about the sweat. Once some dancer helpfully told me (seeing I was sweating after dancing) "Don't worry, you'll get used to it then you won't sweat so much" Right. I ALWAYS sweat when I'm dancing - just how my body works. One thing I found that helps was having my hair up - made me feel better & no wet stringy hair flying around in my face!

Originally Posted by djflowerz

I am having problems with my entrances in restaurant work (for a mainly American audience). A few of my dancer friends have told me that my entrances are not strong enough, not peppy enough, not attention-grabbing, etc. I know that I need a strong entrance... but it's not happening. Does anyone else struggle with this?

I'm only dancing at one restaurant, to recorded music, one 20-min set. There is somewhat of a central area to dance in, but not much - nothing resembling a stage. The owner doesn't turn down the lights when I start or anything like that. I go back and forth between using zils or veils in my entrance.

I have been reluctant to use a really fast, energetic song because I don't want to tire myself out too early (by this I mostly mean: get too sweaty early on). The owner likes fast, "funky" music as he calls it. I always do a drum solo and 1-2 peppy pop and/or shaabi songs toward the end. But I worry that people are getting bored before that point. This could be an endurance issue. Maybe my cardio fitness it not where it needs to be for restaurant work if I'm worrying about sweating

Nice CD..but I dont find it nearly as Americanized as say - 1001 Nights. Sounds pretty staight up ME to me.

the restaurant im at wants only fast music. he is VERY adamant about it, and seems to think that slow=tribal, which he doesn't want. (and repeated it about 20 times T_T)
to mix it up i do a classical song (but fast) for the entrance, then a greek bouzuki song (it's a greek restaurant) or a 9/8 and then the drum solo, followed by a pop song that i get people up for, and a short clip of the entrance song to play out. that way the songs are all fast, but there is enough variety to keep it more interesting.

Hossam Ramzy has some great upbeat classical songs on the cd "hafla" (dark green background, has a dancer in a green costume on it) and a few that i love on "fadah"
i always use a veil because i don't think my zilling is good enough yet. (hoping to use it by the end of next summer) i also do 100% improv. you never know where the waiters need to go, if someone's going to have to get past you into the bathroom right when you need to enter, or there will be a bottleneck by the kitchen/dressing room, or a spill you need to dodge. i don't think choreography fits with restaurants well, imo

Thanks everyone. My zilling is one of my strengths (I think) so I'll try to showcase that some more. I think I just need to practice my entrances to get my confidence up and then that will show on my face. Will check out all the music recommendations as well. Good to hear I'm not the only dancer whose had their music changed on them. I was taking that too personally.

I am a resturaunt dancer for sure! I love it!
Come out fast or slow it does not matter what does matter is what's going through your mind when you enter. If your thinking "man, my enterance was lackluster!" people will pick up on "it". You need to be thinking "bamm! I'm here!" Once you train yourself to do that type positive thinking I bet it will change you dance as a whole and you will learn to enjoy your time on the floor.

Originally Posted by djflowerz

Music is a big issue. I have struggled and struggled to find a song that is strong but not too long, not overused, and fits my personality, preferably with a brief "waiting in the wings" intro. I've been using Aswan Dances and Samer. I'm taking Samer out of my rotation and will work more with Aswan Dances and also Amani El Omr. Something like "Tales of the Sahara" or "Drama Queen" I feel doesn't suit my personality... I don't feel like I can pull it off. (Does this mean my personality is not suited for restaurant work??? ,f:: )

I have been reluctant to use a really fast, energetic song because I don't want to tire myself out too early (by this I mostly mean: get too sweaty early on). The owner likes fast, "funky" music as he calls it. I always do a drum solo and 1-2 peppy pop and/or shaabi songs toward the end. But I worry that people are getting bored before that point. This could be an endurance issue. Maybe my cardio fitness it not where it needs to be for restaurant work if I'm worrying about sweating

.

There is a misconception that a dancer must dance frenetically to fast, upbeat music. This is particularly misleading when it comes to entrances. Entering to the slower, underlying rhythm of the music is a more powerful way to make your appearance, remember that the first 30 seconds or so of that entrance is when the audience focus not on your dancing, but on your costuming and general appearance. You need to very little at this point other than just parade in and posture, or walk around the room to greet your audience. The key to pacing yourself is to not cram all your moves into the first few minutes. Do very little for the first piece. This builds audience anticipation and increases expectation when you finally kick in with more moves. I always do my drum solo 2nd or 3rd piece in, as otherwise you may be too tired. After that, I engage the audience and again, this enables a dancer to slow her personal pace, and make the participants work for her. Upbeat music is a necessity in a restaurant, for slow pieces and slow dances just do not work. Restaurant work is not about showing off as a dancer,, but more about entertaining the audience. There is a difference. Yes, you can be a good dancer, but you must engage and connect and entertain the audience to keep their attention. Dancing for yourself is not an option.

As for sweating... I always sweat when I dance. A dancer who does not break sweat, is not working hard enough.... ;)

Originally Posted by SatinWorship19

Dude, I just had this happen to me a couple weeks ago! Woman got up, commandeered my set mid-drum solo, and made me dance to Israeli music! I went along with it for one song, but when she asked if I could do two more Israeli songs (after I'd already been dancing 20 mins), I lied and said I had to run to another gig ,m::

I felt horrible about this until I picked my former teacher's brain about it. She said the same thing happened to her the week before at a hookah place. I guess it's "normal" .w.:,r:;

This is so irritating and downright ignorant. It's happened to me and I got so annoyed. I think it's an occupational hazard, but it taught me to fully discuss my music with the restaurant owners beforehand and lay down some ground rules about what I would and would not dance to. Since then, it never happened again. Ever had to dance to live bazouki...man, that's something that pushes the limits of a dancer's talents and improvisational skills......l;,

Originally Posted by Marianna

I always follow the fast - slow - fast format, with ...I actually think Drama Queen is great for an entrance song in a restaurant. Zills are very easy to play to it, too.

I put the zills on and played with Drama Queen as soon as I read this, and I couldn't keep up with the pace. May I ask which pattern or patterns you use for the song? Many thanks.

Originally Posted by djflowerz

I am having problems with my entrances in restaurant work (for a mainly American audience). A few of my dancer friends have told me that my entrances are not strong enough, not peppy enough, not attention-grabbing, etc. I know that I need a strong entrance... but it's not happening. Does anyone else struggle with this?

I'm only dancing at one restaurant, to recorded music, one 20-min set. There is somewhat of a central area to dance in, but not much - nothing resembling a stage. The owner doesn't turn down the lights when I start or anything like that. I go back and forth between using zils or veils in my entrance. My veil skills admittedly need more practice - I have the technique but not the muscle memory and improv skills for good veil. But also I don't feel like I have enough room to properly do full veil work there either. I will hit someone's head or hummus (I am tall, long arms). Would using a half-circle veil help?

Music is a big issue. I have struggled and struggled to find a song that is strong but not too long, not overused, and fits my personality, preferably with a brief "waiting in the wings" intro. I've been using Aswan Dances and Samer. I'm taking Samer out of my rotation and will work more with Aswan Dances and also Amani El Omr. Something like "Tales of the Sahara" or "Drama Queen" I feel doesn't suit my personality... I don't feel like I can pull it off. (Does this mean my personality is not suited for restaurant work??? ,f:: )

[some text snipped]

I'm also curious how much of your entrance number is choreographed... At this point almost 100% of my set is improv'd. Do I need to choreograph my entrance?? I guess that could help me to showcase some better veil technique and work in stronger, bigger moves that I'm probably lacking.

I use Aswan Dances: My Music Intro ALL THE TIME. It's my favorite entrance song. I don't choreograph very much for the restaurant - too hard to make it actually happen given the variables. But I also struggle with getting big beautiful veil moves in a tiny restaurant - it's so much easier on a big stage.

Maybe what you're doing now is fine but you just need to pump it up - think big smile, big open expanded arms, looking up and around, expressing that feeling of fantastic-ness more than changing the actual movements themselves. I give myself a little pep talk before I go on to get that in my brain - my theory is if I'm thinking it, it will become apparent. So I think "I am a beautiful, glamourous dancer who is going to go out there and entertain people and they are going to be like Wow, look at the gorgeous dancer - all I want to do is watch her dance!" I mean, it's silly to say it out loud here but I honestly believe that what we feel/think inside is communicated on the outside.

Originally Posted by kharis_UK

There is a misconception that a dancer must dance frenetically to fast, upbeat music. This is particularly misleading when it comes to entrances. Entering to the slower, underlying rhythm of the music is a more powerful way to make your appearance
.... [text in between snipped]
Upbeat music is a necessity in a restaurant, for slow pieces and slow dances just do not work.

Interested about the conflict in these two statements in your post - can you explain?

I think it's important to have some slow moments to allow the audience to relax, like a 1 minute taxim sandwiched between a fast pop song and a fast drum solo. But I bet you're talking about a 5 minute slow song.

Originally Posted by kharis_UK

This is so irritating and downright ignorant. It's happened to me and I got so annoyed. I think it's an occupational hazard, but it taught me to fully discuss my music with the restaurant owners beforehand and lay down some ground rules about what I would and would not dance to. Since then, it never happened again. Ever had to dance to live bazouki...man, that's something that pushes the limits of a dancer's talents and improvisational skills......l;,

That's how I felt. What irritated me the most was that I had explicitly described the nature of my sets to this lady while booking the gig ("OK, so I'll use mostly contemporary Arabic music and I'm gonna come out to an upbeat song, slow down for a nice moody veil piece, yadda yadda...do you have any special requests while we're at it?") and asked her if that all sounded good.

If she wanted me to dance to only frantic, fast music and throw some Israeli stuff in, she definitely had her window of opportunity to speak up! I don't think I could have been any clearer or more accomodating.

That's where I draw the line and say "too bad, so sad." I might be a good dancer, but I'm not a mind reader. How am I supposed to know what a client wants if they don't tell me? It's not like I didn't ask. Ughhhhhhhh!!!

Originally Posted by kharis_UK

There is a misconception that a dancer must dance frenetically to fast, upbeat music.

Yes, yes, and YES!!!

I've always been taught to make a powerful entrance, rather than a fast one. For lack of better terms, you don't want to blow your wad before the first song is over .w.:

I think Amaya covers this in her DVD on stage presence. You greet the audience and show off your costume and beauty for the first song. Mix up the tempo thru the middle of the set. And the drum solo is where you build up to show off your speed, agility and tricks.

Unfortunately, this seems to be a common stereotype with some clients as well. I'm always having this artistic battle with restaurant owners. But wouldn't an audience get bored if the dancer performed ONLY to fast, crazy music and never slowed down to show her ooey-gooey moves, or paced herself to interact with her audience? Isn't it kinda goofy to show off all your tricks before you pull out the sword or do your drum solo?

Originally Posted by Nepenthe

Interested about the conflict in these two statements in your post - can you explain?

I think it's important to have some slow moments to allow the audience to relax, like a 1 minute taxim sandwiched between a fast pop song and a fast drum solo. But I bet you're talking about a 5 minute slow song.

I danced in restaurants for many years and found that all of them demanded the music be upbeat. Doing a slow piece just wasn't wanted. I found that really slow pieces, be it a long piece or a short interlude, whilst great for the dancer, was not received that well by either restaurant owner nor clientele. They wanted fun fun fun... go go go... One of the reason's I got bored doing restaurants and finally jacked it in. I get a lot more satisfaction doing gigs that enable me to dance skillfully to all kinds of rhythms. Perhaps it's a UK thing. Who knows. It's only truly other dancers who appreciate a slow piece in a restuarant....you've got a roomful of boisterous wine oiled punters and you've no chance. Even the more elegant classy restaurants required the upbeat. So, I just chose to stick to that format...coz it worked. Like I said, it's about people being entertained. You have to see it through their eyes. They don't want to watch slow and meaningful...they want fast music and an upbeat ambience.

I guess by conflict, you mean my statement regarding upbeat fast music and slower dancing. Yes, it can be done. There are usually many layers to even the most frenetic music, and a good dancer can use each layer to her advantage. Well, I do anyway...g.: To use upbeat fast paced music in a restaurant whilst dancing to the slower rhythm within this gives the dancer a chance to pace herself whilst still giving the audience their fast music kick.

Originally Posted by kharis_UK

To use upbeat fast paced music in a restaurant whilst dancing to the slower rhythm within this gives the dancer a chance to pace herself whilst still giving the audience their fast music kick.

I often find myself doing the same thing

Or choose a really fast song with a small tempo change or two.

Originally Posted by SatinWorship19

Yes, yes, and YES!!!

I've always been taught to make a powerful entrance, rather than a fast one. For lack of better terms, you don't want to blow your wad before the first song is over .w.:

I think Amaya covers this in her DVD on stage presence. You greet the audience and show off your costume and beauty for the first song. Mix up the tempo thru the middle of the set. And the drum solo is where you build up to show off your speed, agility and tricks.

Unfortunately, this seems to be a common stereotype with some clients as well. I'm always having this artistic battle with restaurant owners. But wouldn't an audience get bored if the dancer performed ONLY to fast, crazy music and never slowed down to show her ooey-gooey moves, or paced herself to interact with her audience? Isn't it kinda goofy to show off all your tricks before you pull out the sword or do your drum solo?

A skilful dancer can do just that... have fast music and yet still appear to dance in a languid and relaxed way. A good piece of restaurant music will have an upbeat pace with lots of rhythm changes and subtle stops. It should also have a good intro and outro. So, a dancer can have her pauses, but not break up the mood by performing a slow taksim that generally alters the mood of the show. We are all different and this is just my experience of both being a performer and observing others. I've seen dancers slow the show with an overly long 'sensual' piece, and it just seems to turn the audience off and they turn to talk and food. You have to keep them on their visual and audial toes.

I think that the ooey gooey moves can be incorporated to some extent with a well chosen piece of music that enables this within the faster paced rhythm. I use a lot of slow intense travelling undulations to the slower underlying rhythms of fast music, and this works much better than stopping the pace to almost a standstill. I liken it to watching a good paced exciting movie, only to have some silly snoggy love scene slap bang in the middle of all the action. You can hear the audience howl....'Bloody get on with it!"

Originally Posted by kharis_UK

I guess by conflict, you mean my statement regarding upbeat fast music and slower dancing. Yes, it can be done. There are usually many layers to even the most frenetic music, and a good dancer can use each layer to her advantage. Well, I do anyway...g.: To use upbeat fast paced music in a restaurant whilst dancing to the slower rhythm within this gives the dancer a chance to pace herself whilst still giving the audience their fast music kick.

Thanks for the explanation - that makes sense - and gives me something to think more about!

I think a great powerful entrance is very important. It grabs the audience attention and most people form their impression of the dancer in those first few seconds so it is important to make a good impression.

Some music choices not mentioned include the great Egyptian musicales such as shorter version of Sit El Hosen, Nagwa, Sahara City or Sahra, Maashaal, Gahwaher. Zills and/or veil are great tools to use to create a powerful entrance. Long swirls of fabric! Try a cape!

My friend Shadiah knew how to make a dramatic entrance!
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2deeGLkF6xs]YouTube - Shadiah, Detroit Belly Dancer, Dynamic opening with cape[/ame]

And me, less dramatic but a spin is always a good effect.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHLjrTYLFX0]YouTube - Norma, Detroit Belly Dancer, Live, 11-7-98 Part 1A[/ame]

Here's my friend Alexandria. What she typically does it use a very short piece of music for an entrance then uses the same piece at the end for a finale.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHRpPgjrhGw]YouTube - Alexandria, Alhambra Palace, Dynamic Opening with Veil[/ame]