Thread: RenFaire Question

Just a few, I promise!

I think I will be doing Lane Performing, which is wandering around dancing and greeting with visitors, as part of the ambiance. I am a AmCab/Turk Oryantal dancer, so obviously I wouldn't be doing tribal, I would dance AmCab. I've already spoken to my (I guess you could call her) mentor and she's answered all the questions I need expect for this one: is body tipping appropriate at a Renaissance Faire? Obviously I won't die if I'm not body tipped. I can see how body tipping would be inappropriate if I were a stage performer because, well, I'd be on a stage. But if I'm meandering around and mingling with tourists and what not, and shimmying when the timing is right, is body tipping (just the sides of the belt in my case) inappropriate then too? Would I carry a jar with me?

Also, for the record, I am the only dancer in my area that does body tipping. The others, at least in Pensacola, don't have a problem with it, but they just don't feel like it's for them. I don't know how the others in Mobile, AL feel about it though. Do you think if I did body tipping at a RenFaire it would cause some sort of problem? Please help me! The RenFaire is in a few weeks!

Thank you everyone!

we go with the flow at faire . some know us and body tip. we put on a show in camp at the tent.some just walk up after it, and hand us money.....go with the flow. bras are not period, but they can tip in a vested bodice too

I was at a Ren Faire where the dancer accepted tips in a small, embroidered pouch that was hooked to her hip belt. It looked "in period," and she probably didn't have to worry too much about losing her tips. :)

Most RenFaire lane dancers I have observed carry a basket with a handle for tipping. They also tend to have a few flowers in the basket to place over the ears of small children. (A daisy or some other small flower, nothing price-y.) Usually tipping lane dancers is rare but some parents do so in appreciation of the attention to their children.

hmm i like the pouch idea. thanks everyone for answering my question! also, another question about lane dancers, do they...you know...carry a boombox around with them X) haha. silly question, but i mean, do they just dance without music? I know of one lane dancer that sets up camp at her hubby's vendor spot, but i don't know anyone doing a vendor spot. do you think i could just ask some of the other vendors? i don't want to be too close to the stage because i don't want to take away audience and "stuff". there are lots of other stages and entertainment areas. like there's a pirate area (i'd use them as they always have crushes on me and would love to have me, but i just don't think it would be appropriate to have a belly dancer with pirates lol) and there are travelling minstrels and such. do you think i could just bring an extension cord and find a corner on the path to set up camp and return to when i want to dance? so so so many questions! haha

At the MD RenFest, our contracts spelled out tipping policy. Only certain stage acts were allowed to collect tips. Might be good to ask your mentor if tipping is allowed at all.

As for dancing without music, you could use finger cymbals.

Oh wow I totally forgot about my zills. yeah definately bring those, need to practice. and yes, tips are allowed at the RenFaire here, she collects them, but in a basket.

Do you have any drum vendors at your faire? They're often pleased to have a dancer set up shop near them.

hmm...i think i saw one or two. i didn't think about them. i'll have to check and also be certain they aren't too close to the stage. thanks for the suggestion!

I don't know the parameters of your particular Ren Fest, so take what I say with a grain of salt, but I worked at one for...more years than I want to talk about until I retired from it 6 years ago.:)

* MUSIC: Boombox is super cheesy, not even "nodding" to the period, and some Fests won't allow them. I'd recommend working on some zill solos and/or find a drummer who can work with you some.

* TIPPING: It's really up to you and it depends a lot on the atmosphere at your festival, but my experience...I'd DEFINITELY carry a basket and NOT allow body tipping. RenFests are different from restaurants. At a restaurant, even if you dance between tables/take body tips, there's something about the costuming, the atmosphere, the physical situation (you're standing, they're sitting at a table) that creates some "distance" between you and the audience, and that gives you a little more power. At a RenFest, if you're not on a stage, some of your patrons will be bigger/higher up than you. Also, with exceptions of course ;), people at restaurants aren't usually uncontained drunks. There are more wandering drunk people at Ren Faires. With a basket, no one needs to touch you. You can put it on the ground when you're dancing (so people walking by/not stopping long) can toss cash in, and/or you can balance it on your head at the end of your set. Don't forget to seed it with a couple of bills so people know what to do. :)

* COSTUME: No, bras aren't period. Then again, 95% of what people call "period" or "gypsy" costuming for Ren Fest is neither period nor gypsy in any form. Just adhere to what the "RenFest-Fantasy" dancer costume style is at your faire.

I agree, I wouldn't carry a boombox with me, but do you think it would be ok if I could kind of hide it among some stuff in the corner of my little area for when I return and want to dance a set? I would just do my zills when I walk around. And as for the bra thing...yeah...the RenFaire here is not all that strict. The dancers here will do tribal style and wear coin bras and such, so I'm not to worried about that. And I see what you mean about the drunk tourists and body tipping. It might cause trouble, especially if they try to do something inappropriate with all the children around. Thanks so much for all that info! You are all a great help!

Check stats with RenFaire. I have not known of any that allowed battery or electric powered music. Human powered drums, tambourines, zils, etc - were the only options.

this one does, it's been confirmed. they don't provide sound systems but they allow us to bring our own. the only restriction is that we can't use modern or techno music, which is understandable

the dancers that I know at the Fair carry baskets. It goes with the time set of the fair and it looks cool if you balance it on your head. You might want to put a paper weight in your basket too, in case it's windy, you don't want your money flying away. What would you be wearing?

good idea mahira! and i'll be wearing several layers of skirts and some harem pants and a coin bra/belt with a choli and stuff in my hair. it's be nice and colorful.

Originally Posted by eden_eyes

good idea mahira! and i'll be wearing several layers of skirts and some harem pants and a coin bra/belt with a choli and stuff in my hair. it's be nice and colorful.

sounds good. try to find a nice deep basket for lots of tips. =) Good luck and have fun!

boom box???..no, we have drummers.

learn something new every day!...no tribal, no bras, no boom box...but we are expected to do fire.

thanks Mahira! Can't wait!

Zamora, I wish I could have a drummer! I'm trying to get my boyfriend to learn to play ;)

if there is a place where such types hang out, ..or check out local drum circles.....get someone into it.....bet hubby will change his mind!

When at a RenFaire I think CDs would take away from the ambiance. The fact that the Mobile RenFaire allows it is an exception. You can do whatever works best for your situation. Hopefully in time someone in the group would be willing to learn how to play drums. Tambourines are very situation appropriate, ribbon streamers from them is a nice touch. I have noticed dancers in large groups use upside down tambourines to gather tips, later adding them to their basket.

no cd's!! It doesn't quite fit the theme. dance to your own zills if no drummers .

Our renfest has specific costuming rules for cast and vendors. (No visible watches, head covered, long sleeves, no cellphones, etc.) In fact, if you don't work at the "bellydance" costume shop, you do not go with an uncovered belly. Fortunately and unfortunately, these rules don't apply to guests.

There was one troupe that did shows a couple of years ago. Since then, they don't have any dancers. The girls who run the "bellydance" costume shop do get out and dance in front of the shop at some point in the afternoons and they have a drummer. Our festival also has a drum shop. (Unfortunately, lots of vendors hire on local help to do sales and you're not always guaranteed to have someone selling drums who knows how to play them.)

I agree that you might want to have a basket if you would rather be 'hands off' when it comes to patrons. Although, the kissing wenches around here usually have tips stuffed into the shoulder straps of their bodices. This is another thing you might want to consult the director at the festival about.

Oh, and about the pirates, that's what I did at the festival. We fenced festival patrons and let them fence each other. During the slow times, I'd "sword dance" which involved me plopping a fencing sabre on top of my hat and waving my arms around. This never really impressed anyone.

Originally Posted by aamel_MirahAmmal

I don't know the parameters of your particular Ren Fest, so take what I say with a grain of salt, but I worked at one for...more years than I want to talk about until I retired from it 6 years ago.:)

* MUSIC: Boombox is super cheesy, not even "nodding" to the period, and some Fests won't allow them. I'd recommend working on some zill solos and/or find a drummer who can work with you some.

* TIPPING: It's really up to you and it depends a lot on the atmosphere at your festival, but my experience...I'd DEFINITELY carry a basket and NOT allow body tipping. RenFests are different from restaurants. At a restaurant, even if you dance between tables/take body tips, there's something about the costuming, the atmosphere, the physical situation (you're standing, they're sitting at a table) that creates some "distance" between you and the audience, and that gives you a little more power. At a RenFest, if you're not on a stage, some of your patrons will be bigger/higher up than you. Also, with exceptions of course ;), people at restaurants aren't usually uncontained drunks. There are more wandering drunk people at Ren Faires. With a basket, no one needs to touch you. You can put it on the ground when you're dancing (so people walking by/not stopping long) can toss cash in, and/or you can balance it on your head at the end of your set. Don't forget to seed it with a couple of bills so people know what to do. :)

* COSTUME: No, bras aren't period. Then again, 95% of what people call "period" or "gypsy" costuming for Ren Fest is neither period nor gypsy in any form. Just adhere to what the "RenFest-Fantasy" dancer costume style is at your faire.

what she said about tips, especially the big drunk guys who want to pretend they're a viking.... you might want to consider something with a narrow opening to minimize things blowing away. also, if you took body tips, who would pick up the stuff that fell?
the fair around here had live music as a requirement, even if it's not the patrons might appreciate it.

I'd do zills and/or a drummer for music. Some people at renfaires and SCA events are sticklers about being authentic and having period clothing, so I don't think they'd appreciate a boom box.

Another idea... for tipping, you could make or buy a nice calf or hip length galabeya/coat and make a small pocket on the outside hip for tips (maybe one inside too for you to put tips later or spending money and ID). I like the basket idea too.

Hey...so I'm not trying to deny your help everyone, I just need to get it out there that ALL performances (as in not just belly dance, the River Dancers and all the other belly dancers, and sometimes the pirate stage where they do the gigs) use cds and boomboxes (hidden of course). I've seen one woman's hubby do a drum solo with her, but that's it.

But anyway, I wanted to thank everyone for all the advice on the tipping that you've given. So I've decided to stick with a basket. I'll get an old Easter basket and decorate it with pretty scarves and stuff. And of course put some seed bills in there ;)

oooooo I worked at the faire for over 10 years. Back in the good old days! At the original socal and northern CA faires too. I even lived there during the week. Oh the stories I can tell!
I wasn't belly dancing back then.
Also we would NEVER EVER EVER EVER be caught with any kind of hidden boombox. Everything was historically accurate down to the hand stitching on our undergarments.
The faire has seriously changed.

Originally Posted by eshtabellydance

Also we would NEVER EVER EVER EVER be caught with any kind of hidden boombox.
The faire has seriously changed.

I agree. That was part of our reasoning to cease going to RenFaires years ago. I heard of a few dancers that insisted it was OK to use canned music, it would have been more of a carny atmosphere. That plus the excess drinking. Adult behavior was often a problem. Lots of sweet children, lumbering drunk adults, hilly terrain, hot weather, all bathrooms in one area with long lines - often lead to negative situations. I realize it was not authentic but if I wanted canned music and staggering drunks I would have selected other, less expensive forms of entertainment.