Thread: Changing your dance name in the pro world

Ok - so I really like my dance name..RAVENA...but I am tired of it confusing people. People pronounce it incorrectly. People are afraid to address me by my dance name because they are unsure of how to say it. I am thinking of going more simple - something that people understand.

This name - though - has been a part of me. It was the name of my business for 5 years. It is a name that people recognize as being...well...me.

I am not a huge name in my area but people do know me by my dance name.

My question.....

Has anyone done this and has this been a negative move?

Hmmmm. I have thought about this as well... people are always mispronouncing my name as "Undale" or the spanish word for "quickly" LOL! SO annoying :) But, afraid of the confusion thing or having to rebuild a reputation, or whatever, I haven't done it and I will likely never do it. Have you thought about tweeking the spelling to get it more phonetic?

Originally Posted by Andalee

Have you thought about tweeking the spelling to get it more phonetic?

I have. I say the name as RA - VA -NA. Though it is spelled Ravena. Most people say it a RA VEEN A. I originally had it spelled as RAVANA in 2004 until a dear Indian friend informed me that RAVANA is a Devil in Hindu culture. Because I live in an area with a heavy Indian population - I did not want to send the wrong message. A month later, I changed the spelling to Ravena.

I have seen dancers do it in the past. just wondering...

Quite a few treads out there on this topic.....

http://www.bhuz.com/rest-belly-dance...-spelling.html

http://www.bhuz.com/rest-belly-dance...-have-you.html

good luck

I've thought about it, too, because everyone says my name "wrong." I used to, too, actually- I changed the pronunciation a couple of years ago, and still even my troupe-mates say it the old way. I always said a Mar a. A few years ago, Cassandra (Shore) told me that it should be Ah mer a. But I spend most of my time correcting people, even though it's been over 2 years.

But I've been wondering about the same things, so I'm going to be watching this thread!

If you like it and are known by it then I think you should keep it. There will always be people who can't pronounce something correctly. I have heard like 100 versions of my own real name and by now I just either correct them or say "yeah something like that".
I thought your name was "ravenna" like the city, but then I am not english speaking.
It's a nice name.

When I see Ravena I think Ra-vee-na. Ravana is closer phonetically, but I can understand why you don't want to use it! What about adding an H to change the spelling: Ravahna, Rahvana, Ravanah, Rhavana, etc...

If you like, it, I'd say keep it. I have changed my dance name before with no adverse effects, but I had not been using my previous name very long.

Hey, pretty lady. It's a nice name, you've been using it a long time, people know you, and it feels like you to you. I'd keep it. I thought it was "Ravenna" or "Raveena" before you introduced yourself, though, so put me down in favor of keeping the pronunciation and changing the spelling. :)

Originally Posted by _Ivy__

When I see Ravena I think Ra-vee-na. Ravana is closer phonetically, but I can understand why you don't want to use it! What about adding an H to change the spelling: Ravahna, Rahvana, Ravanah, Rhavana, etc...

Seconding this, I would have gotten your name wrong too. Adding an "h" would let you keep the pronunciation without the negative association.

Thank you all. Another great friend just suggested adding the H and now a student in class mentioned the H. I am thinking...maybe that is the way to go. I get to keep the name I love BUT it steers people in the correct direction.

Though - I just invested in a lot of marketing materials - lol - so I think I will be holding on to it for a little longer but the idea of slipping an H in there will not be too much of a change...

Thanks for the info...lots to think about

I went through a series of names a few years into my dance career. I finally settled on my real name. I got through it just fine, as the dance community was kept updated and customers could never say or remember my dance name anyways.

Even after changing the spelling of my name, folks still pronounce it incorrectly. Same holds tru with my "real" name. I don't like it, but I guess I'm use to it.

Here's what I wrote in this thread Aug 2010 (http://www.bhuz.com/rest-belly-dance...-spelling.html)

also, the ladies who had responded made some interesting points, you may want to consider, esp in regards to the "h"

I started dancing using Sanura (the proper spelling of my name) Pronunciation is (sah NOO rah)

But I changed it because people couldn't pronouce it correctly and there was a troupe (Sunura) in the area and we were mistaken for one another. Haven't seen them perform in a while.

So I changed the spelling to Sa'Noorah (which is spelled phonetically).

Most folks (dancers and non-dancers) prounouce (both spellings of) my name incorrectly, and I usually get 'Senora' as in [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mkoAbapeoA]YouTube - Shake Shake Shake Senora - Harry Belefonte[/ame]

I like the meaning of my name and translated actually is something that my hubby calls me, and don't want to completely change it, but I have an identity issue when it comes to spelling it.

Originally Posted by gisela

I thought your name was "ravenna" like the city . . . .

Me, too.

If it was spelled "Ravana," then I would pronounce it "Rah-vah-nah."

Deborah

ETA: I think a strategically placed "H" would be very helpful. I don't really speak it, but I am familiar with spanish pronunciation, so I tend of to make all my "a" sounds as "ah" when pronouncing words that are not strictly English, even if that isn't correct.

I am actually on the opposite end of your dilemma-I have a very simple given name, Nikki, and that is the name I have always danced by. But, people are constantly asking me if it is short for Nicole (it isn't), which for some reason drives me crazy. It really shouldn't, but it does. I recently did a party lesson for a group of 12 year old girls, at the end the mom said "Let's all thank Miss Nicole for teaching us" She didn't even ask what my name was! So no matter what your name is or how it is spelled, there will probably always be people who don't get it. I say go with what makes you happy, since you have to hear it in your own head all the time.

I am getting ready to change my name (dance and legally) to a more complicated name that is beautiful, but probably not easy to pronounce if you just read it on screen. I will let you know how it goes, although I am moving to a new state, so I think that will help. I have begun the process of changing my name on all my websites, but I expect to face a couple of situations where I get a referral by my old name or missed changing my name somewhere. I won't correct people when they say it wrong, unless they ask how to pronounce it. Whatever they can remember me by is good enough for me!