[Nepenthe]

This has been cross-posted to Tribe / Amazon.

I was lucky to receive an advance copy of Secrets of the Stage II. As I loved Secrets of the Stage I, I was very excited to see what this next installment would bring. The DVD is segmentd into 5 sections, Michelle's introduction, Dancing in Different Venues, Tips & Audience Participation, Professionalism, and Ask the Audience. As a dancer who works often in restaurant venues, this DVD contained even more valuable information for me than the first one. It should be required viewing for dancers who are beginning to dance in restaurants, nightclubs, and "bellygrams".

The first section was on Dancing in Different Venues. First, Michelle Joyce listed her pre-gig mental checklist, what a dancer should think about when preparing to dance in a new place, including the space available, the audience's makeup, and the function of the show (art vs. entertainment, or both!). We learn for example that Persians like fast music, Americans have short attention spans, and Arabs as expected are able to listen to longer pieces of music. Michelle points out that finger cymbals are key to engaging the audience's attention in a restaurant performance, but you must balance your volume with the volume of the restaurant. Balancing, of course, is always a hit. Restaurant dancing, according to Michelle Joyce, is all about having big movements and big personality. I couldn't agree more.

Sandra's voiceover came next, shown over her performance in a stunning costume. She compares restaurant/party dancing to stage performances. She says that because the audience is not right in front of you on stage, you need to look inside more. I just wish I knew exactly how to do that. Louchia's segment added some more practical advice on stagecraft - using the space available, with different dimensions. She notes that you can't have eye contact, but in your mind, you must be having eye contact. And she said something that my teacher has always said - for the first minute, the audience is only taking in your looks and your costume. Louchia, a beautiful girl herself, was very focused on the importance of your appearance. She said it was important to have choreography for the stage, which I do not think is necessary, but the point of this DVD series is to learn what other dancers think - not to take it as gospel. It is good to know that both Bahaia and Zaheea are improvisational dancers, and they appear no less prepared for the stage.

to be continued