How to Hire a Belly Dancer for Your Wedding or Next Event
Dancing with all its types and variety has been the outlet for human creativity since the ages. Whether its break dance, Michael Jackson’s moon walk or the sensual belly dance, we all know that these iconic dances now dominate social events and celebratory gatherings. Belly dancing which was previously specific to Arab culture has now earned adoration and fan following globally.
What has captured the interest of the people in this dance form is its unique focus on torso movements. While many famous western dance forms have become monotonous to some, different types of belly dances are like a breath of fresh air and thus adds energy and excitement to an event.
Research regarding the origin of this dance shows that belly dancing has been popular in human history for centuries. A small segment of people attribute this dance form with Pagan societies where it was practiced to celebrate women’s fertility. As the common perception is, belly dancing has strong ties with Middle East and its history.
A popular way for entertaining foreign guests, delegates and even the Sultan, belly dancing was a treat enjoyed regularly in Ottoman Empire. Some historic resources also show that this dance form was a part of European culture and history, especially in Spain and many people believe that Spanish culture contributed a lot in the evolution of this dance. Popular consensus of historians and dance professionals tell us that this dance form derives its richness by being multicultural.
Why you should hire a belly dancer for your upcoming event?
The biggest challenge in hosting and planning an event is to arrange such activities which increase the energy levels of your guests. Having a professional belly dance performance will uplift your event from ordinary to extra ordinary.
Belly dancing will give an ethereal feeling to the ambiance of your environment.
Owing to its history of being a special way to welcome guests, this dance form tends to make the guests feel welcomed and valued. As the dancers perform exotic moves, the vibrant oriental theme of the gathering lets the guests experience “the ultimate Arabian night”. For many people, watching and witnessing the marvel of a belly dance is a dream come true.
The mystery surrounding those controlled yet free moves leaves the entire crowd spell bound. Moreover, the joy of the event gradually multiplies as every dance move sets everyone’s hearts racing. The rhythmic dance movements, classical music and fun filled atmosphere acts as an “ice breaker” and soon everyone gets pumped up to join the dancers. The carefree and confident countenance of the dancers encourages the attendees of the event to explore their inner Shakira and soon the dance floor gets filled with people of every age. So, don’t take any chances and make your event the talk of the town by booking an exotic belly dance performance for it.
Things to Consider When Hiring a Belly Dancer
Hiring a belly dancer could be a first experience for many people. As much as thrilling this process is, one should not haste in finalizing any performer. There are many things you should consider and reflect on when you select a belly dancer.
Hire a Professional Belly Dancer
First and foremost, you should only hire an experienced professional. Belly dancing is a sophisticated art and therefore, people with years of experience can perform it with finesse and fulfill your expectations. Hiring a novice to save cost will be a grave mistake as you are putting your entire event at risk. You can judge the professionalism of a belly dancer through their work ethic by observing qualities like punctuality, dedication, creativity and openness to new ideas.
From the very first day, a thoroughly, experienced professional dancer will make you feel at ease and work with you like a team member.
Choose A Style of Belly Dancing That Fits Your Event
Another aspect which is often ignored by customers in the course of hiring a belly dancer is deciding which style of dance they want. People do not have clarity about this and thus they hire dancers who do not compliment the theme of their events and their values.
Like other forms of art, belly dancing does not exist in one form. There are different styles of it like the Egyptian belly dance, Turkish, Persian, and Lebanese. Each of these dance style is unique and distinctive from the other. For a Turkish wedding, a Turkish styled belly dance would be perfect, but if your event is following a Casablanca theme then a Moroccan belly dance would suit it better. These intricate details must be planned before and kept in mind as you select any dance group.
Discuss Your Belly Dancer's Attire
The attire of belly dancers being colorful, decorated and oriental brings half of the entertainment to the show. If your event is designed around a specific color scheme then in order to enhance the aesthetics of the event, it is better to specify to the dancers to follow the color scheme in their costumes.
Similarly, if your family values or culture is not comfortable with revealing clothes, then it would be smart to give a heads up to your dancers about this. Many people hesitate in openly communicating their standards and expectations; this in turn becomes a perfect recipe for “miscommunication”. Try to guide your belly dancer in things which are important for you and relevant with the setting of the event.
Review The Venue & Music Beforehand With Your Belly Dancer
One such thing is the venue where the event will take place. Ideally you should allow the dancers to access the venue beforehand so that they can plan their performance accordingly as they would need to know how big or what type of a dance floor. You can either hire a DJ from the same company which is providing you the dancers and that would be better as the DJ and the dancers can coordinate and plan easily. If you decide to hire a DJ on your own, then do connect him or her with the dancer so there is no communication gap between them.
Dance and music go hand in hand. Without the right music, dance performances are incomplete. The correct rhythms coupled with the appropriate dance steps will elevate your party and make it a lot more synchronized. Mostly, the belly dance performers have their own music list prepared and they have a variety of music lists to be used for different themed parties. You can let the dancers know what type of music you prefer. Ideally you should select strong music pieces which can increase the energy and excitement of the event. Modern oriental music has so much diversity to offer nowadays that with the perfect belly dance, it creates an aura of enjoyment and pleasure for your guests.
Decide If You Want to Hire a Solo Dancer or a Belly Dance Group
The price rate of these performances will vary greatly depend on whether you hire a solo dancer or a dance group. Either way, a belly dance being one of the most unique dance forms is anything but cheap. Low rates are big red flags and if you compromise on rates, then it means you might be compromising on the quality of the performance as well. It is important to understand that a lot of effort and factors have been put to create that one performance of 30 minutes or 1 hour.
Another step which you should not ignore at any cost is to read reviews and testimonials about your potential dancer. Good, honest and detailed reviews are priceless and will give you the added assurance that is critical in the arrangement of any event.
How To Add Further Sparkle To The Show
Planning a party or an event is not a single day task, rather “the best” event or the “most happening party” is the result of sorting out every little detail to the last step. While you may have hired the ideal belly dancer for your event, don’t forget to arrange the other little details that will complement the performance and complete the event.
Don't Forget The Lighting!
The most essential element needed to enhance the impact of the belly dance performance is lighting. Try to have the best and most reliable lighting system installed for the event. Lighting is what will actually allow the dancers to present themselves in a way they want. Depending on the structure of the venue and its layout, you should set the dance floor with the most advanced lighting system for better visibility. Also consider the costumes of the dancers and try to incorporate such colorful lighting that will be in contrast with the costumes of the dancers and will uplift the ambiance of the performance.
Dance Floor Space & Visibility is Key
The space needed for a belly dance performance depends a lot on the number of performers you will be hiring. Also, select that spot as the dance floor which can be seen by the audience from all angles. If you make the mistake of selecting a narrow space that is far from the seating area, then your party will lose all of its thrill and excitement. For a solo dancer a 10 x 10 inch space is the minimum, but giving more space will allow the dancer to express themselves and their creativity in a better way. However, for dance groups you definitely need to allocate a huge chunk of the venue as dance floor so that the performance can take place easily.
Decide When to Start The Belly Dance Performance
Events and parties tend to be of long duration; thus you have ample time to fit in one long performance or two short performances. It’s better to schedule the performance as either the last highlight of the night or somewhere in between. The reason being that at these times, people have relaxed and are at comfort in the new environment. Don’t keep the show so late that your guests are dozing off during the performance. Also, don’t schedule it with dinner time because then people will not be able to enjoy it fully.
How to hire a belly dancer for your event
We know that you must be feeling all thrilled and full of energy to host your event with glamour and sparkle. Now that you have acquired all the knowledge needed to be “the perfect host”, you can get started with your preparations. Finding the perfect belly dancer can be a daunting task itself but, with clarity and guidance, you can have the honor of giving your guests a magical night.
You should do a lot of research into this field to understand the intricacies of this art form. Online resources are extremely helpful in this matter as you can get all the required information with a single click. However, do not depend entirely on online reviews and feedback. Make a list of potential dancers, meet them in person and then look out for their unique qualities. As a customer, it’s your right to ask questions and state your choices and preferences. Do not shy away from being vocal about what you want as you will be paying for it. Try to facilitate the dancers by showing them the venue, getting their feedback on what they need. If planning and precision is not your forte, then you can quite simply hire reliable event planners for this.
Start making those anticipated calls, excite your friends and family with the invitation of your special event. Want to make sure that your big day has a great turnout and your loved ones and friends are a part of your happiness? Just tell everyone that the event has an ethereal belly dance performance and your event will easily gain popularity as the event of the year.
For a list of Belly Dancers that are available for your next event, take a look at our Local Belly Dancer list in our Entertainment Directory.
