Hiring a Belly Dancer is a really fun way to liven up any party, here are some thing to consider when hiring a Professional Belly Dancer:
Professional Belly Dancers are Professional Entertainers. Most professional entertainers are booked weeks and months in advance. If you are planning entertainment for an event you may want to book the entertainers prior to sending the invitations.
Professional Dancers often travel to different states and countries and have need to schedule their time. A Professional Belly Dancer may book several shows in one day, or evening. Since she will make sure that you entertainment is appropriate for you event, she may need to schedule time for an appriate costume change, or time for travel between events.
A Professional Belly Dancer has to plan for costume changes, travel time, meals, restroom stops, batteries and fuel. A Professional Dancer will also plan to for having her hair done, doing her make up, a manicure, and pedicure. She many want to have the appropriate costume cleaned. A Professional Belly Dancer is a Professional Belly Dancer. Do not expect a stripper, or expect the dancer to jump out of a cake. Some Professional Belly Dancers may perform for bachelor parties, when booking a bachelor party they may also include the cost of a body guard.
Amount of notice needed:
Some Professional Belly Dancers may be available on short notice, if they are make sure you tip well, because you may be interrupting other plans.( I promise you, they sitting in their costume waiting for the phone to ring.) If you want the dancer present at you whole event, she may request compensation for the time she can not be available for another booking. It is also important to adhere to your booked time for the performance, since the dancer may have to leave for another scheduled event. Since week-end evenings provide the biggest demand for dancers, the will most like book a many jobs as possible in that time frame.
Type of show:
What kind of show are you wanting? Are you booking her (them) for a 15 minute belly gram at the office, or booking the dancer for a wedding that you expect her to attend for the evening? Are you expecting a show, a lesson, or both? How many dancers are you wanting to hire? Do you want a troupe performance or separate solo dances? Are you expecting her to sing for the occasion as well?
Auditions:
Do not expect a Professional Belly Dancer to “audition.” Most Professional Dancers have a web page and have video available . When you hire them you are paying for their time. Also, if you wish to video tape you event you will need to get permission to do so.
Evlalution for space:
Different styles of Belly Dancing can require different amounts of space. If the dancer is planning to dance with a sword, veil or candelabra she will need more space. Will she be dancing on a stage, a dance floor, carpet or the grass in the back yard? (Have you ever tried to dance in the grass in high heel shoes?) She probably wants to know this information because her footwear and costume choices may be different.
Type of Event:
Different kinds of events may require different kinds of shows. Some of the typical events that people hire Belly Dancer are: birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, fund raisers, batchelorette parties, bridal showers, retirement parties, ethnic festival, theme parties, Renaissance festivals, Greek and Middle-Eastern restaurants and theme parties, rehabs, and nursing homes.
Sound System and Musicians:
Most dancers have their own sound system, but if this is a large or outdoor event, the dancer many need a microphone or PA, or sound system. Let her know if you will be providing these or expect her to provide them. There will be a difference in the cost. Some events provide musicains and some dancer will request musicans for a performance. The dancer will want to know something of the band a head of time. The dancer can also recomder a band for a larger event. The dancer and musicans will also want to know if there is someplace to secure props and equipement when they are not being used. Costumes, equipment and props can be very expensive and hard to replace. You may get a bill if there items are lost or destroyed.
Parking:
Parking can be an important issue. Make sure the dancer has parking close to the entrance. If the dancer is arriving dressed in the middle of winter please make sure that she doesn’t have to walk down the block in her sandals and chiffon skirt in the rain. If this is a big event, please do not expect her to walk a mile before she performs. (If the dancer is not arriving dressed, whee will want to know what kind of facilities are available before she will take the booking.) .
Tipping:
Traditionally it has been a custom to tip the Belly Dancer. Often at Middle-Eastern parties the dancer will be “showered” in large quantities of bills, the tips are separate from the expected compensation. If the dancer is tipped in this manner, please appoint someone retrieve the bills for the dancer. If you plan to tip the dancer, make sure to ask her before tucking money. Do not attempt to stick money between the dancers breasts! You may want to ask where it would be appropriate to tuck. Some dancers do not want to be touched. You may hand hand the dancer a tip after the performance.
If you have the opportunity to hire a Professional Belly Dancer(s), answer the questions above and you are sure to have a memorial event!
