How I Plan My Performances

Years of preparation goes into that short performance!

🎵 Choose songs. I love finding music that really gives me the urge to move! With rare exception, I dance to music with some connection to the Arab world—Arab tunes, Arab artists, and/or Arab language. I look up the translations to make sure there won’t be any embarrassing moments for you.

✏️ Map out songs. This can be elaborate as a lengthy spreadsheet (detailing counts, instruments, themes, feelings, and more), or as simple as listing the different sections of the music.

👩‍💻 Look for inspiration. I visit YouTube and Instagram to see what dancers I admire are doing that is similar to what I want to do. With the popularity of bellydance on social media, there is no excuse for a professional dancer to not be aware of current trends in the dance world.

👗 Plan wardrobe. I have an extensive wardrobe of costumes from Cairo and Istanbul’s finest atieliers, and I can easily consider my clients’ preferences and event colors! While a bellydancer’s costume doesn’t typically dictate choreography as it does in some other dance forms, what a bellydancer wears can limit or enhance their dance moves. I consider these effects as I plan my performances. Do I want to incorporate big sleeves, a twirly skirt, lots of shimmering fringe? Will I need to wear shoes?

🤳 Film improvisations. I put on the music and just dance. Try different things. See what comes out, and what sticks. These early impressions help me get started. This begins the lengthy process of planning and refining.

📝 Create choreography or plan. This is where I either form my entire dance, or come up with a plan to base my improvisation on. Even if the occasion calls for improvisation—as is traditional for this dance form—I decide how I want to start and end, and any key points I want to make sure I hit. That said, I’m experienced enough to know that sometimes everything goes out the window, and I get to roll with whatever happens! Music player on the fritz? I can dance to my finger cymbals! Children or wait staff running across the stage? I can adapt. Guest of honor has moves that are fire? I give them the spotlight for a while.

😅 Practice, practice, practice! As they say, "proper preparation prevents poor performance." I practice facing different directions. I practice in different settings. I practice in my head. I practice in my costume.

💃 Make magic! I’ve prepared and worked hard to get your show ready. I think of my dance as a gift to the audience, and nothing is better than sharing it!

Not pictured: ✅ Repeat ad infinitum. I’ve been at this for years, and I plan to be at it for many more years. An artist's work is never done!