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Gigs 101 --It's Not all Wine and Roses
Building the Skill Set
Improvisation
In Middle Eastern Dancer in 1989: Mary Ellen Donald recommends that dancers be able to effectively combine zills, rhythms and body movements during performance. Dancers who understand what steps go with what rhythms do not have to rely on the crutch of teacher's choreography -- they will be able to make up their own variations.
Business Considerations
Artemis Mourat
Baba Yaga Music
From a 2011 interview by Onca OLeary in Fuse Magazine:
- I apply to everything that looks interesting. Everything...just so people have my resume on file.
- I Google dance festivals, theater companies - anything that I know pays dancers in my area - and I send in unsolicited applications. This means that even when I don't see a listing saying they are hiring, I write to them, tell them who I am, and say I'd love for them to keep my resume on file for future projects. Some companies don't like this, but I've had people write back and say OMG, a choreographer just quit, can you come in today?
- Once you have a gig, be cool with everyone. Exchange cards with the tech guys, the venue owners, the bartenders, the dancers, the directors. Treat everyone like your peer, because you really don't know who is around. Everyone you meet may be the person who hires you for your next job.
- Be punctual, manage time well, deliver a strong product, take criticism well, follow through on commitments as best you can (and own mistakes when you cannot)- like every other relationship you'll ever have - and one job will be easily into 20.
- You don't have to be the most talented candidate if you are the best to work with. If you are both, it puts you way ahead of the game.
Info to Know Before You Book A Show.
Dressing the Part article in a 2011 issue of Zaghareet Magazine: the Princess suggests dressing the part in every aspect of your dance life.
- Do not wear rags to rehearsals;
- Put on a touch of makeup before practicing or making a sales phone call;
- Use a small rolling suitcase to transport gear to your performances'
- Wear a coverup when at a venue but not on stage.
Dealing with Folks Looking for the Lowest Price
- Samira Shuruck on Facebook: They usually call and ask price first thing. I ask about their party and I describe what I do and THEN state my price. Takes less than 30 seconds. But it is a measurable difference from simply stating my price right off the bat. Creating value involves asking them questions about what they want. Then describe how you add value to their event based on what they are seeking... describe your show- what you will be wearing, you'll be choosing music according to their needs and their guests, you bring your own music, you get people up to dance, you use (XYZ) props, you play finger cymbals, and there's even a chance for a picture at the end etc... paint a pretty picture with words and at the end, after you've described this wonderful show, mention your price.
Of course the under cutters may now snag this same technique. ;) BUT - most people, once they've perceived something described WITH VALUE, they expect to pay a higher price. Sometimes the undercutter can lose out because people think "well... what's the catch?"
- Forbes article on How Raising Prices Can Increase Your Sales. markets in which people are not completely sure of how to assess quality, they use price as a stand-in for quality. "While most customers wouldn’t pay $20 for paper towels because it’s easy to compare them to other products on the store shelves, it’s much harder to evaluate certain categories of products or services.Art is notoriously challenging : what makes a Damien Hirst sell for millions while a similar piece by someone else might languish? Consulting or other professional services are also hard to compare, because practitioners may have different approaches or skill levels, so you’re not comparing apples to apples. ...especially when they’re not very confident about being able to discern quality in their own right, people who are unfamiliar with a market will be especially led by price increases to go in that direction [and purchase more expensive offerings]."
Preparing For Performance
In a 2011 interview with Princess Farhana published in Fuse Magazine, she describes how she prepares for her shows.
- As I put on my costume and makeup, I start my backstage process. Even if I am at home looking into my own mirror, I am now 'backstage' ...as I don my makeup I also don my persona. I become larger than life, I take on a new idea of myself as I transform my physical look.
- At my destination I put on my finishing touches close to the time of my performance...belt, lipstick, dance shoes, and heavy tribal bracelets. Once fully adorned, I stretch and breathe and ready my finger cymbals for a quick put-on.
- After my cymbals are on my hands, I always do a backstage centering meditation in the form of an East Indian pranam, or puja for the stage. My personal pranam (also known as a prayer, moving meditation or centering exercise) is a variation of my teacher's. Everyone in my classes learn this as well, as it serves to set apart sacred time from mundane and it really works to help change focus and bring one into the now.
- Once on stage, I almost always make a circle when I enter to help me claim my space and set it aside in my mind from anywhere else. If I cannot make a circuit because of my style or choreography that day, I do so in my mind to delineate my space from everyone else's. Now fully prepared, I lose myself in the moment and just dance!
Mahin
These instructions on how to self-critique from Mahin Belly Dance are as appropriate for musicians as they are for dancers. In brief: take a video of your performance and watch it all the way through several times, each time critiquing a different aspect. Highly recommended: reading the original blog for the details that she checks for.
- Watch solely for posture.
- Turn off the sound.
- Turn on the sound and listen for the phrasing, instrumentation and accents in the music.
- Did you use accents effectively or pass too many of them up?
- With sound on or off, watch just the arms.
- Watch for the technique of each movement.
- Did you stop and start your playing in places that make sense musically?
- Is your timing steady?
- Watch your face.
- On your last run through, pick your favorite moment from the performance.
- Ask a trusted fellow performer to tell you their favorite moment -- you may be surprised what they pick!
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