Welcome to the latest installment of my ongoing series about how to become a professional fusion belly dancer. The usual disclaimers apply: I am not presenting myself as an expert here, this is more of a “learn alongside me” experience.
So far we’ve covered topics like acting like a pro, and dressing nicely, and networking. Now let’s talk about all of the stuff you need to have at hand to present yourself as a pro, or at least someone who is taking this dance seriously.
Business cards! Even if you’re not dancing professionally yet, it’s good to have business cards. I feel like it’s important to have a stack of biz cards whenever you attend an out-of-town event because it makes it easier for new friends to find you online after the event, especially if you have a difficult-to-spell name. If you are not dancing as a soloist and only work in a troupe or under your teacher, make sure your director or teacher gives you some cards to share, so you can be an ambassador for your group wherever you go. Once you have business cards, always keep some in your purse so if someone asks you about belly dance because they see you wearing your LVBDI shirt at the grocery store, you can give them a card.
Promotional photos! We all know I’m addicted to photo shoots, right? But seriously, it’s a good idea to have a head shot, some pretty full-body shots and some performance photos. If possible, work with a professional photographer, but if the budget doesn’t allow for that, try to work with a photography student or a friend who knows their way around a camera. These will come in handy for setting up your social media presence, and for any show that wants to use a photo of you to promote the event (in my community at least it’s common for organizers to make a banner for each performer to use to promote the event).
A social media presence! You should have at least a few of the following: a website, a blog, a FB page, a Twitter account, an Instagram profile, a YouTube channel, etc etc. You want a way for people to find you, and for you to interact with them. Event promoters are often more likely to want to work with dancers with a strong on-line presence because they know you will help get the word out about the event. And social media is a great way to build connections with dancers around the world, which comes in very handy when you are traveling and want to know about classes and shows wherever you’ll be. Shameless plug: If you want to learn more about the power of a strong on-line presence, take my Waking Persephone workshop How to Build an Engaging Blog Presence (or hire me to teach it near you. Shameless!).
A cover up! No, I am never going to stop harping on cover ups.
A gig bag! This can take a lot of forms, from a tribal basket to a rolling carry-on style suitcase. I have two I really like, one is a vintage wig case and one is a handmade patchwork bag that was a gift from a friend. Either way, you want something that looks pretty nice, and is roomy enough to carry whatever you need (props, change of clothes, extra costume bits, snacks, whatever).
A resume! I have to admit, I have never needed my dance resume, but sometimes you may need one when auditioning for a show or applying to teach at a studio or something. So keep a tidy resume that lists your particular dance skills and the highlights of your performing and teaching career.
Shoes! Please do not dance barefoot in restaurants, or outdoors on the cement. Be kind to your feet.
A journal! I really can’t speak highly enough of having a private place to record your deepest thoughts about dance. Write down your goals, your progress, your frustrations, your ideas, your fan girl moments, whatever you want to get out. Some dancers also sketch ideas in their journals, but my skills don’t really lie in that area so I just write. I like to keep my journal separate from the notebook I use in classes and workshops, as it makes it easier to find workshop notes later, and preserves the privacy of my inner thoughts. I find that journaling often helps me work out my problems, whether it’s what to perform at a show, what to write for a blog post, or how to deal with a piece of unwanted criticism.
I’m sure there’s a lot more that I didn’t cover in this post, but this is a good start and a lot of it is relatively easy and affordable to get, so there’s no reason not to have it before you’re actually ready to go pro. If you think I missed any key items, let me know in the comments.