With so many Belly Dancers in Orlando working the restaurant gigs (I worked restaurant for 5 years straight part time and still counting) I was happy when fellow belly dancer Minerva Santos-Townsend brought up this topic.    Let me tell you, belly dancing in restaurants, when you find the right ones, are great money, but if you dance at restaurants solely for the monetary value, you will not make it very long or end up happy. I will share here as requested my thoughts and experiences on the whole thing, both the good and the ugly and I hope that for those of you out there aspiring to dance at restaurants will read on. Q: Are the restaurants good experience? YES! The ability to practice every week in an atmosphere where you can bring joy to others through the dance and improve your showmanship is invaluable. If you are wise, you will ask for critique and learn to become a beast of a showman. If it...

Whether a Professional Belly dancer in Orlando or not, this owner of Bellydance By Jennifer Inc was astounded a few weeks ago when upon reading in a book the true origins of the tea tray dance. You see, I have always been awed and fascinated by the beautiful balancing acts dancers do with candles, flowers, or even cakes on their head that are placed on top of a Moroccan tray. Being young and a modern dancer, I innocently had thought this was the “tradition”, but the tray balance act we belly dancers do with candles and galore is not the true traditional way to dance with the tray. The candles and such is an Americanized custom that was developed.The true origins of the Moroccan tray balance act stems from the traditional Moroccan tea ceremony.   The tea ceremony and tea in general is a HUGE deal in Morocco and any guest to a Moroccan home will automatically be offered tea. Tea is so important in fact that...

Ok everyone so I tried this new Greek Translation service as I have this fun sounding Greek Song I love (and wanted to use to belly dance for an Orlando Wedding) , but had no clue what it said as it was in a remix version.   My good friend and Baltimore Belly Dancer Amartia started offering Greek song translation services for dancers not too long ago, so I thought to myself, why not try it? I was really happy with the whole experience so I thought I would share as we dancers sometimes do not find correct translations online,  and there is often no indication on how we should express the music emotionally. So if you perform at Greek Restaurants or parties it is SUPER important to take this into account and make sure you get a darn good translation.   What To Expect   The whole process was actually really simple. I emailed Amartia with the music file and asked for prices. I ended...

Alright everyone I am fuming over here! So YouTube has recently  begun the process of muting all videos that are uploaded with pre-recorded music from labels and such. What in the world!   I understand copyright, I see why this is happening to some extent, but guess what this means for dancers and other artists who depend upon using music from labels to perform to the majority of the time? All of our new uploads will eventually be muted!   This is stressing me and many others out. I just had a business management student write to me that her video was muted because of the song (even though she cited it and it comes up in the YouTube music searcher thingy).This is what you will see now "This video contains an audio track that has not been authorised by all copyright holders. The audio has been disabled."   If an artist credits the composer, YouTube adds the song link, and the dancer even goes...

Hello everyone, I (Bellydance By Jennifer Inc.) will be teaching a belly dance costuming workshop in Orlando, FL on Saturday June 8th at Florida Tribal Dance from 3pm-6pm.    This workshop is going to spill all the secrets on how to make professional costume bases from scratch and transforming a lingerie bra into a dance bra. So many belly dancers often have wonderful ideas for self made designs but the execution is not often at the level they would like because they have never been taught what materials to use and how to use them to make a professional quality base.   Designers and Dancers Don't Share This Often...   This workshop will FINALLY give you not just the knowledge to do so, but you will be able to see two bra bases made LIVE! Designers and Belly dancers will not readily share this information with dancers so take advantage of this rare workshop opportunity!   The price for this workshop is $50 per participant. We...

As a few of you might have read on my Professional Belly dancer Facebook Bellydance By Jennfier Inc. status 4 days ago, I woke up one morning, started walking down the stairs, and ouch! I began to feel a slight sharp pain in my left knee each time I shifted my weight onto the left leg. As a professional belly dancer, knee pain is my nightmare. The knees are Essential to belly dance and one too many times I have heard the stories of dancers calling it quits early due to knee replacement surgeries and other severe complications. The Shock Naturally, my heart dropped, and terror really began to settle as I realized I was experiencing my first knee injury. Although I knew it was a tiny injury, it still gave me the shocking realization “you are not getting any younger”. This might sound crazy being that I am only 25 years old, but in terms of some dance careers, that is already a definitive age....

As many of you might have read in last year’s Professional Belly Dancer Makeup blog, I have a serious pore malfunction on my eye lids causing them to block up and produce painful Chalazions when not cared for properly. That being said, being a full time belly dancer and instructor= tons of sweating every day, so keeping my pores as clean as possible is a big priority so that I can avoid having another chalazion surgery (ouch). Chalazions or not, keeping your pores from clogging is an everyday challenge, especially as a belly dancer! Due to the above, mineral makeup is all I can use, and is an amazing product anyways for your skin. Before one can apply mineral makeup though, it is really important (especially if you have large pores) that you apply a face primer first. There are also eyelid primers specifically for your eye lids. These primers combat the issue of makeup and dirt entering and clogging your pores after perspiring. Only problem...

Here in Orlando Birthday Party Celebrations can be quite over the top, and belly dancing at them is nothing short of a blast! This past weekend I was lucky enough to be selected to perform for a 60th birthday party being held at the Crown Plaza Hotel on International drive in Orlando, FL.   I have performed there several times over the years so the staff already recognizes me, and were wonderful in helping me store my belongings and ensuring the timing was just right before I came out to perform.   The wife of the birthday boy wanted to make sure that this was not only the best birthday party her husband ever had, but made me feel great when she selected me because she wanted the best possible belly dancer <3.   As soon as I stepped foot on the dance floor, the show was ablaze with laughter, awe, excitement, and wonder, and the birthday boy “cut a rug” to puzzles “its my birthday”...

I recently recived this question from a fellow belly dancer Lara: Hi Jenifer! I really enjoy your blog and I was wondering what are your thoughts to bellydancing to non traditional belly dance music. Not stepping too far away ie no heavy metal or hip hop or anything like that! But I have found a few slow songs I like with a lot of feeling but without the drum beats I think it might be hard as a beginner to come up with a solo piece. I will be honest, I was not too excited about classical belly dance music when I first started. As a beginner, I came to belly dance with only the fitness and community aspect in mind. I would arrive to class, and all the stress would disappear. Why do I mention this? Because as a beginner I was so excited to just shake my hips that slowing things down and listening to repetitive, long, and classical pieces did not draw...

I received this lovely message from a fellow belly dancer this past week: “My teachers have been insisting on me starting to perform at restaurants here and I am completely terrified!!! I feel like I'm not ready and I still have such a long way to go. Do you have any advice?”. Whether you have already jumped this hurdle or are relatively new dancers battling these very same feelings, there is definitely some good advice to share...   Not Feeling Ready?   First of all, if you do not feel ready, chances are you are not ready yet. Once of the “regrets” I have had from belly dancing is having been placed on the stage too soon. I literally had a solo in my first show ever, and started dancing at restaurants within 2 years of study which was definitely too soon! At that point I had no idea what cultural implications this dance carried nor whether the music I chose was appropriate, much less refined...

As an Orlando Belly Dancer, it is necessary to teach other dancers how to sell their services in order to succeed. You have to be comfortable speaking about what you offer, and fine tune your sales skills to make a successful business owner. Here are some tips to think about when you receive lead calls from potential clients. 1. Sound enthusiastic! Might seem like a no-brainer but you might be surprised how one might come off when they are caught off guard. You must always be the performer, even on the phone. 2. Always ask the client for their name so that when you email or say bye at the end you can record their info. 3. Before you go into the details of your show services, give them a unique and impressive fact about you if you have awards, or something memorable to share. 4. Don’t make your explanation of the show and services so long and wordy it leaves them confused! It is easy...

As an Orlando belly dancer and designer I go for elegance, elegance, elegance. I have and always will, feel that the costume should enhance the performance and not take away from it. The costume should fit, and cleavage and other sexualized body parts should have enough coverage to not revert attention away from the dance. My Rule of Thumb   I use this rule of thumb: “if you show some cleavage, then do not show too much leg, if you show a lot of leg, then cover up the cleavage”. This to me is the epitome of class and balance and all my costumes are based off this rule.   Here in America it is hard enough to sway people’s opinions about belly dance due to the overly revealing photographs and videos from dancers who were comfortable showing a large amount of skin.   In my opinion it is uncomfortable to watch a dancer who looks like she is about to pop out, or is wearing...

As many of you know this Orlando belly dance artist has her own line of belly dance costumes as Bellydance By Jennifer Inc. There is much to explore in costuming but here is one aspect one must consider. Belly dance costuming comes in many shapes, forms, and sizes and is meant to enhance a performance whether it gives off a certain mood, is meant to pop for effect, raises eyebrows, or fits a cultural context. How much skin to show is a matter of personal choice and what every belly dancer feels comfortable in baring is his/her own preference. The question then is, just because one CAN, should they? There was a time when it was enough for a belly dancer to wear a thobe and simply let her hair show in public, but over the decades naturally, the amount of skin that one can acceptably reveal per culture has grown in varying degrees. So what is your side? Here are some Pro’s and Con’s and...

Today’s topic of discussion deals Orlando Belly Dancer Bellydance By Jennifer Inc.’s version of how to follow up with a client after you have performed at their event. So much emphasis is placed on how to attract and retain clients in business, but the follow up procedure is not really discussed.   Here are a few tips any business savvy belly dancer should utilize:   1. Even before you leave from the event you are performing at, ALWAYS leave a stack of business cards with the event planner or client to pass around to guests. Guests often will be amazed and might use your services for a future event so make it easy for them to get in touch with you if they wish.   2. After the performance make sure to call back at a minimum of 4 days later. I tend to wait a week as many times Orlando wedding couples will go directly on their honey moon, or lavish birthday party organizers will...

How many times have you as a professional belly dancer said this, “there is not enough time in the day”! The public eye has a very glamorous and general image of what daily life might be like as a professional belly dancer, but I can tell you that dancing around all day and doing our nails is definitely not it lol! Realistically, a typical day involves a long slew of emails, business calls, sending out contracts or follow up's, social media marketing, to-do lists of tasks to get done through the day to make sure the business is running smoothly, teaching a class, exercising or practicing for a little while, errands, planning performances and customizing music, making sure to eat in between, and more emails. By night we map quest, then spend some time glamming up, pack pack, pack (In this career you are always packing and traveling, coming home and unpacking, and repeat), rushing to the gig to get there early, dancing your set, then...

Hello dancers, this Orlando belly dance artist will be coming down to Wellington, FL on Tuesday April 16th to teach a very important workshop on the topic of fire belly dance. There are definite industry standard practices, and techniques dancers must know before attempting to handle fire as well as legalities and safety issues.The workshop will be divided into 3  important segments:Section 1: Safety, Legalities, and InsuranceHere we cover everything you need to know to if you plan on offering fire dance as a service and how to handle fire safely before and after your performance like a pro. Bring your notepads!Section 2: Fire BELLY DANCING & BusinessThere is a big difference between other fire acts and fire belly dancing. Knows these and how to carry yourself when fire belly dancing. We will also breakdown costs metrics and the business aspect of fire dancing. Learn how to market your services.Section 3: Prop Overview and TechniqueWe will cover various props, their pro's/con's IN DEPTH, and fun moves...

What a great month it has been for all of the belly dance business management students! There have been a lot of inquiries into the program and some common questions will be addressed here for all to see. This program is designed to get you to focus in on what you want your business to achieve and will teach you the tools and knowledge to get it accomplished. For the program to work, it will require several months in order to get everything in place (there is a lot to do)! I work closely with you to come up with the best approach in your unique case and we do more than just drive more sales through your site, we dispel many of the psychological issues that are associated with entrepreneurship that continuously keep talented people such as yourself from going forward with your passion. We cover a plethora of tasks such as: How to improve your site so that your business can be found       ...

“You are never a prophet in your homeland”…I first heard this wonderful quote back in 2009 when I met my soon to be mentor and close friend Hind. These words have always gotten me through when I have felt overly frustrated by certain aspects of the industry. Why, because these words are so incredibly true, and I will illustrate with a short rant below. As belly dancers many of us know the importance of workshops and instruction and how it directly benefits our careers. Workshops are an exciting, educational, and fun experience where we can train with some of the best in the world and learn dazzling new techniques and exercises. We pay good money and support the community by going to these events. I, like many of you who are reading this, have often dreamt of one day being a famous workshop instructor, traveling the world, and sharing my craft. It seems so glamorous; although I know now it is not for everyone and is...

Restaurant managers… they are entrepreneurs, hard working, and trying to make their establishment prosper so they can achieve a fruitful life. With all the popularity of belly dance and how it has turned many restaurants around in terms of attracting customers and creating a nice group of regulars who love the environment, belly dancers really add a lot of value to a venue.What is unfortunate though is when managers with little to no experience hiring entertainment do not manage it well or mistreat their performers. As equally as unfortunate is when management hires the lowest priced option rather than paying a fraction more and acquiring an experienced and dynamic performer.As a belly dancer I have had to fight, convince, struggle and educate management for years in order to try to make the environment a better place. Some venues are amazing and treat me like family, so the struggle was never necessary. Other venues were a headache, and after some attempts I simply could not agree with...

As we here at Bellydance By Jennifer Inc. know,  belly dancers are actually a common form of live entertainment that are sought after for a large assortment of venues and activities such as Orlando Wedding Entertainment. People planning their wedding are often focused on this form of live entertainment for the energy and uniqueness of the concept which usually translates into all guests having fun. Anyone that is planning for this type of occasion should learn the following 7 tips to make the performance a hit!   Implementing the most advanced and latest moves possible into the routine is one of the most prevalent and effective methods of making sure people enjoy themselves. The techniques that are performed by people trained in this routine are actually quite challenging and often seen as a source of wonderment to many. Remaining current and using a varied array of difficult and simplified routine helps keep the audience interested.   Discussing routine and particular move ideas with the couple getting...