Part 1 - Skill Level & Experience

This is the first in an 8-part series titled "What is a Professional Belly Dancer"

What qualities does a professional belly dancer have?

• A minimum of 5 years of solid, continuous belly dance classes
• A solid understanding of basic Middle Eastern rhythms
• should be able to identify the most common rhythms
• A willingness to continue taking classes, workshops, seminars
• A regular practice routine
• The ability to perform to recorded or live music
• must be able to identify & dance to classic pieces of music from top composers
• Comfort in performing choreographies or improvising for a full show
• A strong knowledge & skill level with finger cymbals
• should be able to identify & play (well!) basic & more complex patterns
• should be able to play & dance at the same time
• Experience & comfort working with other props such as veil, sword, Isis wings, fan veils, cane or other such props
• An understanding of the history of belly dance (people will ask you & you must know this)
• where did the dance originate?
• how old is the art of belly dance?
• do your movements or hand gestures have specific meanings?
• A knowledge of & ability to perform different styles of belly dance (Egyptian, Lebanese, Turkish, etc...) -- both Raqs Sharqi & folkloric
• Suitable & professional costumes
• should be appropriate for venue
• should be suited to type of music you are performing to (Raqs Sharqi, folkloric, tribal)
• colour & style should be flattering
• The knowledge & ability to create a professional & glamorous look
• The understanding of what are appropriate hair styles
• How to utilize make-up for a performance or theatrical look
• Proper accessories & foot wear for your costume, venue & performance
• Some knowledge of how to run a business
• advertising
• marketing
• business communication

To consider yourself a professional belly dancer you should have at least 90% of the qualities listed above.

This is a very broad overview & pertains primarily to the world of Raqs Sharqi belly dance. While it may look daunting--don't worry.  I'll be delving deeper into each topic and giving you the information you need to grow as a dancer.

You are always welcome to ask questions or add your thoughts.  Simply comment on my blog post (you can even do this anonymously!)

In part 2 -- Middle Eastern dance history & culture