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Party Time

In the past, I would have been incredibly nervous right now. After all, tomorrow I am the surprise at a 49^th birthday party! I used to get all worked up about private gigs. After all, people were paying me to entertain them and not only did I have to be good, I also had to figure out how to please them. This year, perhaps because of the baby, I have a whole new attitude. First of all, I don't have time to get worked up! Secondly I have so much more confidence in myself as a dancer. I no longer bother trying to be someone I'm not. I figure, people have access to my website, my youtube videos – they know what I look like and they know what kind of dancer I am. If they didn't like me, they wouldn't be hiring me. I'm not hiding anything.

For one thing, I've decided that the best way to please my crowd is to be myself. Instead of picking out music – either BDSS-style fusion or American Cabaret classics – that I think is what you're supposed to use – I chose fun, fast upbeat EGYPTIAN music. Because that's what _I_ love. And if I love it, then I am going to radiate that love out to my audience. I have realized that you cannot rely on the audience's feedback to get you going – you have to produce it yourself – starting with music that makes you feel happy and utterly confident in yourself.

On my last two bellygrams, I also realized something else! Most of the time, the music matters NOT AT ALL. First, most of these people – unless they are Arabic, Greek, or Turkish – don't know anything about the music, or care. They just want a sparkly, "exotic" and beautiful woman to show up and make their party fun. It's like being a guy in a gorilla suit or a clown. On my first bellygram, which I did with Sabrina, we didn't really follow the music at all. We even did sword balancing and floorwork during a drum solo! We basically were party tricksters and entertainers. At my next party gig, I couldn't HEAR my music at all because their sound system was in the house and the party was outside. Not to mention, the guest of honor was blindfolded – until I took off his blindfold. I remember the most fun at that bellygram was all the little girls there, who all gathered around me to ask me questions afterwards. Now, there's always a chance that the people are going to stare blankly at you, or just sit and watch politely. In that case, wouldn't it be better to be dancing to one of your favorite songs, so that you can have fun – even if you're the only one?

Now I totally get why you don't break out Lissa Fakir at a party – and I'm not doing that. In fact, I hardly slow down at all except for a 2 minute Chiftetelli for sword balancing. For people who don't know much about Arabic culture, I often do sword balancing because it impresses people and it adds some variety to the show. It does let you slow down and catch your breath (not that I get out of breath), but without boring an audience who doesn't know a Hijaz from a Bayati. Of course, I end the show with a drum solo and then a rousing rendition of Happy Birthday, during which I really hope I can get the guest of honor up to dance – or at least take pictures – since the music itself is uninspiring. Sometimes I wish I could sing because that would be a great addition, but my singing – well – they might just demand a refund!

The only thing I'm nervous about is my entrance. The party is at a small Chinese restaurant. I'm a surprise, so I'm supposed to arrive in costume (I'll wear a cover-up and hopefully get nearby parking!) and come in dancing. I'm going to meet the person coordinating it outside, hand him my boombox, and trust that he can start my music. Somehow I have to come in with my sword, and my veil – forget about zills at this point. Now I know why a certain local dancer starts her restaurant set balancing a sword on her head with her veil draped over it holding her canes – she has mastered the art of getting on stage with all of your props.

Michael Gregian Taxim Workshop

I just wanted to use my blog to promote what I believe is a very important workshop for professional dancers. When this material was offered to me several years ago, it transformed my interpretation of taxim. I gained an understanding of the instruments' sound quality, their natural ebb and flow based on the musician's breath, the moods of the maqams, and how the musician communicates with the dancer. It was shortly thereafter that I experienced my first "tarab", the magical suspension of reality when the musician, the dancer and the audience are all mesmerized by the music. I had the opportunity to dance a taxim at the Middle East with Michael Gregian on clarinet.

In the class, he brings all of his instruments and students have the opportunity to dance to live taxims. It's very different than dancing to a recorded taxim, far more intimate and entrancing. And Mike is a kind instructor and musician, the ideal musician to work with. He actually watches the dancer, and if he knows her, will play taxims that suit her style and preferences.

When: Saturday, March 13th, 10:30-noon

Where: Performing Arts Center of Metrowest, 140 Pearl Street, Framingham, MA

What: Workshop with Mike Gregian to learn about the nai, clarinet and dumbek as they relate to belly dance performance. "Hands on" will include dancing with each instrument and learning how to phrase, especially during taxim and chifti-telli.

Price: $25, cash or check made to Mike Gregian directly.

If you are not comfortable working with a taxim this workshop is for YOU! Don't miss this wonderful opportunity to work with live taxim music. Contact Amira Jamal to reserve a spot in the workshop.