Etiquette

Veil and Dance Etiquette

When I was the co-director of a local non-professional dance troupe, I learned a lot. Some of these things may seem like second nature to the more seasoned dancer, but in my travels to other shows and seminars, it is surprising to see how many dancers, seminar producers, and other "professionals" have no clue about a few basic "do's" and "don't's. By following a few simple protocols, the performance, seminar, and show will be more enjoyable for dancers, and audience members alike.

Here, in no particular order, are some tips you might want to keep in mind for your next performance, or seminar. Consider this page a "work in progress." I will be adding more tips as I run across things that dancers do that irritate me enough to add them to the list.

You are a Princess. Don't pick up your own veil.
You should never pick up your own veil after your dance has finished. After all, you are a Princess, and you never pick up anything from the ground! Most seminars and shows should have a stage manager who picks up the stray prop between numbers. Find out from the show producer if this is the case. If not, have a designated friend, or "roady" pick up your veil, or other discarded prop, after your performance, and before the next dancer hits the stage. This assures that you get your belongings back, and that the stage is free and clear for the next performer.

Always wear a Caftan over your outfit when not dancing!
(I have just what you need. Check out the Caftan page.  )
Don't spoil the surprise of your costume by walking around in public areas, or through the audience, uncovered before or after your performance, and certainly not during another dancer's performance. One is un-professional, and the other is inconsiderate.

If possible, have someone read a short intro about you and your dance.
I recently attended a show where absolutely no introductions were read. Some of the dancers were phenomenal, and I would have loved to know more about their backgrounds, and the dances they performed.

No dancing bare-foot in a Restaurant!
You don't know what has been on that floor before you got there! I worked in a restaurant as a salad and pastry chef about a thousand years ago, and I can tell you those floors are a health hazard. Broken glass, and food items frequently find their way to just where you will be dancing. Invest in a good pair of dancing shoes. I know a professional restaurant dancer who buys her dance shoes from the discount bin at her favorite shoe store. The lime green ones that no one else wanted may match your costume perfectly. Just make sure the soles are non-skid and flexible.

During the intermission, have a designated prop and bead policing person.
If you are in charge of the show, please make sure that you designate someone to clean, or police, the dance area during intermission. As we all know, costumes lose beads, etc. during those earth-shaking shimmies, and rugs get bunched. You don't want a dancer slipping, tripping, or getting a bead embedded in their toes. This kills the ambiance of the show, and the dancer's screams may disturb the audience. Believe me, your performers will thank you.

If you dance on a rug, be sure it's secure. If need be, use two sided tape.
Too often have I attended shows where rugs slipped, bunched up, or a corner of it became flipped over during the night's performances. This is a recipe for disaster. I spent the entire show just waiting for some poor girl to trip and take a header off the stage. When we tell each other to "break a hip" we mean it figuratively. The answer is double-sided carpet tape, and lots of it. You can buy this at most home center stores, and it will make the dance space much safer.

The floor is not your friend.
Be sure to look up, smile, and engage the audience! Have fun with what you're doing and it will show. Urge your audience to participate in your performance by clapping to the rhythm. This brings them in and makes them a part of your performance. That way, everyone has fun.

Don't sit prominently in the audience before and after your performance.
It isn't appropriate! It detracts from the current dancer's performance and people who have paid to see the show, suddenly have no where to sit. If you want to see the rest of the show after your performance, watch from the back of the room. Don't stand in the wings of the stage, because you will just be hindering the entrance and exit of the other performers. Never ever sit in the audience before you go on. This takes away from the mystery of your entrance on stage.

Sign-up sheets and written dance line-ups should be finalized and posted by at least the morning of the performance.
If the dance line-up is not finalized well before show time, there is chaos backstage. Dancer's will be running every where trying to find out when they go on. Make your life easier by posting this information early. If possible, schedule a dancer's meeting an hour or two before showtime and go over the line-up with them. This increases the likelyhood that the dancers will be where they are supposed to be at the right time, and won't be trying to hunt you down. This also gives your emcee time to go over introductions, your music person to line up the music, and you to make final show notes.

Have your dance music, a two-three second delay, and exit music, copied onto a CD or cassette.
Find out from the show organizer which medium they prefer: CD or cassette. Make sure that there is nothing else on your CD other than your dance music, a two to three second delay, and exit music. I have been to shows where dancers have brought in their music on their favorite album, and asked the music person to play track 5, just to have them start track 3 instead. This makes for a very un-professional and confusing performance. Make sure that you have two copies of the CD with you, just in case something goes wrong with the first one. Sometimes a CD that plays well in your home player won't work in the sound system at the show venue. It is a good idea to test your CD or cassette in other players before you hand over your music. Be sure that your music is prominently labeled with your dance name and the name of the performance, so it doesn't get mixed up with another performer's music.

Make your entrance to the music.
Don't have your music start after you are on stage, unless there is a curtain going up and down between each number. If you go on stage and just stand there waiting for the music to begin, it will lead to awkward pauses in an un-professional atmosphere. Your audience will sit there trying to determine what is supposed to be going on. I am a big fan of the long musical intro, with the dancer exploding onto the stage in a profusion of silk, sequines, and beads. Be sure to practice your entrance and exit to your music. First impressions set the mood for your performance, and you don't want the last thing your audience to see is you skampering off stage as if you are late for your train.

Speak to the emcee before the show.
If the show has an emcee or announcer, be sure to speak to him, or her, before the show. Make sure that they know how to pronounce your dance name, and the name of your performance piece. It may seem obvious to you, but it may not be obvious to an emcee that the show producer chose because they have a great speaking voice. It makes you and the announcer both seem more professional if he or she does not stammer over the correct pronunciation during your introduction.

Choose Your Emcee Carefully!!
I recently attended a local event where the Emcee was chosen because his rates are low. Good thing, too. If I had been producing the event (and had paid handsomely for his "handiwork"), I would have been extremely upset, as well as being mortified. He could not/would not pronounce the performer's names correctly. Even when he was corrected, he still got them wrong. Imagine our horror every time he introduced the Internationally acclaimed headliner by mispronouncing her name. She was very gracious about it, but you could see her wince every time the emcee opened his mouth.

Educate your audience regarding proper participation.
Show directors should write a short script for the emcee, educating the audience regarding proper participation. Middle Eastern dance is very much an audience participation activity. Tell the ladies how to zaghareet, and make sure the gentlemen know how to yell Aywah (which means Yes!, or as we say in the South; "Hell, Yeah!"). If tips are being accepted by the dancers, explaining tipping protocol is not out of line. For example, make sure that the audience members know that tips should be placed in the dancer's belt, not her bra. You can also explain the Middle Eastern practice of showering the dancer with dollar bills. Make sure that someone is designated to pick up any stray money from the floor and distribute it to the dancers. You may also want to let the audience members know that it is inappropriate for them to pick up the money.

Never show up at a hafla or club in costume, if you are not being paid to perform.
If you are going to a hafla or a club, do not wear your costume unless the organizers have hired you to perform. This not only sends the message that you are un-professional, but you suddenly become the free entertainment for the evening. You are a professional. Conduct yourself as one.

Be ready and on time, if not early, for your performance!
Don't leave your emcee guessing as to what to say or do next, just because you aren't where you are supposed to be at the right time. This makes the emcee uncomfortable and makes you seem un-professional, as well as unreliable. You do want to be invited to perform again, don't you?