I took a deep breath and stepped out onto the stage. That first moment blinded me, as stage lights glared from every direction and a spotlight followed my every move. Somewhere in the darkness beyond the lights was an invisible audience. I could not see them or hear them. I had no choice but to focus on what I could identify. The performance space of the stage was huge. My movements felt too small, and at times I almost took bigger steps to try to traverse the entire area. But the floor felt smooth and perfect, a great comfort. It was almost like dancing in the twilight zone, rather surreal. My heart raced and I consciously worked to relax and connect with the music. It was a piece of music I loved and I knew if I allowed it to, it would move me.
It worked. I felt a connection happen and with it, my senses came alive. I was suddenly acutely aware that 900 people were somewhere before me, breathing or sometimes holding their breath, watching, scrutinizing, analyzing, criticizing, and fantasizing. They absorbed the power of my connection with the music, and then sent it back to me, multiplied by nearly a thousand. When the music ended and I struck my final pose, I was nearly overwhelmed by a force that I had never before felt. A tidal wave of applause, screaming, stomping, and zaghareeting nearly knocked me off my feet. Wow! I learned what the Highlander must feel like when he wins the sword fight and the bolt of electricity shoots through his body.
I have performed many times in theaters around the world that seat 50, 100, 300 or so. This time I had the rare and fabulous opportunity to perform in a show tour of Europe starring the great Nagua Fouad of Egypt. Every performance was held in the largest theater of whatever city we were in, and several seated up to 900. Although it was technically the same as the smaller theaters, I experienced how the greater size of the audience provides a greater rush.
I love to perform in theaters because I feel that it raises the standards of belly dance in general, presenting the dance in a respectful, professional manner equal to any and all other dance forms. In theater venues, the audience is often broader than the usual belly dance enthusiasts and Middle Eastern community, therefore affording the opportunity for Westerners to expand their minds and hearts about our dance form and accept it more as a legitimate art.
What type of sponsor presents a belly dance show in a theater? Some possibilities are dance seminars, variety shows, fundraisers for not-for-profit organizations, and educational sponsors such as arts councils, universities and schools. Usually when dealing with such sponsors, there is no agent involved. You as the artist manage the business arrangement yourself.
What are the conditions and advantages of working in a theater as opposed to other venues?
• It is certainly more formal, with a professional stage that is never too small for any size troupe and no fear of the floor surface hurting your feet.
• There is professional lighting, ahhhh, what a relief! Such lights enhance your skin tone and compliment your costume and movements. A spotlight surrounds you, sparking your pailettes and rhinestones and clearly illuminating your emotional expression. Sometimes you may even have the luxury of getting special effects. Professional technicians, who pay attention to your instructions and whose job it is to make you look good, engineer all this.
• There is high quality sound equipment, so no worries about anyone not hearing the music, including you, as the stage is monitored for the artist.
• Another plus is the fact that you get to have a dress rehearsal and technical rehearsal, so you can work with the tech staff as a team to present your performance in the best possible way.
• Because you are removed from your audience when dancing in a theater, there is never a possibility of inappropriate tipping. Although you should not step off the stage, it does not mean you cannot connect with the audience or get them to clap. It just means that you don’t get close enough for them to touch!
The actual length and details of the performance depends on your sponsor, as well as where you are placed in the line-up. Perhaps you will only dance once for a predetermined time limit. Perhaps you will dance several different numbers, with others dancing between, so that you can change costumes. Perhaps you will dance to recorded music, or there may be a live band.
Payment would be negotiated in advance and written down on a signed contract. Negotiation should be managed differently than when dealing a gig for a birthday party or a restaurant. In general, the pay is higher than working in another venue. First, find out as much as you can about the sponsor before you name your price. If it is a variety show, find out what the other acts are. You can always poke around and learn the going rate for a magician, for example, and then set your price to be the same or more. Be careful not to accept too little. I’m not talking about charity work here. I’m talking about a business transaction where you name your worth. Don’t be intimidated or afraid to name a price that is a bit high. They can always try to negotiate a lower price with you.
Once you agree on the amount of payment, it is a wonderful relief that there is no risk on your part, because your fee is guaranteed regardless if the audience turnout is good or poor. In negotiations, remember it’s not just about money but also about time. Find out exactly when you need to be at the rehearsal and how long you should plan on staying. The same holds for the night of the performance. Perhaps you can pack up and leave after your dance, but only if there isn’t a grand finale’ which requires you to stay in costume and reappear at the end of the show. Make sure you know what you are to provide and what your sponsor will provide you. And don’t forget to state how and when you are to be paid. You may be paid in cash at the end of the show, or you may get a check in the mail some time later. Get it all in writing and bring a copy of the contract with you to the event in case there are any questions.
Here are some suggestions to make your performance better:
• Suggest lighting gels that flatter skin tone. Beware of yellows and greens that can make you look ill! Try instead pinks and lavender, or a nice mix of red, yellow, blue and white. Avoid only one color gel, no matter what color.
• Be specific about the number of false endings in your music and if there is any special timing requirements for a change of lighting.
• Direct the stage manager about any props you will need on stage before you begin or if there are any to remove afterwards.
• Ask about the stage dimensions in advance, as it may effect your choreography.
• Find out ahead of time whether the stage is raised above the seats or if the seats are sloped so that you need to project upward to address the audience. It will help you envision the audience that you virtually cannot see.
• Let’s reinforce that one: ENVISION the audience. Just because you can’t see them, doesn’t mean they aren’t out there! You need to smile and look at them as if you see each and every face. After all, the audience thinks you see them as clearly as they see you. It will help if you recall a past successful show in which you could see the audience. Imagine that audience is out there beyond the strong lights.
• Orient yourself on the stage during rehearsal. Check if and how the stage is marked to know where center is. Notice any exit signs or other lighting cues that will help you face front. Be aware of how far forward or backward you can go while remaining in the light. Usually theater stages are large enough that you needn’t worry about your choreography being too “large” for the dance space. Whatever you do, don’t try to expand your movements to fill the space because it will only distort your dancing.
• If you perform in Europe, be careful about your choice of music as they have stricter copyright laws. The sponsor may request that you are specific about which recorded pieces you wish to use, because they will have to pay for it.
• Research stage make-up application so that your face does not wash out in the bright lights. Tips on stage make-up can be easily found in any theater section of a bookstore. You will find that make-up for theater is applied much thicker than you would ever wear in ‘real life’. What looks garish in normal lighting is usually quite right for the theater.
• Check out the library for technical terms in order to better communicate with stagehands and technicians, or you risk not getting what you want. Not only will it improve the quality of your performance, this will also open your mind to new ideas you didn’t know were possible.
Are there any hazards to dancing in a theater? I have not come across very many, but consider these:
• Most technical hazards would be worked out in advance. For example, if you intend to perform with fire of any sort, such as a shamedan (candelabra), make sure the facility will give its permission as fire codes may prohibit.
• You might find the dressing room to be a challenge, as it may be one large room. That means you need to be OK with changing in front of others (including the opposite sex), as well as leaving your personal items there while you are on stage.
• If you are used to having someone come along to assist you, be aware that usually only performers are allowed in the dressing room.
• I’ve found that the smaller the theater, the less likely there is any space to warm up, other than the dressing room which can be quite crowded. In this case, you need to warm up wherever you can, even if it is somewhere tucked away in the wings of the stage.
• The same is true for a ‘green room’, or waiting area before you go on stage. The larger theaters have actual rooms where you are directed to go by the stage manager when it is near your turn to perform, and where you warm up and wait. In the ‘green room’ may be a monitor that shows you a live feed from the stage and/or audio speakers to allow you to hear what’s going on live. Small theaters have no such facility, and sometimes don’t even provide the stage manager!
I believe the benefits of theater performance far outweigh the hazards. Oriental dance deserves to be enjoyed and exalted in every way. In a theater, you will appreciate the luxury and so will the audience.
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©2003 Jasmin Jahal