Amazingly I have had all of Friday off, half of Saturday and all of Sunday- Wow! And for those of you for whom the weekend is usually an oasis of calm, lucky you! Most weekends I am doing something belly dance related- either performing, rehearsing, teaching, going to an event to trade, perform or teach, organising my own event or shopping for work related stuff. And don't get me wrong...I love it...but occaisionally it's nice to have a bit of work-free time off...lovely! But if you are self employed (like moi) then you are never truly off duty...and, especially at the moment when everyone is struggling to make a few bob, you can't afford to turn down any opportunity. I guess you could well now be saying how on earth does a belly dancer make money anyway? Weeelll, there are all sorts of ways and means, but it all largely depends on whether you already have another job or not. Many teachers and performers I know have part-time or full time jobs (as well as having a family), so belly dance is a 'paying hobby', but for a few of us, belly dance is our only source of income...and although earning your living dancing is hugely satisfying, it can also be very tough. So, as I had to cancel a workshop I had planned for today (not enough participants), I started tlooking around for another opportunity and found a Christmas Fayre in Shipston. I make and sell my own belly dance related jewellery (mostly to the dancing sorority), but I've recently started making stuff that is more mainstream and suitable (I hope) to the general public. Well, I'll soon find out if that's true, as I'm displaying my wares today between 2-4pm at the Townsend Hall , Shipston on Stour.
But back to earning a living....most belly dance teachers have classes, teach workshops and perform for money, but unless you are able to work all the hours God sends, it's often not enough. Some teachers are also traders, that is, they sell costumes, jewellery and accessories, and organise events...so I guess we have to be Jills of all trades, good at spotting up and coming trends, and very adaptable. Mind you, having been self employed most of my life, I've found that adaptability is the name of the game, and to keep going you have to be prepared to change direction or grab an idea or opportunity when it comes your way. But more of this another day- it feels as if it's about time I went as I'm even beggining to bore myself! *sigh*! Ta taaaa.
Saturday 27 November 2010
Friday 26 November 2010
New Girl on the Blog!
Well I'm not exactly a virgin blogger having cut my teeeth on MySpace, but am new to here...and it's feeling a bit like the first day at school, with so many new things, instructions, and ways of doing it! Phew!
Anyway, to introduce myself...I am a Belly Dance teacher and performer, occaisional radio presenter, and lover of all things purple. I've had a rather eclectic career path jumping around from theatre to having my own business, dabbling in carework, training to be a clown and now, Belly Dancing. I guess part of the reason for all this moving around is that I believe in synchronicity and the more esoteric explanations of co-incidence, so I've made my career choices based mainly on what has presented itself, if I feel excited and inspired by it, and whether I can help other people at the same time. But I do admit to having a life long fascination and flirtation with theatre, so I always seem to gravitate around performance and staging theatrical events. And I've always LOVED to dance! Although I once thought acting was for me, I quickly realised that I struggled to remember lines, and spent many nights having 'worry dreams' about messing up one way or another, so discovering dance as a career was a great relief and delight...I didn't have to remember lines, and movement seemed so much easier to retain. So...here I am.
As a teacher I teach regular classes around Stratford on Avon, and we are fast approaching the end of term, and the Christmas Hafla. For the uninitiated, a hafla is a Middle Eastern dance party/performance, which can take a variety of forms. I hold two a year, for my students to show off what they've learnt, and see other dancers perform, and of course there is plenty of eating, drinking, chatting..and a bit of shopping, too. Usually other local teachers come along with their students, and we all have a jolly nice time! Unfortunately our guest dancer has had to suddenly go into hospital so I have to hurriedly juggle the performance schedule around, but as we originally had 18 acts lined up, it might be better for a few gaps, anyway. But when creating a programme I have to consider what style or type of dance, alternate groups with duos and soloists, if someone in more than one dance has time to change, and also the various requests for later/earlier slots, plus fitting in three intervals and a raffle. Sometimes it doesn't get finalised until the day before, but hey ho C'est La Vie...imrpovisation is my middle name!
Right, think that's enough for now...gotta go do some WORK now!
Anyway, to introduce myself...I am a Belly Dance teacher and performer, occaisional radio presenter, and lover of all things purple. I've had a rather eclectic career path jumping around from theatre to having my own business, dabbling in carework, training to be a clown and now, Belly Dancing. I guess part of the reason for all this moving around is that I believe in synchronicity and the more esoteric explanations of co-incidence, so I've made my career choices based mainly on what has presented itself, if I feel excited and inspired by it, and whether I can help other people at the same time. But I do admit to having a life long fascination and flirtation with theatre, so I always seem to gravitate around performance and staging theatrical events. And I've always LOVED to dance! Although I once thought acting was for me, I quickly realised that I struggled to remember lines, and spent many nights having 'worry dreams' about messing up one way or another, so discovering dance as a career was a great relief and delight...I didn't have to remember lines, and movement seemed so much easier to retain. So...here I am.
As a teacher I teach regular classes around Stratford on Avon, and we are fast approaching the end of term, and the Christmas Hafla. For the uninitiated, a hafla is a Middle Eastern dance party/performance, which can take a variety of forms. I hold two a year, for my students to show off what they've learnt, and see other dancers perform, and of course there is plenty of eating, drinking, chatting..and a bit of shopping, too. Usually other local teachers come along with their students, and we all have a jolly nice time! Unfortunately our guest dancer has had to suddenly go into hospital so I have to hurriedly juggle the performance schedule around, but as we originally had 18 acts lined up, it might be better for a few gaps, anyway. But when creating a programme I have to consider what style or type of dance, alternate groups with duos and soloists, if someone in more than one dance has time to change, and also the various requests for later/earlier slots, plus fitting in three intervals and a raffle. Sometimes it doesn't get finalised until the day before, but hey ho C'est La Vie...imrpovisation is my middle name!
Right, think that's enough for now...gotta go do some WORK now!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)