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Hello dancers!
I am looking for your thoughts on giving back to your dance community.
Do you give/volunteer/ serve your dance community somehow? If so, what do you do?
If you don't, why not? Time? You don't feel it's important?
If you do, what do feel you "get back" from your efforts? How does it make you feel? Did you gain skills?
If you do, do you help through an organization or do things on your own/small group?
If you used to but don't anymore, why did you stop?
I'm looking forward to your responses,
Mahin
www.shes-got-hips.com
I am looking for your thoughts on giving back to your dance community.
Do you give/volunteer/ serve your dance community somehow? If so, what do you do?
If you don't, why not? Time? You don't feel it's important?
If you do, what do feel you "get back" from your efforts? How does it make you feel? Did you gain skills?
If you do, do you help through an organization or do things on your own/small group?
If you used to but don't anymore, why did you stop?
I'm looking forward to your responses,
Mahin
www.shes-got-hips.com
posted by:
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Phoenix
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Re: Giving to your dance community...
Sat, October 31, 2009 - 11:19 AMHi Mahin! What an interesting premise for a topic!
I guess in my case, it's obvious: I created www.shira.net and www.bellydanceplus.com web sites to help dancers.
Aside from that, I've sponsored workshops, written lots of articles for belly dance magazines, been on the board of directors for a Near Eastern Dance non-profit organization which involved donating a LOT of my time, and I've donated money to non-profits that serve our dance form.
My "giving back" activities kind of ebb and flow. A lot depends on what else is going on in my life. For example, in 2007 I did almost nothing with Shira.net because I was having a stressful Year From Hell (step-father dying of cancer, brother attacked in his own home by burglars, and lots more). When it comes to giving my time and energy to other dancers to help them with their projects, I'll usually budget a certain amount that I'm willing to do, and once I've reached that amount I'll withdraw. I tend to think of my time as being something I'll budget in the same way people budget money. -
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Re: Giving to your dance community...
Sat, October 31, 2009 - 12:00 PMI've got dancers resources and rates lists along with articles on my site. Specifically to help support the business of dance and ethical business practices. I figure it works its way through the community as well. If the pros are able to make decent money- they are most definitely ones who are continuing their education, buying music, costumes etc, so they are giving back financially... AND some pros are also in the position of teaching others- so it all comes back around to the community.
Around here when a busy professional takes part in haflas I think it's a way of giving back. Not all students have the time or resources to go out to see professional dancing- so I think when someone who has honed her skills dances at haflas it is helping to educate the community.
Anyone who is teaching puts in "after hours"- in planning, in mentoring etc. This is giving back.
I'm also starting to plan a monthly hafla in an area where there currently are few opportunities. This will take time etc to organize, promote, run. So this will also be giving back.
Being a busy gigging dancer one can feel isolated- so it's nice when it works out that we can do things for the community. :)
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Re: Giving to your dance community...
Sat, October 31, 2009 - 6:53 PMhow much I give back depends on the time & energy I have at any given time in my life- but it seems like attending shows & being moral support for local dancers is the bare minimum if I want this community to survive! right now I'm low on energy with a baby due & even that is a struggle. -
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Re: Giving to your dance community...
Sun, November 1, 2009 - 7:04 AM...oh- I forgot... helping support and promote other's events in the community! This is very important, too! I pass out flyers from shows and workshops and my students whom I share with other teachers or who are "out there" in the community- I remind them to share their information on events. :)
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Re: Giving to your dance community...
Sun, November 1, 2009 - 7:49 AMI started a little blog to post information about dance events in my community. I also help my teacher when she puts on the International Day of Dance event.
I feel it is important to help out because if I don't these events that I enjoy attending might not happen again if they are poorly attended or they stress out the organizer too much.
If my local dance community was bigger, I'd help out more because I enjoy it. (The next closest troupe is 40 miles away, and they just formed this year. The next teacher is about 90 miles away from us!) -
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Re: Giving to your dance community...
Sun, November 1, 2009 - 4:05 PMWell, I used to do more (when I danced more). I've had a few health challenges that I am now overcoming. I'm working on getting back to the dance, as soon as humanly possible for me.
Assuming I am "back in" the dance community, the one reason that would prevent me from volunteering is TIME. I have a day job, a child, a relationship (and all of these are demanding). I also am trying to carve out time for ME and MY OWN well being (i.e. working out and sleep being priorities #1 and #2....and some costume work slipping into #3). So, that does leave little time for anything else. Housework? What's that?
Back when I was more involved and actively "gigging", if anyone had a charity event going on and needed a dancer...heck...if I'm not already doing something, I'm there! I'm big on donating performances for fundraising events for any reason... animals, zoos, medical research...you name it.
I would love to be more involved, but until I hit the big Powerball jackpot, what I can and cannot do timewise varies from day to day, and week to week. -
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Re: Giving to your dance community...
Mon, November 2, 2009 - 4:16 AMHi, Sasha I am right there with you. Have a full time job and we are now swamped! Will actually have to back off restaurant performing because also working overtime at regular job to meet our customer's schedules. It's a challenge to see my family and spend time with my husband.
Try to give back by going to other's dancers performances and events. Helping setup for hafla's/recitals. Helping my tribal teacher find a place for her hafla this Nov. Giving what limited knowledge I have to the belly dance community. I am just 4 years in, lol. -
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Re: Giving to your dance community...
Tue, November 3, 2009 - 7:52 AMThanks for all the feedback.. ..
To take this on a slightly different angle - what do you expect from your dance community as a student, an instructor, a promoter?
Do you expect that there are some non-profit events in your area? Does it matter to you?
Keep it coming....
Mahin -
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Re: Giving to your dance community...
Tue, November 3, 2009 - 8:13 AMDear Mahin,
In order not to be working for free ALL the time, my dance company opted to do two free events a year. One is a community event in which no one is paid and all performers work for free. The event also is free to the public.
We also do one charity event a year under the name of the company, and it varies from year to year. Our individual dancers can also decide to dance for a charity under our own names if we so choose.
The problem with belly dance is that everyone expects us to dance for free because so many dancers do it just to be out there in the public eye. It creates an environment whereby it is difficult for professional, legitimate dancers to get work and get paid decently,because there is always someone willing to undercut us or take a job for no money, that should be a paid one.
This also adds to the general public consistently seeing the worst dancers instead of the best, unfortunately.
Regards,
A'isha -
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Re: Giving to your dance community...
Wed, November 4, 2009 - 1:56 PMAisha,
I can entirely relate to the importance of limiting work for free. I dance (teacing, performing and promoting) as my living and I also volunteer as an officer with our local MECDA chapter. I am amazed at how difficult it is to get people to be willing to help plan events. We know they want them - they show up! They are also quite eager to perform in them - last year our flagship event hosted 5 bands and over 100 dancers with 7 hours of entertainment and the associated festival workshops, food vending, etc. . 5 people did all the pre event work. This year will be even larger. (Same 5 people.)
Our chapter needs new officers for 2010 - it is important to keep fresh heads and ideas in the drivers seat so the chapter does not stagnate and also so the same people don't burn out on the work. I was hoping to get some insight into the motivations and thoughts of the dance community at large regarding community service.
I'm not primarily talking about donating free performances here. I'm talking about rolling up your sleeves and doing event planning, publicity, getting sponsors, doing web design, writing newsletters - the "unglamorous" side of a dance event.. The curtain just doesn't go up till that work is done.
I hope people will continue to share on this topic.
Mahin -
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Re: Giving to your dance community...
Wed, November 4, 2009 - 3:26 PMDear Mahin,
Yes, we have the same sorts of issues here. The same people always do the work! I recently volunteered to help usher an event over in Seattle and I had a blast doing it. I took tickets and handed out programs and it was really fun. It is 300 miles from where I live and I got to see some dancers that I had not seen in some time, and enjoy the show, too. I think a LOT of people want to help plan an event, but they do not want to do the work, set-up, strike, running flyers here and there, making the calls for the free ads, etc. It is a lot more work to even put on a small event than ,many people realize... You have my sympathy!!
Regards,
A'isha
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