Tribe.net. Local Connections Lady http://tribes.tribe.net/thread/7e947efb-4748-4a29-8562-bb72d3fb7a05#2f9891cb-6fd8-436e-b99d-2dd5e63f2c43 2008-07-01T04:02:09Z 2008-07-01T04:02:09Z

Right on! I knew I dug you girls for a reason =)

Lady 2008-07-01T04:02:09Z $item.owner.firstName http://tribes.tribe.net/thread/7e947efb-4748-4a29-8562-bb72d3fb7a05#b43df10d-2b12-468c-9094-bf3e23a68554 2008-06-28T00:54:29Z 2008-06-28T00:54:29Z

I think in the words of Nigel Lythgoe "You don't have to throw so many tricks out there to make the dance special" I think the point of being a pro is to know when to use those little dance tricks and then when to actually dance a beautiful dance with a simple choreography. There is nothing at least in my experiance and audience loves more than to actually see the dance not all the tricks that come with it. I have more to say but I think that belongs in another topic...

$item.owner.firstName 2008-06-28T00:54:29Z Shamsi http://tribes.tribe.net/thread/7e947efb-4748-4a29-8562-bb72d3fb7a05#c0a64e4d-03bb-4cf4-a385-a33710932143 2008-06-27T19:00:00Z 2008-06-27T19:00:00Z

Yes...my only addition to professionalism is ...know your limitations. I think that goes for every profession and in every life situation too. I think if we adhere to 'know your limitations', we are capable of being receptive to new information or new ways of understanding previously acquired information, we are able to step back and let others take the lead when we are not 'in our strengths', we can appreciate that we are all 'where' we are 'when' we are and not try to force situations, either for ourselves or others.

Shamsi 2008-06-27T19:00:00Z Lady http://tribes.tribe.net/thread/7e947efb-4748-4a29-8562-bb72d3fb7a05#6902d0b6-ac12-4c5e-b683-0152ecbedb25 2008-06-27T18:14:13Z 2008-06-27T18:14:13Z

I snuck in while you were sleeping =) I forgot to say... does anyone have other points to mention about professionalism? peace & laLoVe

Lady 2008-06-27T18:14:13Z sMel http://tribes.tribe.net/thread/7e947efb-4748-4a29-8562-bb72d3fb7a05#8e659d67-7474-4c30-bd28-5ebfc38886d2 2008-06-24T15:13:04Z 2008-06-24T15:13:04Z

word, girlfriend. you're in my head.

sMel 2008-06-24T15:13:04Z Lady http://tribes.tribe.net/thread/7e947efb-4748-4a29-8562-bb72d3fb7a05#1303b6ec-d7da-4630-b2d9-480fba000997 2008-06-24T05:11:29Z 2008-06-24T05:11:29Z

Salutations dahlin' This questions was asked in "Biz of Belly Dance" and I happen to think it is a super good question. Here is my reply to it. Techincally speaking, it could be argued that all you need to be a professional dancer is to get paid... but, I would certainly be on the con side of that discusion. I think (and this is merely opinion) that the 1st thing is a solid foundation in technique. I'm not going to say 5 years, 10 years, or pretend that a magic number of years dancing is all you need. I've seen dancers who have studied for 10 years be "out danced" by students of 3 years because one of them is dedicated to their art, plus they have good timing & music interpretation skills. Unfortunately some dancers may never master that regardless of the number of years they attend classes. Next... showmanship. A professional knows to pick music that fits their particular audience, and adjusts accordingly. What I mean to say is, while I may happen to love slow snakie music, it has little place in an resturant setting where people want to clap their hands and twirl their napkins in the air. Another example is if I am hired to dance at a family festival or wedding... I will not show up in my sexy fusion outfit. I will dress in something more modest and fun for all. A professional doesn't just do whatever they want to. They work with their audience. So awareness makes a pro. Know-how. While it's helpful, it's probably not completely necissary that a pro knows the name of each beat, or how to play it on a dumbek... but a professional should be able to recognize the beat changes, and understand how to accent them... and yes, be able to use finger cymbols. People love, and expect to see those "finger thingies" and as a represenative of the art form, I think, that is a must... even if they aren't used at each show/song. They should have them, and know what to do with them. Respect. Understanding your community of dancers and not undercutting them, or talking about other dancers like you are better than them. A real professional doesn't need to offer cheaper rates to get gigs or toot their own horn about their skills... others do that for them. Gosh... I could go on and on, but in short... I think those things are the defining factors for me. peace & laLoVe

Lady 2008-06-24T05:11:29Z