The Belly Dance Geek Clubhouse

Nadira is retiring! To celebrate (and maintain our legacy), we’re opening up the Belly Dance Geek® catalog with “pay what you want” pricing and granting permission for classroom use.

My guest, Mao Murakami of Sparkly Belly, talks about how you can make the most out of the costumes that you already have. 

Many different elements make up great belly dance costuming. Each dancer has unique qualities - in their dance and on their body - that shine when costuming works for them. 

But what can you do when you have a costume that needs an update? Other than buying a new full costume, there are ways to take what you already have and use easy (and not quite as easy), DIY techniques to upgrade your problematic costumes into your new favorites!

You'll Learn:

• What makes a good belly dance costume
• How to ensure that you are happy with your costumes
• Ways to upgrade your costuming (from easy to more advanced)

To download the slides used during this call, visit the episode page:

My guest, Elizabeth Joy, talks about the experimental performance concept, Improv Roulette, and how dancers can benefit from spontaneous creation and collaboration.

Improvisation can be intimidating, even for experienced performers. As dancers, we may have strategies for improv, but we often know something about what sort of music we will get or what props we will use.

But what happens when you put performance artists from different styles and genres in a safe space that encourages experimentation and throw a diverse playlist on shuffle, with performers picked at random?

Join us hear learn more about the Improv Roulette concept and experience from the founder, Elizabeth Joy.

• What is Improv Roulette?
• The value of play in the creative process
• How collaborating across performance genres can lead to inspiration
• Defining a creative community
• Tapping into your own well of knowledge

Sponsor:

My guest, Hiba Al-Kinani talks about exploring different perspectives related to the controversial topic of cultural appropriation.

Join us for an exploration of cultural appropriation and how we can approach the dance with respect, understanding, and appreciation without stifling our creativity.

Note:  Hiba is sharing her personal opinion on this topic, which is informed by her perspective as an Iraqi Canadian, but she is NOT speaking for the entire Arab community.

My guest, Zahra Zuhair, talks about how cultivating a more positive outlook can improve your dance.

As dancers, we are often fortunate to have supportive communities of other dancers around us, many of whom become cherished friends.

However, between social media, competition for performance spots, and varied motivations for pursuing the dance, we sometimes compare ourselves to other dancers, making us frustrated with our progress and actually discouraging us from the very habits that improve our dancing.

Learning how to free yourself of those negative judgments and mindset can help you unleash the artist within.

You'll Learn:

• The pros and cons of social media
• The dangers of comparing yourself to others
• The uselessness of self judgment
• Awakening your inner dancer
• The power of creating small habits

My guest, A’isha Azar talks about the cultural context behind Shaabi, and how it differs from what we usually think of as “belly dance”.  Whether you’re a hard-core fan of Shaabi, or a total newbie, you’ll want to hear this!

You'll Learn:

• Shaabi’s history and unique cultural context
• Important ways that the dance and music differ from standard “belly dance”
• Why it isn’t really belly dance – but belly dancers should learn it anyway

My guest, Sausan, talks about The Egyptian Dance Code®.

You'll Learn:

• The differences between American and Egyptian belly dance
• How those differences transfer into Egyptian style belly dance
• Sausan’s “Egyptian Dance Code®” concept

My guest, Roberto Mejía, will talk about the role of male dancers in modern and historical belly dance.

You'll Learn:

• Men’s dancing traditions Turkey, North Africa, and the Middle East, as well as ex-pats living in the West.
• Myths and misconceptions about dancing men
• The roles of gender and sexuality in dance
• How to make classes welcoming to serious male students

My guests, Ranya Renee, Anasma and Kelley McKinnon - the directorial team behind the Theatrical Bellydance Conference - talk about the use of narrative arcs in belly dance.

You'll Learn:

• What “narrative arc” means
• Why it’s important, even for traditionally non-narrative belly dance
• How you build a narrative arc
• The difference between narrative arc and character development
• How describing your narrative arc improves your performance proposals

My guest, Sahina, talks about dance mentoring.

You'll Learn:

• What to expect from a mentoring relationship
• How to approach your teacher
• Finding a mentor who is right for you
• Steps to take on the road to going pro (teaching and/or performing)
• The story of how Sahina took up her teacher’s mantle when she retired

My guest, Shadia Tohme, talks about costuming considerations for every body type.

You'll Learn:

• Common mistakes and misconceptions that lead dancers to less-than flattering costume choices.
• Special costuming considerations for every body type
• Easy tweaks you can make to make an “okay” costume more flattering

NOTE:  This episode featured live costume critiques.  You can download the photos on the episode page at:

My guest, Julie Eason, talks about how to write a book, a blog, or any kind of content for a dance audience.

You'll Learn:

• How publishing a book is easier than ever
• Why dancers should write a book or blog
• How to get started, even when you feel lost and frustrated
• How to find the time to write
• An effective question-based outline to make writing as easy as answering questions in class

This episode is sponsored by Amity Alize, Author of three business ebooks for dancers: Hosting Dance Workshops 101, Dance Teacher 101: Business Basics and Tips for Independent Dance and Fitness Instructors, and Dance Studio Startup Kit: Planning for Success. All three ebooks were inspired by Julie Eason!  Check them out at:  http://raq-on.net/index.php/store/ebooks-for-professional-dancers/

My guest, Kay Hardy Campbell talks about Khaliji dance.  Khaliji (sometimes written “Khaleegy”) isn’t belly dance, but is often included in a belly dance show.  Kay will help demystify this gorgeous, but often misunderstood dance.

You'll Learn:

• What Khaliji dance is (and isn’t)
• The benefits and downsides of doing research on YouTube
• How it’s different in its cultural context vs. in a belly dance show
• To Thobe or Not To Thobe – and why that’s a good question
• How to learn more about Khaliji

My guest, Nadira of Virginia talks about how to promote yourself beyond your local dance community.  Whether you’re promoting yourself, a troupe, or an event, we’ll have something here for you!

You'll Learn:

• Whether broader promotion is right for you
• What techniques work best
• Common mistakes that dancers make when they step beyond their local area

My guest, Assala Ibrahim talks about Iraqi Kawliya dance.  Whether you’re a Kawliya dance fan, or have never heard of it before, you’ll come out of this call with a better understanding of the people, history, and culture behind this exciting dance style.

My guest, attorney and belly dancer Amia D'Itri, talks about what dancers need to know about contracts.

You'll learn:

• The difference between legal advice and legal information (and why you need to know)
• What must, should, and could be in a dance performance contract.
• Tips for finding and speaking with an attorney to create a contract for you.
• Tips for finding self-help resources to write your own.

*** DISCLAIMERS ***

1) This episode was recorded in 2015, and a lot may have changed since then

2) The information shared here pertains only to US contract law

3) This is legal information, NOT legal advice.  Please consult a qualified local professional for personalized legal advice.

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My guest, Roxxanne Shelaby, talks about the early belly dance scene in LA.  If you enjoyed our “early days” episodes on the early dance scenes in Boston, New York, and San Francisco, you’ll love this one!

You'll learn about:

• The first generations of dancers in LA – and the musicians they danced with
• The middle eastern communities that made their homes in LA – and the nightclubs that brought them together
• What has changed since then, what has stayed the same

My guest, Terri Allred, talks about the use of props in American Tribal Style®.  Whether you’re a tribal dancer looking for new sources of inspiration, or a cabaret dancer curious about how other styles use props, there will be something here for you!

My guest, Katayoun, will talk about how to tell when you’re ready to start teaching belly dance.

This call is for you if you are:

• An aspiring teacher
• A newer teacher looking for some guidance
• A seasoned teacher grooming your own students to teach someday
• Just curious about what it takes to be a qualified teacher

My guest, Nadira of Virginia, talks about how engaging the dance community is crucial to your event. (And how to do it.)

(With twice the Nadira, you know it’s going to be good!)

You’ll learn:

• How can a healthy dance community help you as a student, a pro, or a promoter
• How to increase community interaction
• Why Nadira chose to start a local Bellycouncil
• How you can create your own

My guest, Amity Alize will talk about tax considerations for dancers.It doesn’t matter whether you’re making big bucks, or not even close to making a profit. If you earn any income through dance, you need to hear this!

(Note: we’ll be discussing US tax laws on this call. Some of the concepts will be universal, but some concepts (and most of the details) will only apply to dancers in the US.)

You’ll learn:

• How to determine what expenses are safe to deduct for dancers and teachers
• When you need to file 1099’s for independent contractors (it’s not always obvious!)
• How to determine whether you have hobby income vs. business income and the important difference in filing your taxes