Performance Opportunities for Amateur Dancers

Feeling ready to share your dance with the world, but don't know where to start? Then look no further. I have danced at all the events listed below throughout the years and they are all great stages for getting your feet wet:

1. Saqra's Monthly Revue: Hosted by Saqra, this event occurs the first Saturday of every month at Jimmy T's in Kent. Dancers of all levels are welcome. You can dance to either recorded music or try improv and dance with Saqra's RaqsBand. Very welcoming and encouraging environment for new dancers and a great place to hone your improv skills. Saqra's website has more details.
2. Med Fest: Seattle's biggest belly dance festival - two stages and two days of non-stop belly dance performances. First time soloists to world-famous professional dancers have graced the stages of Med Fest. Festival always happens in July. Registration for 2012 is not yet open, but here's the link for when it does. Claim your spot by completing the registration form and mailing it in.
3. Hasani's Hafla: Hasani hosts a quarterly hafla at the First Congregation Church in Tacoma. Her website has the future hafla dates for the next five years! Sign-up by phoning in once registration goes live.
4. Alauda: This event occurs the third Tuesday of every month at the Skylark Club and Cafe in West Seattle. (Psst! I'm performing at this event tomorrow!) Event is organized by Angela, Medea, and Katana. To register, email alaudabellydance@gmail.com. Insider tip: register early as this show fills up months in advance.
5. Leyl Al Arab: This event happens the third Saturday of every month at Enat's in Northgate, and is hosted by BreAnn and Trisha. Each performance includes one or two student dancers, one or two guest dancers, and a feature dancer. Check out the blog for more info.  
6. Delilah's Belly Dance Performance Class: Maybe not feeling quite ready to sign-up for an event yet? Then Delilah's performance class may be the thing for you. A legendary dancer and performer, Delilah will help you hone your performance skills and after six weeks of instruction, there is a student recital held at the studio that you can invite friends and family to. The recital at the end of this class series was my first solo performance ever!
7. And more! Other events come up throughout the year. And of course their are other instructors in the area who offer class series with recitals at the end. Sign up for BellyTalk, the Yahoo! Group for Seattle belly dancers, to stay in the loop as new opportunities come up. To sign up, you need a Yahoo! email account, then search for BellyTalk in the Yahoo! Groups section, send in a request to join, and a moderator will approve your request.

Now go forth and dance!

My Favorite Belly Dancers

One of the best ways to learn and grow in any endeavor is through connecting with mentors and seeking out those that inspire you. Here's my list of favorite belly dancers who I've learned from and watched with awe.

My Favorite Locals
These are the dancers that I've worked with directly and who have helped me shape and hone my technique and style.

Dahlia Moon - a local Seattle dancer know for her Modern Egyptian style and superb shimmies. I've done multiple classes with Dahlia, as well as having seen her perform a number of times, and am never disappointed in her crisp technique combined with elegance and a warm welcoming heart. Check out the spectacular shimmies in this live performance.

Mish Mish - legendary local Seattle dancer and the woman I have to thank for my belly dance career. Mish Mish's class was the first belly dance class I ever took and it was because of her coaching and belief in me that I started doing troupe performances and eventually progressed onto becoming a solist. Mish Mish is known for her extensive knowledge of the history of belly dance, as well as other Middle Eastern folkloric dances. Check out an interview with Mish Mish here.

My Favorites Outside Seattle
These are the dancers that I've seen perform live and have done workshops with who never cease to amaze me with their performances. I aspire to one day dance at their level. Truly mind-blowing stuff that these ladies can crank out on the stage.

Aziza - quite possibly my favorite belly dancer of all time, Aziza has it all; technique, stage presence and beauty. A mesmerizing dancer to watch perform and an excellent teacher to study with. But you don't have to take my word for, just watch this amazing drum solo.

Ruby Beh - known for her Turkish style dance, including fabulous floorwork, Ruby Beh was recently the 1st runner-up in the World (yes, that's right, the entire world) Belly Dance compeition. Videos of her performances are up on her website.

The Honorable Mentions
My list is definitely skewed toward dancers that I've met, studied with, and seen perform live. So a few honorable mentions for some other great dancers out there.

Maria - one of my favorite pieces of a belly dancer's repotoire is the drum solo, and 2009 Belly Dancer of the Year, Maria, doesn't disappoint. Executing one of my favorite drum solos of all time, she makes is look effortless and her timing is flawless. Check it out here.

Rachel Brice - a world famous dancer, Rachel Brice is a pioneer in fusion tribal style dance, taking it to new heights with her pops and locks, intermixed with fluidity and fantastic feats of flexibility, strength, and how-did-she-just-do-that?! moments. Check out the back bend to a drop in this clip.