_Producing a Performance Show
by Michelle
You've taken classes, studied videos, bought a costume, choreographed a song. But you
have nowhere to perform it? Sounds like its time to create a place!
Organizing a show is a little intimidating and before it's over, you'll swear you'll never do
it again (yep, I'm still saying that the day before each show I produce!) but once the show
is over, you'll be looking forward to the next one. Each show you produce, you'll learn a
little more and soon, they'll be as routine as, say, giving birth. Ok, they are never EASY,
but they can all be very rewarding.
The Show
Is your show going to be strictly belly dance or are you going to invite other styles of
dance to join you? Is it going to be all solos or will there be groups as well? My personal
opinion is that variety makes for a happy audience. The more variety you can offer, be it
through different forms of dance or a mixture of groups, duets, and solos, the more lively
your show will be and the more everyone will like it. The audience will appreciate not
having to distinguish from one soloist after another, and the dancers will appreciate the
fact that their uniqueness will stand out.
Once you've decided on the type of show you're hosting, you need to decide how many
performers you will allow. This will depend on how long you want each dancer on stage.
I try to keep all club/restaurant shows under two hours, including intermission. A stage
show can go a full two hours, but really, after that, the audience tends to look forward to
the end of the show rather than the next dancer. So if you plan 50 minutes per set and two
sets per show, you've got 100 minutes to fill. Keep in mind that there will be at least a
minute or two between each dancer. If you decide on having an emcee, you've got to plan
a few extra minutes between each number. Let's say we have ten dancers who we're
inviting. That would break out to ten minutes per dancer, but deduct one minute for
changing music, setting props. (I think emcees really kill the momentum of a show--I
prefer to have programs identify the dancers instead.) Now you're down to a maximum of
nine minutes per dancer.
Not all dancers want to dance nine minutes and not all dancers are capable of holding an
audience for nine minutes. Then too, if you have some really accomplished dancers, you
may want to allow them a longer set. I call these the "featured" positions. In my shows
they close both sets and can run 15 minutes. So if I'm having featured dancers, I generally
tell the other dancers they have from 5-7 minutes. If you forgo the featured dancers, you
can tell everyone they have up to 8 minutes. Now keep in mind that some dancers will
only dance a three minute song and some will show up with a 10 minute set. It usually
works out, so I don't stress about it. My philosophy is that you should always leave the
audience wanting more. Therefore a shorter show is better than a longer show.
The Audience
Is this a student showcase (I hate "recitals." I prefer "showcase" or "salon" or
"exhibition.") or are all of your dancers intermediate to advanced? This will determine
the audience. Students usually bring all their friends and family to the show. A
professional dancer's family and friends have seen them dance at least a hundred times,
so they may only bring a couple of audience members with them. If it is a "professional"
show, you'll actually have to hustle more to fill the audience. This will lead to publicity,
but first let's talk about the venue.
The Venue
You have many options when choosing a place to dance, but I implore you to obtain the
most professional venue you can. If you choose to host a small show in someone's house,
that is perfectly fine. Call it a hafla and keep it intimate, but decorate the house so that it
looks like a classy party.
Clubs and restaurants are good for a larger venue. I always go eat at an establishment
before I approach them about a show to test the food and ambiance. You have to have a
place to make your stage, even if it's a matter of moving a few tables and delineating the
performance area with a string of lights. Clubs that have bands generally have a small
stage, but usually your show will be before the later-playing bands and the band
equipment will be set up on the stage. If there is a dance floor, this may be a good place
for your stage, but it may be too low for the audience to see the dancer below her
shoulders. We had regular shows at a local restaurant/club and found that our best
performance space was along the long wall of the rectangular space rather than on the
dance floor, which was on the short end of the space. At the short end, only the first two
rows of tables could see the dancer. On the long end, even though dancers were still on
the floor, the rows of tables were, of course, longer, so almost everyone had a good view.
You should never pay to use a facility such as this. You are bringing them business.
While they may not pay you, they should allow you to collect money at the door (the
place we used for many shows asked us to call it a donation so their customers who
weren't coming for the show wouldn't have to pay). If you are in a straight restaurant,
make sure your stage is nowhere near the door to the kitchen! You do not want your
dancers to be dodging meatballs as they come out of the back!
Auditoriums with stages are wonderful and give a very professional feel to your show,
but they almost always cost money, and sometimes quite a bit of it. They also book many
months in advance, so you should look into these as soon as possible. In Albuquerque ,
we have stage venues with auditoriums as small as 70 seats, so the show doesn't have to
be huge even if it's on a stage.
I utilize all types of venues: restaurants, the studio, small theaters and large. It changes
the feel of the show and keeps us flexible in our performance abilities.
Sound and Lighting
Another thing to consider in choosing your venue is the technical aspects of the site. Do
they have a sound system you can use? If so, is it any good? What about lighting--not
much use in dancing if no one can see the dancers! Through the years, we have purchased
both lights and a sound system. I began with halogen work lights from a home
improvement store and later moved up to compact fluorescent photo lights on stands. I
used to tote around a stereo and separate amp, but now have a great, powerful portable
amp that has an iPod docking station built into it as well as the capability to plug in CD
player, mic, and additional instruments. It is on wheels and has a collapsible handle. That
being said, I prefer to set up as little as possible anymore. Twenty years of shuttling my
own equipment has me very appreciative of a venue where all I have to bring are the
dancers!
Any stage you rent will come with lighting and sound--although they may charge more
for their use and you will need someone capable of running them.
Decorations
When dancing in a club, we will usually take three large matching tapestries (you know--
the Indian lightweight bedspreads--very inexpensive) which we tack up on the wall
behind us. We embellish this with icicle lights. We cover the stereo speakers (which we
set up on boxes--never set your speakers directly on the floor) with coordinating silk
veils. We try to keep everything the same color scheme, not too busy so that it won't
detract from the dancers, but big enough to cover the signs for beer and pool
championships! EDIT: see my note above about twenty years of schlepping…I am
fortunate to have developed a venue that does not require me to decorate, but sometimes
you’re not so lucky so it’s good to know what to do!
A stage can be left free of decoration--they are usually too big for you to decorate
anyway, but the back lighting might allow you some variety of color and pattern.
Publicity
You need to fill your show. What is the point of putting on a show if no one comes? I
love to dance, and dance for and by myself all the time. But there is nothing so
invigorating as the give-and-take of energy you experience with an audience. Therefore,
you need to get the word out. Write down all the places you find to put up a flier or enter
an announcement so that you won't have to relearn them for the next show.
Look for community calendars in newspapers and local magazines. These are usually
free. Post NICE fliers everywhere. Surely in this day and age of technology, you can find
someone to do a professional looking flier on the computer. Pictures are good, but not too
much text. Make it big enough to read from a few feet away and just put the basics: who,
what, where, when, how much. Post fliers in coffee shops, dance supply stores, ethnic
restaurants, libraries, college campuses, book stores and dance studios. Make 1/4 page
fliers to leave in stacks in coffee shops and cafes. Contact the arts editor of your
newspaper. Social media is invaluable and free! Just be careful not to spam your
friends…
Ask all of your dancers to commit to inviting five or ten audience members. Send out an
email list. Talk it up!
For really large shows, consider spending a little on advertising in a newspaper or
magazine (though personally, I have never found this as effective as word-of-mouth).
Finally, never set your sites on simply covering expenses!!! If you set your sights too
low, you'll never expect anything greater from yourself. I don't care if you only make $20
in profit, plan on making a profit! I set my goals higher and have never not met them!
Costs
Here is a brief list of your potential costs:
Venue
Lights (if you need to rent)
Sound System (if you need to rent)
Backdrops/decor (if you're just starting try to borrow as much as you can)
Copies of fliers and programs (if you have a copy machine at work you can use...)
Tickets (if its a club show or smaller, don't bother printing tickets)
Advertising (free is best--utilize this first)
Technical Assistance
You will need someone to run the sound system and lights--usually this can be the same
person. You will need at least one person, two is best, to run the door, collecting money,
tickets and distributing programs. We no longer use a stage manager, because we know in
advance our line up and know the flow of our show, but with students or dancers you
don't know, a stage manager can make sure everyone is ready to go during the number
prior to theirs. You will need a LOT of set up and take down help. Do not try to do it all
yourself--you'll end up in the chiropractors office and will exhaust yourself before your
performance.
Final Tips
Allow yourself some down time the day of the show so that you can perform your best.
If a minor disaster occurs (like a dancer doesn't show or you forgot a piece of your
costume or blow your choreography) GO WITH THE FLOW!!!!! No one will know
except you, I PROMISE!
Do not listen to any critics of the show--these are usually other dancers who wish they
had the gumption to produce a show, or an audience member who has had one too many!
Be the first one at the venue so you can own the space.
Once the show starts, do not think of anything except your dance! Try to relax and enjoy
the other performers.
Thank everybody who helped you. Thank them again. And one more time. People who
are appreciated will perform better and will probably help you again.
Remember things you wish you'd done differently for the next show.
Congratulations! You did it! After you recover, you'll probably do it again! It's a bit like a
disease, but a rewarding one at that.
by Michelle
You've taken classes, studied videos, bought a costume, choreographed a song. But you
have nowhere to perform it? Sounds like its time to create a place!
Organizing a show is a little intimidating and before it's over, you'll swear you'll never do
it again (yep, I'm still saying that the day before each show I produce!) but once the show
is over, you'll be looking forward to the next one. Each show you produce, you'll learn a
little more and soon, they'll be as routine as, say, giving birth. Ok, they are never EASY,
but they can all be very rewarding.
The Show
Is your show going to be strictly belly dance or are you going to invite other styles of
dance to join you? Is it going to be all solos or will there be groups as well? My personal
opinion is that variety makes for a happy audience. The more variety you can offer, be it
through different forms of dance or a mixture of groups, duets, and solos, the more lively
your show will be and the more everyone will like it. The audience will appreciate not
having to distinguish from one soloist after another, and the dancers will appreciate the
fact that their uniqueness will stand out.
Once you've decided on the type of show you're hosting, you need to decide how many
performers you will allow. This will depend on how long you want each dancer on stage.
I try to keep all club/restaurant shows under two hours, including intermission. A stage
show can go a full two hours, but really, after that, the audience tends to look forward to
the end of the show rather than the next dancer. So if you plan 50 minutes per set and two
sets per show, you've got 100 minutes to fill. Keep in mind that there will be at least a
minute or two between each dancer. If you decide on having an emcee, you've got to plan
a few extra minutes between each number. Let's say we have ten dancers who we're
inviting. That would break out to ten minutes per dancer, but deduct one minute for
changing music, setting props. (I think emcees really kill the momentum of a show--I
prefer to have programs identify the dancers instead.) Now you're down to a maximum of
nine minutes per dancer.
Not all dancers want to dance nine minutes and not all dancers are capable of holding an
audience for nine minutes. Then too, if you have some really accomplished dancers, you
may want to allow them a longer set. I call these the "featured" positions. In my shows
they close both sets and can run 15 minutes. So if I'm having featured dancers, I generally
tell the other dancers they have from 5-7 minutes. If you forgo the featured dancers, you
can tell everyone they have up to 8 minutes. Now keep in mind that some dancers will
only dance a three minute song and some will show up with a 10 minute set. It usually
works out, so I don't stress about it. My philosophy is that you should always leave the
audience wanting more. Therefore a shorter show is better than a longer show.
The Audience
Is this a student showcase (I hate "recitals." I prefer "showcase" or "salon" or
"exhibition.") or are all of your dancers intermediate to advanced? This will determine
the audience. Students usually bring all their friends and family to the show. A
professional dancer's family and friends have seen them dance at least a hundred times,
so they may only bring a couple of audience members with them. If it is a "professional"
show, you'll actually have to hustle more to fill the audience. This will lead to publicity,
but first let's talk about the venue.
The Venue
You have many options when choosing a place to dance, but I implore you to obtain the
most professional venue you can. If you choose to host a small show in someone's house,
that is perfectly fine. Call it a hafla and keep it intimate, but decorate the house so that it
looks like a classy party.
Clubs and restaurants are good for a larger venue. I always go eat at an establishment
before I approach them about a show to test the food and ambiance. You have to have a
place to make your stage, even if it's a matter of moving a few tables and delineating the
performance area with a string of lights. Clubs that have bands generally have a small
stage, but usually your show will be before the later-playing bands and the band
equipment will be set up on the stage. If there is a dance floor, this may be a good place
for your stage, but it may be too low for the audience to see the dancer below her
shoulders. We had regular shows at a local restaurant/club and found that our best
performance space was along the long wall of the rectangular space rather than on the
dance floor, which was on the short end of the space. At the short end, only the first two
rows of tables could see the dancer. On the long end, even though dancers were still on
the floor, the rows of tables were, of course, longer, so almost everyone had a good view.
You should never pay to use a facility such as this. You are bringing them business.
While they may not pay you, they should allow you to collect money at the door (the
place we used for many shows asked us to call it a donation so their customers who
weren't coming for the show wouldn't have to pay). If you are in a straight restaurant,
make sure your stage is nowhere near the door to the kitchen! You do not want your
dancers to be dodging meatballs as they come out of the back!
Auditoriums with stages are wonderful and give a very professional feel to your show,
but they almost always cost money, and sometimes quite a bit of it. They also book many
months in advance, so you should look into these as soon as possible. In Albuquerque ,
we have stage venues with auditoriums as small as 70 seats, so the show doesn't have to
be huge even if it's on a stage.
I utilize all types of venues: restaurants, the studio, small theaters and large. It changes
the feel of the show and keeps us flexible in our performance abilities.
Sound and Lighting
Another thing to consider in choosing your venue is the technical aspects of the site. Do
they have a sound system you can use? If so, is it any good? What about lighting--not
much use in dancing if no one can see the dancers! Through the years, we have purchased
both lights and a sound system. I began with halogen work lights from a home
improvement store and later moved up to compact fluorescent photo lights on stands. I
used to tote around a stereo and separate amp, but now have a great, powerful portable
amp that has an iPod docking station built into it as well as the capability to plug in CD
player, mic, and additional instruments. It is on wheels and has a collapsible handle. That
being said, I prefer to set up as little as possible anymore. Twenty years of shuttling my
own equipment has me very appreciative of a venue where all I have to bring are the
dancers!
Any stage you rent will come with lighting and sound--although they may charge more
for their use and you will need someone capable of running them.
Decorations
When dancing in a club, we will usually take three large matching tapestries (you know--
the Indian lightweight bedspreads--very inexpensive) which we tack up on the wall
behind us. We embellish this with icicle lights. We cover the stereo speakers (which we
set up on boxes--never set your speakers directly on the floor) with coordinating silk
veils. We try to keep everything the same color scheme, not too busy so that it won't
detract from the dancers, but big enough to cover the signs for beer and pool
championships! EDIT: see my note above about twenty years of schlepping…I am
fortunate to have developed a venue that does not require me to decorate, but sometimes
you’re not so lucky so it’s good to know what to do!
A stage can be left free of decoration--they are usually too big for you to decorate
anyway, but the back lighting might allow you some variety of color and pattern.
Publicity
You need to fill your show. What is the point of putting on a show if no one comes? I
love to dance, and dance for and by myself all the time. But there is nothing so
invigorating as the give-and-take of energy you experience with an audience. Therefore,
you need to get the word out. Write down all the places you find to put up a flier or enter
an announcement so that you won't have to relearn them for the next show.
Look for community calendars in newspapers and local magazines. These are usually
free. Post NICE fliers everywhere. Surely in this day and age of technology, you can find
someone to do a professional looking flier on the computer. Pictures are good, but not too
much text. Make it big enough to read from a few feet away and just put the basics: who,
what, where, when, how much. Post fliers in coffee shops, dance supply stores, ethnic
restaurants, libraries, college campuses, book stores and dance studios. Make 1/4 page
fliers to leave in stacks in coffee shops and cafes. Contact the arts editor of your
newspaper. Social media is invaluable and free! Just be careful not to spam your
friends…
Ask all of your dancers to commit to inviting five or ten audience members. Send out an
email list. Talk it up!
For really large shows, consider spending a little on advertising in a newspaper or
magazine (though personally, I have never found this as effective as word-of-mouth).
Finally, never set your sites on simply covering expenses!!! If you set your sights too
low, you'll never expect anything greater from yourself. I don't care if you only make $20
in profit, plan on making a profit! I set my goals higher and have never not met them!
Costs
Here is a brief list of your potential costs:
Venue
Lights (if you need to rent)
Sound System (if you need to rent)
Backdrops/decor (if you're just starting try to borrow as much as you can)
Copies of fliers and programs (if you have a copy machine at work you can use...)
Tickets (if its a club show or smaller, don't bother printing tickets)
Advertising (free is best--utilize this first)
Technical Assistance
You will need someone to run the sound system and lights--usually this can be the same
person. You will need at least one person, two is best, to run the door, collecting money,
tickets and distributing programs. We no longer use a stage manager, because we know in
advance our line up and know the flow of our show, but with students or dancers you
don't know, a stage manager can make sure everyone is ready to go during the number
prior to theirs. You will need a LOT of set up and take down help. Do not try to do it all
yourself--you'll end up in the chiropractors office and will exhaust yourself before your
performance.
Final Tips
Allow yourself some down time the day of the show so that you can perform your best.
If a minor disaster occurs (like a dancer doesn't show or you forgot a piece of your
costume or blow your choreography) GO WITH THE FLOW!!!!! No one will know
except you, I PROMISE!
Do not listen to any critics of the show--these are usually other dancers who wish they
had the gumption to produce a show, or an audience member who has had one too many!
Be the first one at the venue so you can own the space.
Once the show starts, do not think of anything except your dance! Try to relax and enjoy
the other performers.
Thank everybody who helped you. Thank them again. And one more time. People who
are appreciated will perform better and will probably help you again.
Remember things you wish you'd done differently for the next show.
Congratulations! You did it! After you recover, you'll probably do it again! It's a bit like a
disease, but a rewarding one at that.
