Dear Fatinah,
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Originally Posted by fatinah
Im not saying there is one but I am very new to bellydancing and I was talking to a pal of mine who is a tap dancer and has danced all her life but her performing career is virtually over at the ripe old age of 28!!! 28 is only 3 years away so its a good job Im not a tap dancer.
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Sugar Leonard, Sammy Davis Jr. Savion Glover, Gregory Hines.... all tap dancers who danced professionally way past the age of 28.
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I know its very rare to make a career or a living from belly dancing but if I wanted to perform and make a proper go of this what age do you have until.
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That depends on what you have to offer, If you are a ball of fluff who is entirely dependent on your looks, you might not last too long. If you are a dancer who has much to offer in the way of great dancing, good teaching, intense and wonderful performances, you might not work in clubs any more but there are plenty of opportunities out there for dancers who really have something offer, no matter what their age. This is true in other dance forms as well. Leonard Fowler, the ballet and New York jazz guy, was Artist in Residence at the university where I was costume designer until her was into his 70s and then after that he continues to teach at different studies. I will not tell you how old Morocco is, but she is not a sweet young thing by any means and she is still out there teaching and dancing her butt off. I am 55 and going strong.
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Im 25 but I do get away with looking about 21. I would still bellydance even if there was no future because i love it but I was just wondering what my options are for the future because I am prepared to work very hard.
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If you do right by the dance, it will do right by you for a lifetime.
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So ladies and gents in your opinions when are belly dancers in their prime and to what age do most perform to?
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Belly dancers are in their prime for a period of time that often depends on the dancer. I would say I was in my prime from about 30-45 as far as dance ability and being able to dance in any type of venue. I knew enough about the dance by then to do it justice, but was still looking pretty good as well, so I could easily dance in any club. Most older dancers do not work in clubs, but a few do. Mostly what happens as we age is that we have to create new kinds of venues, look more toward the concert stage and to other types of events. My dance company has a majority of members 40 or older and we dance mostly in full stage shows and more edcuationally motivated events. We spent a lot of May dancing at local colleges for intercultural week and other such events. We also dance at things like dance festivals and First Night, folk festivals and other things like that. I tend to send my younger dancers out to do birthday parties and other private events, but occasionally someone wants a more mature dancer for their party and then one of the older dancers goes out. I have learned also that we can create our own venues and twice a year we do events that are full stage shows the we self sponsor.
Regards,
A'isha