Amulya

Madeline, you probably really love dancing and think it would be great to have dance as your full time job, but it will become like a job like any other with lots of aspects that are not so nice. I'd rather suggest you have dance as second job and keep enjoying it. If it all goes really well, you can always decide to have it as full time job.

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The Belly Dance Video Clip BlogBlog: What Were They Thinking? Amulya on BellyDancingDiva

Salome

I know more dancers who are free to pursue dance as a career because they have a significant other, parent, trust fund or part time job etc. to cushion them financially. And only know a few who truly make a living by dance alone. But yes, it’s possible, if all the ingredients are there.

If you looked at the number of people who consider themselves professional dancers only a teeny tiny number of them probably truly make a living by dance alone and an even smaller number of those people are world-famous dancers. And you’ll notice that even the well known dancers often supplement - it’s not just performance, they sell merchandise, have clothing lines, do workshops/teaching, etc.

Your questions are all good. I’d figure out what “world famous” means to you, what does that look like? Knowing that will help you make choices about where to go and what to do. Because there are different ways in which an Oriental dancer might make a living and be well known. Your goals may change as you progress but it’s good to start with a defined vision of where you want to end up.

da Sage

Of course there is enough of a market! There are world-famous professional oriental dancers already...eventually there will be room in the public's mind for more, especially as the older ones retire.

But really, your dancing would need to be extremely good. You would need to be better than most teachers and most regionally-well-respected dancers, you would need stage presence and charisma, you would need a commercially acceptable body, you would need to know the right people, and you would need to be in the right places at the right times, being seen, working hard, and making it all look easy for you!

You really can't put the dancing last. Thousands of dancers have had the same idea as you, but there are not thousands of world-famous dancers, and there's a good reason for that. Most dancers are not good enough to become world-famous, even if they are in the right place at the right time with the right people.

Samira_dncr

Not to mention the business-savvy and marketing skills that a true professional needs to develop. Fame is usually a combination of some talent, some luck, and one heck of a lot of marketing.

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Samira Tu'Ala, Organizer of the Las Vegas Bellydance Intensive & Festival
September 9-12, 2010 at the FLAMINGO HOTEL & CASINO 1-888-LV-RAKS-U (1-888-587-2578)

Madeline

Thanks everyone! I’m very confident in my dancing – I simply wanted to use this thread to research the market to help put together my business plan. Your input is most helpful, as it gives me a lot to think about. Any further advice is welcome!

One more question: how much do the venues in the Middle East differ from those in the U.S.?

Shara

I recently took a workshop with a lovely lady that has worked in the Middle East. It seems that she mentioned having to have a license to dance in the high end places and that you had to meet certain qualifications. I would definitely find out all about that before even considering going there.

lizaj

Get hold of Yasmina's DVD "Journey of Desire" and read the blogs of Lorna Gow. The road to dancing as a pro seems to me to one of pitfalls to be avoided and a very very clear head.

yas cd dvd video



I also believe it all depends on who has told you that are good enough to have a full-time career as a dancer.
I also believe in following dreams...with a very clear head.