I danced for free and got paid!

Babylonia · 02-22-2007, 01:07 AM

I had a paying dance gig today. My friend and I danced at a nursing home, it's actually the 3rd time we've been there and the second time for money. We we're supposed to dance there to entertain my friend's elderly neighbor who was there. Unfortunately we had Hurricane Wilma and had to reschedule at a much later date and in the interim the woman died. Well, we went on Mother's Day the following year and danced as a tribute to her. When my friend contacted them to see if they enjoyed it the home invited us back for pay! It wasn't a lot but since we had previously danced for free for the pure joy we were delighted. My friend is a teacher and performer but I'm still a student so it's nice for me to be building a "bellydance resume" with workshops and performances. The elderly residents really seemed to appreciate our being there and I always feel so good after we go there I had to share my happiness.

chryssanthi sahar · 02-22-2007, 01:58 AM

That's great Babylonia

Good for you!

KuteNurse · 02-22-2007, 02:32 AM

That is great! The elderly need people to do that kind of thing for them. Good for you...It benefited all. I am new to the BD world...I hope to be able to entertain others one day! Good luck to you!

sstacy123 · 02-22-2007, 03:29 AM

Yes, I second what KuteNurse said!

gwinity · 02-22-2007, 03:57 AM

That's fantastic, especially as it started out as a just-for-fun exercise. I hope it becomes a regular gig.

Aziyade · 02-22-2007, 04:50 PM

Good for you!!! I love doing nursing home gigs, and it's funny how many times somebody from the audience will whisper to me, "Now you know, I used to do that when I was younger."

I call those ladies my "secret sheikhas."

Yasmine Bint Al Nubia · 02-22-2007, 07:54 PM

Hi Babylonia, We love dancing at nursing homes because it's such a win-win situation for everyone. A good deal of our student perfomances are at nursing homes and it's such a joy to see the resident's faces light up and begin to clap. Getting paid is just icing on the cake.
Yasmine

Yshka · 02-22-2007, 08:01 PM

Congrats Babylonia!!

Nursing homes are so much fun. We recently performed at two nursing homes with our troupe, and the people simply loved it. A woman (a ME and flamenco dancer) of 75 years old performed with us, who is just absolutely amazing

, she was the star of our show lol. We got great comments afterwards saying they had so much fun, and some elderly ladies saying "well we're SO going to practise THAT tonight" (after I had performed a cane dance solo, which they seemed to like because of the use of such curled canes). Some woman even thought I was Moroccan.. It's been great fun and I would love doing it again sometime.

02-22-2007, 01:07 AM	#1 (permalink)
Babylonia Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: South Florida Posts: 402	I danced for free and got paid! I had a paying dance gig today. My friend and I danced at a nursing home, it's actually the 3rd time we've been there and the second time for money. We we're supposed to dance there to entertain my friend's elderly neighbor who was there. Unfortunately we had Hurricane Wilma and had to reschedule at a much later date and in the interim the woman died. Well, we went on Mother's Day the following year and danced as a tribute to her. When my friend contacted them to see if they enjoyed it the home invited us back for pay! It wasn't a lot but since we had previously danced for free for the pure joy we were delighted. My friend is a teacher and performer but I'm still a student so it's nice for me to be building a "bellydance resume" with workshops and performances. The elderly residents really seemed to appreciate our being there and I always feel so good after we go there I had to share my happiness.

02-22-2007, 01:58 AM	#2 (permalink)
chryssanthi sahar Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Heidelberg, Germany Posts: 1,482	That's great Babylonia Good for you! __________________ Oriental dancer and instructor of Greek origin, living in Germany www.chryssanthi.com

02-22-2007, 02:32 AM	#3 (permalink)
KuteNurse V.I.P. Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Duluth, Minnesota Posts: 2,969	Lonely Elderly people That is great! The elderly need people to do that kind of thing for them. Good for you...It benefited all. I am new to the BD world...I hope to be able to entertain others one day! Good luck to you!

02-22-2007, 07:54 PM	#7 (permalink)
Yasmine Bint Al Nubia V.I.P. Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Akron, Ohio Posts: 1,132	Hi Babylonia, We love dancing at nursing homes because it's such a win-win situation for everyone. A good deal of our student perfomances are at nursing homes and it's such a joy to see the resident's faces light up and begin to clap. Getting paid is just icing on the cake. Yasmine __________________ www.visionsofthenile.com

02-22-2007, 03:29 AM	#4 (permalink)
sstacy123 Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Birmingham, Alabama, USA Posts: 487	Yes, I second what KuteNurse said!

02-22-2007, 03:57 AM	#5 (permalink)
gwinity Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 357	That's fantastic, especially as it started out as a just-for-fun exercise. I hope it becomes a regular gig.

02-22-2007, 04:50 PM	#6 (permalink)
Aziyade V.I.P. Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Cornfields of Evansville Indiana. Posts: 1,050	Good for you!!! I love doing nursing home gigs, and it's funny how many times somebody from the audience will whisper to me, "Now you know, I used to do that when I was younger." I call those ladies my "secret sheikhas."

02-22-2007, 08:01 PM	#8 (permalink)
Yshka Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 1,250	Congrats Babylonia!! Nursing homes are so much fun. We recently performed at two nursing homes with our troupe, and the people simply loved it. A woman (a ME and flamenco dancer) of 75 years old performed with us, who is just absolutely amazing , she was the star of our show lol. We got great comments afterwards saying they had so much fun, and some elderly ladies saying "well we're SO going to practise THAT tonight" (after I had performed a cane dance solo, which they seemed to like because of the use of such curled canes). Some woman even thought I was Moroccan.. It's been great fun and I would love doing it again sometime.