da Sage

It is the standard tipping method in town, and I think it's pretty common around the US. There was one restaurant with tip jars in the lobby, instead, but that restaurant closed down. Incidentally, the last time I was there, I did notice that the female dancer got more in tips than the male dancer.

EDIT: And I haven't seen any local dancers who look like strippers, regardless of how (or whether) they take tips.

Tabitha

The money in the front of her bra made me cringe, and I just thought "Poor girl, she didn't know how to avoid that, or maybe she's under the impression that that's OK."

Like others have said, tipping is a standard practice in many places. For me, getting tipped on the body is not only a big part of my income, but a fun, light-hearted way to interact with the audience. It can sometimes break the ice when the audience might feel awkward about watching me dance while they are eating, and it's also a fun way for a patron to have a quick moment with me during the show. I have gotten some of the most wonderful complements while people get to show their appreciation with money.

On the downside, there are ALWAYS going to be people (men and women) who try to take tipping too far. But I have a very sharp tongue and am not afraid to emberass someone to make an example for the rest of the restaurant.

I guess since I have always found restaurant work entertainment first and art second, that I have never had a problem with taking tips on my body. I mean, we're already dancing around food and servers on a dirty floor with sometimes children running around and all sorts of un-artistic obstacles so you just gotta roll with it.

Oh, and not to mention the going rate for restaurant work is very low in the SF Bay Area, and tips greatly help supplement that income!

__________________
~Tabitha~

Mariles

Well, i can see that this is a very discussable subject. I understand that this depends on each one opinion and each society. I just refered mine, my point of view, because it´s the first situation of tiping that I see, I didn´t like it, but it could be usual in another countries, in Portugal we don´t see that very often. But you know much more than me about what we´re talking, i'm still a "junior", so it is possible that I say something ignorant...

Tabitha

Just curious, do dancers in Portugal get tipped at all?

__________________
~Tabitha~

Mariles

The majority of dancers who I know personly, don´t do it,and in all shows that I have been, the dancer never did it and people never offered money to her. I think this is not usual here. My teacher knows a lot of bellydancers, I´ll ask her about this.

da Sage

Hi Mariles - It is not ignorant to offer your honest opinion on something. I totally understand what people are reacting to with this picture! But you can take body tips from people, and still be a respectable dancer. It's like dancing itself, it's all in how you do it. I think it is also important to take the local norms into account.

*elly belly*

i know this great dancer who only allow tips to be handed to her, perhaps in her hip (never near the unmentionable areas =P) or the higher part of the strap of her bra. i think i go the same way, well, wat would happen with me is i get them handed to me and i tuck them in my hip belt or bra straps, i think thats the best way to do it. i dont know though, do you guys think its wrong if i do it that way?

Tarik Sultan

One of the reasons why I wear a net shirt under my vest or have one built in. People want to interact with the dancer. It's not neccessarily a seedy thing. If people want to tip me, they can put it in the shirt. I hold the neck open and they can drop it in without having to touch my body. I'll place a dollar in the front of my shirt so they see where it should go.

For a woman, this wouldn't work though. It does for me because I don't have boobs. For women, I think arm bands would make life easier. I also wear them and I'll sometimes place a dollar in it so that they know that is where it goes if they want to tip me. This would work for ladies. Also long gloves. That way you don't have to worry about the tips falling out.

I really don't like the money showers because there's the issue of having to pick them up. It looks tackey if you do it and you can't always trust that the staff isn't stealing any of it, plus some establishments take tips. What's on me stays on me, no ifs ands buts ors about it.

da Sage

You should seriously consider doing whatever's usual in your area, but if you aren't comfortable with the usual, do something else.

The thing about accepting a tip and tucking it in your costume yourself, is that many people will take that as a cue to tip in-costume. I think it is confusing if a dancer tucks tips in her own costume, but doesn't allow others to tuck them in for her in the "safe" areas. I'm not sure if that is what you are describing? If it is just that the dancer only allows people to tuck in in certain areas, that is normal body tipping.

This is bellydancing. Someone, somewhere, is guaranteed to think everything you do is wrong. So you just need to decide what you want to do, and why.

Salome

da Sage has a point, certainly if you are 'going out for tips'. But if you are receiving a tip in a hand to hand type situation there is nothing wrong with tucking it in your costume. In fact I did that last night myself, a gentleman approached the stage during my first set and handed me a 1,000 bill, whoohoo (rupies not dollars, lol). I can't run back stage and tuck it in my wallet or set it down on the stage somewhere. Tucking it in my belt keeps it nice and safe until I'm let loose in the mall.