 |  |  |  |  |  |
Home | Terms of Use | Advertise | Contact Us
1) LOCATION: Get the address, directions, parking information, and an on-site contact number or a cell-
phone number for someone in charge. Bring shoes you can dance in as well as a cover-up. Determine if
there is somewhere safe you can leave your belongings while you’re onstage.
2) PERFORMANCE TIME AND PAYMENT: Set your performance time exactly. You don’t want to think you’re
going on at 9:00 PM and then wait around until midnight. Get a deposit. Florists and caterers ask for one, and
you should, too! These days, PayPal makes things much easier, but if you don’t have PayPal, a personal check
will do just fine. Re-confirm the time - and your fee - a week or two before the event; re-confirm a day or two
before. Be a bit flexible in your time-frame, but by ten or fifteen minutes, not three hours! If it’s getting late,
pleasantly, but firmly, say you have another show, and “it’s now or never”. You and the client should mutually
agree to the length and nature of the performance. Negotiate payment BEFORE you accept the show, and it
never hurts to have a written contract.
3) COSTUMING/MUSIC/SHOW: Are you dancing to your own CD, or a live band? What is the sound system
like? There is nothing worse than music that is too low, especially if you’re in a big hall. Some wedding parties
may not want you to wear a revealing costume; they may prefer something more covered up. Do they want a
full show, or only a zeffah, or bridal procession? Though it might not be acceptable to dance around tables in a
club, at weddings, it’s usually fine; it ramps up the energy. Don’t actively solicit tips. During your gig
negotiations, it’s perfectly acceptable to ask if it’s a tipping situation. Ask before you set your price, then you
can simply adjust your price if it’s not. Look over your performance space; you may be dodging floral
arrangements, balloons, electrical cables and large video cameras mounted on tripods.
4) THE ZEFFAH: At Arabic weddings, you might be asked to do a zeffah, instead of, or in addition to, your
regular show. This is a traditional Egyptian wedding processional. The zeffah dancer’s duty is to lead the bride
and groom out for their first appearance as man and wife. Zeffah translates to “procession with noise” and is
usually done with multiple dancers, though it may be only you. There are many CD’s available with traditional
zeffah songs. When the couple’s names are announced and the music starts, enter with the bride and groom
following and lead them around the dance floor counterclockwise a few times (clockwise is considered bad
luck). Plant the couple in the center, and dance around them, encouraging them to kiss, hold hands, or dance
together. Lead them to their chairs, seat them and have the dancers pose for a photo-op. Raks shamadan (a
dance involving a lit candelabrum balanced on the head) is an Egyptian wedding tradition, dating back pre-
electricity days, and may be part of the zeffah, but is not absolutely necessary. If you’ve never done shamadan
before, a wedding is NOT the place to try it out! Get prior permission from the venue to use candles on your
shamadan. Many places won’t allow live flames due to fire regulations. If you can’t use real candles, use
battery operated candles (available at craft or party supply stores), but bear in mind that they are much
heavier than real ones. Check doorways for clearance, have matches or a lighter on hand, steer
clear of draperies, and don’t light up
until you’re just about to perform.
Avoid ceiling air-conditioning ducts.
They will blow your candles out and
spray melted wax all over your
hair…there is no such thing as
“dripless” candles once they’re
on your head, and you’re moving!
And make sure somebody gets
the kids out of the way!
These tips will help you in booking a
wedding performance - so, have a
great show, and don’t forget to say
“marhaba!” to the happy couple!
phone number for someone in charge. Bring shoes you can dance in as well as a cover-up. Determine if
there is somewhere safe you can leave your belongings while you’re onstage.
2) PERFORMANCE TIME AND PAYMENT: Set your performance time exactly. You don’t want to think you’re
going on at 9:00 PM and then wait around until midnight. Get a deposit. Florists and caterers ask for one, and
you should, too! These days, PayPal makes things much easier, but if you don’t have PayPal, a personal check
will do just fine. Re-confirm the time - and your fee - a week or two before the event; re-confirm a day or two
before. Be a bit flexible in your time-frame, but by ten or fifteen minutes, not three hours! If it’s getting late,
pleasantly, but firmly, say you have another show, and “it’s now or never”. You and the client should mutually
agree to the length and nature of the performance. Negotiate payment BEFORE you accept the show, and it
never hurts to have a written contract.
3) COSTUMING/MUSIC/SHOW: Are you dancing to your own CD, or a live band? What is the sound system
like? There is nothing worse than music that is too low, especially if you’re in a big hall. Some wedding parties
may not want you to wear a revealing costume; they may prefer something more covered up. Do they want a
full show, or only a zeffah, or bridal procession? Though it might not be acceptable to dance around tables in a
club, at weddings, it’s usually fine; it ramps up the energy. Don’t actively solicit tips. During your gig
negotiations, it’s perfectly acceptable to ask if it’s a tipping situation. Ask before you set your price, then you
can simply adjust your price if it’s not. Look over your performance space; you may be dodging floral
arrangements, balloons, electrical cables and large video cameras mounted on tripods.
4) THE ZEFFAH: At Arabic weddings, you might be asked to do a zeffah, instead of, or in addition to, your
regular show. This is a traditional Egyptian wedding processional. The zeffah dancer’s duty is to lead the bride
and groom out for their first appearance as man and wife. Zeffah translates to “procession with noise” and is
usually done with multiple dancers, though it may be only you. There are many CD’s available with traditional
zeffah songs. When the couple’s names are announced and the music starts, enter with the bride and groom
following and lead them around the dance floor counterclockwise a few times (clockwise is considered bad
luck). Plant the couple in the center, and dance around them, encouraging them to kiss, hold hands, or dance
together. Lead them to their chairs, seat them and have the dancers pose for a photo-op. Raks shamadan (a
dance involving a lit candelabrum balanced on the head) is an Egyptian wedding tradition, dating back pre-
electricity days, and may be part of the zeffah, but is not absolutely necessary. If you’ve never done shamadan
before, a wedding is NOT the place to try it out! Get prior permission from the venue to use candles on your
shamadan. Many places won’t allow live flames due to fire regulations. If you can’t use real candles, use
battery operated candles (available at craft or party supply stores), but bear in mind that they are much
heavier than real ones. Check doorways for clearance, have matches or a lighter on hand, steer
clear of draperies, and don’t light up
until you’re just about to perform.
Avoid ceiling air-conditioning ducts.
They will blow your candles out and
spray melted wax all over your
hair…there is no such thing as
“dripless” candles once they’re
on your head, and you’re moving!
And make sure somebody gets
the kids out of the way!
These tips will help you in booking a
wedding performance - so, have a
great show, and don’t forget to say
“marhaba!” to the happy couple!
PERFORMING AT WEDDINGS
By Princess Farhana
At some point in your career you will probably be hired
to dance at a wedding. A gig like any other? A piece
of (wedding) cake? Not so fast, doll! A wedding is a
major stepping stone in life, and may result in a display
of nerves from not only the bride and groom and
assorted family members, but even from the wedding
planner, caterer or deejay that hired you. Weddings
are notorious for running late, and this can be
compounded by bridal party photo-ops, traffic on the
way to the reception, a hired band playing longer than
they were supposed to, or even slow food service.
The fact that it’s a private family celebration will also
add elements of chaos in the form of kids running
around, people drinking too much, lengthy toasts,
amorous ushers, maybe even a fight! Prepare yourself
for anything to happen, and be ready with your own
Plan B (or even C or D) just in case. Once I was hired
“as a surprise” by a member of the wedding party to
perform at Armenian nuptials in Hollywood. When the
bride found out there was going to be a belly dancer
(oh, the horror!) she locked herself in the bathroom
crying hysterically. Sheepishly, the apologetic man
paid me… to leave!
Like I said, be prepared for anything! If the bride or
groom is hiring you, have them designate a contact
person who will meet and pay you. The bride or groom
may think they will be able to handle these duties at
the event, but trust me, they won’t! Whether it’s a
casual wedding or a big gala here are some things to
think about:
| Princess Farhana has performed, taught and written about Oriental Dance for seventeen years, and can probably be seen with her shamadan a-blaze at countless private bridal scrapbooks! For more info on Her Royal Highness, please visit: www.princessfarhana.com |