Adonia Belly Dance Creates a Multi-Level Candle Tray for Chicago Wedding Entertainment

Recently, Adonia Belly Dance fell in love with the idea of dancing with a beautifully decorated multi-level candle tray at her Chicago wedding entertainment events. However, after doing some research she found them to be very expensive. Being the crafty person that she is, she set out to create one of her own. In this blog, she has decided to share that process with you.

So let's get started! Here is what you will need.

Cleaning Supplies 
2 Bowls of water, dish soap, brasso, cotton pads, paper towel.

Adhesive 
Hot glue and Loctite metal to metal welded adhesive.

You will also need
A large serving tray, a wide candle holder, small decorative candle holder(s) (optional), candles, vintage necklaces and bracelets, crystals, wire or jump rings, pliers, rubber mallet.

Goodwill and garage sales are a great source for many of the non-cleaning and adhesive supplies listed above. I found all the metal items as well as the candles at Goodwill. I found the jewelry at various garage sales.

 Clean

 Add a little soap to one of your bowls of water and dip your necklaces and crystals in the water. If you would like you can give them a little rub to help clean them thoroughly. Rinse them in the other bowl of water and then lay them out to dry on paper towels. Then, Using your Brasso, paper towels, and cotton pads... Clean and polish your metal items. Make sure you use a little glass cleaner to wipe them down after using the Brasso. You really want make sure the metal surface is clean and residue free.

Anchor Points

You will need a reliably strong way to attach your decorations to the underneath side of the tray. In most cases, you will find a beaded chain and hook closure on your vintage beaded jewelry. Using pliers carefully remove that beaded chain. Then remove each link from the next. You will use these individual links as anchor points to attach the beads to the tray. It's much easier than it sounds. 

After determining and marking where your anchor points will be; on a paper plate place equal amounts of Loctite weld hardener and resin. For reference, my tray (shown here) is 14 inches in diameter and I have placed five equally spaced anchor points on the bottom. For symmetry, I have the same amount of anchor points on all levels of the tray. To continue, the hardener is the white stuff and the resin is the black stuff. Using a toothpick or chopstick mix them together until they turn gray. 

Be sure to do this quickly as it dries very quickly. You only have moments to get the "weld" in place. Be sure to mix very small batches of weld as you will likely only get one or two anchor points in place before the weld dries. I would suggest holding the anchor in place exactly how you wanted it to sit on the tray for a few minutes until it doesn't wiggle anymore. Repeat this until all anchor points are in place. If you feel like you would like more stability you can surround the base of the anchor point (where the adhesive is) with a little hot glue. Just give the weld the about an hour to cure before adding hot glue. Do not use only hot glue only to attach the anchor points or the weight of the beads and crystals may pull the hot glue off during practice or performance.

Once you have attached all anchor points your tray elements will look like what you see below.

         

 

Alignment and set-up

Next you want to determine the exact center of your tray to be sure it is perfectly balanced. This is the most important step!!! Measure multiple times to be sure you have everything lined up perfectly and then mark the radius of the candle holder base on the tray with a sharpie. Double check your measurements. Once you have determined the center radius of where the large candle holder will sit on the tray, flip the whole thing over. Place the tray on the large candle holder upside down and line it up to where it will sit once it is attached to the tray. Using a rubber mallet gently tap a dent in the tray underneath where the large candle holder will sit. Be sure to do this with the candle holder sitting on a soft carpeted surface as you want to be careful to not damage the candle holder. the purpose of creating the dent in the tray is to help increase balance as well as helping you find the center of balance quickly in performance. 

Assembly

 Now that you have everything prepped, measured, and marked it's time to permanently affix these pieces together into a functional balancing candle tray. Flip the big tray back so that it is right side up and leave the candle holder upside down. Mix another batch of Loctite weld on your paper plate. Make this batch about double the size you made the previous batches. using your toothpick or chopstick carefully place a ring of Loctite weld around the bottom edge of the base of your candle holder. Carefully place the candle holder right side up on your large tray, being sure to align it with the marks you made previously with the sharpie. Repeat this step for the third tier, if you have one. Also repeat this step for any additional candle holders that you want to add to the tray if you so desire. Once you have everything assembled give it about 24 hours to completely cure/harden.

Decorating - Making your tray versatile

Personally, I love my costumes and props to be as versatile as possible. I also loved things to match or at least be color-coordinated. So in an effort to get the biggest bang for my buck. I have created a way to change the look and feel of my candle tray to coordinate with my costumes. Here's how to do it. Earlier in this blog I mentioned that we would be using crystals. I would like to suggest that you use chandelier crystals. I managed to find a small chandelier for sale at a garage sale in a quote "well-to-do" neighborhood. You can also find them at thrift stores, flea markets, at lighting supply stores, and sometimes on places like eBay and Etsy. At any rate they are ideal for this project because they are sparkly and beautiful as well as versatile and functional. They are attached to each other with little wire loops. Kind of like fancy jump rings but with an open portion and much more flexible. At each one of your anchor points attach one or more of these crystals. 

Next you'll want to restring your beads onto embroidery floss or another durable string like beading wire. Get them beaded just how you want them and then tie each end to a jump ring. If you don't have jump rings then you can create something similar that will work by just wrapping some strong wire a round the end of a pair of needle nose pliers. Wiggle the wire off  the pliers and clip the long end of the wire and presto! You have a little wire ring to attach your beads to. Tie off  both ends of your string of beads securely to a wire loop or  jump ring. Then simply hang one end of the string of beads on the back of a crystal attachment and then the other end to the next crystal attachment. This is what makes this so versatile: you can easily interchange bead strings that you make specifically for your candle tray. So for instance, when preparing for a show if I am wearing a red costume I can simply change out my strands of clear AB beads for strands of red beads. It's as easy as changing your jewelry and the added beads on the edge of the tray adds weight to the outer edges and changes the center of gravity of the tray therefore making it slightly easier to balance. 

If you feel like the tray is a little slick underneath you can  glue the thin layer of felt that was on the bottom of the candle holder to the bottom of the tray. You could also get stickers that add traction to the bottom of your shoes from the insole section of the grocery store and stick that to the center of the bottom of your tray. Or you can also just crisscross layers of hot glue on the bottom which definitely keep the tray from moving much.

Thank you for reading this blog by Adonia Belly Dance. In another blog post coming up very soon we will be elaborating on this project to show you how to take your candle tray to the next level. So, check back often for more fun blog posts like this one. I would love to see how your basic decorated candle trays look when you complete them. If you have comments or questions or just need some help please let me know in the comments box bellow. If you do not see a comments box below please click here to join the conversation. 

Visit www.vintagebellydance.com to hire Adonia Belly Dance at your next Chicago wedding, birthday party, or special event. Love, your Chicago Belly Dancer! 

A Chicago Belly Dancer Discusses Undercutters in Belly Dance: It's all in your head...

Yes, it's all in your head says this Chicago Belly dancer! I know, I know, many of you may be

thinking that I'm a Loony Toon right about now, but follow me for a minute. When was the last time you heard Nordstrom look at Macy's and say, "OMG, can you believe Walmart is selling their stuff for half-price!" In a more realistic setting, have you even seen Nordstrom or Macy's run a smear campaign against Walmart? No, of course not, and you never will. Neither Nordstrom or Macy's care about what Walmart is selling or the price they're selling it at. Because you see, Nordstrom and Macy's have completely different clientele than that of Walmart. They don't target the same crowd nor do they provide the same quality of products. In essence. you get what you pay for.

So what does all this retail talk have to do with bellydance? Actually, a lot more than you would think. Very often, we hear things like "Can you believe it? So and so did a gig (class, workshop, etc.) for way less than what the rest of us charge. That's just not right." Let's admit it, we have all thought this at one point or another, myself included, and, though frustrating, it is not a very positive or healthy way to approach the topic. Now don't get me wrong, I am not promoting charging less than your area's going rate. I personally feel that if you're going to call yourself a professional dancer you should charge professional rates. That said, it is often very difficult to truly find out what those rates are. Many dancers won't tell you what they charge even if you are simply asking so that you can price your services appropriately for your area. Then there are others who will tell you what they charge but neglect the fact that they will often negotiate that price based on distance, season or holiday, their availability, and many many other factors.

At any rate, I digress, so let's get back to that retail talk. Think of the 'professional dancer' as Nordstrom or Macy's and the 'undercutting dancer' as Walmart. Is it really realistic for Nordstrom to charge Walmart prices? Conversely is it realistic for Walmart to charge Nordstrom prices? Of course, neither would work and for obvious reasons. So why would you ask a Walmart dancer to charge Nordstrom prices? You wouldn't. Yet both Nordstrom and Walmart are both very successful businesses because they market themselves to the appropriate clientele for their specific product.

If you're a Nordstrom dancer and your business is not doing as well as you would like, you really can't blame the Walmart dancer. Let's face it, that clientele would not have paid your rate even if there were no Walmart dancer. It really comes down to this, if you're not getting the amount of work you would like to see you have two options improve your product or lower your prices.

You may be asking, what if the Macy's dancer goes to Nordstrom's location and starts handing out  sale flyers. Isn't that undercutting? No, that is poaching. It is aggressive, distasteful, nonprofessional, and unacceptable, but it is not undercutting. In the end, each dancer charges what they feel they are worth. If you feel that they are worth more, then it is fair to let them know, in a kind way. Perhaps they are just unaware. If they continue to charge Walmart prices then that is their choice, and neither their choice nor yours is wrong.

Webster defines undercutting (undercut) as, "to offer to sell at lower prices than or to work for lower wages than (a competitor)". In the bellydance world we have created this terrible image of a dancer (the undercutter) that is maliciously out to steal all our jobs and is doing so by charging crazy low prices, therefore eating away at the very profession that is bellydance, and creating problems for the rest of us in the process. Yet Webster has no definition for undercutter as it relates to business or dance (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/undercutter). So as you can see, there is no such thing as a belly dance undercutter, it's all in your head. Though there are some dancers out there that do go after jobs with the intention of poaching them from another dancer, this is the exception not the rule. Most of the time dancers are just trying to get work the best way they know how, with the limited knowledge available on how best to get work as a professional bellydancer.

The best way to combat declining market rates is to freely share your pricing with others, don't assume everyone is out to steal your job, and educate those newer dancers who show interest in becoming a professional dancer. Just remember to have confidence in your product, always continue to improve it, charge what you're worth, market yourself to the appropriate clientele and you will reach your goals in no time.

Thank you for reading this blog by Adonia Belly Dance. I would love you hear your thoughts on the topic so please let me know in the comments box bellow. If you do not see a comments box below please click here to join the conversation.

Visit www.vintagebellydance.com to hire Adonia Belly Dance at your next Chicago wedding, birthday party, or special event. Love, your Chicago Belly Dancer!

Traveling Tips for Belly Dancers

As a Chicago belly dancer there many opportunities to perform and lots of amazing dancers and workshop opportunities to learn from, and Adonia Belly Dance loves to participate in as many of these as possible. However, There are very few options for getting truly critical feedback that is needed for a dancer to grow. After all, how are you to improve if you don't know what needs work? To get that feedback Adonia has been traveling to various competitions around the U.S. and boy has it been a journey. But, I find that the journey itself can be much more pleasant with a little bit of foresight. Here are my tips for easy travel.

- Always keep the absolute necessities for your show in your carry on! Costume, shoes, powder make-up...etc. This way if your bag is misplaced or doesn't get where it belongs, your covered...literally.

- Check the reputation of your carrier before buying your ticket. I know most air travel is a hassle but some carriers are better than others. I suggest going with Southwest, Virgin, or Jet Blue but NEVER fly Delta. They really don't care about their custumers or their baggage. My Friend Kirah (www.IntrinsicBellyDance.com) once flew in two days early to a competition just in case they lost her bags. They did and she did not receive them until the day she flew out. It was a disaster! Since then I always follow these first two tips.

-To save space when traveling with multiple costumes: Lay your belts or skirts out first then stack your bras one on top of another like cupcake cups.

- When flying with a sword: Get the biggest luggage box you can find and lay it in there diagonally so the whole sword with sheath is in the box. Then stack clothing. Be sure to tuck your business card in the sheath as well with a little note to TSA that you are a belly dancer and this is just a prop.

- When flying with a candle tray with low profile candles. After you pack your clothes but before you pack bath stuff. Put your tray in a plastic grocery bag and then stuff the candle side with as many plastic bags as possible. Then place the tray in your box with the candle side facing your clothes. This will keep it safe during travel.

- Double bag ALL liquids. Be it shampoo, hairspray, or tuna salad... Double bag it! Seriously, you don't want your room to smell like crazy all weekend or your bag and costumes for that matter. ICK! No mater what leaks, it will be a mess and a hassle.

-  Always keep business cards on you at all times. You never know when someone will be curious about what you do. And who knows sometimes it will even lead to another gig or future work.

- When going through security, check your purse for zills. Yes, zills. They will think you are carrying a bombing device of some sort. It happens to me every time I forget. So take them out and put them in your bag. It makes security much faster.

- Last but not least. Be flexible. Things will not go how you plan. Be as organized as possible but be open to a change in plans. You never know what cool things you will see or the interesting people you will meet in your travels. So stay flexible, open minded, and keep a good attitude and you will get there with a great story to tell.




Thanks for reading and please share your travel tips below. If you do not see a comments box below please click here to join the conversation. I would love to hear and see your feedback.

Visit www.vintagebellydance.com to hire Adonia Belly Dance at your next Chicago wedding, birthday party, or special event.

4 Ways to Make Your Belly Dance Skirt Work

Here at Adonia Belly Dance we love sparkly things, but what happens when you buy (or swap) a belly dance costume but it's just a little too short? Well you could resale it, or...make it work. Recently, I traded on of my costumes for this beautiful pink costume. I absolutly LOVE this costume but it is a little short for me. I knew this when I traded it but was determined to find a way to make it work for me. In my quest I have found a few options that worked beautifuly and I thought I would share them with you.

The Original Costume

So above is an image of the costume in the condition that I recieved it. I am 5'8" and this skirt is about 2" to short for me. This is a problem as I am super picky about how costumes fit and want to be absolutly sure the costume is flattering for my body.

Option 1: Add a Ruffle

My friend Sonya suggested I add a ruffle like the skirt above. I like the idea and think that there are some costumes that this would be the perfect option for. However, it just didn't feel right for this costume.

Option 2: Layer the Skirts

Then there was the idea of adding a fuller underskirt to add length as well as modesty in the slit area. I tried this on and it felt very comfortable. This was definitely an acceptable option and gave it coverage and some fullness while keeping the nice sleek lines of the costume. Dancing in this was a breeze and actually made it feel more comfortable to move in.

Option 3: Add Feathers

Then, sorta out of the blue, I thought...oh feathers... that would be cool. I wonder how that would look. So, I grabed a full boa and using safety pins I attached the boa about evey two inches. This kept the feathers well secured but still easily removable. I felt this was best so that the feathers could be washed, replaced, or removed if the next owner doesn't like or need them. The only problem was that when I danced in it I kept steping on the feathers.

Option 4: Add Feathers + Layer the Skirts

So I added the pink skirt back underneath and BAM! I was in LOVE! It was beautiful and functional. It was the perfect length and the underskirt kept me from steping on the feathers. It worked out perfectly and it is a dream to dance in.

Before you ask... NO, it is not for sale...yet ;) But I do hope that these options help you turn your next costume dilemma into a creation that is perfect for you. If you have any questions or comments please message me below. Did you create something fab using the tips in this blog post? Please post images here so we can all see your amazing creation. If you do not see a comments box below please click here to join the conversation. I would love to hear and see your feedback.

Visit www.vintagebellydance.com to hire Adonia Belly Dance at your next Chicago wedding, birthday party, or special event.

A Hairy Situation: Hair Extensions and Belly Dance

A Hairy Situation

If you are a belly dancer and have always wanted to know more about hair pieces or extensions
this blog by Adonia Belly Dance is the place for you. Today we are talking all about hair. As many of you know I recently got hair extensions but for years before I have played with hair pieces and styles to find exactly the look I am going for which is that classic American Cabaret belly dancer look but with a hint of a modern edge. Anyone who knows me know that is the style I LOVE. So today I just want to share with you some of my experience with this hairy situation.

When I was about 17 I had hair to my belt line and then I joined the united states air force (USAF) and decided to cut it all off and donate it to locks of love. Since then I have missed my long hair. I tried growing it out but I have a TON of hair and it was just impractical for my job in the USAF. So I left it be....After becoming a belly dancer I decided to grow my hair out but it takes some time.

In an effort to get that classic belly dancer look and the long hair I love I have tried hair pieces. For a long time I used they clip in track extensions which are basically a length of hair extensions on wig clips. Well this was great until one day in the middle of a show my hair got stuck on my finger/zill and flung right off across the room! OMG! I was so embarrassed. So what to do. I found a way to attach them by creating tiny little pony tails and attaching them to that point. But this was time consuming and when they were in to long they gave me a headache. Also, I was always a little worried they would come out.

When I went to Jewel of the Sierra 2012 I met a couple of dancers with beautiful hair! One of them told me that they use 3/4 wigs that clip in the same way as my old hair extensions but they were more secure because they were in a circle and you also attach them with the tiny pony tail method as before. I asked her how they worked and how they held up. She said that they were great and even held up thru her Ayoub section. WOW! Now that gives me hope! But I am still a little worried since I tend to flip my hair a lot.

So I did some research and happened to run across a posting from one of my friends on facebook who was looking for a model for her hair extension class. So immediately I contacted her and went in for a consultation. We talked about length and matched the color exactly. Then the big day came and I went in and spent about 7 hours getting SoCap extensions put in my hair. Wait! Don't get scared. It wasn't that bad and it normally doesn't take that long. It was a training day so she was just learning the process and I have about double the hair of most people aaaannnnddd.... I had three colors to be put in. So this was quite a challenge for someone just starting to learn the skill of applying hair extensions.

The process itself was painless. First, She washed and clarified my hair. Then she dried it and separated it. She attached about 160 bonds (tiny strands of hair) which is about three bundles in three or so rows. The hair is a long strand of clean human hair that is dyed with a textile dye so that is doesn't fade. It is a fixed to the hair on your head by a tiny dot of keratin adhesive which is safe for the hair as your hair is made of keratin. It is placed near the scalp and the glue is heated by the worlds tiniest flat iron. Then TaDa! You have a hair extension. Once they were all in it was time to cut and curl. All the sudden I had the hair that I had when I was a girl but better.

I LOVE my new hair extensions. They do require some maintenance to keep them from becoming a mess but nothin to troubling. Keep them as tangle free as possible, don't apply direct heat to the bonds, and braid or put your hair up when you sleep. Pretty basic long hair up keep. The only thing that has bothered me is just getting use to the bonds. For some reason the are a little itchy to me right now but I am sure that will calm down as they relax and adjust. I am just not use to feeling them in my hair yet. I am sure I will get use to how they feel. Other than that, the are FANTASTIC! I have swam with them and performed with them in three shows and they are just wonderful. They feel fine, they look amazing, and I feel beautiful. If you are looking to get hair extensions I would defiantly suggest them and would suggest going to Solo Salon in Chicago to get them done.

 If you have any questions or comments please message me below. If you do not see a comments box below please click here to join the conversation. I would love to hear your feedback. Visit www.vintagebellydance.com to hire Adonia Belly Dance at your next Chicago wedding, birthday party, or special event. 

5 Tips to get the most from your belly dance class

With all my heart, I love to teach belly dance classes in Chicago. I love to watch my students grow, learn, and become more confident with each class.  My students are wonderful people and I admire their positive attitudes towards learning. And, I appreciate their kind way of always telling me their honest opinion of the class and what they would like to see more or less of.

That said, we don't all start that way. What if your new to belly dance classes and have no idea where to begin. What class is right for you? What should you expect? What is and isn't appropriate? While every instructor has their own 'ism's' and rules, There are some basics that ring true in most classes. Knowing these can help you pick a class that's right for you, walk in confidently, and help you feel more comfortable than you might otherwise be. So lets get to it...

1. Know what class is right for you.
What do you need or what are you looking for in a belly dance class? Do you want to learn the art of belly dance or do you simply want to get stronger or lose weight? If you want to get fit and lose weight or just want to go shake it with your girlfriends go check out a gym or recreation center. Look for a class that focuses on fitness or focuses on a more cardio based program. If you want to learn the more technique or the nuts and bolts of the dance. Find a belly dance school, smaller gym, college, or yoga/Pilates studio and you will often find a class that focuses more on technique. You can learn which type it is by the online description or just give them a call and ask.

2. What do you need to start.
You will need something comfortable to wear and I would suggest wearing something that makes you feel beautiful and good about yourself. Just be sure that it is stretchy or movable and wont keep you to warm. I generally suggest that you don't wear jeans or sweat pant's or sweat shirts. Generally yoga type pants, a comfortable top, and bring your scarf if you have one. If you are going to a fitness class then you won't need anything specific, just you and some comfortable clothing. If you are going to a technique class then there is a possibility that you may need zills or a veil... Though you will not generally need them immediately. Most instructors will give you some time or have them available for sale.

3. What should you expect.
Assuming that you are starting in a beginner level class... You can expect a short warm up, the 'meat' of the class, and a cool down. The 'meat' of the class in a fitness class will consist of non stop movement with the goal of raising your heart rate. Or in a technique class you can expect focus on muscle isolation, steps, and musicality. These things will often be but together into combinations or choreography.

4. Be prepared.
ALWAYS come to class clean and wearing what ever deodorant you use but try not to wear much fragrance, if any, because you never know if one of your class mates will be allergic to the sent. Once you have joined a class the instructor will tell you what you need for class each week. Bring those things to class. Be early to class and don't forget to bring.... your comfortable clothes, a hip scarf, veil, zills, and water. You should always have these things ready for class because you never know when you will need them.

5. Don't forget you are paying the instructor to teach you.
Always remember you are there to learn the dance of another culture and as such... please be sensitive and aware of those cultural sensitivities  Also, While it is fun to go and chit chat and giggle with your friends, When class is in session the teacher has the floor and talking over her or trying to 'help' teach your friend in class is disruptive to others and disrespectful to the instructor. Remember, you are paying her to teach for a reason, so give her the respect she deserves. If you or your friend have a question be sure to ask the instructor as it is likely that others have the same question. Doing so will help the whole class and let every feel included.

If you follow these 5 simple tips when attending your first set of belly dance class then you should find yourself in a very fun and rewarding class situation. See you in class :)

Hugs and Happy Dancing,
Adonia

Busting Belly Dance Price Myths for Chicago Weddings & Events

From weddings to birthday parties, here at Adonia Belly Dance we LOVE to have fun at our Chicago shows. Even in the booking process we try to keep things light and happy, but what happens when a client doesn't like the price because they feel that either there are 'no costs to recoup' so therefore the dancer should charge less or that it costs to much based on time alone. Well, lets take a look at what goes into your show, how and why the price is what it is, and what Adonia provides for your show that will set the experience apart from the rest to make you both impressed with the spectacular performance given at your event as well as confident and happy that you chose us.

The price of a show is entirely dependent on the needs of the costumer and how far away they are. I once had a client tell me that because I had no 'overhead' and no 'product' that I should charge less than the price I quoted him. This line of thought bothered me deeply. In fact it was this situation along with another that sparked this blog post. If this person feels this way then there must be others who also share this thought, so presto... we are going to bust the lid right off this, and other, myth(s).

So let's get right down to it. We'll check off the easy ones first... topping the list we have the dance itself. No dancer just wakes up as an amazing accomplished dancer worthy of entertaining your guests. She had to train for at least 4-5 years before ever setting foot on stage. Assuming that she took classes at the general rate of $10-15 a class every week for 5 years her training totals  $ 2600 - $3900 not including private lessons or workshops. So, well, say an average of about $3000 to be fair. However, when you hire top notch entertainment from Adonia, she takes it to the next level. Ho hum or just good enough doesn't fly here so she continues her training on a regular basis from internationaly renowned instructors to keep your show exciting and high class. The price for that ongoing training averages about $300 a month. So we can easily round over 9 years of training to approximately $6000 in total to include the previous $3000.

Then there is costuming, props, and beauty routine. I know, why does this apply to you? It applies to you because you work very hard to make sure that your event has every detail in order. Why would you spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars on the perfect venue, DJ or band, decorations, flowers, invitations or marketing, etc. but hire the cheapest dancer possible to save money only to find yourself completely embarrassed by either her dancing, terrible demeanor, or terrible appearance. Pretty much your worst nightmare, right?

Even if you are planning something small, quality always tops the list and sadly you can't buy high quality anything for peanuts. WHAT!? Say it aint sooo.... alas my friends, tis true. Seriously though, let's look at the numbers. Quality costuming $300-$1200+ on average. So for the sake of numbers we'll go half way and say the average costume is around $750. Then props... and I am going to just add the average price for those props included in your standard set. This does not include specialty items. Single Veil $50-$100, Zills $40, Balancing prop such as sword or candelabra $70-$200. Total average prop price for a standard set....$250. Then there is hair cut and color which can easily be $200. If you like dancers with long hair, they likely have extensions for about $1200 and professional polished nails (fingers and toes) will run you about $50 a month give or take, depending on your salon.

Of course you want someone who is fit and has some color so she shows up in the photos right? Let's face it, without tanning some of us could be Casper's sister. So, tanning runs about $40 a month and the gym runs about $30 or so a month. Make-up is the most difficult to predict as you can't conclusively predict how much you use for each show but to give you an idea, lashes are $16 and the brushes alone run $40 each and most of us have at least a dozen of them along with hundreds of dollars in powders and creams so that we look perfect for your show.

Not to mention, most dancers spend nearly 3 hours prepping before each show. That 3 hours is just shower, hair, and make up. Depending on how fast you can get it all done, the time will vary, but 3 hours is a good average for most dancers. 

Additionally, we spend hundreds of dollars to find the perfect music to make your show dynamic, and trust me that is an expensive and lengthy process. Adonia goes the extra mile to spend what feels like endless hours editing that music so that it all merges together perfectly so your guests walk away beaming, happy and remember what a great time they had at your event.

All right boys and girls.... POP QUIZ. Given the above parameters, how much does your 15-45min show cost before the dancer walks in the door at your event? *Insert Jeopardy music here*

Let's show our work shall we.... Training $6000, Costume $750, Props $250, Hair $1400, Nails $50, Tanning $40, Gym $30, Music $200 (conservatively), Make-up $500 (conservatively)... please note that this does not included the cost of the marketing required to help you find us, gas money for the trip or wear and tear on the vehicle, parking, meals, luggage to get our props and costumes to and from the show, the time included in the 3 hour prep, or the travel time involved in attending your event...... *drum roll please*.........$9220 HOLY MACARONI!!!!

So... Myth #1: Belly dancers have no costs to recoup so should therefore charge less....BUSTED!

Myth #2: Belly dancers charge based on time.....NOT TRUE! And here's why.

As we have shown above, there are specific costs incurred to perform at each show before the dancer even walks in the door, regardless of the length of time of the show. The length of the show is really based on the average audience demographic for each event and the needs of each client to create the show of their dreams. So it is highly impractical to charge by the minute, or even by the hour. This is why we charge by the show and have different packages for different events. Also, there is lots and lots of practice and or choreography time put into each show. The longer the show, the more work there is to be done to create the show, also the more specialty props or requests the client would like to include, the more pre-show hours are incurred to make the show to your specifications. This is why there are fluctuations in the pricing between packages. Those packages have been created so that each client gets charged a fair rate based on their needs.

Having a belly dancer at your venue or event is a luxury, setting you and your wedding, venue, or event apart from the rest. When you hire Adonia for your Chicago wedding, birthday party, or show you get the best in belly dance entertainment. She pays attention to your every detailed need incorporating your theme or color scheme into her performance attire, along with a wide variety of specialty props, and professional images for your marketing or invitations. She also (if requested in advance) incorporates your favorite music into the show or would be happy to connect you with fabulous top Chicago middle eastern or greek bands to complete the ambiance of your event. As you can see, the better the bellydancer, the classier you look and the more impressed your guests will be with you.

Thank you so much for reading this and I hope it has helped bring to light why quality dancers charge what they charge and how you get your money's worth from hiring a belly dancer. If you have any questions or comments please message me below. If you do not see a comments box below please click here to join the conversation. I would love to hear your feedback. Visit www.vintagebellydance.com to hire Adonia Belly Dance at your next Chicago wedding, birthday party, or special event.



Hugs and Happy Dancing,

Adonia