Things I learned in Vegas

Professional photos coming soon, for now you have to settle for my pre-show selfie.

 

I am back from Vegas and hopefully back to a normal blogging schedule! I'll be writing about the Las Vegas Bellydance Intensive in a couple of places, so to save myself from repeating myself too much, here on my personal blog I'll share some helpful tips for surviving in Vegas, some LVBDI-specific and some not:

 

1. Don't drive up to Vegas on the same day that you are performing. I was stiff and sore and it took a lot of makeup to cover up the marks that my sunglasses left on my nose. Plus I was stressed about getting checked in and touched up and changed into my costume on time!

 

2. Hotels in Vegas are huge mazes, as are their parking garages. Leave yourself plenty of time to get to wherever you are going.

 

3. If at all possible, go off the Strip to eat. The food will be more affordable, tastier, and you will have a shorter wait time and better service.

 

4. If you have to go someplace off the Strip (for instance, over to Target to buy some things you forgot to pack), go as early in the day as you can, because there will be almost no traffic and you'll find a better parking spot in the Flamingo's garage when you come back.

 

5. If you're a tea addict, pack your own electric kettle, tea and mug. You'll save a ton of time and money by not having to get your fix from the coffee shop in the hotel. Bonus tip: You can also bring Cup o Noodle or some other "just add hot water" soup options for quick lunches. Hey, it's important to save money to shop, gamble, or go to an expensive buffet.

 

6. Go to the evening pro shows at LVBDI! Yeah, the tickets were $30 each this year and I'm guessing they'll be around the same next year, but the shows feature a lot of top-notch talent and are held in a beautiful theater with great sound and lighting and stadium seating so everyone gets a good view. And where is this theater? IN THE LIBRARY! Way to go Vegas, putting your tax money to good use!

 

7. Can't afford those show tickets, or the workshops you want to take? Volunteer! I did a volunteer shift at the merchandise booth on Saturday afternoon. It was really easy! I sold things to people, but mostly I told people where the bathroom was, or sent them down to Information or Registration if they wanted to swap workshops or buy tickets or register for 2014 or whatever. You can also volunteer to be a workshop helper and check people in and help the instructor with the sound system and whatever else they need, and you get to be in that workshop for FREE. Plus volunteering is a nice way to meet people.

 

8. If you can wake up early in the morning, it's totally worth it to take a workshop at 8:30 on Sunday morning. I found I was waking up early, so I signed up for one while I was there, and since I was the first person to show up, I was able to actually sit and chat with the instructor (Paige Lawrence) for a few minutes. Then we had a small group, which made for a really intimate experience where everyone got to interact, ask any questions they had, and discuss the exercises we were doing.

 

9. Vegas apparently exists in some sort of timewarp to the 1960s where men think it is OK to call a woman "baby" and "hun" and waiters think it is ok to snuggle up to you when taking your order. And that's not even getting into the bro-dudes. Make sure you have someone you can vent to when you get hit by a wave of sexism.

 

10. Don't over-indulge! Be mindful of any morning workshops or performance slots you have, and act accordingly. It's tempting to stay out late drinking and partying, but then you miss out on the LVBDI experience because you got caught up in the standard Vegas experience! 

On writing a good intro

You don't want to get a disapproving look from Becka Bomb, now do you?

On the request of Becka Bomb, one of my favorite emcees ever, I am going to write a few words about how important it is to write a good intro when you're performing. I know, I know, it can be really hard to talk about yourself in the third person, and even harder to decide what to say and what to leave out. But writing an intro is a skill, and like any skill, it just gets better with practice. Besides, I'm here to give you a list of tips.

1. Follow the guidelines given to you by the event. If they ask for a short two-line intro, give them two lines. If they want an entire paragraph, do that. Do not just send in whatever you already have written, whether or not it fits the bill.

2. That said, you can save yourself a lot of hassle by already having some pre-written intros or by setting yourself a formula. My formula for a short intro is to say "Sophia Ravenna is a member of Fire & Gold Bellydance and a solo performer. <insert one line about what I am presenting at this show> You can find out more about her at www.sophiadances.com." For shows that want an entire paragraph, you can probably have one paragraph that you always use, with maybe one line that mentions specifically what you're doing at that show.

3. Do not be afraid to either include the pronunciation of your name, or to talk with the emcee and double-check that she knows how to say it. That can save one or both of you from some embarrassment!

4. If you're dancing as a troupe, say something about who your director is, or how you formed. Small troupes can get away with including everyone's name in the bio. More than 4-5 people and it gets awkward.

5. If you are performing at a large event with acts from all over, make sure to mention where you're based out of so people know where to find you in the future!

6. If you are a relatively new student, or if your teacher helped you a lot in the development of your piece, mention your teacher in your bio. If you are performing material exclusively developed by a specific troupe (like Anaya Tribal) then mention that. Otherwise, you really don't need to name-drop.

7. Feel free to have a little fun. If you're performing at a themed event, write a special intro that meshes with the theme. If you're dancing at a birthday or wedding and you know the guest(s) of honor, include a little shout-out to them. Things like that.

8. Do not over-explain. Good: "Sophia would like to dedicate this dance to her husband in honor of his birthday." Over-explain: "Sophia is dancing to one of her husband's favorite songs tonight. The drinking motions reference the many bottles of root beer they shared during their courtship; her costume is made from one of his old t-shirts that she bought for him after their second date" etc etc etc. Keep it short and sweet, let the audience figure out the rest or ask you about it after the show.

9. You don't have to be clever. If you're drawing a blank on what to write, just state your name, the song you're dancing to, and how much you appreciate being part of that night's entertainment.

10. Before you send it out or hand it in, double check that your name and any contact information is spelled correctly! Maybe even read it out-loud to make sure it doesn't come across as too awkward.

Follow these tips and hopefully you'll have a happy emcee and event coordinator every time you perform!