I completed an 8-week belly dance course at the same studio that I attended last year. The course was 1.5 hours each week and included an opportunity to perform at the end. Initially, I was hesitant to join since it coincided with my busiest work period, but I’m very glad I did!
We decided to wear the same costumes as last year but I borrowed a skirt and belt from my teacher to make a particular move easier. Most importantly, this is my first time using a veil so I learned something new!
I bought my veil at The Silk Bazaar; it’s high quality (lightweight habutai silk veil) though a bit pricey – about AUD$90. There were limited colour options available, and I was torn between the pink and orange veils. I asked Ben for his opinion, and he suggested the green one. 😅 However, since we were instructed to use colourful veils, I ultimately chose my favourite pink colour and I loved it.
Ben was supposed to be on a work trip in Adelaide that week, but he decided to fly back to Melbourne early to see my performance. I am very grateful to have someone so supportive by my side. 🥰
We performed at the same venue as last year, and the music is Soumboula Hanom Al-Ahran Orchestra. I decided to take a day off from work because I was always in a rush in my previous performances, so I had more time to prepare. Most importantly, I just wanted some time to rest since I’ve been so busy at work lately.
Our finishing pose
During the performance, my skirt and belt felt loose and kept shifting – I regretted not pinning them properly as they were fine during practice. I took an extra step this time by having someone do my makeup (since I’m hopeless at that 😂) and wore fake eyelashes for the first time. To be honest, it was a bit distracting and maybe next time I’ll keep it simple… At least I tried!
This was my first time performing in the middle position of the choreography, and I was really excited. I asked Ben to record the performance using a mini tripod, set to 4K quality at 30 FPS with no HDR. I am happy with the quality though the video ended up being four times larger than the default size.
I also enjoyed shopping at the belly dance stores at the show, and this time I had more time for it. 😁 I bought a bracelet and a hip scarf that can also be used as a head scarf.
Bracelet
Hip scarf
I bought a full dinner ticket for Ben and a show-only ticket for myself because I wasn’t sure when we would be performing, and I didn’t want to dance on a full stomach. When the show finished after 11 PM, I was starving by the time I got home, so I picked up McDonald’s on the way back.
Ben’s dinner at the show: Chicken fillet and cheese cake
Bought McDonald on the way back, and we were excited to see the Minions packaging
I spent a lot of time practicing at home. Preparing for a performance required a lot of effort! Nevertheless, belly dance is fun and brings me a lot of joy.
I hope to perform as much as possible because it boosts my confidence and gives me something exciting to look forward to. The experience of preparing for and participating in performances is incredibly fulfilling. I might even look for a professional belly dance costume, not just for performing, but because it makes me feel good wearing it. 🙂
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