Wednesday, July 6, 2011

5 Reasons to Have Bellydance at Your Wedding

With so many wedding websites and blogs out there, there is a lot of talk about how to make your reception the most fun, the most original, and the most fabulous! I've noticed a lot of sites discussing whether belly dance is an "appropriate" form of entertainment. To me this argument is a bit funny, since belly dance is perhaps the most traditional wedding entertainment in the Middle East, an area known by some for its conservativism. There, the bellydancer is standard, and brings good luck to the new couple while making their wedding the talk of the town! So in an effort to raise awareness of this fabulous wedding option, here are your Top 5 Reasons to Have Bellydance at your Wedding:



1. Make an Entrance

One of the funnest new trends in weddings is to have a choreographed entrance by your wedding party into the reception venue. Why not throw a traditional Zeffah wedding procession into the mix for something different? Historically the the bellydancer led the bride and groom through the streets, bringing them luck and fertility. Today the dancer(s) leads the couple (and often the whole wedding party) dramatically into the reception hall, playing finger cymbals and wearing a sparkling Shamadan (candelabra) on her head. Check out this video to get an idea!


2. Throw a Memorable Party


You want your reception to be remembered as the best party of the year, right? Well, 81% of guests say the thing they remember most about a wedding is the entertainment.* Between all the long speeches, cake-cutting, and making the happy couple kiss, there's gotta be something a little different. A colorful, swirling, dramatic performance by a skilled bellydancer is just the right thing to enchant and delight your guests.

Plus, teaching your uncle Fred or Grandmother to imitate our hip shimmies is too much fun! Kids love belly dance too, little girls especially love the princess-like costumes and love to dance with us.

Entertainment is often one of the Bride's last priorities, but within one week after their reception, 78% of Brides say they would have made the entertainment their highest priority, and almost 100% of people say they would have spent more of their budget on the entertainment.* Something to think about!



3. Get the Party Started!

We've all been at a wedding where the food has been eaten, the first dance has happened, and music is playing...but everyone is still in their seat. Awkward! But wait, this is our specialty! Belly dance is a great ice breaker. A professional performer will entertain your crowd, then pull a couple feisty guests up to dance with her. By the end of it, people can't wait to get up on the dance floor and show off their moves!



4. Express your Culture

Do you come from an Arabic, Turkish, or Persian background? Maybe your partner does, or part of your family. What better way to pay homage to your culture than a dance performance! Whether it's a classic, glittering belly dance show or a more traditional Middle-Eastern folk dance, an experienced bellydancer can offer a wide variety of cultural dances.



The beautiful sight of a glowing bride, the heart-warming speeches and connections made, fun music and dancing, these are some of the wonderful things about a wedding. But if you're looking to really create a spectacular, memorable event, belly dance is a great way to do it! Let us wow you with shimmering "Isis wings", daring sword dances, sparkling candelabras and fabulous dancing, all with a smile and an eye for taking your event to the next level.

PS- We also do Bollywood dancing, and there is nothing like Bollywood to get a party going!


5. Be SPECTACULAR!

Looking for a particular color scheme, a special song, or a certain guest you'd love to see try their hand at belly dance? A professional entertainer is adept at meeting all the challenges of today's weddings. Our bellydancers have years of experience and this is what they LOVE to do!

Check out our hire page to learn more about bellydance performances and booking.





Wonder what a wedding performance might look like? Check us out below!



Some thoughts from our wonderful past clients:


"You were amazing!!!! The best money spent on my wedding!" -Suzie, bride
"We were thrilled with your performance to say the least. All of our guests commented how beautiful and entertaining it was. [You two] are so talented. Thank you again." -Natalie, bride 

"You did a wonderful performance, we couldn't have asked for anything better! You looked absolutely stunning and your dance was amazing!" - Samira, entertainment organizer

"On behalf of [my husband] and myself, I wanted to thank you for your beautiful performance. You added that touch of exotic-ness! Many guests complemented your work to us; you were fantastic." - Parisa, bride

"...Laura was absolutely fantastic, and everyone has been raving about the performance. She was professional and wonderful, and very engaging with the crowd (not to mention a very enthusiastic four year old). Many people have come up to us saying how much it opened their eyes to a new form of incredible dancing. It was the perfect touch to our wedding!" - Stephanie, bride

"You were a big hit at our wedding! Thank you for performing...and for being easy going with everything I needed, it turned exactly how I imagined!" - Rund, bride 





*These statistics were published in St. Louis Bride & Groom Magazine in 2003. Sources include: Simmons, 2001; USA Today, 2002; National Bridal Service, 2001; The Knot, 2002; Brides Magazine, 2001. This rendition of these statistics from the American Disc Jockey Association website adja.org

2 comments:

Bellydance said...

Nice! In fact, belly dancing has often been marketed and sold to the Western public as frivolous, tantalizing and light-hearted dance entertainment. I'm pretty sure all the guests/ audience will be entertained :D

Laura said...

It's true! I've performed at many weddings here in Canada that were often for a "Western" crowd. However there is still some confusion and concern about how a bellydance performance might fit in. This post is to clear up some of that!