by Jaime Roxann Wright

Created on: April 15, 2008   Last Updated: July 14, 2009

Most people dream of performing, of being a star. No one ever thinks that behind the scenes the amount of preparation can be so overwhelming that those 20-30 minutes in front of a cheering crowd can be stressful and intimidating, even after years of experience. The reasons for dancing, schedule, lifestyle, costuming, and self-esteem issues can all be contributing factors to the dreaded belly dance burnout.

When I first became a belly dancer, there was nothing more exciting to me than doning the glamorous bedlah (costume). I felt like an exotic princess with the shiny beads and glittering rhinestones galore; tassels and coin fringe jingling as I walked. Now 8 years later, going to perform a show seems like drudgery. How did it get this way?

A dancer has to evaluate her reasons for dancing every so often. If belly dancing is not your career, but just a side business or hobby; one has to decide how far are you going to take it? I had the option to make it a career, but in the midst of the height of my popularity, I became pregnant and I thought my career days were over. I got back into it about 3 months after the birth of my child, and was excited about it all over again.

When I re-evaluated my reasons this time, it was physical fitness and money. You have to ask yourself everyday you perform, why are you doing this? Is it your dream, is it for money, do you just like the attention it brings? Do you really have a passion for the dance itself? Or is it time for you to switch your role in Middle Eastern Dance to something behind the scenes?

The first thing that can bog a dancer down is the schedule. Most restaurants want you to be there around 8 when the peak dining is. Then there are the more hookah lounge oriental venues that want you to be there between 10-11pm. For those with daytime jobs or responsibilities, this can be daunting as you get to bed pretty late and have to rise early. Private functions can range from mid-day to late evening in starting times and usually involve massive amounts of pre and post performance waiting and even post show socializing. When doing a multiple amount of gigs in one evening, depending on how aggressive you book yourself, your day could be a non-stop race of drive there, shake and shimmy, skidattle to the next gig. This can create a lot of pressure and physical exhaustion.

Another factor is the lifestyle. I have always managed to keep myself popular enough to make sure that I have plenty of work but not enough to deal

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