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In the Summer of 2010, I decided to organise a huge Bellydance festival and world cup competition. I wanted to organise a festival that would show the world the variations and artistic levels of this genre of dance. I had many ideas concerning how to involve the media and attract the public with this program. <\/p>\n
Finally, I would like to feel that just once, when someone asks me, "Hey, what are you doin’?" I will not have to answer deceptively that I’m a teacher of ballet and folklore or an Oriental Jazz dancer, so that people recognize the artistic side and do not confuse what I do with, for example, Go-Go dancing. <\/p>\n
I would like to create a high-quality competition with the support of television, showing the artistic and theatrical side of Belly dance, and after that, I can say proudly that I’m an Oriental dancer and teacher!<\/p>\n
From the beginning, I envisioned that I would need a business partner to accomplish the organisational aspects. I would add my name and creative intellectual work to this project, but the rest of the organisation, such as the business and marketing part, would be my partner’s duty. <\/p>\n
For the location, I chose Turkey. Although it is one of the Middle Eastern countries, it is safe, and its capital, Istanbul, is called the \u201cNew York of the Middle East\u201d. It seemed perfect!<\/p>\n
The first partner I chose was a member of the Turkish political life. With his help, I hoped that we could qualify for subsidies from the state, if there were a framework for cultural events. <\/p>\n
Soon of course, it became apparent that there would be absolutely no help from the government, and additionally (according to them) Belly dancing is not considered an art, and and they do not feel that it is part of their culture. <\/p>\n
My second partner was a Turkish businessman, and the festival would have been organised in one of his hotels. Consequently, I travelled to there, and we agreed on a date in November of 2011. I worked intensively on the advertising and promotion, inviting such great dance stars as Randa Kamel <\/span>and Didem<\/span>. After 2 months of truly hard work, it became obvious that my organiser was not responding to my letters. He was not sending the official company information that would be necessary to start the website. <\/p>\n Later it turned out, that he thought I was \u201ctoo pretty\u201d to work together, and he would risk his family if he had a woman business partner… and other crazy thoughts…<\/p>\n The festival was cancelled 4 months before the event… but I didn’t give up. I cut the budget and found a Lebanese investor. He was not pleased that I wanted to have this festival in Turkey, but he showed enthusiasm anyway and encouraged me–until that time that he called me saying, "We could sleep together; don’t you think, Baby?" Finally, I started again, alone. I sold my car and my apartment, and I booked the five star Beach Resort with that money, including supplies, the gala room, training rooms, and a whole floor for the exhibitors. <\/p>\n I needed help in marketing, so I looked for companies. From my previous experiences, I chose only those whose owners were women. I tried to create as best I could; I wanted to have a gorgeous festival and competition with unbelievable prizes like 1000 Euros cash, a copyrighted drum solo, a haute couture designer costume, video, photography, and in addition, I found dance managers and club owners to support the festival with dance contracts.<\/p>\n This sounds quite good, huh?<\/p>\n Last night, only 2 months before the scheduled time, I have officially cancelled my big, fat dream festival. There weren’t enough participants! To be exact, there were only 11! Despite the fact that the program and the website visits broke records!<\/p>\n Since then I have puzzled about where I made my mistakes:<\/p>\n 1. I shouldn’t have started a huge project like this without beginning a business investment as a simple artist–just to show the world that a woman could do it.<\/p>\n 2. I should have considered that (nowadays) there 2 festivals every weekend throughout the world. All of the teachers must travel to every venue sometimes even without compensation. <\/p>\n 3. Organisers must remember that Belly dance festivals are not always run for business purposes, but for reasons of artistry, involving extensive and expensive attention to details. There are many entrepreneurs in the dance world who are hoping to create money-making festivals, and therefore, it is likely that heavy financial losses may be the reward for those (such as me) who are focused on the artistic requirements of the event.<\/p>\n Why do I want to organize a festival? When my festival’s website opened, in the first week, at least 15 teacher wrote to me, saying that he or she wanted to come to teach and would for free! However, those dancers who would like to improve, and learn the dance from a new side, were not demonstrating much interest. There would be many teachers without students to teach!<\/p>\n Most everyone wanted to belong to the stars and be designated and headlined as a \u201cmaster teacher\u201d, which is absolutely understandable; it was in my thoughts, too. I planned a theater show to be presented at the opening gala, which was supposed to impress the participants and feature me like a new shining star of the Oriental dancers!<\/p>\n If everybody plans and organises events such as this, the festival and workshop genre (which in the beginning was forged out of the love for the Oriental dance) will continue declining in public interest and in motivating and promoting artistry as well. <\/p>\n How can we save this dance and raise it to a worthy place in the eyes of society? Some artists may come from a family where they don\u2019t feel loved. That is the reason why we are hungry for success, hungry for the love, and hungry for the accolades! However, love is in us, and from others you will never get that what you can give to yourself. Change! <\/p>\n As Gandhi said: "Be the change you want to see in the world!"<\/span><\/p>\n As we accept and love ourselves, and recognise our unique qualities that only we possess (and no one else) then the world will change. There will be no need for an even bigger success because we will see it in our student’s eyes. There will be no need for a bigger reputation, because those who are priceless are already around us and they make our lives complete. We notice and respect each other\u2019s individuality because there is no more or better, just different. Everyone has his or her own following and reputation, and that is amazing!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Have a comment? Use or comment section at the bottom of this page or Send us a letter!<\/a> Ready for more?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \t\t\t<\/p>\n
\nThat was the last straw! Honestly, with all of my heart, I wanted to have this festival! I would like to give a chance to the young, talented dancers. I thought that the Universe had to be with me in a mission like this! <\/p>\n\n
\n \n April 28, Orientalesque Festival – Berlin
\nApril 28, Cairo By Night Festival – Stockholm
\nMay 2-6, International Bellydance Conference, Canada
\nMay 4-6, Orient Express Festival – Vienna
\nMay 10-14, Mediterranean Delight Festival – Marrakech
\nMay 10-13, Cairo Festival – Budapest
\nMay, Turkish Delight Festival – Istanbul
\nJune, Ahlan Wa Sahlan, Cairo
\nJune, Nilegroup Festival, Cairo
\nJune, Habaib Festival – Cairo
\nJune, Randa Of Course- Cairo<\/h6>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n
\nIn my opinion, with more and more festivals, the quality does not rise consistently but may actually decrease. Everywhere, people are trying to accomplish success within a small budget but the media is not interested in these amateur festivals that have been organized in community centers (even though they are international) and only involve a small number of people within the public. <\/p>\n
\nThe answer is very simple. We must put aside our egos, even though it may be difficult or even impossible as an artist. The success we would like to experience may lie beneath our feet; we do not notice it because we have already crossed it, and because we are not satisfied, or happy, and always want more. <\/p>\n![\"use](\"http:\/\/www.gildedserpent.com\/graphics\/acommentbox.jpg\")
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\nCheck the "Letters to the Editor<\/a>" for other possible viewpoints!<\/p>\n