To start off, let me just say that make-up and I have never been great friends. I am allergic to just about everything and have eye lids that are extremely sensitive. That being said, after years of searching I think I have found the one line that might actually not harm my skin… Bare Essentials (yes I am late on joining the bandwagon). I have used this a few times now and here is what I have experienced from a dancers perspective:

1. It lasts! I sweat quite a bit and this holds up pretty well. The eye liner could have lasted a little longer, but everything else was fantastic.
2. The particles are big enough (I am using the natural mineral form not pressed format) that they should not enter my pores. 
3. My skin texture felt smoother after I took the make up off (that’s a nice bonus).
4. The colors are very vibrant compared to what I had anticipated. They have quite a good range of colors and even metallics! I can’t use the metallics due to my eyelid sensitivity but if you can do it go for it!
5. It felt very light on my skin. I can usually feel the heaviness of the product, but this felt so comfortable and light. It’s perfect for summer gigs.

That being said, I am the type of girly that never wears foundation. I rather go pay the dermatologist to get my skin healthy rather than cover it up, and this is a really great middle ground for in between the stressful times and dermatologist visits. The ifoundation is light enough where I feel my skin can still breathe and be seen. I hope this solves all my allergy and eye lid sensitivity issues and that any other girls out there with crazy reactive skin types try it out like I did. I was skeptical, but am liking the results so far. Hopefully in a few months I can come back and update this with more positive news. Let’s wait and see…

It’s a bird, it’s a plane, no….its the oversized ego of a super diva! It is amazing the characters you meet in the entertainment industry and no other character gets my blood boiling more than the divas and divos. It is one thing to be confident and secure of oneself, but to think you are THE most amazing thing in the world and think you are just too good for anyone else is another story.  I can personally speak from experience that dealing with the diva(o) leads to negative outcomes. I once had to work with a performer that although  this person had limited belly dance experience, thought she was the most amazing thing since sliced bread. Now this did not ruffle my feathers too much at all (I already had met a number of these personalities) but the actions that resulted from that did. This person refused to share the spot light, would give dirty looks to other dancers while they performed their set, would purposely walk the other way in order not to cross paths, purposely would take too long getting ready so the next dancer would have to start late, would give you “tips” that frankly were designed to bring your confidence down.

 My focus for today though is on the twist to the story…the divos! Divos are the male counterpart to the diva. I met one recently who gave me and the rest who crossed his path quite a good laugh. This person was a musician hired to do an event. I was the performer hired to perform at the event. A last minute attempt was made by the coordinator to see if we would possibly want to unite our talents for a segment of my performance. I told the coordinator yes (I love dancing to live music) and the coordinator passed on my contact information to this person…..but no email ever came. The day of the event the musician came up to me asking me when we would start. I am sorry, but until that moment I had no idea who the musician was, had never heard a solo from him in order to access his abilities, and if there is one thing about me to know, it’s that I do not do things half way. All musicians are NOT created equal. The divo presumed to grumble to the coordinator and out loud try to ruin the mood.  To make a long story short, I went ahead with the show I had designed especially for the occasion and everyone was raving about the performance.  In the end, the people he tried to get on his side were so disappointed in his childish behavior and will gladly work with me and not him ever again.

 You have to be humble in life. If you are talented that’s fantastic, but no one will want to work with you again if you have a diva(o) attitude.  Acting rudely to anyone else “in your way” also makes you have a terrible reputation.  This business is about passion, talent, and personality. What goes around comes around and no one is too good to stop learning or being kind to others.

How to spot a Divo/Diva (jajajaja)

1. Listen for the person barking orders
2. Usually eying everyone up and down that crosses their path
3. Always have a pen for potential autographs handy in their costume
4. Are the first to wail when things do not go their way  
5. Are the first to give themselves credit when something good happens (it is never the talented team that made it possible, it is their effort only)

Last night I performed at a wonderful Persian/American wedding. I am writing this blog as a than...

How to Tip a Belly Dancer

The question on the appropriate way to tip is one I decided to devote an entire blog article on because of all the misconceptions and varying answers associated with this practice. I am one of the most strict dancers I know when it comes to my policy on how to accept tips, but before I explain my method, it is important to share a little cultural insight. You see, in the middle east it is customary to tip your belly dancer for putting on a spectacular show. Often times the money is given to her in a couple of ways:
                                                                                           1) By placing it directly into her costume/ accessories
                                                                                           2) Throwing it over her dance area or above her head in a money shower

Unfortunately  the extent to which a dancer allows her clients to place tips on her costume has different interpretations. I rather not go into detail but with some “belly dancers” it can get darn right raunchy! The good news is that these are almost always not professionals. The majority of real professional belly dancers will allow body tipping only in the form of bills being tucked into the sides of their belt or into their accessories. Bra tipping is still used by some (it is up to the dancer) but I am strictly against it personally.

 Opposed to the norm, I only allow tipping in my hand or in a money shower. Clients have often asked me why “said belly dancer over at another restaurant” allows them to tip her in the bra and I don’t, and the answer is simple….we are not in the middle east. While I see nothing wrong with the practice of generous clients body tipping a dancer, I am here in a country where it is not part of the regular custom or culture to have a belly dancer. While belly dance has been highly embraced here, I find that many times clients base their tipping perceptions off of movies, t.v. and other often inaccurate and misconstrued representations in how to tip a performer. “This is NOT a strip club”. I do not want anyone to touch me in any inappropriate area  and I find that working in Orlando (Florida in general) with a myriad of cultures and customs, the best way to prevent those situations in general is to just not allow body tipping. For that reason, I will happily accept your tip by hand only or as a money shower. In very rare occasions if the guest is quite elderly or under the age of 5 I will allow them to place their tip in my armband.

While some of my clients are middle eastern, they too must uphold my standard even though it is part of their culture to have a belly dancer. While it can be a bit disappointing for them at first, they soon see that it is still fun to tip me by hand or in a money shower. It is just a simple sign of respect that I maintain. I do want to not offend any of my clients from varying parts of the world so strict adherence to this is appreciated. About 99% of my clients and their guests display appropriate behavior but that 1% is enough to make me always be wary of my space and safety.

How Not to Tip Jennifer
 
A great spin-off to this post (and based upon actual accounts mind you), is for me to explain a few ways NOT to tip me. It is rare when these happen but if I even hear these requests I simply will walk away or have someone escort the person out of the establishment. Plain and simple. So here it goes:
                            
                1) Placing the bill in your mouth and asking me to grab it out using my mouth!
                2) Placing a sweaty bill on my forehead
                3) Sneaking up behind me and trying to place a bill on the back of my belt or costume bra
                4) Acting like your about to hand me a bill and then pulling it away as I reach my hand
                5) Deliberately placing the bills on the floor and expecting me to go pick it up

The time change has come along, and the days are beginning to feel warmer. Spring is here and what better way to celebrate your birthday, wedding, or corporate event than with a sophisticated and professional belly dancer! Although I belly dance full time in Orlando, from Spring until the end of Fall I get numerous calls asking me to perform all around  Florida and beyond to add an exciting touch to your special day. So why hire a belly dancer for your wedding, birthday and, special event? Well, it comes down to a few common reasons:

 – You want to add a unique and fun performance that will break the ice and have your guests up dancing
 – You would like to give a nod to your cultural background with a classy middle eastern performance
 – Your sick of seeing the same old routine at every wedding/birthday and want to stand out and be remembered
 – You have seen me perform, think I am fantastic, and were looking for an excuse to hire me right away!

The list can go on and on but when it comes down to it, the decision to hire a professional belly dancer really boils down to the fact that someone wants to make a lasting impression at their event. It does not matter what your cultural background (in fact I have performed at many non-middle eastern events) belly dance adds a unique twist to your party. Whether you want to surprise the birthday boy/girl, challenge the groom with a dance off at the wedding reception, leave your Quinceañera in awe, or have your co-workers laugh hysterically as your boss attempts to do the shimmy, a high end belly dance performance can make your special day remembered forever. Whether it was something as simple as bringing a smile to a nervous Quinceañera face or a bride’s laughter from getting her father-in-law up to dance with me, it is a day to celebrate and I want to help you make it unforgettable.

What will you Perform at my Wedding?

I get this question all the time and here is a quick breakdown of what a belly dance show for a wedding includes: (Birthday packages are similar)

– A grand entrance with Isis Wings or  veil maybe even double veil
– An upbeat track to get the guests eager to dance
– A beautiful balancing act with either sword, or a candle tray
– A dynamic drum solo to captivate your guests
 -To finish it all off (I specialize in getting the party started) I end with a fun song where everyone can dance and get familiar with the dance floor.

More specialized packages are available if you would like an original choreography to perform or a fun idea for a bridal shower. If you would like more information about hiring an Orlando belly dancer for a wedding, birthday, or other special event, please visit my Hire page and you are more than welcome to watch my performances on my Videos page.