Holiday Party Ideas

By Leilani Dance

The end of the year is coming quick and you are in charge of keeping everyone entertained for the annual office holiday party. Tired of the ho hum, old holiday party?  Are you looking for fresh ideas to add some spice to your Holiday Party?

A belly dancer can perform on most home or office surfaces and in small or large spaces. Your co-workers will greatly appreciate the fun entertainment!  When you hire a professional belly dancer, belly dancing is a beautiful and festive art that anyone can enjoy and appreciate.  Hiring a belly dancer for your holiday party is a great way to create a jolly experience for your co-workers.

Worried about what the boss will think?

Don’t! If you do some homework you will find a great, professional belly dancer who is experienced in working with diverse audiences and performs family-friendly belly dance shows. Most professional belly dancers, like myself, conduct themselves professionally and take the shows very seriously since it is our business. If you read customer reviews and view performance video clips, you can be assured that you have found a belly dancer you can trust to tastefully entertain your company’s holiday party.

Not fully convinced? Here are more reasons why you should hire a belly dancer for your company holiday party:

1. Its unexpected

It will be a surprise for your co-workers and friends by having a belly dance performance at your holiday party!

2. A belly dance show creates a shared unusual experience Having a belly dancer at your party is a unique way to create fun memories with your guests that will keep them entertained and talking long after the belly dancer have left.

3. Belly dancing will wake up your party guests

Wine and a filling feast is the perfect recipe for falling asleep or leaving a holiday party early. Keep everyone awake with a attention-getting belly dance show and audience participation. Professional belly dancers can custom design a highly entertaining show to keep diverse audience members engaged through the entire show and excited to interact with the belly dancer at the end of the show.

4. Belly dance shows keep the party multicultural and diverse

For an office holiday party, many guests may not celebrate holidays like Christmas or Hanukkah and could feel uncomfortable when pressured to participate in religious based traditions. A belly dance show is fun and exciting multicultural entertainment that people of all ages and backgrounds can enjoy.

5. You really want to see your boss and co-worker belly dance!

Who wouldn’t want to see their boss shake up the holiday party? Although a professional belly dancer would never force anyone to dance with her, she will definitely encourage  guests to get up and learn some new belly dance moves.

Is your company located in the Philly, PA or Princeton, NJ Area?   Bring Your Vision to Life…I want your event to be special.  I will work with you to tailor the entertainment to your unique vision.   I specialize in fun, captivating entertainment that’s appropriate for guests of all ages. My weekend performances fill up fast so call or email today for a free belly dance performance consultation.

412-879-0851

http://bellydancepa.net/

leilanidance@yahoo.com

Dance with Confidence, Finding Your inner Diva

Dance Performance with Confidence

I remember being frightened to death dancing my first few student recitals in belly dance.  I was not used to performing for a crowd or on stage.  I don’t do public speaking and  I am a bit shy.  While in class and at home, my dance would be fine. When it came to performing in front of crowd, I would just totally blanking out, forgetting my moves, my dance was not so smooth and fluid, and my expressions pathetic.  Sound familiar?

The more I participated in dance performances the better my confidence.  Still, even after performing regularly in little shows and at restaurant now for a few years, I sadly realized, I was still not at my true potential.  My self-doubts/fears were still making me a less than stellar performer.  I even tried to imagine in practice that I was a star, some great dancer.  Yet when it came down to actually performing in front of a crowd, I would forget to pretend to be a star and just be so focused on “does the crowd like me or do they think I am a horrible dancer?” .  I realized I had to change somehow.  I embarked in an introspective journey to try to determine the cause of self doubt and try to find a solution to improve my confidence in dance.

First I reflected on why I was not so confident yet others seem to be so at ease and confident.  I think it really has to do with personality but also life experiences.   I was not used to performing/speaking in front of large crowd, or even participating in sports with crowds.   My job was very secluding with very little healthy interaction with people.  I am basically in front of a computer all day which left me ill equipped with performing in front of people with any real measure of confidence.

Years shape my perception of myself as the intellectual one, the quiet one, etc.  It built up this barrier that somehow, someway I wanted to break through. Break through the limitations I know my mind was putting on myself.  I knew from practice the potential is there but how to translate when performing in front of a crowd?  How to find that confidence and belief in oneself?  How to forget about what other people are thinking and just loose oneself in the dance?

So how do you gain confidence?

I researched and started to employ the following strategies. Hopefully this will help you if you are fighting stage fright or performance issues.

1.  Rewrite the story you tell yourself–  Every day we are living our story.  We have a commentary going through our mind.  It’s time to write a new story!  A story where you are empowered.   Have a vision on who you want to be as a dancer.  Think in your mind every day, I am going to be the BEST dancer I can possibly be or my love for dance will give me momentum to excel in dance performing…Keep repeating and reaffirming this story
2. Think about your strengths
3. Positive thinking books, CDs, podcast, etc
4.  Pretend like no one’s watching. Don’t concentrate on the people around you – just dance
5. Have a repertoire of go to moves in case your mind goes blank
6. Know you music
7. Don’t worry. It could be your costume, hair, weight, or even dance style. Forget all about it. Remember that you are your toughest critic.
8. Practice expressions at home in front of a mirror.  Enjoy and feel your dance so you can show the passion or expression when you perform.
9. Even professionals make mistakes.  Don’t sweat the mistakes.  Chances are audience won’t even notice.

Hope these little suggestions can help you gain more confidence when you dance!

bellydancepa.net

“It’s not who you are
that holds you back,
it’s who you think you are.”

Creative Bridal Shower Ideas- Arabian Night Theme

How many of you cringe at the idea of attending another boring bridal shower?  Or having the task of hosting one yourself? So do you play it safe or dare to make the bridal shower be different, creative and fun!

Throw a Middle Eastern Bridal Shower complete with a belly dancer!

How?  Roll out the magic carpet!  Incorporate a spicy, tangy, Moroccan menu.  I can help you with Moroccan menu.  With suggestions, you can do it yourself or I can give you recommendations on places that cater exotic Moroccan dishes.  Set the atmosphere with large, bold cushions/pillows on the floor and couches.  Find ornate pieces like lanterns, shapely, colored glasses.  Play middle eastern music in background.

Start the Arabian Night vibes with theme shower invitations.  Some inviting examples are:    

Scrolled invitations  of parchment with calligraphy:  Secure each scroll with tassles!                                                                                         

Bottle invites:   Mimic the look of magic potions or genie bottles by using recycled perfume or small bottles as invitation “props.” You could look in flea markets and thrift shops for those that come in unusual shapes and pretty jewel tones. Simply write the party details on small fancy card or parchment paper.  Roll up the cards and pop them into the containers, using glitter-covered mini corks as bottle stoppers.

The goal of the belly dance shower is all about letting loose, throwing caution to the wind, exploring your sensual side!  Hire a belly dance instructor to host a small workshop with a performance.
When I teach/perform belly dance at bridal showers, I start with a short, costume performance as a preview.  I have coined sashes ready for all the guests who are sure to want to try and shimmy!  I will good-naturally encourage the bride to let loose and get up and dance along with her guests.  I can make copies of the belly dance  music ahead of time to use as shower favors.

Make your bridal shower UNFORGETTABLE! Women love to learn belly dance and will remember this bridal shower for years to come.  Allow me to help make your Bridal Shower a FUN success!

Hire a bellydancer for your Christmas and New Year’s Eve party!

Holiday Party

The Holidays are around the corner and good entertainment is a great way to get the festivities going!   Hire charismatic belly dancer Leilani to make your holiday party memorable and a huge success.

I want your event to be special.  I will work with you to tailor your entertainment to your unique vision.  I specialize in fun, captivating entertainment that’s appropriate for guests of all ages.

Now taking bookings for the Christmas Party Season and New Years Eve.   Belly Dance Performances in Bucks County, Montgomery County, Philadelphia, PA areas and Princeton, NJ area.

Candle Tray Belly Dance – Leilani

Belly dancing balancing a tray of Candles at Hipnosis Belly jam.