We do 2 shows a year; World Belly Dance Day in May and our end of year student showcase usually at the end of November but this year it's in December.
There are several different elements to putting on a show and I hope to go through each part in this series, Preparing For A Show, leading up to our show in December.
We always have a lot of trouble trying to find a venue. Venues can be very expensive. You also have to find one that is the right feel for what kind of show you are putting on.
Theatre
Theatre seating is in rows facing a stage. It's a formal setting, where the audience sits in the dark and the lighting on the stage draws all their attention to the production.
Cabaret
This is more informal and relaxed feel, where the audience sits around tables, in dim light, and food is either provided or picnic baskets are brought in. The dancers command most of the attention but some attention is directed towards eating and socialising.
In the round
I once attended a show in the round. It was very interesting. The audience sits in a circle around a circular or oval shape stage area. They can sit either theatre style or cabaret. This requires very careful choreographing so that the entire audience is stage front at all times.
I personally prefer cabaret seating for our shows. Most of our dancers are hobbyists and I find the more relaxed environment to help their nerves. I've also found the audience enjoys themselves more (food and drink will do that).
Once you've decided what kind of show you want, you have to find a venue. We always struggle with this. We are a small studio and can't really afford to hire a theatre. We did it once before and we made hardly any money for our chosen charity that year, because of all the costs incurred from the hire of the theatre, the lighting and sound.
So we look for smaller venues, which are hard to find. Schools and churches tend not to hire out to belly dancers (I live in Backwardsville, South Africa) and they tend to be the cheapest options. Scout halls are often either reserved to scouts and aren't always the best of looking places, meaning you'd have to drape and that again can be pricey.
We found a venue a few years back that was quite nice, but very small. Luckily, we had been sponsored a stage so that we could dance elevated and our squished audience could see us all. Stage hire is also expensive. We have often used Melanie's church hall, but there is no stage and the floor is carpeted.
This year, one of our students has managed to procure her school's hall. It has a stage, and tables and chairs (because hiring those can be quite expensive and then you also have to transport them).
The search for a venue can be quite stressful. We do our shows in aid of charities that our students pick. So the less we spend, the more money the charity gets. Trying to find a balance between quality and affordability is quite a task. We've had some hits and some misses, but it's all in the name of learning, and each time we try to do better. Venues can take up a large percentage of your budget, so choose carefully.