My first belly dance performance

(part 3)

Since we were beginners, we didn't have dance costumes, and it was too late to sew or buy anything, so we agreed with the teacher to wear white skirts and a top to match the colour of the scarf. I chose the white-pink combination.

We arrived earlier at the restaurant, where the concert was held, in order to prepare and do the final rehearsal, etc. I was really excited, and I had a huge nervousness. Not so much because of the guests, but because of the other girls who have been there for years and dance perfectly. But they were very kind to us beginners and gave us tips for the upcoming performance.

The guests were slowly arriving, the seats were being filled, the noise was getting louder, and the nervousness was getting bigger. "Uh, just so I don't forget the choreography," I thought. Just at that moment, I see the teacher waving at me and calling for a dress rehearsal. All the girls have settled on the stage, it remains to try the choreography a few more times and that's it, the concert is about to start. After the rehearsal, we went backstage and since most of the girls were wearing socks, the teacher reminded us not to forget to take off our socks when we went on stage. I thought to myself, I'm not going to take them off now, I'll wait a little longer. And yes, that was a big mistake.

I'm peeking from backstage, mom and dad have come. There they are, in the second row, near the stage. Dad looks around, sees where he came to, and what is happening. He looks out to see where I am, finally looks in my direction, and I wave at him. I can see that he is now eager to find out what kind of belly dance concert it is.

And here I am, it's my group's turn, I timidly go on stage: "Oh, did I stand in the right place?", I thought, "What are we waiting for, why is there no music?", "Don't make a mistake". And the music is here, let's go. There was a teacher in front of me and I looked at her from time to time, to make sure I wasn't making a mistake, "Smile, smile, smile", that's all I thought about because we always talked about it in class and made sure that the smile always on the face, especially while doing that Egyptian shimmy. Our performance lasted only 3 minutes, and it went by very quickly, everyone applauded us, we bowed and went backstage. And just then, when I was going backstage, I happened to look down and see that I had forgotten to take off my socks. "Oh, what a mess, how I forgot my socks, I guess no one noticed". Exactly what I kept thinking about, to me, just happened.

The concert lasted about 2 hours, after my performance, I changed my clothes and went to my mom and dad. "And? How was I?", I asked them, mom praised me, and dad said "It's good.", I watched him and noticed that now he looks at this dance with completely different eyes, as an art, which it is. Everything that dad, I suppose, expected to happen, was not there. The concert was at the highest level, cultured, without unpleasant scenes. Dad took pictures, recorded them, and even posted them on Facebook and boasted to everyone that his daughter had her first public performance. When we got home, I knew that dad would express his opinion: "Well, it was nice, if you like it, I support you.", I listened to him, and my eyes were full of tears, from joy, and then was followed by the following question: "Which costume do you want your dad to buy you?", this question meant everything in the world to me at that moment, with this question I was finally sure that my dad would support me in what I love. And yes, my mission, to prove to my dad that belly dancing is an art, was successfully accomplished.

Yes, my dad bought me a costume, not one, but two, and he regularly took me to every subsequent performance.

All photos are mine, from my belly dance school.