Everyone knows I’m all about the weddings, and all about the big milestone parties. But I also do some really nice corporate events for small to mid-sized Orlando and Brevard County businesses, and once in awhile, I get to do something different – like interrupting the regularly scheduled team meeting with a birthday surprise for the boss!

Yesterday afternoon, I got to do this for a software company at their office in Melbourne. It was the boss’s 50th birthday and a quick 5-minute show featuring finger cymbals and sword was just the right way to break the ice and surprise the Birthday Boy before the team cut the cake. The beginning of my sword dance also proved to be the …

It’s May 12th and perhaps, the best holiday Hallmark never made a card for: World Belly Dance Day. While every day is World Belly Dance Day for most Orlando belly dancers, I think you could use a good reason to put a little extra shimmy in your  step today. Here are a few cool ways my readers in Orlando can celebrate this dance and the vibrant culture it comes from:

1. 1. Take an Orlando Belly Dance Class - This one’s totally self-explanatory! The best way to appreciate belly dance is to actually become a belly dancer for a day. There are plenty of belly dance studios in Orlando, with one of my favorites being Orlando Bellydance, Suspira’s welcoming studio

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It seems as though “caring” has become extremely trendy in recessionary times. Think how many times you’ve been bombarded with similar advertising messages:

“We care about our customers. We care about customer service. We care about excellence.”

Many belly dancers have gotten into “caring” lately, too. Especially the belly dancers who wish to book more weddings. All belly dancers SHOULD care, because most are borrowing from a culture outside of our own, and if we don’t care, there’s way too much potential for things to go wrong, especially at a wedding. But does your belly dancer REALLY care? Or is it all “hip” service? A quick checklist:

Does she care enough to get to know you personally and fully understand …

Dear Carrara,

So we’re definitely going to go ahead and book a belly dancer for our wedding in Orlando. The wedding is not until October and we’re still finalizing the venue, the DJ and the photographer. My fiance hired a belly dancer to perform at his office birthday party last month, and he was able to call a couple of entertainment agencies and get one the day before. I, on the other hand, am really nervous about the idea of waiting until the last minute. What do you recommend?

Yours Truly,

Overwhelmed in Orlando

~

Dear Overwhelmed,

I’m biting my nails right there with you! For the record, I booked a wedding on just shy of 24 hours notice once, …

I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling the love. It’s the day after Valentine’s, and I saw quite a few Facebook relationship statuses change from “in a relationship” to “engaged.”

Are you wearing some new jewelry today? Did you just say “yes?” Do you want to rock your engagement party with glamorous entertainment? This blog post is for you!

Even though your wedding day is the Main Attraction, a unique engagement party with live entertainment will set the tone for a gorgeous and unforgettable celebration. San Diego belly dancer Sabrina says, “In many cultures, the engagement party is just as important and lavish as the the wedding reception. Inviting guests to a warm evening of music and dance is …