Carrara Nour
Belly Dancer for Weddings and Events in Orlando

Well, it’s Stuff-Your-Face-With-Turkey-Day, and like many, I woke up with an attitude of gratitude.

But I always struggle to write Thanksgiving posts because, like jellied, store-bought cranberry sauce, they feel so cloying, and so canned. It should go without saying that I’m thankful for every day that my feet touch the ground. That I live in a free country. That I have a roof over my head, food in my belly, a boyfriend who goes along with my Evil Plans and reels me back in when I get out of control, and friends and family who love me, even when times get tough and when I feel like giving up.

There’s one big blessing in my life that I sometimes …

In my 7 years of performing professionally, I’ve been called a lot of things. Wedding expert. Life of the Party. Camera Wh*re. Bellydance Police and Killer of Dreams.

“Overnight Success” is one I hear a lot lately.

If I had a penny for every question a dancer has asked me about my “overnight success” in the wedding industry, I’d have enough to get a clue and start teaching seminars on the topic.

That is, if I had anything to teach, other than a series of vague, Socratic questions and tutorials on how to take better selfies and pug pics.

The concept of overnight success has always felt like a bit of a cop-out to me. While I can appreciate this …

Have you ever felt like you were born in the wrong era? I tend to be an old soul when it comes to a lot of my values and the things I find beautiful in art and dance. I love watching vintage belly dance clips, collect old handmade bra and belt sets, and often feel nostalgic for eras way before my time.

One “Old World” idea that’s become increasingly attractive to me is the idea of being a lady. Being classy. Channeling femininity through sweetness and style. Yesterday, I found myself looking through some of my boyfriend’s books on pinup art, and what struck me in the old Elvgren paintings was that even the most popular sex symbols of the …

(Title inspired by Khalil Gibran)

I’m not going to tell you how or where I got the inspiration for this post. It could have been a recent interaction with a client, or a little birdie could have whispered in my ear while I was out on a walk. That is neither here nor there.

But I’ve been thinking a lot about beauty lately, as it’s always present, and always inspiring me to dance and give each performance my all. I see beauty in a room full of smiling people; in a bride trying some new moves with me on the dance floor; in bringing people from different cultures together through music and dance. I see a whole lot of beauty …

“Be everything to someone, not something for everyone.”

This is my credo, my mantra, my entire manifesto in a single sentence.

I could end this post right here if I really wanted to. But finding the ideal audience for your art deserves much more than a single blurb. And I write novels when I’ve had too much coffee.

This post was born out of 7 years of unsolicited business advice.

When you’re an entrepreneur, everyone’s a business consultant.

When you’re an artist, everyone’s a critic.

When you’re an entertainer, everyone’s Simon Freaking Cowell.

If I were “doing my job right,” I would be one hell of a Bollywood dancing, stilt walking, snake charming, fire eating, poi-spinning, hula hooping, contortionist belly …