Lofty Belly Dance Goals

Because it never, ever ends….

1. Get off my duff and start training in NY again.

2. Learn the Arabic alphabet

3. Retire all my dumbed-down Bellydance Superstars CD’s. Immerse myself in classical Egyptian music.

4. Use props less frequently and more creatively.

5. Go to Manhattan and listen to some good live Arabic music.

6. Watch A Voice Like Egypt, the documentary on Oum Kalthoum. Understand her music and influence.

7. Cultivate a deeper, more intelligent understanding of my music. Dive head first into Arabic music theory.

8. Drill, drill, drill.

9. Go to Aziza’s Birthday Bash, Miami Belly Dance Convention, Rakstar and maybe Las Vegas Belly Dance Intensive. (And try not to spend all of my money on costumes.)

10. Get a well-paying 9-5er as soon as I can. Scale back on performing. Focus on quality of gigs rather than quantity.

11. Beg, borrow and steal to get some good, crystal clear video on my website.

12. Beg, borrow and steal to get some good customer testimonials for my website.

13. Rebrand. Revisit my Ideal Customer Profile.

14. Do some Spring Cleaning on my website.

15. Do less networking of the Web 2.0 variety. Do more networking “IRL.”

16. Scout out time-wasting activities and eliminate them from my daily routine.

17. Break out of my zill pattern comfort zone.

18. Write some articles on professionalism and marketing for Gilded Serpent and Belly Dance New England.

19. Find out what other variety entertainers in Fairfield County are charging – and make a compelling case for belly dancers to re-consider our current pricing strategy.

20. Undersell and overdeliver.

21. Buy a new Bella. (Come on, that’s an attainable goal!)

22. Do the 90-day challenge: 90 hours of practice in 90 days.

23. Learn the maqams.

24. Dust off my old clarinet and play the maqams.

25. Identify specific “pillars” that I lean on. Call in the demolition crew.

26. Bring the love back into my daily practice. Identify strengths, challenges and weaknesses without judgment. Have fun.

27. Avoid scene politics. Thank the Bargain Betties and Coupon Suzies for soaking up the “horror” end of the gig market.

28. Say no.

29. Keep adding more lofty goals ;)