Okay, now that you are starting to dance and gain exposure and experience dancing out in public, there are many things to consider.

Dancing in Restaurants: I am going to start with Kolbehs. We all know now that Kolbehs is a fun, friendly, family atmosphere where you can dance to gain practice and exposure and get the nervousness subsided a bit. This is a great venue for this. Please do not be mistaken, this is not a “normal” restaurant atmosphere, mostly all the people are friends of yours, other dance students/dancers…as well as american crowd. A great place to “show your stuff.”

Most americans don’t know any better in the way of tipping. I for one do not like tips. I think it degrades the dancer, on that note though there are exceptions to this “so called rule”. I have personally from the time i started dancing have been taking tips. I never knew any better, I didn’t have a teacher that explained things to me. I learned from years of dancing. I finally started seeing what was appropriate and what wasn’t. Believe me girls, you will have many experiences, good and bad, not just with tips but other issues as well. In fact for those who danced at the honor run, well there you go, a great example. Okay, I am getting off the ‘tips’ subject, believe me there are so many subjects that we can talk about its not even funny! Okay, anyway, when someone tips you, especially if they are American, they do not know any better, you can always explain to them, especially if they are friends of yours and start educating them about it. I, personally, when I do parties and if someone insists that they want to give me money (first of all they are usually holding up a one dollar bill…I think to myself..and you want to put it where, no way buddy!) I always have arm bands that I wear, again if they are animate about giving me money, I open up my arm band so they know that is the only place they can put it on me. It works. If they don’t like it they wont give it to you. REMEMBER, first and foremost you are dancing for the love of this art form not for tips. Another example is if they keep persisting, you can always turn your body away, that way they can put it in your back bra strap.

If you are in a friendly family environment of people that you know, and you feel that you want to take tips, its fun to “have fun” with your audience, if they are trying to put some money in your belt, go ahead and shimmy or push/pull back with a hip hit or drop. It’s only in fun! Again, you want to only do this when you feel its appropriate. The point I am trying to make is that only you can know which situation you are in and only you know what you would like to do.

Okay so that is the tip of the week!