How to do well in a Bellydance contest or competition?

Thanks to Flavie, Bellydancer and teacher, for sincerely answering our interview and for delivering important recommendations to ambitious young oriental dancers.

You have taken part in many Bellydance competitions, why this choice and what did it bring you?

From an early age, I wanted to participate in oriental dance competitions in order to identify my level as well as progress by receiving advice from judges. Then, the fact of being awarded first prizes motivated me enormously to train and therefore to continue competing. At that time I also thought that winning titles would justify my place as a professional oriental dancer in this very closed environment, which ultimately was not the case.
So I would say that at the beginning, the competitions helped me enormously to make myself known and travel. Nevertheless, I decided after a while to stop taking part in these events because I find, with regret, that the rating criteria are more and more random or even non-existent and very subjective.
This is also why that within the Aiwa Keda oriental dance festival, which I co-organize with Memo Sapour, we established very specific evaluation criteria and rules. So, the competition will have an educational aim.  

How do you prepare well for a Bellydance competition? What advice would you give?

First, it is essential to choose your musical composition correctly, it must be in accordance with the chosen category and include different parts.
Then, you have to build a rich oriental dance choreography, in which you feel comfortable. It is also important to pay attention to the technique, adapting it to the chosen style, performing the movements correctly and performing complex steps, sequences and combinations if they are mastered.
You must also take care of the choreography's construction by varying the energies, affirming its style, respecting the musical listening and structuring the dance correctly according to the chosen piece's parts.
Sharing emotions is also essential. It's about interacting with the audience, being expressive while translating the music.
The image is also important. This goes through the choice of the Bellydance costume according to the oriental dance style selected, but also stage make-up, hairstyle and jewelry.
It is essential to prepare as far in advance as possible so as not to be ready at the last minute. Daily training is necessary to achieve the best results. Don't hesitate to ask for advice from different Bellydance teachers.
Finally to conclude, I would say that my main recommendation is not to try to be better than someone else but always better than yourself.  

And regarding D-Day, what tips and tricks would you give to the oriental dancers who are reading to do great during their performance?

First of all, the day before the Bellydance competition, you have to think about eating well as well as resting and having prepared all your things with the greatest care. So, on the day of the context, all that's left to do is make the most of the moment on stage without putting too much pressure on yourself, even if it's sometimes difficult...
I would advise oriental dancers who are naturally stressed not to watch their competitors' appearances in order to stay focused on themselves.

How was your oriental dance's passion born? Tell us your story…

I discovered oriental dance by chance at a very young age while attending an end-of-year show. I immediately fell in love with the feminine movements of this dance, the music, the beautiful oriental outfits... It was the first time that I found a dance "pretty".
My mother then signed me up for Bellydance classes the following school year. My dream then was to excel in this discipline, which is why I immediately put the odds in my favor by training regularly and participating in many oriental dance festivals in France and abroad. All these years of work and passion allow me today to teach and practice as a professional oriental dancer.

What do you aspire to for the rest of your Bellydance career?

A point that is very close to my heart is to support ambitious young oriental dancers who are training both practically and theoretically by helping them, advising them, working with them.
I would also like to continue and develop my work of teaching oriental dance during workshops and other theoretical training both in France and abroad. 

Who are the dancers and artists that inspire and influence you the most and why?

In general, all dancers inspire me because I believe that everyone has something to contribute; I'm even inspired by my students.  
Thanks to the confinement, I was able to rediscover many dancers that I only knew by name: Vladislava Sitnikova, Veronika Shulkevich, Diana Garnik, Diana Vashkevich, Tatyana Arshakyan… and benefit from their teaching.
I was able to realize even more the importance of the Bellydance teachers' choice when we decide to learn. Indeed, these dancers each have their own style, an impressive technique, an exemplary culture in the domain and are able to give lessons so that their students progress very quickly.
Moreover, I take advantage of this interview to thank Marina Shishkova who has always supported me and allowed me to participate in major oriental dance competitions abroad. I also greatly thank Memo Sapour who encouraged me a lot and trained me in all Egyptian folklores.  

Complete these statements...

- If I were a Bellydance's style, I would be... Baladi. I have studied baladi very closely for the past two years. I fell in love with this popular style which, for me, is essential to master since it represents Egyptian dance in itself.
- If I were an oriental music, I would be… It's impossible to choose! I change taste very often depending on my mood ;-)
- If I were a Bellydance show, I would be... "Heart of Egypt". This show will take place during the Aiwa Keda festival and will tell a story that will lead spectators to discover Egyptian culture as well as most of the Egyptian folklores.
- If I were an oriental dance accessory, I would be... a fringed Bellydance belt. Indeed, I almost always have one on me because I find that they greatly accentuate the pelvis' movements. 

We know you are in a relationship with the oriental dancer Memo Sapour. What can the daily life of 2 oriental dance lovers look like in the city and on stage? To what extent does Bellydance take a significant and prominent place in your life?

I met Memo through our shared passion: oriental dance! I can't differentiate our daily life from dance since dance is our daily life! The fact of sharing the same passion is enormously binding, we have the same musical tastes, the same convictions concerning this discipline, the same dreams... We support each other every day. By meeting Memo I was able to have more confidence in myself, and dare to carry out projects. It's been the most important meeting of my life.
In everyday life, we are best friends, dance partners and lovers all at the same time. I think that sharing this passion also helps us to evolve and organize our lives in the best possible way.

Check out Flavie's winning performance when she participated in a famous oriental dance competition in France: