I constantly receive questions about what kind of portfolio a belly dancer needs in order to start working at local gigs, so I've decided to put here a checklist of essential portfolio components that I used in my daily dance work.

What to start with:

Internet page. - It doesn't need to be a website necessarily, but people will ask where they can find more information about you, so it's good to have a place where you can direct them to: website, Instagram or FB page, YouTube channel, etc. Also, don't confuse it with your personal presence on social media. This page needs to be clearly branded as your dance page.
Videos. - Everyone will want to see examples of your dancing before hiring you, so be ready to show something, preferably a video of an actual performance, or at least, a recording of you dancing in the studio or any other nice location, but in full costume and with your hair and make-up done.
Photos. - Sometimes people ask for photos to see how you look, although in most cases they will request videos for that purpose. On the other hand, photos are usually needed in two cases: for the event poster/programs/invitations, etc.; and to show your costumes options (yes, often people want to choose the dress you'll be performing at their event). I always make sure that my portfolio photos are done by a professional photographer, they are in high resolution, and with the white background. Why? First, it make everyone's life easier (including mine) if my image needs to be cut out for the poster. It's a nightmare to photoshop it out of colorful background, but with white one it can be done in a few minutes. Second, if I send someone options of my dresses, consistent style of photos with white background make it look more sleek and professional.

If you have these three components, you are good to go! Everything else is add-ons: business cards (you'll be surprised how many people prefer to simply add your phone number directly to their contact list), bio & resume (in the gig world nobody will ask you for that... well, maybe 1 out of 1000 cases), promo video (great advertising tool, but you can be successful without it), brochures, posters, reviews.... The list can be continued forever.

At the same time, if you are looking to expand your gigs activities, and build a successful long-term career, I highly recommend to dive into my Business Course For Belly Dancers: Everything About Gigs, that covers absolutely all aspects of professional dance career at local events.

If you enjoyed this article, don’t forget to like and share! :)

Author: Iana Komarnytska
Photographer: Pedro Bonatto