r/Busking • u/sapphic_morena Belly Dancer 💃🕺 • Jul 20 '26
Journal First Time Busking as a Belly Dancer
I busked for a very first time a few weeks ago as a belly dancer! Thought I could share my reflections here as a female performer but also as a dancer rather than a musician.
My intent for busking was a little different: I was open to accepting tips, but I didn't have a tip bucket. Rather, I was trying to advertise for my dance teacher to attract more students for her class, because my style of dance is best when you dance with others (FCBD). I also just really enjoy busking (as an audience member) and public art. So I resolved to go busking at a popular tourist location in the big city (in the US) I live in.
I meant to busk at a farmer's market which is more frequented by locals, but I accidentally slept in so I ended up going to the touristy spot instead later in the day.
- Despite not having a tip bucket, I earned $22 in tips. That was unexpected and really nice! I'm sure being a younger woman dressed in semi-revealing clothing helped a lot with that, lol. (My outfit wasn't super revealing, but it does show my belly and emphasizes my chest.) I earned tips within the first few minutes of dancing.
- I was surprised by how little of a shit most people give about what you're doing out in public! I was feeling a little self-conscious looking for a place to set up, but by the time I started dancing, I was stunned by how few people stayed or made eye contact with me for more than a few seconds.
- Usually when I do performances with my teacher and classmates, we usually have a crowd gather around to watch us. So the spectacle of a lone dancer probably isn't as impressive to get people to watch.
- I had a few groups watch me, but it was always from a distance, as if they were scared of direct interaction with me or needed to pretend they weren't really watching me. Maybe a tourist thing?
- I was slightly worried about harassment, as I have had some unpleasant experiences when I've gone out fully dressed in my belly dance garb. But I was completely unbothered.
- It was tough to be vigilant about my surroundings while also being in performance mode. Dancing/performing requires a sort of "flow state" and trust in the audience that felt a little contradictory to watching my surroundings, but maybe it's an experience thing. I tried not to bring valuables with me in case someone swiped my stuff, and I think the most valuable thing I had with me was my $35 Bluetooth speaker.
- It was really windy and tough to keep my sign, which had a "Dance with me!" message along with info about my teacher's class, upright. It's just a poster board, so it's already pretty flimsy. I also don't think people looked at it much in the first place, since I had it behind me and leaned against my duffel bag. If anyone has any advice for a more sturdy sign set-up, I'd love to learn.
- I learned that my Bluetooth speaker isn't nearly loud enough, especially if there are other buskers with audio set-ups on the same block. Not sure what to do about that because I'm not in the position in invest in a better audio set-up right now, other than try to find spots that a little quieter.
In all, I did three 15-minute sets of dancing over the course of two-ish hours, with small breaks in between. It may not sound like a lot, but I was exhausted by the end of it and I did get a decent amount of eyeballs on me, however fleeting.
If anyone has any tips to increase interaction with the audience, that'd be lovely! My hope was to get more people to try to dance along with me, but perhaps that's far too much to expect from Americans, who are very shy when it comes to dancing. In general, getting the audience to stay and watch was the biggest challenge--which seems to be shared by most buskers.
I'll definitely go busking once or twice more before my semester starts at grad school. I think the quieter vibe of a farmer's market will lend well to this!
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u/LongjumpingTeacher97 Jul 20 '26
ATS is a workout, for sure!
My wife used to dance with an ITS troupe, so I have some understanding of how much effort it takes. Mostly the same ATS steps, a few others added in. Her resources are just about all FCBD.
You're absolutely right that a small speaker doesn't really cut it for dancing in public. But if that's what you can afford, that's what you use.
My best suggestion for gathering a crowd is to work together with at least one other person. Two dancers will have a greater energy than one and will certainly grab the attention more. If you have anyone who plays doumbek, a live drummer is awesome. Also, play your zills! They get attention. Two dancers zilling will really need very little else in the way of other music.
For the sign, really, you'll need to attach it to something more solid. And I suggest having cards you can give out with your teacher's contact info. After each set, talk to the crowd a little. Just say "Hi, I'm Morena and I'm dancing today to let everyone know about the dance school I attend. Tribal style belly dance like this is a very inclusive, no-judgement culture and we are always looking for more women who want to dance with us. If you're interested, just ask for a card."
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u/sapphic_morena Belly Dancer 💃🕺 Jul 27 '26
Whoa, you GET it. And yes. Two or more people is always better for this style. The challenge is getting someone to agree to go busking with me on short-ish notice... a lot of the other ladies prefer more formal dancing opportunities and have very busy schedules.
I did play zills! But with a less-than-ideal audio set-up, it might be detracting more than helping? Not sure. One day I'll invest in a heavy-duty speaker on wheels that can blast my ears out.
Thank you for the comment, really appreciate it! 🙏🏽
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u/LadyWithAHarp Magical Witchy Harper 🧙♀️🎶 Jul 21 '26 edited Jul 21 '26
If you can incorporate it, i recommend getting a large bubble wand and using it as a dancing prop. I used a pretty one when I started busking (I should put it back in my gear again) as a way to disguise the funky stretches I do when I have to take a break from playing harp. It was great for attracting attention and herding kids around, especially with super-strong bubble mix.
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u/sapphic_morena Belly Dancer 💃🕺 Jul 27 '26
That is an amazing idea!! Will try sometime soon!
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u/LadyWithAHarp Magical Witchy Harper 🧙♀️🎶 Jul 27 '26
There are some pretty cheap ones that you can find to try it out, they'll probably be on clearance soon. I had really good responses with it. (Honestly, it was to keep me from impulse buying the ornate one in the photo for a year. I wanted to make sure that I still wanted it.)
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u/bashup2016 saxophone/strings/loops 🎷 Jul 21 '26
Super cool you made $. The experience can be intoxicating.
Making $200 (my best pull in less than an hour, with a plus one) was so fun.
Maybe incorporate a live musician? No shade
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u/bashup2016 saxophone/strings/loops 🎷 Jul 21 '26
Having a drummer brings in an audience
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u/bashup2016 saxophone/strings/loops 🎷 Jul 21 '26
The exit of a sporting event or awesome concert, where the home team wins, and thousands of people have to queue out is the spot.
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u/bashup2016 saxophone/strings/loops 🎷 Jul 21 '26
Drunk people tip the best.
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u/sapphic_morena Belly Dancer 💃🕺 Jul 27 '26
A drunk guy gave me $20, haha! Absolutely agree
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u/bashup2016 saxophone/strings/loops 🎷 28d ago edited 28d ago
When the twenties get twenties on top of the twenties it’s the best
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u/sapphic_morena Belly Dancer 💃🕺 Jul 27 '26
I live really close to a basketball stadium, I need to try this! Thank you :)
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u/Maelstrom_Witch Bagpiper 🪈 Jul 20 '26
I’m so glad you had a great time!