Personality & Habits That Get You Hired: Dance Event Organizers' Checklist
- digitaldaliamiami
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
As an artist, a chance to share our knowledge and passion for our craft is always exciting. As an organizer, we seek to inject life into our dance community. As both an instructor and an organizer, I have first-hand experience of the hopes, expectations and realities of both sides. Getting hired comes down to your personality and habits, more than anything. Here are some essentials and at the bottom are some "wow" factors on dance organizers' checklist for hiring an artist:
Not creepy or drugged out. Non-negotiable. If you're a decent human being and not addicted to drugs (which usually leads to anti-social behavior), then this statement is obvious, logical and you have no objections. As an organizer, I've discovered someone's bad habits long after I hired them for an event, unfortunately. Lesson learned: Organizers must consult about each of their artists' reputations before hiring them for an event. Some organizers are, indeed, being proactive. The only pushback comes from individuals who have committed wrongs and are trying to avoid being ostracized. As organizers, we're compelled. We don't want to be the person who introduces or enables a bad actor in our dance community.
Humble and flexible. Organizers need the peace of mind of working with open-minded, easy-going artists during the chaos of an event. Please, no prima donnas. Humble, flexible human beings that are understanding of the great efforts organizers undertake. A positive personality is a huge relief. Goodness, we love you!
Loves to social dance and can read the room. The memory of your smile as you invite everyone to dance and the joy that you cause in your partners will pop straight into an organizers' mind. Likewise, we recall the DJs that groove as they're spinning, whose eyes survey who's vibe'ing to their music, reading the room before they mix their next songs. The satisfaction of a floor full of happy dancers is one aim.
You're a professional and an expert. You are a responsible adult and an expert in your art. A good candidate for an instructor offers their students technique, methodology - and a fun class! DJs have expansive playlists and their mixes are fire!
Good communication. Most likely we've already had positive interactions in person. But good digital communication looks like:
timely responses to emails, texts, etc.
respectful and positive conversations
clarity, with minimal and ideally zero miscommunications
BONUS # 1: Collaboration. Most dance event organizers are also instructors or DJs and are a fan of your art. Another fact is that organizing steals time so we don't get to practice our art. Busy organizers may not have time to collaborate, but they will be flattered if you at least offer to:
co-teach
collaborate on a choreography or improv video
create a track together
play a set together
BONUS # 2: you bring your entourage. Make no mistake: we're hiring you first and foremost for the wonderful artist and human being that you are. Now put yourself in the organizer's shoes and imagine the enormous time, money and effort that goes into organizing any event. It's not all fun. Consider the typically low ROI. Now imagine if you, as an artist... bring a group. And each person in your group pays their cover charge or full pass. You helped turn over a profit. What a bonus!
Here are some ideas to help you build your group:
Friends: in our very solo society where we're used to just showing up at events... do the opposite, instead! Hype up an event to your friends and make plans to go with them and of course, always include them when you're a guest artist somewhere - carpool!
Group Communications: start a Facebook or Whatsapp group to announce and carpool to events
Social Media: film your DJ sessions or as you're organizing your playlists at home, film your social dances, rehearsals, trainings, seek out collaborations, allow your students to post snippets of your classes, have a dedicated social media manager or create a doable strategy to gain fans. You're already dancing or mixing anyway, so build your following!
performance team: establish a choreography team and offer event organizers a performance, whether big or small.
If you fit this bill, organizers won't hesitate to hire you. We love growing a positive community. It takes positive artists, DJs, organizers, volunteers, performers and dancers to attend the events for all of this to blossom. We're all necessary!
What would you add? Do you have any questions?
About the author, organizer and dance instructor
Dalia has performed, taught dance and organized events in Cairo, Alexandria, Panama City, Miami, St Petersburg and, most recently, in St Barth.
She's had wonderful, collaborative experiences with the French embassy, local dance studios and dance instructors, the Cervantes Spanish language institute, nonprofit organizations and major cultural institutions around the world.
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