Expert: Gia al Qamar - 10/12/2008

Question
Greetings,

I have been asked to perform a 25 or so minute belly dance show at a friends' wedding.  I usually do birthdays and office parties, so I am not sure what music would be best.  And choosing the music is always the hardest part of a performance.  After that part has been decided, the rest is a walk in the park, so to speak.  

This is a Muslim wedding, and the groom to be is from Pakistan.  Could you suggest any cds with appropriate sets that would fill about 25 minutes?  Any suggestions you have would be so greatly appreciated!

Thank you for your time :)

Sinceely,
Anam Cara  

Answer
Marhaba...hello Anam!
My best advice to you regarding music for your wedding set would be to speak with your clients. Ask them if there are specific songs or type of music that they like. When I perform at weddings, I usually include a song from the region where the bride or groom or their families are from.
So you may include a popular Indian song in your set or something like "Nari-Nari" which is an Arabi-Indian fusion song!
What I find is that most clients want an elegant presentation, usually a classic big upbeat number to enter, followed by popular songs that will get everyone up dancing, including the bride and groom.
Keep the songs classic and pop & UPBEAT.  This is a show where it's MOST important to entertain, not to be 'arty'.  No slow songs...
Hope that this information is a good start to choosing your music.
Gia
www.IDreamOfGia.com