| When Jillina swept onto the stage and winked at me, I | | | | the back of the room: pay attention to the left and right |
| almost jumped out of my seat. I have mixed feelings | | | | corners, as well as to the center. I like to imagine that |
| about the Belly Dance Superstars, but in that moment, I | | | | my gaze is sprinkling glitter over the audience, and I |
| felt like a star-struck fan: the Jillina just winked at me! | | | | have to "sparkle up" the whole group by the end of |
| It wasn't until I got home that I realized that she couldn't | | | | the first song. |
| possibly have singled me out. I danced on that very | | | | Throw In a Little Real Eye Contact |
| stage three years earlier; you can't see any faces in | | | | Keep your gaze in the up & over position for |
| the crowd when the stage lights are on. | | | | about two thirds of your show, but be sure to make |
| And then it hit me; she must have been using "up | | | | occasional direct contact with individual people in |
| & over" eye contact. | | | | different parts of the room. |
| What is Up and Over Eye Contact? | | | | But Won't Fake Eye Contact Alienate the Audience? |
| Up & over eye contact is a technique I learned | | | | Strangely, no! The up & over technique spreads |
| from my mentor, Amira Jamal. Instead of making direct | | | | your attention across a wider area and makes your |
| eye contact with your audience for most of the show, | | | | presence seem larger than life. It's like giving the whole |
| you look up and just over their heads, and focus your | | | | audience a group hug: you don't have to touch each |
| attention on an imaginary back row. | | | | person individually to share the love with the whole |
| Why Isn't Regular Eye Contact Enough? | | | | group. |
| Eye contact is an important part of belly dance and | | | | And because your gaze is focused, the audience |
| stage presence. It establishes a personal connection | | | | members in that part of the room will believe that you |
| with your audience, and makes them feel included in | | | | are looking directly at them. |
| the show. | | | | Dos & Don'ts |
| But direct contact has some gotchas: | | | | - Do: make up & over your default gaze. |
| It's easy to focus too much on the front rows & | | | | - Don't: forget to focus. Imagining an actual person |
| make the rest of the audience feel left out. | | | | there helps. |
| If, like me, you get a lot of energy and confidence from | | | | - Do: make occasional direct contact with real people. |
| connecting with the audience, you may use eye | | | | - Don't: let yourself focus on just one person (a friend |
| contact like a crutch, and end up focusing all your | | | | or particularly supportive audience member) or section |
| attention on the one or two people who are most | | | | of the audience for too long. |
| responsive. | | | | - Do: pay some attention to the front section of the |
| Few of our venues have sloped seating, so the | | | | audience. |
| audience's eye level is usually lower than yours. To | | | | - Don't: let your chin drop for more than a moment. |
| make direct eye contact, you have to look down | | | | Summary |
| slightly, which leaves out the other rows, and gives you | | | | Eye contact enhances your stage presence and builds |
| a double chin. | | | | a connection with your audience. But direct contact |
| If you're dancing in a theatrical setting, you may not be | | | | used ineffectively can make the other audience |
| able to see with the lights in your eyes. So you have | | | | members feel left out. |
| to be able to give the impression of eye contact | | | | Up & over eye contact gives your audience the |
| without being able to see your audience. | | | | impression of direct contact, while still making the |
| How Do I Make Up & Over Eye Contact? | | | | whole room feel included. |
| Look to the Back of the Room | | | | The key is to look up and over your audience's head. |
| To use the up & over technique, gaze just over | | | | Focus your gaze, as if you were looking at a real |
| the audience's heads. If it's a large space like a theater | | | | person. Be sure to move your gaze to different areas |
| or function hall, you can look at the back rows. But if | | | | of the back of the room, and make direct eye contact |
| it's a more typical small venue like a restaurant, you'll | | | | occasionally. |
| actually have to go over their heads. | | | | What You Can Do Right Now |
| Focus Your Gaze | | | | Practice the up & over technique during your next |
| Now focus your attention on a particular spot. We | | | | class or practice session. You don't need an actual |
| need to give the impression that we're making eye | | | | audience; just look up and over where their heads |
| contact with someone back there. An unfocused gaze | | | | would be. If you master up & over in an empty |
| is a dead give-away. It helps to imagine an actual | | | | room, using it on a real audience will be a snap. |
| person there. | | | | All you'll be able to make each one of them feel just |
| Spread it Around | | | | as special and as Jillina did to me. |
| As you dance, change your focus to different areas in | | | | |