Since I am self employed or employed by a relative, there is no real consequence for me to talk about belly dance. I decided a long time ago that I was not going to try to hide the fact that I belly dance. I started dancing at 16. I do end up explaining a lot of things about the dance, but that is a good thing. I am in a farm community and looked at as being a little odd because of my line of work and my hobbies, but it seems that most who know me, like me or love me. I would like to say that open and honest are the best policies, but I cannot say that in the situation of work/belly dance because some people are just too ignorant for that, and won't change. I was lucky.... my family, my church, my friends and clients accept dance as part of me.

You describe me here, so I'll chime in...

I refer to bellydance as my second job, since I devote a whole lot of time to with rehearsals, taking classes, teaching classes, and performing (not to mention the neverending search for costum stuff, research on youtube, looking for new music, etc). I work in a fairly creative industry and do not hide my dancing at all. For example, if someone asks what I'm doing on the weekend, I'll mention that I'm performing, and if they ask for more details I have no problem telling them. Usually I get a positive reaction, but the few times it's been weird or whatever, I just ignore it. I'm long past letting other peoples' issues and misconceptions bother me too much, unless they try to call me out or are disrespectful in some way, which has happened. Then I school them proper ;)

I have found that my attitude about it has an effect on how they react...if I acted all quiet and embarassed about it or avoided the question, they would read that and perhaps think that it was something to be ashamed of. But since Idon't do that, they are more at ease with it and are less likely to be inappropriate.

I have also had co-workers come out to see me perform and have usually welcomed them with no problems at all. I've found that people tend to be interested in hearing more about it, and have even enticed a few folks to try it out themselves.

Hope that answers your question :)

Good question...

I am a nurse parttime and actually left the technology field (previous career) to have a job that I could devote more time to my dancing career. It is hard to work parttime in consulting.....and so I found a new career which allows for parttime and makes me feel that I am making a difference (another thing I needed).

I do not hide my dancing career from my coworkers. I am careful about advertising it as I feel that it could become inappropriate or make coworkers feel that they 'need' to come. If they ask...then I tell. I did feel funny when one of the doctors randomly showed up at a restaurant that I was performing. I recognized him but could not figure out where I knew him from....and NO he did not recognize me (go figure since I do not show up to the hospital in my sparkly gear). It was quite hilarious....he ended up dancing with me and then said his name. I was sooo shocked and was not sure if I should say that I was one of his nurses or not....I mean there is the concern of being respected. But then I realized...he was dancing and having fun so would probably think it was fun. I told him and he loved it.....it was soooo funny and we have laughed about it for months now. The cat was out of the bag among the docs then.....but I must say.....I do not say "please come".....just feels funny. I do feel that a couple of staff members - main older doctors - had a funny reaction but that is their issue. One of those now has worked with me and I think whatever strange thought he had is now squashed......so that is all that matters to me. I do want them to see me as a nurse. It is new to me to be in a field that people share so much of their private life...coming from IT previously. Oh...I should ad that I have found that many of the staff at my hospital are artist (music, dance, painting, etc)----it really is nice to hear.

I did use to work as an IT consultant for a number of large telecom firms for a while. Since I am younger and was working in a man's industry. I did not hide it but I did not talk about my dancing much. This was a field that some would misunderstand what I did. Also...it was a field that all kept their 'private' life private......you had only your first meeting to make an impression that you were qualified and could help the client fix the issue. I needed the clients to see me as only focused on their project....so a lot of that had to do with the role. It was not that I was bellydancer.....muscians, painters, etc.....they all kept that side a little more quiet in the field. Once you did get to know the client...if time allowed then private lives did get discussed and I would tell some and some I decided "not sure they would understand".

I was asked to start teaching a class at work but I did say I could not bc they were asking for free classes. I had to explain that I teach 3 nights a week and what I charge so they understood....it is not just a hobby. I think many thought it was just a hobby. So I provide them with my info and told some that if they are interested - then I would need a minimum number of people in order to make it worthwhile. Felt bad turning them down for a lunch hour class but honestly....the idea of teaching for free in the middle of a 12 hour shift on my only break...uhhhh no.

I think your question is very individualized as I have now worked in two completely different areas. In nursing --- everyone tells everything. In consulting --- you often keep your private life quiet. I think each of us have to look at whether there is a need for separation or where that line is. Personally - I do not introduce myself and tell everyone as that begins to make me feel I am advertising at work. Most do know now and if they ask....I give them my website and they can decide if they want to come. I have had some ask for fliers and for me to post my events but I have not done that. I guess in some ways.....I am not sure I want to join both worlds completely. I love my nursing job but there are personality issues there at times and gossip so do I want to drag that into my dancing world --- my main passion? If a coworker does really want to come then I do tell them the info. Who knows what it may do for them in their life? May be they are looking for an outlet? I say go with your intuition --- it is often guiding us all in the right direction (we just have to listen).

Thanks for sharing!

In my previous job, a beauty salon where I worked with my mom and 3 other women and we were all fairly close and knew everything about each other (we all know how salons are!), I told everybody when I started taking lessons and some of them had even shown interest in starting with me but couldn't fit it into their schedules, although my boss did think it was a funny hobby.

The reason I asked this now is because I recently (almost 2 months ago) got a new job and since initially I was not that familiar with the environment and the people (it's a dental office, I've never worked with dental before), I had decided to keep it low-key and not mention my dancing unless it came up. Of course, it did eventually come up in a conversation with a co-worker and she has been showing a lot of interest, the other day she even mentioned she would like to come to my next performance that is not on a Sunday. She is the only one who knows so far though, as I work more closely with her than anyone else.

Now, I am not a professional, not even semi-professional, I have been learning for about 2 years but this year I am trying to take every possible performance opportunity at student/community venues so that I can improve and eventually start looking into professional venues once I'm ready. But still I am confident enough in my dancing that I don't mind it that people who know me watch it... my whole family has seen it by now, my friends... I've even danced for college festivals and a class, meaning my classmates and even teachers saw me so I suppose it's not much different if a co-worker does.

I work at a children's museum, and was always worried what the Board would think about one of their employees being a belly dancer. I took many precautions to make sure that I was very tactful and very covert about my dancing. I am in the public eye lot with my job at the Museum though, and in the public eye with the dancing, there was no way to keep it a complete secret and that was never my goal. I was just going for discreet.

One day...I had a performance at a Festival. Moments after I was done, I got an emergency call saying that some help was needed at a location the Museum was doing a fundraiser at. I needed to deliver some tickets to the fundraiser location site. I ended up having to go in costume, I live an hour away from where I work. I got out of my car, in costume, and walked through the parking lot to the tent where the museum was selling raffle tickets (Board members and staff members where there selling the tickets). I was so worried the Board members would say something, and when I got to the tent, they had the look of surprise that I was so worried about. But then I realized, it wasn't me they were surprised about...it was the see of on-lookers (at me) that had overwhelmed the tent, and were now purchasing tickets! I generated so much interest, they asked me to stay, and to come back the next day with MORE dancers! We sold lots of tickets, and the Board was delighted.

All that worrying for nothing! As long as you are ALWAYS professional and tactful...you will never have anything to be ashamed about, whether it be career or dance related.

Belly dance is one of my jobs and a key part of my income. I also work in the social work field. Everyone at work knows I dance--I mentioned in my interview. I've performed at a coworker's party and the director has asked me to give a workshop on the benefits of exercise and stretching to relieve stress. One of my supervisors is a former ballet/tap/modern teacher. (That was her other job, before the babies. )
There's nothing shameful about it! If people don't understand, that's not my problem.

:o)

IMO I think it really depends on the nature of your workplace, and the person who is showing interest or that you're thinking of inviting. I take things on a case by case basis. I've had some workplaces where I could shout it from the rooftops that I dance & other places where I thought it was a poor idea to mention it too much.

I used to be an Events Supervisor at a community college and my boss is also a part time photographer, so he was really excited about attending my performances (he even took some great photos...too bad I was a no0b and looked all angry in them).

Every industry is different, and every workplace. They all have their own dynamic and it takes time to figure out what's going to work in your situation. While I'd never deny it if anyone ever asked, I didn't always advertise either. In the end it always came out that I was a belly dancer.

My last real "day job" was working for a chain eyeglass store. For a while I worked in the lab actually making the glasses. There were a couple people that didn't know I was taking classes or anything. All they knew is that I required Sundays off. No one really cared why. However, there were these two women that were always asking me about where I was going after work or where I went on Sundays. I did end up telling them about going to see friends perform at a local restaurant and that my Sundays were pretty much filled with troupe rehearsals and classes. They wanted to know everything about it. Before long, when they were working the lab with me, all we talked about were kids, family, and dance. It was a lot of fun. While everyone else knew, when I was transferred to being an optometric technician and receptionist for the doctor, it suddenly wasn't really discussed anymore. On occasion patients would ask me if I had kids or would ask about what I do when I'm not working there, and I'd tell them. Most were fascinated and a couple even came to see my troupe perform. Still, I didn't exactly advertise. It just wasn't really appropriate to talk belly dance in front of the patients all the time. It's funny how even just changing places within the same workplace can change the whole dynamic.

Actually, that was only until the day my husband decided to replace his glasses before the student show I was in later that evening. He decided this after I'd already gotten dressed in my costume, make-up, and everything! So I ended up having to go with him to work so he could get new glasses, and everyone saw me in costume. I got a lot more questions about the shows and requests to see videos and pictures of the shows they had missed. That made a huge difference in how my co-workers saw me as a dancer.

I have two jobs: teaching music & waiting tables. Everyone at the restaurant knows I dance. My adult student knows I dance but it's never really come up with the kids. If the parents asked where I was when I was out of town at a festival or doing a gig I might tell them. I'm not sure. One of my students asked when I'd be performing next (on cello) & I told her it was out of town but I'd try to put it on youtube, so she'll find out soon enough because my youtube channel is full of my dance videos.