Central Coast Belly Dancer Mary

A family-friendly and beautiful art form, the costuming, music, and infectious rhythms add a touch of the extraordinary to any occasion, regardless of theme.

Will the children at the event enjoy the show?

Absolutely. In fact, my best audience members are usually children. They love the music, sparkly costumes, and can’t wait to get up and dance during audience participation!

I want to embarrass the guest of honor, will you do that?

No. I don’t believe in degrading the show quality for your guests by embarrassing anyone.

Is tipping appropriate?

Tipping performers is customary in the Middle East and appreciated by artists. Two fun ways to give tips are by throwing them over the dancer’s head, or folding bills into a necklace to drape around her neck. You could also just hand me the tip after the performance if you prefer.

What can I expect during a show?

A beautiful performance! Seriously though, the structure of the show depends on your event and the type of show best suited for you and your guests. The best place to get information is the Booking page, which includes links to several article’s I’ve written about weddings, the classic show, and the popular shimmy parties.

Why don’t you offer longer shows?

Your guests want to spend time mingling and enjoying the party! I’ve found that anything longer than 25 minutes monopolizes the party instead of enhancing it. Of course, if you are having a very large event where a full floor show would be fitting, contact me and we’ll create the perfect set for your event.

Another dancer offered to perform for less, why should I book you?

My rates reflect the quality of entertainment I offer and if I charged less, my clients would be the first to suffer. For more information regarding rates, I recommend reading The High Cost of Cheap.

What kind of costumes do you wear?

I love to dress well for any event and that definitely goes for my dance wardrobe too. All my costumes are top of the line creations from Cairo, Istanbul, or fantastic custom creations by American ateliers. I do rotate my wardrobe relatively regularly to keep things fresh and exciting, but have enough variety to usually fulfill special requests. While most costumes are of the two piece variety, I do have some beautiful gowns and folkloric dresses to provide a covered look for more conservative events.

Is “Raks” your last name?

“Raks” (or “raqs”) is Arabic for “dance”. The proper name for what many think of as belly dance is actually “Raqs Sharqui” – Oriental Dance, or Dance from the East. My website roughly translates to Mary Dance and I’m just Mary.

Do you teach?

I am very excited to announce Lompoc belly dance classes starting in January. Please visit the classes page for more information. If you are unable to make the Lompoc belly dance classes, I also offer private and small group belly dance lessons in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo County and workshops locally and nationwide. Please contact me for more details and scheduling.