Our Goal
The show starts in 2 hours. Your costume doesn’t have the backup snaps in place yet, your hair isn’t styled, and dress rehearsal starts in 30 minutes.
You’ve got your makeup bag shoved into the corner of the one mirror you and all the other dancers are sharing and this is the third time you’ve tried to put on your lashes. You’re running choreography in your head, earphones in, as you battle it out for space to do your makeup.
Perhaps you would have done it sooner, but it's hard, you're not sure how to do it, and honestly it's the last thing on your mind.
You’ve barely started it by the time dress rehearsal starts. Now the show starts in 15 minutes, and that one dancer who is AMAZING with her makeup is running around helping everyone else.
The teacher has her going around and adding more eyeliner and blush to you and half the other dancers. You didn’t put on enough for the strong stage lights. She’s still trying to help people with as you all rush out the door to line up for your entrance.
Sound familiar?
We’ve all been there.
Shimmy Set Glow is here to help you change the story.
Our goal is to increase your confidence and allow you more time to work on other aspects of your dance, knowing that you've got your makeup in the bag (see what we did there?).
Technique will only get you so far. It's when emotion enters your dance that you're able to really move people. But no matter the location, you'll find yourself washed out if your makeup isn't done up. If the audience can't see your facial expressions, then they don't get to fully experience your dance.
We're here to help you make that happen.
But who are "we" anyway?
Omega
Omega is a Tallahassee-based teacher and performer of Middle-Eastern, Polynesian, and Brazilian dance. She has toured in the U.S. and in Europe with Bellydance Evolution and was a featured instructor and performer at River City Raqs 2018. Omega is also a classically-trained musician who has studied ethnomusicology, and enjoys fusing her disciplines, especially when teaching.
Omega has been performing professionally for a decade. When she first started dancing, YouTube makeup tutorials didn't exist yet (who knew you could even put makeup in your eyebrows?), so she knows the struggle of not knowing the first thing about makeup. Over the years, she's honed her techniques and spent countless hours figuring out what works (and what doesn't) and hopes to save you some time by sharing her tips.
You can follow Omega's dance (and makeup!) adventures on Instagram @omegabellydance or on Facebook at facebook.com/omegabellydance.
Erin G
Karmelita, or Karma for short, is a rising star in the professional belly dance world. She has been studying belly dance for over a decade and specializes in American Cabaret with focuses in Modern, Classical, and Turkish influences. Her style has been called fiery, wild, and powerful and she has developed a brand for being a beast. In fact, her first DVD with RaqsTV, "Unleash the Beast", is just that: a collection of intense and challenging combinations set to the dramatic compositions by Tim Rayborn and Middle Earth Ensemble.
When she isn't on the dancefloor, Karma can be found toiling away in her sewing room where she makes mermaid tails, belly dance and burlesque costumes, and cosplays! Karma is also a raging geek and avid gamer and would be thrilled to talk to your ear off about it! Follow her on facebook here.
Tiffany
Don't worry, Tiffany won't be doing many tutorials here! Surprisingly, for one of the creators, she actually hates makeup. But, true story, it's because she doesn't know what she's doing. She found a look that works for her and hasn't strayed from it for years.
Tiffany teamed up with Erin and Rachel to bring you Shimmy Set Glow because she knows she's not the only dancer out there bewildered by what to do with her face. Learn alongside her as Rachel and Erin show us the way!
You can see more of Tiffany's work on The Bellydance Bundle and Journey Through Egypt, she tends to stay behind the scenes, where makeup isn't necessary ;)