FAQ
Categories Related
Q: I've only been belly dancing for less than three years. However occasionally, I dance in restaurants and teach at fitness clubs and dance studios, where I get paid for my services. Which category should I register for?
A: You should register for the Professional Oriental category. The competition categories don't really require the dancer to have a specific amount of time of bellydance experience. However, "professional" bellydancer in this case, is someone who receives remuneration for showcasing and teaching their expertise and knowledge. Even if it is a side job, if you regularly get paid and the earnings support your living, then you're dancing professionally.
Q: Every now and then, I appear in paid shows organized by my teacher. I do it more for the learning experience and exposure. I receive some money, which is mostly for transportation and food/drinks expenses. Would I be considered a professional dancer because I received a payment?
A: If you're performing as a student, mostly to gain more exposure and learning experience, and you are being given expenses for travel and food/drinks alone, then you're still considered an amateur/non-professional.
Q: I danced several times at a friend's and family's wedding party, and was compensated for my performances. However, it was only during those events that I got paid. I mostly perform at studio haflas, and I don't teach. Which category should I join?
A: If you're promoting yourself as bellydancer and/or you regularly receive remuneration for your performances, then you're dancing professionally. However, if you've only received payment for dancing at family's or friend's wedding parties, then you're still considered an amateur/non-professional.
Q: Are fan veils allowed in the oriental categories? Or are they just for fusion categories?
A: Fan veils are allowed in both oriental and fusion categories. Please remember that the use of props is limited to 50% of the performance time, and that LED fan veils may not be visible due to the bright lighting required during video submissions and finals.
Q: For the Professional category, is it possible to use a choreography which I learned at a workshop and rearrange it to make it my own? Would this be accepted as an original choreography?
A: “Original choreography” refers to a dance piece you've created on your own from start until end. Rearranging a choreography would still not make it your own. It is however possible, when creating your own choreography, to include combinations, poses, footwork, etc., learned from your teacher or other artists.
Q: We are an ensemble group who made it to the finals. One of the dancers in the video was unexpectedly injured and cannot dance on the day of the finals. Are substitutes allowed?
A: Generally we do not accept replacements or substitutes. In the event of an accident, illness, or natural disaster however, Deseos will review your case. Please contact us.
Q: Can I join the same category again even if I've already won 1st Place the previous year?
A: Yes! Of course you may join in the same category again. There is no one time limit. Every year the level of dancing improves and new contestants join and make it to the finals. It's a different experience with a different challenge every time.
Q: Can I join more than one category?
A: Yes, you certainly can. Please check the "Categories" page to determine which categories are a match for you.
Q: I am a member of two separate fusion groups. These troupes plan to join separately in the Fusion Ensemble category. Can I join the same category more than once during the same competition year?
A: You are only allowed to join the same category once. In this case, you would sadly have to choose which troupe you will be joining the competition with. Naturally, this applies for the solo categories as well. You may only join a particular solo category once.
Q: We are a dance group comprised of both professional and non-professional members (mostly non-professional). As a group, which Oriental Ensemble category should we join?
A: To be as fair as possible to other contestants, non-professional dancers joining Professional categories will be accepted, but not the other way around. Professional dancers will not be able to join the Non-professional categories. Your group should compete in the Professional Oriental Ensemble category if both pro and non-pro members are performing together.
Q: I am a senior non-professional dancer. However, I've been dancing for many years and would like to challenge myself and join the Professional Oriental Solo category. Is this allowed?
A: Yes, senior and non-professional dancers joining Professional categories will be accepted, but not the other way around. Professional dancers will not be able to join the Non-professional categories.
Registration / Video Submission Related
Q: Can I register now and send my video (YouTube or download link) at a later date?
A: Yes, you may register first, and submit your video later. Please make sure to submit your video before the deadline (10/3 [Sun] 23:59 o'clock). Instructions on how and where to send your YouTube or download will be provided to you after payment has been confirmed.
Q: Does the performance during the preliminary round have to be the same as the performance in the finals? Does the music have to be the same also?
A: It's totally up to you. They can be different performances, or the same, or a mixture of both. This goes for the music too. (Please take note however, that the preliminary round video submissions are maximum 3:00 minutes. If you are chosen for the finals, depending on the category you are joining, your total video performance time will be most likely be longer.)
Q: For the group categories, does the submitted video need to have all the people together in the same shot, or is alright if the participants video themselves separately (for social distancing purposes) and have a complied video with all participant screen boxes seen side-by-side for the final submission?
A: For the ensemble categories, (except for the "Live" Drum Solo category), you may definitely shoot separately/individually and then later on compile all of them side-by-side in one video. However, please take note that performances by each dancer has to be shot in one take, from start until end. This means no cuts, fades into next frame, or special video effects during the performance please.
Q: Is it alright to use video editing effects or mobile app effects on my videos to make them more artistic?
A: No special video editing effects are allowed during the performance in the videos. In addition, performances must be the same take, shot from start until end. This means no cuts, fades into next frame, or other enhancing effects that might influence the actual dancing in the video. The videos themselves will not be judged for artistic quality.
Q: I registered a couple of days ago and still haven't heard back. Did I register successfully?
A: You should expect to get a reply regarding your registration within 24 hours. If you did not receive a reply email from Deseos within that time, please consider the following:
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The email address you provided was incorrect.
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In case of registering from a mobile phone e-mail address, privacy settings in your mobile phone could be preventing PC e-mails from coming through.
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Due to server trouble, the registration form may not have gone through.
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Due to privacy settings on your e-mail account, our reply may have gone to a separate folder such as Spam or Promotions.
If the reply email is not in either the Spam or Promotions folder, please contact Deseos.
Q: I had poor internet connection. I wasn't sure if my registration was sending successfully. I may have sent my application multiple times.
A: You should expect to receive one reply email per category, per registration. So, if you're registering for one category only, then you should receive one reply email. If you've registered for 2 categories, then you should receive 2 emails, etc. (Please check the information of your registration detailed in the reply e-mail sent by Deseos.) Multiple applications can cause confusion, so please let us know if you suspect sending more than just one application for the same category. Please also know that using mobile email addresses such as softbank or au can block reply emails. So it is best to use a non-mobile email address. For further information, contact Deseos.
Online Tickets / Finals
Q: Can I video or take screenshots of the event?
A: Out of respect for the privacy of the contestants, judges and host, video shooting or screenshots will not be permitted. Taking screenshots will be allowed during the "Awards" section at the end of the competition only. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
Q: Is Zoom the only platform you will be airing TIBC on? And if I can't watch it live on the day due to unavailability or region time difference, is there anywhere else I can watch the competition on another date?
A: TIBC will be live on Zoom only. So, if you want to watch the event in real time and partake in the People's Choice voting, it is the only platform available. However, for those who are unable to use Zoom or are not available on the days of the event, you may still watch a recorded version on YouTube which will be up for 72 hours after the event. Online tickets will open soon, so please check back for those details.
Others
Q: Do you provide competition entrants with feedback on their performances?
A: Finalists of the competition will get written feedback from the judges, which are then emailed to the contestants a few days after the event. However, for the preliminary rounds contestants, it all depends on the amount of participants we get. If there's a large volume of video submissions, then the judges will only provide feedback if they wish to do so. So in that case, some contestants may get the feedback and some may not.