Dancing with a snake – Part 1

Performing belly dance with a live snake can add an extra dimension and drama to your performance. However, dancing with live snakes is not for everybody and it is important to remember that a snake is not a prop, but a living creature that needs to be treated with respect and cared for.

Dancing with live snakes

Having said this, there are a few tips that can be given to dancers who want to perform with snakes:

• When performing with a live snake, check first with your clients, to make sure that they are well aware that a live snake will be present during the routine. Also, the audience should be made aware of this, as some people might be scared of snakes even to the point of phobia.
• Commonly used species are Corn snakes, which can be brightly coloured; ball pythons or albino Burmese pythons.
• Be aware that, even if some species can have a gentle nature in general, individual temperament may vary in individual snakes.
• Snakes that are longer than six or seven feet can be hard to manoeuvre, so make sure you choose a species that will not grow longer than you can manoeuvre comfortably.
• Make sure you are aware of the snake’s need in terms of temperature, right environment, feeding and hygiene. As pointed out above a snake is not a prop, but a living creature that needs looking after.
• Never leave your snake unattended with a customer or let customers come too close. Snakes may get agitated if there is too much commotion around them, so make sure they do not get startled.

Go to dancing with a snake Part 2.

Interested in reading about more dance props for your performances?