I want your job: Belly dancer

Fleur Estelle, 22, is a professional belly dancer based in central London. She has featured on the BBC shows Strictly Come Dancing and It Takes Two and has also appeared in music videos.

What do you actually do?

I perform Middle Eastern dance at charity parties, corporate events, weddings and birthdays. My role is to entertain people and help them celebrate the occasion by getting them up and dancing. I do television and film projects, such as appearing as a guest judge on Strictly Come Dancing and dancing with the rapper Akon on CD:UK. I also teach people how to belly dance, from courses for absolute beginners to professional-level workshops, and I run my own business.

What's a typical day like?

Every day is different. In the morning, I check my diary, emails and messages, so I can finalise contracts and send confirmations for bookings. Then I rush off to teach one or two private classes, before getting ready to teach my evening class. I prepare for each class and show very carefully, browsing the latest music from Cairo, choosing my costumes and choreographing new moves. If I have a booking or rehearsal that night, I'll work out how to get to the venue and arrive early, so I have time to prepare before I perform.

What do you love about it?

It's exciting and fulfilling. I'm my own boss so I'm in charge of my life, and it's a varied job so it never feels routine. I meet lots of people from different cultures and backgrounds, often at weddings or parties when they're really happy. I feel that as a teacher, my role is to promote women's self-esteem and body-satisfaction. Belly dancing isn't like ballet – you don't have to be a certain shape or size. Seeing my students gain confidence always leaves me on a high, and I learn from them too.

What's not so great about it?

It's just so tiring. You have to be available and flexible seven days a week. I like to take as many gigs as possible, so I can't always make plans. I don't have a PA, so I deal with event organisers myself, and sometimes I feel like two people in one – dancing, and organising my business, too. I've learnt that you've got to take care of your body and know when to take breaks, or you end up exhausted.

What skills do you need to do the job well?

You need to be a good dancer, but it's not just about having talent – you've also got to update your style. I travel to Cairo twice a year to buy my costumes and check out the latest moves of dancers working in the big hotels. You've got to be business-orientated. You need to be firm when negotiating contracts, but when you perform, you need to dance from the heart. You need good people skills, and to be reliable and punctual. Most work comes through word-of-mouth, so if you show up late, you'll get a bad reputation. As a teacher, you need to learn how to break down dance moves into techniques for your students, and create an atmosphere that isn't intimidating.

What advice would you give someone with their eye on your job?

You have to be passionate about dancing, be prepared to work hard and take care of your body, and be really physically fit. You should also understand that your life will be different from a regular job. Train with as many different teachers as possible, and do as much research as you can on the culture and history of belly dancing – if you can, it's worth travelling to Cairo to learn more. You also need a solid business plan, and to learn to teach if you plan to give classes.

What's the salary and career path like?

You can dance, teach, and perform at all sorts of different events. The salary varies widely, depending on your experience and the event. When you're starting out, you could earn £25 to £50 for an hour's class teaching in a gym. Some people dance in restaurants, which might pay around £30 to £80, plus tips. At first, a new belly dancer could earn around £100 to dance at an event in London, but experienced belly dancers would easily charge up to several hundred pounds, if not more.

Fleur teaches at Dance Attic and Pineapple Dance Studio in London; www.fleurestelle.com.

For more information on careers in dance visit www.ndta.org.uk; www.cdet.org.uk; www.wiggle.org.uk; or www.danceuk.org.