Practical considerations

Health and safety

Take care to do what you can to avoid accidents and injuries at your event. It is useful to conduct a risk assessment, to help make sure you have thought things through systematically. See our information on health and safety for community groups.

 First aid

Decide who will be responsible for first aid on the day. For large events, you could ask a first aid organisation to attend. Even if you are just using your own volunteers, you need to have a visible first aid point at the event and people who are taking the role of first aiders. Some of your volunteers may already have first aid training. If not, here is a list of first aid training providers.

Transport

How will people get to the event? Make sure your publicity gives details of public transport and parking. Will you need to put up signs in the surrounding streets to make the event easier to find?

Access

You should do what you can to ensure that disabled people can take part in your event. For example, if possible, choose a venue which is accessible for wheelchair users, and provide a British Sign Language interpreter for speeches and performances. Put information on your publicity about how accessible your event will be, so that people will know in advance if their needs are going to be catered for. You could also invite people to contact you in advance if they have a particular access need, so that you can adjust your plans to make the event accessible for them.

Children’s activities

If you plan to have children’s activities, be clear in your publicity whether you are providing care for unsupervised children, or whether children need to bring an adult to look after them. If you plan to provide childcare, you may find it useful to look at our information on running a crèche.

Photography

Do you want or need to photograph or film your event entertainment? You should put up signs informing people if they might be photographed, and you should gain parental consent before photographing children. Have a look at our information on photo consent.

Insurance

Consider whether you want to take out public liability insurance.

A very Vintage affair…

Bringing a slice of vintage glitz and glamour to all events – Burlesque Girls will not disappoint in delivering a truly memorable experience!

A group of Burlesque performers have the perfect blend of charm, style and sophistication, delighting audiences with their slick performances.

From tongue in cheek bathing beauties to glamorous giant feather fans and raunchy routines, Burlesque Girls performances are individually crafted to deliver a unique, authentic look and feel.

Perfect for all corporate and private events, hire Burlesque dancing Girls and truly captivate all audiences with their dazzling glamour and captivating routines.

Why not create a dinner show or installation that will inspire your guests.  Customers that have hired Burlesque acts in the past have included, a burlesque girl bursting out of a giant birthday cake, a gold painted jazz singer singing sweetly from a golden harp prop, a group of 8 flapper girls posing in unison at a tea table, a Fred and Ginger tap dance act to name a few.  

Make it an evening of divine and glamorous entertainment you won’t easily forget! These talented and beautiful ladies perform a fully choreographed, high energy, polished and up market dance spectacular including neoburlesque, fan dance, belly dancing, cabaret, musical theatre, jazz, plenty of tease and live vocal performances to create an evening of fresh and modern titillating performance.

Ladies and gentlemen will be amazed by the luxurious and glamorous costumes and ostrich feather fans (so many feathers and sequins!) the seductive soulful voices of their talented singers and the empowered beauty and talent of their range of exquisite performers.

The burlesque ladies can tailor a performance and package to your event. You can book 1 – 6 performers and the girls can co-operate a variety of styles and performances from their repertoire.

Tasteful full, partial or non-strip tease routines are available.

Having a Middle Eastern themed night?

Have you ever wondered about Belly dancing and how it came about?  

According to some, the dance form that today many call ‘belly dance’ is extremely old and traces of it can be found up to 6,000 years ago, in some pagan societies who used to worship a feminine deity, to celebrate women’s fertility as something magic. However, there is little evidence that early pagan rituals are in any way connected to belly dance. This type of dance is supposed to be indeed good for preparing women’s body to give birth, but there does not seem to be proof of any link to ancient fertility rituals. In spite of this, there has been a tendency, in the last 40 years, to associate belly dance with spirituality and the power of the feminine. This may be due to the fact that the feminist movement, in the 1970s and 1980s in the USA, rediscovered belly dance as a form of dance that empowers women.

What we called today ‘belly dance’ seems to be the specific type of dance that comes from Turkey and Egypt. By looking at the specific movements of belly dance, some say that there could have been an influence coming from India. Indeed some movements, such as the head slides, are found both in Indian dance and in belly dance. Hence, it could be that populations migrating over the centuries from India to the Middle East and northern Africa brought their dance traditions with them, influencing the way local dances developed. Also, I think that belly dance owns a lot, in terms of dance vocabulary, to African dances. If we think about hip and chest shimmies and circles and body undulations, these are also present in African dances and in South American dances that derive from African traditions. However, each dance tradition has changed and adapted these movements so that, for example, shimmies in belly dance have a different feeling from African shimmies.

A proper chorological and historical study of dance and movement should be done in order to confirm how and when these influences developed, but it is difficult for such an ephemeral product like dance. Nevertheless, it could be attempted in the same way that linguists have studied the history of languages and traced migrations from ancient India to Europe with regards to the Indo-European languages, although movement did not leave a trace equivalent to written texts for languages.

Belly dancing has been a type of social dance since unmemorable times. It was and is danced when women gather together to socialise. In Egypt, dance has always been part of wedding celebrations, danced socially by people attending parties and professionally by performers who are paid to dance for special occasions. This is the typical baladi dance. Nowadays, the music played most commonly at weddings and social gatherings in Egypt is shaabi. The type of dance associated with shaabi music is very similar to baladi dance with hip articulations and quite grounded, but it does not have the same structure, as the music is different  (shaabi music is composed by individual pop songs, while baladi is mainly instrumental music which is improvised but follows a set pattern, hence a baladi dance performance follows the same pattern translated into movement).

What we call today ‘belly dance’ has always been also a form of public entertainment. Traveller’s tribes, both in Egypt and Turkey, used to perform out in the streets.  So hire one of our Belly dancers from Red Masque entertainment and see this great dance for yourself.

 

Bollywood Entertainment & Indian Wedding Performers

The Entertainment you choose for your wedding day will leave an impression on your guests for years to come! For this reason Bollywood entertainment makes the extra effort to connect with each couple and find the perfect entertainment solution for them. Whether you are looking for a bespoke musical creation, a flash mob to surprise your guests or simply an authentic taste of Bollywood, the Indian Dancers are highly trained professionals who will deliver a performance you & your guests are sure to love. 

Make it a night to remember

Hiring Bollywood dancers can surprise your guests with either the standard Bollywood Entertainment package or even flash mob style, adding a delightfully unexpected element to your evening! Imagine the excitement when colourfully costumed professional Bollywood dancers burst through the door and dazzle guests with their stylish moves!

Starters, main course, dessert, speeches….something’s missing without engaging entertainment. Why not provide the missing piece with our energetic Bollywood dance routines and stunning Bollywood costumes!

Heat up that that dance floor, immediately!

While DJs try their best, all too many weddings experience empty dance floors… don’t let it happen to you! The Bollywood acts work alongside with your DJ to offer a seamless transition from highly watchable entertainment to lively party; getting your guests up and dancing in no time. Bollywood acts can offer interactive workshops to teach your guests a few Bollywood and Bhangra dance moves to familiarise them with Indian Dance and get them moving well into the night! Workshops work particularly well for themed events!

Thinking of hiring a ballet dancer?

A ballet dancer is a wonderful thing her movements are faultless and seamless.  Even if you were not a fan of the beautiful art you must appreciate the work involved to get there; hours upon hours of training which is quite gruelling. Hiring a ballet dancer or a group will certainly go down well with your guests making it a very classy affair.

A Ballet dancers dream would be to train at the Royal Ballet School, for a ballet dancer; the most sought after place to be:

The Royal Ballet School was founded in 1926, when Dame Ninette de Valois opened her Academy of Choreographic Art. Inspired to create a repertory ballet company and school, she collaborated with Lilian Baylis, lessee and Manager of the Old Vic Theatre.

When Lilian Baylis acquired the Sadler’s Wells Theatre, de Valois moved the School there in 1931 and it became The Vic-Wells Ballet School feeding dancers into The Vic-Wells Ballet Company. In 1939 the school was renamed The Sadler’s Wells Ballet School and the Company became The Sadler’s Wells Ballet.

In 1946 The Sadler’s Wells ballet moved to a permanent home at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. A second company was formed, The Sadler’s Wells Theatre Ballet. In 1947 the School moved from Sadler’s Wells Theatre to Barons Court and general education was combined with vocational ballet training.

The first five younger years of the School moved to White Lodge, Richmond Park in 1955/56 and became residential, combining general education and vocational ballet training. The final three years of study for more senior continued to be based at Barons Court.

The Royal Charter was granted in October 1956 and the School and companies were renamed The Royal Ballet School, The Royal Ballet and the Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet (later renamed Birmingham Royal Ballet following its move there in 1990).

From that time the School has become both the leading classical ballet school in the United Kingdom earning government support and an international institution which attracts the very best ballet students worldwide. The calibre of students graduating from the school is self-evident.

In January 2003 the Barons Court campus moved to new premises in Floral Street, alongside London’s Royal Opera House in Covent Garden. The state-of-the-art studios are now linked to The Royal Ballet by the award winning Bridge of Aspiration, fulfilling Dame Ninette’s dream to have Company and School side by side in the centre of London.

Bring some culture to your event…

We appreciate that although many people want their wedding to be a loud, all singing and all dancing affair that gets people off their seats and having a great time, the simple truth is that some venues have a sound limiter, so that amplifier will have to be turned right down. But rather turning it down, why not get rid of it completely? Grandma won’t complain about the noise and in some cases, the musicians can mingle with your guests creating a more immersive and enjoyable atmosphere (not that it’s not enjoyable already – it is your wedding after all).

How about you hire entertainment like an experience pop quartet who can deliver the pop classics exactly how you need them? They will work well as both background music and providing a party atmosphere and will have your Auntie screaming ‘Come on Eileen’ at the top of her lungs. Within the sound limits of the venue, obviously

A pop group are exactly the kind of band that makes venues smile. No amplifier needed, a bit more quirky than what they see normally and some brilliant tunes to get everybody dancing at your wedding! From Britney Spears to Muse via Beethoven and Frank Sinatra, they really have it all. If you can find a better band comprising a violin, a guitar and an accordion then we’ll eat our wedding hat.

You could find that an A Capella group would be an idea choice for your entertainment, with their soulful voices in perfect harmony at your very special event.

Make it classy; make it memorable and get bring some ‘culture’ to your event.

What’s best for you?

Events are an intriguing proposition. Depending on the stage at which you are at in life, certain acts may be perfectly suited to you. Others perhaps less so. You’re hardly likely to book a wine tasting for a child’s birthday party and the less said about the ‘Happy 75th’ bouncy castle booking the better. With that in mind, we thought it may be useful to run through a few ideas you may wish to have a look at depending on the life stage within which you currently reside.

Who can forget childhood? A time when you were completely carefree but were still liable to be dragged along to events at your parent’s insistence. Thankfully, many times there were acts at these events that were tailor made for you. Ah, life was hugely enjoyable when you were being entertained by such acts like a hired balloon modeller (“a dog please”) and a children’s entertainer that you happily got involved, all memories of missing your favourite cartoon on television completely forgotten.

The most important part of your wedding day is undoubtedly the exchanging of the vows, declaring a lifelong commitment to one another. Everything else is window dressing but hey, you want the finest window dressing there is. To that end, splashing out for the V&A was quite the declaration of your love. And nobody will forget the reception at the Waldorf in a hurry. And booking stilt walkers and aerialists was a great idea. With the photo booth images providing a fun way to scrapbook your event, everyone went home happy– Wait a second! Was that the Queen in attendance?

Of course, many of the acts depicted here can’t really be compartmentalised and we have lots of ideas that you can look through on our entertainment directory. So have fun, pick some entertainers that would be a real surprise and make your whole event a magical one…

Choosing a wedding band

Wedding bands are highly required to make wedding receptions very lively. If you’re thinking of making your oncoming wedding event memorable; you really need to source for the best Wedding bands. You need to engage a reliable entertainment directory that offers quality entertainers for wedding events. You don’t need to crack your brain just to locate the right band. You simply need a little time to make the right choice. Red Masque has a high calibre of entertainment you will be guaranteed to find something that suits. If you wanted to hire some reliable wedding entertainment, we are sure you will be able to locate the best through our directory.

It’s important you consider the venue of your wedding reception when sourcing for the best band. Make sure you choose from a good entertainment directory such as Red Masque. Once you have chosen you are free to ask as many questions as you like to your chosen entertainer and tailor make your wedding your way. A good point to remember is; you can easily make the right choice by asking proper questions.

When searching for quality however, we can assure you that we have vetted all of our entertainment and have had trusted reviews from each and every one. Of course you can easily find what you are looking for online but do they come highly acclaimed and are they from a trusted entertainment directory?

In any case, if you succeed in locating the best wedding bands, you can take another step by getting in touch with them. You can send emails or call them on phone. You can speak with the managers or the artists themselves. You need to ask them several questions before you make the right choice. You have to ask about their charges, style of music, duration, expertise and so on. You can easily pick the best from the responses you’ll get at the end.

In all, take your time when sourcing for Wedding music. You need to start looking for the right agency like Red Masque ahead of time. You really need to pick the best band that will make your wedding glorious. You’ll succeed if you choose the right directory in the first place – which by the way is Red Masque directory.

Dancers with a difference

Snakes and Belly dancers go hand in hand together. These amazing creatures, love them or hate them, have something mesmerising about them and when teamed with a sensational dancer act you have a show that’s unmissable.

Belly dancers have been around for centuries and are popular performers in traditional Turkish and middle eastern restaurants. If you ever wanted to master the art of Belly Dancing then it’s worth knowing that many of these performers also offer lessons to keep your guests entertained. It’s fun for everyone and a great way to get people together. Why not hire a Belly Dancer to teach you some of her moves after she’s put on her show. 

For some eye candy at an event then why not have a look at our selection of Podium dancers, burlesque dancer and showgirls. These girls are professional, classy and have trained for hours to put on the perfect show for you.

Be dazzled by the splendid costumes and blown away by their performances. These girls will titillate and tease but done in the best possible taste!! 

From meeting and greeting guests and posing for photographs on the red carpet to full scale cabaret, theatre and production shows. Hire Showgirls, burlesque performers and dancers who can cater for all your entertainment needs. With themes like Las Vegas, Hollywood, Moulin Rouge, Mardi Gras and James Bonde, these gorgeous girls make any event one to remember for all the right reasons.

Strictly Dancing

With dancing programmes gracing our TV screens on a weekly basis, it makes us very curious to learn or watch these dances more closely. You could be having a themed evening and needing some entertainment for the evening. Have you ever considered hiring professional dancers to keep your guests entertained? They make the perfect addition to weddings and launch parties and guarantee to add the wow factor to your event.

To book any of these dancers you will need to decide which dancer would be ideal for your even. We have only the very best entertainers here at Red Masque and we are sure you will be 100% happy with whatever choice you make.

How about hiring some Brazilian dancers to liven things up? You would have most definitely seen some Samba dancers before if you’ve visited the Notting Hill Carnival and these dancers are perfect for bringing a ‘feel good dance’ to any event. If you’re wanting some amazing colourful dancers at your event then these maybe just the party entertainment you were looking for.
Cabaret dancers or even Dance comedy acts are always a guaranteed crowd pleaser. If you wanted to treat guests this Christmas to a sit down meal with some great entertainment which is a break from the norm, then this is the perfect entertainment for you. The performers can keep your guests entertained during dinner making your event one to remember. With so many party performers available here at Red Masque you really are spoilt for choice. Dinner has never been so much fun! 

A Dance Group could be hired and the chorography can be tailor made to fit in to your event and requirements. Any style of dance that your taste desires from Street Dance to River Dance, Male and Female solo dancers, ballet, ballroom and many more…. 

We have just about all Dance groups covered within our Red Masque entertainment directory. All you need to do is choose your favourite, fill out an online booking form and the Dancers will be in contact with you to discuss all your needs and requirements.

For all you Latin music lovers

For all you Latin music lovers out there who live and breathe this type of music, then Brazilian, Salsa or tango dancers can be hired for your very special evening. You could know some moves already but with these brilliant and talented dancers they could show you a few more.

How spectacular when a group of salsa dancers come into your party and liven things up a bit, or you could be organising a carnival where vibrant Brazilian dancers will be a very big hit with your crowd. A salsa dance is very special and intimate, making a romantic proposal even more romantic.  If you haven’t yet thought of this original idea then why not let Red Masque directory help you along the way?