Eshta
New member
Hi folks, your thoughts please!
I have been teaching some university students for the last term, and for the next term they want a choreography they can perform at their dance society's end of term show.
My students scare me with their ability to pick up technique, but I don't feel their overwhelming enthusiasm when I try to educate them as to the 'philosophy' of Egyptian dance. I can't blame them, they are pretty young 18 - 21 year olds whose concept of belly dance has come from Shakira, so my deft ramblings about musical interpretation,artistic integrity and emotional interpretation after 2-3 months of classes might be a bit much for them. But I would rather NOTteach than pander to the commercialised "shaking your booty like a belly dancer" school of belly dance teaching.
In choosing the song to use for their choreography, I am contemplating Natacha Atlas's "I put a spell on you" in order to demonstrate to them the concepts I have been trying to articulate. I know it seems the most unlikely of songs to demonstrate this, but I think they will be able to relate for the following:
- the lyrics are in English, so they can relate
- Related to the above, the ability to understand means they can relate to the emotional leve of the song
- the 'essence' of the song is similar in the western version and the Natacha Atlas version
- Good opportunity to explain the impact of rhythm (the heavy Saidi rhythm is a critical transformer of the song from West to East)
- That said, the rhythm is constant, so they won't be overwhelmed by the number of changes in rhythm
- Selfishly, I have a weakness for this song and would be able to stomach 10 weeks of repitition of hearing this song
Quite broad a question, but do you think it is possible to teach them something about the more subtle elements of Egyptian style by using a non-authentic example that they can relate to (as opposed to an authentic version they would struggle to identify with)? Do you think I'm worrying too much too soon - I'm paranoid because it was very late in my dance education that I learnt about the more subtle elements of Egyptian style belly dance but then perhaps you need the building blocks before you can 'branch out' into distinctive 'styles'?
Finally, do you have any ideas for my choreography?! If I'm not boo'd off the figurative forum stage for my choice in music, I'm a very 'selfish' choreographer in that I can choreograph for myself but struggle to empathise for my poor students Any ideas would be welcome!
I have been teaching some university students for the last term, and for the next term they want a choreography they can perform at their dance society's end of term show.
My students scare me with their ability to pick up technique, but I don't feel their overwhelming enthusiasm when I try to educate them as to the 'philosophy' of Egyptian dance. I can't blame them, they are pretty young 18 - 21 year olds whose concept of belly dance has come from Shakira, so my deft ramblings about musical interpretation,artistic integrity and emotional interpretation after 2-3 months of classes might be a bit much for them. But I would rather NOTteach than pander to the commercialised "shaking your booty like a belly dancer" school of belly dance teaching.
In choosing the song to use for their choreography, I am contemplating Natacha Atlas's "I put a spell on you" in order to demonstrate to them the concepts I have been trying to articulate. I know it seems the most unlikely of songs to demonstrate this, but I think they will be able to relate for the following:
- the lyrics are in English, so they can relate
- Related to the above, the ability to understand means they can relate to the emotional leve of the song
- the 'essence' of the song is similar in the western version and the Natacha Atlas version
- Good opportunity to explain the impact of rhythm (the heavy Saidi rhythm is a critical transformer of the song from West to East)
- That said, the rhythm is constant, so they won't be overwhelmed by the number of changes in rhythm
- Selfishly, I have a weakness for this song and would be able to stomach 10 weeks of repitition of hearing this song
Quite broad a question, but do you think it is possible to teach them something about the more subtle elements of Egyptian style by using a non-authentic example that they can relate to (as opposed to an authentic version they would struggle to identify with)? Do you think I'm worrying too much too soon - I'm paranoid because it was very late in my dance education that I learnt about the more subtle elements of Egyptian style belly dance but then perhaps you need the building blocks before you can 'branch out' into distinctive 'styles'?
Finally, do you have any ideas for my choreography?! If I'm not boo'd off the figurative forum stage for my choice in music, I'm a very 'selfish' choreographer in that I can choreograph for myself but struggle to empathise for my poor students Any ideas would be welcome!