Workshop wishlist

Roshanna

New member
I'm in the process of putting together a list of topics for workshops and talks/lectures that I might teach in the future, and so I wondered, what topics would be on your wishlist for your perfect bellydance learning opportunity?

What subjects do you wish there were more workshops on?
What talks/lectures would you be interested in attending?
 

Duvet

Member
Confidence on stage - how to overcome stage fright and perform so you and the audience get your best

Reading a drum solo - the unspoken communication between the drummer and the dancer

Tips on choreography - less is more; managing repetitions; directing focus around the body; etc
 

Aniseteph

New member
Ooh those are good ones Duvet. Over the years I've been to three live drummer ones - they work best in small groups where you get the opportunity to have a go, but they are pretty much top of my wish list. Will pay extra and travel further for these.

Approaches to improvisation - although it scares some people off as a topic. Anything to help you find out what works for you is good.

Different approaches to the music/dance; people's personal approaches to building choreography, musicality, keeping it simple etc.

I like ones that geek about the styles of different dancers/ eras/ countries, as long as it's geeky enough - video clips, detailed analysis of signature moves/styling, that sort of thing. History talks with pictures and clips too.

I've been to make up workshops but only for full on stage make up with about a zillion products involved - I don't get much use for that. Something more hafla-appropriate would be fun.
 

Daimona

Moderator
I like ones that geek about the styles of different dancers/ eras/ countries, as long as it's geeky enough - video clips, detailed analysis of signature moves/styling, that sort of thing. History talks with pictures and clips too.

This could also be done as workshops, such as Golden Era choreographies etc. It could also be a study of specific dancers and what are the differences in their style etc.
 

Roshanna

New member
Hmm, interesting thoughts so far, thank you :)

I've certainly observed that live drum solo workshops always seem to sell out whenever they are offered. My only workshop teaching so far has also been a day of workshops with live drumming (which a mutual friend of myself and the drummer talked me into teaching), and that sold out well before the event even though I was a completely unknown teacher. It went pretty well, especially considering I hadn't taught a workshop before, so that will definitely be going on my list of offerings :D

It also seems like there's a major backlash against choreography workshops these days. Whenever I ask, people say they want to learn improv skills or technique, and many dancers are now saying that they avoid choreography workshops. I certainly tend to, unless the teacher is an awesome enough dancer that I think I'll get something from just absorbing a bit of their style and interpretation for a couple of hours.

I'd like to offer some musical interpretation/improv toolkit type workshops, but am still working out how I might conceptualise it, and what I'd call it to make it not sound scary, boring or offputting... Another thought that has just popped into my head is a workshop on how to enjoy social dancing, since so many student dancers seem to be afraid to get on the dance floor at haflas during the 'open floor' parts.
 

Zorba

"The Veiled Male"
One topic you almost never see - because its very hard to teach, and very hard to learn: "Emoting on stage - how to bring emotion to your dance." I took a multi-part workshop in this once - several dancers couldn't handle the emotions and quit early!
 

Greek Bonfire

Well-known member
Always, always - getting back to our roots. There are way too many here on modern and fusion. But a cane workshop is just about non-existent.
 

Farasha Hanem

New member
I think anything that would deepen my understanding of the dance, whether it's a workshop or lecture on musicality, understanding taqsim, etc. Wish I could elaborate more. :(
 

Shanazel

Moderator
Always, always - getting back to our roots. There are way too many here on modern and fusion. But a cane workshop is just about non-existent.

This. Definitely. I am so sick of fusion, fantasy, and farfetched fripperies passing for belly dance. :naghty:
 
It also seems like there's a major backlash against choreography workshops these days.

I'd like to offer some musical interpretation/improv toolkit type workshops, but am still working out how I might conceptualise it, and what I'd call it to make it not sound scary, boring or offputting... Another thought that has just popped into my head is a workshop on how to enjoy social dancing, since so many student dancers seem to be afraid to get on the dance floor at haflas during the 'open floor' parts.

I am one of those who avoids choreography workshops. I can see their value for advanced dancers - one, because they dance solo and will therefore have a chance to use the choreo and two, because they're knowledgeable enough to "extract" style and interpretation from the choreo. But for a student like me who always dances in a troupe to someone else's choreo, it's hard to see the value.

Your other two ideas are great. I think if you acknowledge the fear of improv in the title - e.g. "Take the Fear out of Improv", and word the blurb to show you recognise students are scared of it, you'd get a good turnout! As for the social dancing - I thought I was the only one who seems to freeze on the dance floor at haflas, so I'd love to do a w'shop on that!
 

Roshanna

New member
This. Definitely. I am so sick of fusion, fantasy, and farfetched fripperies passing for belly dance. :naghty:

To be honest, I tend to just subconsciously filter these things out and don't even register them as options when I see the workshop listings or see them on festival timetables.
 

Aniseteph

New member
Aargh, battery fail ate my last post (can I rend my bedlah now?!).

Seconding what Zorba said about workshops on expression. I went to an excellent one recently and I'm still not sure why it worked for me. I think it was a combination of a teacher who is expression personified so sets a great example, and the energy and ambience she created so that it didn't feel silly to give the emoting a go. It's definitely a multi skill set topic.

Roshanna said:
...I tend to just subconsciously filter these things out and don't even register them as options when I see the workshop listings or see them on festival timetables
Me too. I'll only do the wacky fusion workshops if it's a teacher who might have an interesting take on it., or if I feel like just doing it for a giggle or for the exercise.

I like the idea of a social dancing workshop, and have never seen one before. Novelty, but in a good way!

Also I was thinking about improv/ fear of improv and workshop descriptions. I've been put on the spot far more times in classes and workshops than in performance. Including that angle might make it more relevant to students who wouldn't dream of doing an improvised performance. Making it more "get confident with classroom situations you might find yourself in" than "learn to do something that's so scary you don't envisage yourself doing ever unless dragged by wild horses".
 

Ariadne

Well-known member
I'd like to offer some musical interpretation/improv toolkit type workshops, but am still working out how I might conceptualise it, and what I'd call it to make it not sound scary, boring or offputting... Another thought that has just popped into my head is a workshop on how to enjoy social dancing, since so many student dancers seem to be afraid to get on the dance floor at haflas during the 'open floor' parts.

Add me as another who loves the idea of social dancing. Love, love love it.
 
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