Standard of students in higher level workshops
- Thread starter Akasha
- Start date
lizaj
New member
If a teacher is trying to get ideas for choreographies for her class to dance group dances, it's only to be expected isn't it?
As a solo Egyptian performer, if you don't or are not able to improvise, that has to be a dire handicap to the style. I'm sure good Egyptian style dancers do choreograph for the stage but in other situations they have to interpret the music more spontaneously for effect. However I often think that we get to the point were improv becomes ruled by our understanding of what moves and combinations to do when.
As a solo Egyptian performer, if you don't or are not able to improvise, that has to be a dire handicap to the style. I'm sure good Egyptian style dancers do choreograph for the stage but in other situations they have to interpret the music more spontaneously for effect. However I often think that we get to the point were improv becomes ruled by our understanding of what moves and combinations to do when.
Of course I could be being a little harsh here. Does your teacher choose not to teach or encourage improvisation? Or does she not or cannot improvise in her personal dancing full stop?
jenc
New member
i have asked a couple of teachers and the response was that "of course they choreographed their own solo dances. "I think you have to don't you" said one and "I dance improv in my kitchen"
I myself have strange co-ordination problems and right-left issues which make choreos or class movements difficult for me. Whenever I have to think about what I am doing I fall over my own feet - even during a simple warm-up. On the other hand, I have always danced improvs to some music or other since being very young. It is crating the expected choreography for myself that I find impossible. The minute I catch myself thinking that I'm going to have to rememer what I'm doing, I freeze!!!
I need to come up with a choreo, so that I have something to forget at the Hafla!!
There are little tips and tricks to overcome this. But it's hard to explain and needs to be shown. I see that lots of people have issues with remembering when to turn left or right. You need to put little marker moves in place which subconsciously remind the body which way to go.
Kashmir
New member
Actually many pro dancers do not choreograph - other than entrances. In fact the "odd" thing about Nagwa Faoud was that she did choreograph all her performances.
Emma_Williams
New member
I have had some trouble with this except mine was in a beginners class!! I have been dancing for 7 months. I go to ATS and Egyptian class once a week and do about an hr or 2 every other day. I would class myself a beginner and I struggle to do some things in class but others I feel come quite naturally. I booked a sharon kihara workshop which said ATS for beginners and it was designed for those who had never done ATS bfore. Even though I had studied some ATS I felt it suited my level. WRONG!!!!!!! The first hour was intense yoga and pilates which I couldnt do. It made me feel a complete fool. I was not alone, there was dancers age 18-60 in that workshop and only a few could even hold their legs up or streched out for the 5 minutes or so she had us standing in them.
When we finally got to do some dancing we did drills and tummy rolls etc and arm techniques which I did not feel were for beginners. Baring in mind alot of these women had never even tried an ATS class (as this was advertised for complete beginners or those who had not studied ATS) it was far too advanced. She told everyone to go into "The turkish". How the heck do novices to ATS know what this is. It just was not explained. Luckily I knew a handful of moves from my class and so i felt comfy once we started dancing but I know alot of people felt uncomfy after speaking to them at the end.
If there was a general rule for workshop levels and dancers levels we would all be OK. Ie tap and ballet get graded. Do you think bellydancing should be graded professionally ie exams etc?
When we finally got to do some dancing we did drills and tummy rolls etc and arm techniques which I did not feel were for beginners. Baring in mind alot of these women had never even tried an ATS class (as this was advertised for complete beginners or those who had not studied ATS) it was far too advanced. She told everyone to go into "The turkish". How the heck do novices to ATS know what this is. It just was not explained. Luckily I knew a handful of moves from my class and so i felt comfy once we started dancing but I know alot of people felt uncomfy after speaking to them at the end.
If there was a general rule for workshop levels and dancers levels we would all be OK. Ie tap and ballet get graded. Do you think bellydancing should be graded professionally ie exams etc?
dreamthief666
New member
i do agree with you, i'm going to gothla this year and there are lots of workshops i'd love to do especially ones attended by my mates, but i know i'm not ready for them, so would only hold the others up and feel dejected, so i've booked ones i know i can get things out of and meet my mates in bar after
dreamthief666
New member
i found myself in that position at joy, i didn't read the discription properly, and found myself in the advanced class, i expliained this to the teather and just did what i could without asking for dumbing down as it was my fault not the rest of the class.:redface:
When I book an instructor I ask them to should stick to the level they are teaching, unless everyone can't keep up but instructors are under press because student don't say I was in the wrong level workshop on there feedback forms they just moan that the teacher was bad.
If you need to be super fit for a workshop add a Energy level or say you need a high level of fitness to attend this workshop. The truth always pays in the long run & it save a lot of moaning.
If you need to be super fit for a workshop add a Energy level or say you need a high level of fitness to attend this workshop. The truth always pays in the long run & it save a lot of moaning.
da Sage
New member
I'm surprised Sharon was teaching ATS, I do think some of the San Francisco dancers think that everyone knows their local history and lingo. I should hope that someone offering XYZ "for beginners" would start every sequence off with a demonstration of the moves. But I don't see why an ATS class should start with an hour of pilates and yoga, anyway. Surely half an hour is enough for a warmup?
I don't think bellydancing needs to be graded professionally, but I understand that some people enjoy the challenge, discipline, and validation of a graded or pass/fail advancement/certification arrangement, so different strokes for different folks.
da Sage
New member
I think some people may hear your question of "did you choreograph your own solo dances" more as "did you [CREATE] your own solo dances". Thus someone who improvs solos may respond that yes, she "choreographed" it, when what she really means is that it's her own creation. The statement "I dance improv in my kitchen" may mean either that she doesn't consider her improv stage-worthy, or that she improvs a lot (and considers herself good at it).
I'm not saying that these women did or didn't improv their solos, just that people aren't always accurate in how they use language to describe what they do, especially if they misunderstand the focus of the question. The answers you mentioned wouldn't really clear up the question, for me.
Someone might ask me, "Did you buy a new coat?", and I might respond "Yes, I like it a lot better than my old one" (I'm focusing on the "new" part of the question, rather than the fact that the coat was a hand-me-down from a relative, not really a purchase).:think:
da Sage
New member
There are workshops with feedback forms?:shok: I've never been to one of those, not sure that's the best idea. I feel that the sponsor should participate in the workshop, and go by her own assessment. Or if she's running a multi-track workshop, she should be able to vouch for the teachers before she books them.
Agreed. I have seen both of these, it only takes a few words to let people know whether they will be in weird positions or sweating buckets throughout. I may not register for such a workshop, or I might go and take long breaks, but I will NOT complain as long as it's correctly advertised. I did go to a workshop where I felt the teacher drilled a certain move to the point that people were sweaty and tired *just* so that we'd be sweaty and tired (because EVERYBODY got it right on the first try, so why choose that to drill us on to a ridiculous speed? We got so many other things Wrong, and we should have worked on those), and I do think that was lame and silly and I bitched about it, but that was only the 10th most lame thing that happened at the workshop. Yes, I am still pi$sy about it.:lol:
Aniseteph
New member
Aaaaand relax! :lol: Maybe we need a "things I am still pissy about" thread! Get it all off our gorgeously sequinned chests.
jenc
New member
No I specifically asked do you choreograph when you dance solo. The reply was to quote more accurately "I ONLY dance improv in my kitchen. No one has ever seen me do it." I have a very strong feeling that choreo is the norm here.
No, I do both and even my choreographed pieces are not set in stone and I may do what i feel like at the time and I know many UK teachers who work like that.
You should come I am sure you wouls enjoy it. 17th & 18th April 2010.