Should I go?

Ariadne said:

I know it can be hard to find a studio but I'm sorry, I would simply not want to be associated with a place that advertised itself like it is nor, if the picture on their front page of the dancer in only the bedlah with no skirt etc is the teacher, would I want to learn from someone who considers that an appropriate way to represent bellydance.

It's just me but... just no.

Click to expand...

Thank you all for your advice! But what Ariadne said above, this is what I am afraid of. Plus and update, I may be taking a friend with me who is 16/17, this would be her first time learning belly dance, I wouldn't want her to be subjected to a bad enviroment, it is her choice eventually but I am still not sure if this is the best place for her to start learning.

Darshiva, Plymton is in Plymouth, or outside of it but I do not have a car so have to rely on buses or walk. Travistock and Plymton are too far really. This one would be the best distance wise.

I am going to email the teacher and see what she says, if she doesn't answer by Thursday next week I will just go (alone though just in case) and see what it is like. Hopefully it will all be okay even considering the venue!

I don't think the venue looks that bad. It's not like a stripclub or brothel. It looks more like a vaudeville, varieté kind of place. There are concerts and stuff as well. If the teacher is good and the place has all necessities for a dance class I wouldn't hesitate to go there.

I agree with Darshiva - try going to another of her classes at a different venue.

gisela said:

I don't think the venue looks that bad. It's not like a stripclub or brothel. It looks more like a vaudeville, varieté kind of place. There are concerts and stuff as well. If the teacher is good and the place has all necessities for a dance class I wouldn't hesitate to go there.

Click to expand...

Having followed the link I agree. I think the venue is trying get on the naughty retro burlesque bandwagon, but it isn't straight up sleazy. If the teacher is clear that belly dance is not burlesque I wouldn't worry; it's just a space. I'd be more bothered about what the floors are like. Some dance floors can be lovely, others... ick.

Aniseteph said:

Having followed the link I agree. I think the venue is trying get on the naughty retro burlesque bandwagon, but it isn't straight up sleazy. If the teacher is clear that belly dance is not burlesque I wouldn't worry; it's just a space. I'd be more bothered about what the floors are like. Some dance floors can be lovely, others... ick.

Click to expand...

Yeah, I agree with Aniseteph. It's worth a go, if you don't like it, don't go back. If they'll let you pay the drop-in (or have a freebie) then it's no harm, no foul.

Resolved.

Just to let everyone know who gave advice on this that I recieved an email back from the teacher and everything seems okay. Its open level and £6 drop-in OR £20 for a 4-week course OR £35 for an 8-week course. Its Egyptian style, she lived and trained in Cairo. Thank you for all your help!!

I am so exited about this! I can't wait until next week!! = D

Report back!!!

I think I was very lucky to get a good place to teach, but it did take over 3 months of searching and waiting lists! And I am lucky enough to be in London, where there are loads of studios. Sadly lots of this studio space is taken by "serious" dance forms wall:rotest:) who don't want to consider belly dance as something to be taken seriously. Bah, that's a whole 'nother thread!

Would be interesting to find out how your teacher-to-be feels about teaching in a burlesque bar?

Repoting back!!

I have just gotten back from this class and I can safely say IT WAS AMAZING. It was not as risqué at all, it really just was a place to go that had a dance floor and a good sound system. I am so so so glad I went. I really never understood the joy in belly dance before now.

Oh and it wasn't just Egyptian Raq Sharqi (which is what I was expecting) either it was Baladi. BALADI. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine it was this, I can barely find infomation and videos on the internet about it let alone expected to find a class =p

The teacher was really lovely, it was really obvious she was really enjoying teaching us and dancing, I couldn't stop grinning! She was really encoraging to me and everyone in the class. The over all feel of the class was very welcoming and fun, I did not care a hoot when I messed up really badly. The other girls, or the ones that talked to me, were really nice too. I felt a bit akward and shy at first, of course, but that soon went away very nearly completely which is saying something because I am a very shy person in general and normally it takes a while for me to get to this point normally.

I really couldn't have hoped for more. Thank you to everyone who talked me into going!

I'm really glad that worked out for you. Enjoy your dance journey with your lovely new class.

Congratulations!!!!!!!! Happy dancing!

ooh wonderful! May you have a long and prosperous connection to this teacher!

Glad to hear you went and it worked out for you! Reminds us never to judge a book by its cover!

Oh good! I'm happy everything worked out well! Have a great time

I am so glad this worked out! Hooray for this happy ending!!

Hey Imeera! I missed your update, I'm really happy for you, sounds like you've found yourself a fab teacher! And you were learning Baladi too! :dance:
sounds as if everthing is perfect! And I wouldn't worry about the students who didn't speak, chances are they are probably shy also!
You're a bit of a distance from where I live, but it's only the next county, chances are that our paths may cross one day, I'll let you know of any w/ shops etc that are close!

I'm so glad to learn it is a good class despite the studio! I've had similar concerns where I live.



We had one class at a rec center one time and then serious belly dance teacher here who moved back to her hometown in another state. The other "belly dance" I've seen did not look at all reputable to me...a class/ "troupe" formed a couple times, but as far as I could tell, none of them, including the instructor, had ever done more than take the one 6 week intro class at the rec center a few years ago, and all the dancers did was set up a couple booths at community fairs and prance around in revealing street clothes with hip scarves tied on top.

So mine was the opposite...they had a very solid looking lesson space available...but the classes and "dancing" were not.

It sounds like you found a place where the venue didn't look so good but the classes turned out wonderfully...and that's good. That's the most important.

It's probably just an available space issue for the teacher...that happens sometimes. I went to college with a girl who taught children's ballet...and the poor woman had to gather all the little kids in the back room of the college theatre...with college kids walking around, theatre classes heard down a very short hallway, a very rude professor with his office across the hall....just because that was the one and only room she could find with a barre and a mirror in it. I remember it after all these years because I knew the ballet teacher...and she sat down at dinner angry because the professor came storming in and yelled at the children for being there...scared a whole room full of little girls taking ballet. He was my advisor...so I knew the feeling

Wow Imeera, I missed this thread but reading back I'm so glad people talked you into going!

Congrats on finding such a great class and have lots of fun!!!

Yshka; Thanks Yshka! =] I am so addicted! I wish they were on every night =p

LadyLoba; Goodness! Thats really mean, poor little things, they must have been terrified! What a grinch ^.^=p I am glad it was nothing like this, though the lack of mirrors is the only thing I would improve. But its no big deal and I think they the classes are perfect without. I am used to dancing without mirrors too, it would feel like a luxury if I had them :lol: