Stage Hogs?

[lilith71]

Well, we have a spring bellydance show coming up and I'm beginning to get the usual jitters that come along with performing. My question is, what to do about 2 certain members in my class who always hog the stage and leave us stuck in the back behind the potted plants and tripping over cords. Every time we perform, no matter where our teacher puts us, these 2 seem to jump in front and stretch out their arms leaving everyone else with little or no room to work with. It's really pretty frustrating and I've made subtle remarks to the teacher and the dancers themselves, but they don't seem to care how I feel. Am I just being a whiney butt? Then I think maybe my teacher wants it this way because I'm not good enough! Sigh.......what to do

 

[Amanda (was Aziyade)]

From a teacher's standpoint:

When I design a group choreography, I pay close attention to stage dynamics. I have in mind certain shapes and patterns that I want to see embodied in my dancers. I'm not as rigid as say a marching band instructor, but if I put you downstage stage left, I put you there for a reason -- MY reason. Stronger dancers I MAY put in the center, but I don't believe in "hiding" my less skilled students.

I have, in rehearsal, taped off an area of the floor that I knew would be the stage dimensions, and run the piece in that area, so everyone could see how close they were supposed to be to the others.

Can you speak to your teacher about the problem of everyone not seeming to know where they're supposed to be? It will only make the group look bad if a few divas decide they want to dance somewhere outside of the pattern.

 

[onela]

You are being a whiney butt, by making subtle comments about it. There are two possibilities: They are doing it on purpose because they're dorks, or they're not really aware that what they're doing is a problem. Be direct with your teacher and the other dancers you have issue with. Part of dancing in a group of many is that everybody's working together to present the choreography the way it's meant to be interpreted. Doesn't sound to me like they're dancing "with" the rest of the class.

 

[Kashmir]

You are being a whiney butt, by making subtle comments about it. There are two possibilities: They are doing it on purpose because they're dorks, or they're not really aware that what they're doing is a problem. Be direct with your teacher and the other dancers you have issue with.

Good point. I agree - ask your teacher if these people are in the right position. Clearly and with them and the others in earshot. If you have misinterpreted the staging you are then clear (probably annoyed, but clear) If they are incorrectly positioned you could ask that everyone starts concentrating on their staging. (With my practices, I often have a focus for each run through like arms, face or stage position. By specifically saying staging is this run through's focus you overcome the "but I'm still concentrating on what comes next" which can then lead to people never concentrating on where they are meant to be)

 

[lilith71]

Thanks guys, your points are all good. I guess I am a whiny butt. My teacher is really good about placing us, These girls will always jump in front if placed elsewhere, or just take up an enormous amount of space on a small stage. I feel like my teacher is overwhelmed and doesn't want to deal with drama but I'm thinking I need to look more at myself and just be assertive about my feelings towards them. There are a few other girls who feel like I do. Maybe an accidental elbow in the face might do the trick.Lol,.. no just kidding..I will try to tell them how I feel and approach it more as a spacing issue and D#$mm%t sometimes I wanna be the diva too!

 

[Aniseteph]

Whiny butt suggests it's just moaning about something that doesn't matter, but if you are dancing in the pot plants it DOES matter. Subtle hasn't worked so say it out loud - "there's a problem, we are getting squashed up here" - and keep saying every time it happens. It's your teacher's job to pinpoint the problem (aha, I spy stage hogs!) and sort it out. Not wanting to deal with the drama is totally feeble IMO.

Dunno about stage hogs, but do not get me started on the equivalent in class...

 

[lilith71]

Dunno about stage hogs, but do not get me started on the equivalent in class...

Okay..now ya make me wanna ask:shok:!

 

[Aniseteph]

Basically, if you are late and someone else is already in "your" spot centre of the front row right in front of the teacher, do you
a) slot in where there's space at the side or back,
b) march straight to the front and stand right next to the other person so they have to move if they want space to dance, or
c) start at the side and move through the ranks during the warm up dance until oh look, there you are in your spot again?

 

[lilith71]

Basically, if you are late and someone else is already in "your" spot centre of the front row right in front of the teacher, do you
a) slot in where there's space at the side or back,
b) march straight to the front and stand right next to the other person so they have to move if they want space to dance, or
c) start at the side and move through the ranks during the warm up dance until oh look, there you are in your spot again?

Ahhhh, all of the above happens in our class too!

 

[Daimona]

and D#$mm%t sometimes I wanna be the diva too!

Then BE THE DIVA!

Depending on if this behavior is intentional or unintentional I'm not sure if just telling them will help you. If your teacher could be firm with these ladies, maybe they'll listen.

How about you and the other girls that feel the same join in being the divas?
Encourage each other, boost your self-esteem and stage personas and practice nice divalike behaviour on rehersals (of course still holding the positions given by your teacher) and insist on keeping your rightful positions even if the stage hogs tries to enter your stage space. Don't worry if they crash into your arms as long as you are doing YOUR job (then it would be their fault if things didn't work out well, wouldn't it?). If you focus on yourself rather than getting annoyed by the stags hogs, and you are shining on stage and doing the job better than the stage hogs, the audience will watch you instead.

How about making marks on the floor for "this is my dance space and this is your dance space; On this move you are allowed to go out of it, but at the next you must be back"?

Another solution for later could be a divided group-dance where the different parts of the group are on and off stage (or in a "chorus" line in the back or however the choreography is pulled together). The stage hogs could have their own part, and you could have your own part.

Wish you luck!

 

[GypsyStacey]

Then BE THE DIVA!

Depending on if this behavior is intentional or unintentional I'm not sure if just telling them will help you. If your teacher could be firm with these ladies, maybe they'll listen.

How about you and the other girls that feel the same join in being the divas?
Encourage each other, boost your self-esteem and stage personas and practice nice divalike behaviour on rehersals (of course still holding the positions given by your teacher) and insist on keeping your rightful positions even if the stage hogs tries to enter your stage space. Don't worry if they crash into your arms as long as you are doing YOUR job (then it would be their fault if things didn't work out well, wouldn't it?). If you focus on yourself rather than getting annoyed by the stags hogs, and you are shining on stage and doing the job better than the stage hogs, the audience will watch you instead.

How about making marks on the floor for "this is my dance space and this is your dance space; On this move you are allowed to go out of it, but at the next you must be back"?

Another solution for later could be a divided group-dance where the different parts of the group are on and off stage (or in a "chorus" line in the back or however the choreography is pulled together). The stage hogs could have their own part, and you could have your own part.

Wish you luck!

GREAT advice you be the diva I love it.

 

[onela]

Basically, if you are late and someone else is already in "your" spot centre of the front row right in front of the teacher, do you
a) slot in where there's space at the side or back,
b) march straight to the front and stand right next to the other person so they have to move if they want space to dance, or
c) start at the side and move through the ranks during the warm up dance until oh look, there you are in your spot again?

Ooooh a quiz!

My answer is if it's a choreography and the teacher's placed me in a 'spot', then I just go to my assigned spot regardless of who else is wherever else. If you're speaking generally about class, well, I hate all the 'spot' territorial nature that people have (in my childhood ballet classes, my teacher wouldn't let us take the same spot on the barre or on the stage for floor work from one class to the next). I hate standing in the same spot every time I go to class- how will I ever learn how to be comfortable downstage right or upstage left or centre stage? I know a lot of the other people in my dance class don't have intentions to be good at performing all over the stage because they don't want performance opportunities, but I still can't think of anything more boring then standing in the exact same place every class.

Also I just wanted to say that I love the "out diva them!" advice. Sounds fun and like a great challenge in stage presence

 

[Farasha Hanem]

Everyone has already given great advice. I'd just like to add that if your teacher really gave a hoot about how her students/troupe looks onstage, she would go over stage presence with the class---again, and again, and again, and she would BE THE TEACHER. In other words, she would be assertive about where she places each dancer, and talk to the class about stage space. Our main teacher goes over this with us not only before every performance, but also regularly in class. She knows what the stage we'll be performing on is like, and lets us know; she even has us pretend that we're on that particular stage and runs through the whole show as if we're performing. That way, if a stage is small, we'll already know how to deal with it and make adjustments in arm placing, elbow room, etc. She also talks about when and how to enter/exit the stage on each number, because not all of us dance all the same dances in a show. She also warns us about any potential hazards on a particular stage (dips in the flooring, no carpeting, etc.).

I hope you've already put into action the advice given you, and that things are working out better for you and your whole class. Let us know how it goes. *hugs*

 

[Bellydance Oz]

...My teacher is really good about placing us, These girls will always jump in front...I feel like my teacher is overwhelmed and doesn't want to deal with drama but I'm thinking I need to look more at myself

Don't be too hard on yourself. It's your teacher's job to deal with these girls, not yours.

I actually gave up attending one belly dance school because the teacher was too chicken to correct anyone or arrange people in performance.

The result was that the troupe was always a rabble, with half the students doing the movements incorrectly and the "hogs" pushing themselves to the front in everything.
I was embarrassed to be part of it!

I agree with Kashmir - raising the issue with the teacher, in earshot of the students, is the best way.

Basically, if you are late and someone else is already in "your" spot centre of the front row right in front of the teacher, do you
a) slot in where there's space at the side or back,
b) march straight to the front and stand right next to the other person so they have to move if they want space to dance, or
c) start at the side and move through the ranks during the warm up dance until oh look, there you are in your spot again?

The only time your "spot" matters is if you're either rehearsing or performing. During class or during warm-up, where you stand doesn't matter - so if you're late, join in where it will be least disruptive, and stay there.

Then when it's time to do the rehearsal, walk directly to your spot and if there's someone else there, say something like "I think this is my spot - aren't you over there?" - and appeal to the teacher for confirmation if necessary.

 

[Shanazel]

Teachers being too chicken to deal with stage hogs- this is beginning to sound like Old McDonald's farm. Just step up and give them turkeys what for!

 

[nightdancer]

Old MacDonald had a Farm
Shimmy shimmy O

and on this farm he had a Bellydancer

Shimmy shimmy O

With hip twist here and a shoulder roll there
Shimmy shimmy O

Old MacDonald had a Farm...

 

[Daimona]

Teachers being too chicken to deal with stage hogs- this is beginning to sound like Old McDonald's farm. Just step up and give them turkeys what for!

Turkeys? Not a "Turkish" (i.e. reversed camel/undulation)?

Although, this* is probably what Old McDonald's farm would sound like in Egypt.
* (You'll need to search for Free Baby "El Walad Haredy" to hear more than 30 seconds.)
Sorry for being OT, I just had to follow up.

I agree to the ones saying it is your teacher's job to sort this out.
If you don't have any alternatives