What am I Doing?!

Afrit

New member
Have you asked your teacher why she wants you to do this and how she thinks you might be ready for this? I have to agree with the others that very, very few students would be ready for this at 6 months.

If you fail it will blight how you feel about dancing quite unfairly. If you suceed you may then not realize how much you still have to learn and feel that belly dance is quite easy actually and you can master it under a year.
 

gypsy

New member
Whenever I start to say anything or ask anything she talks over me. I think it's time to move on! I've come to a decision based on this and other things occuring in class.
Wish me luck in finding a better fit for my continuing journey!!!
:clap: yay me!
 

Amanda (was Aziyade)

Well-known member
whenever i start to say anything or ask anything she talks over me. I think it's time to move on! I've come to a decision based on this and other things occuring in class.
Wish me luck in finding a better fit for my continuing journey!!!
:clap: Yay me!

good luck! :) hugs!
 

onela

New member
I am nervous, this won't be a hafla, this will be performing on a stage at a city summer festival in front of hundreds! :shok:
I want to know what I'm doing, I really love belly dance!!!

I thought everybody in this thread was over-reacting until I read this- I presumed you were talking about a recital or hafla. When I started belly dancing in my first year of uni, at the end of the school year we did choreography onstage (though admittedly not as a solo, though honestly, some of the gals probably could have done a solo) and that was ok.

I'm glad to see that you seem upbeat about seeking out another teacher, it's never easy to change your schedule! I'm sure you'll find an instructor that is more suitable for you.
 

Aniseteph

New member
Whenever I start to say anything or ask anything she talks over me. I think it's time to move on! I've come to a decision based on this and other things occuring in class.
Wish me luck in finding a better fit for my continuing journey!!!
:clap: yay me!

Definitely Yay you! Onwards and upwards... :dance:
 

Shara

New member
Good luck in finding a new teacher. I like to start people doing their own choreography as soon as possible, but the basics are covered first, then getting a feel for music and combinations, and use of space, both personal space and stage space, and of course projection and interaction with the audience. If these things were not covered, you should not be expected to perform yet!
 

Corylus

New member
Hi gypsy,

when I started reading this thread I remembered reading one that you wrote before:

http://www.bellydanceforums.net/dance-styles/11296-style-basics.html

I hope you don't mind me linking to that thread. I know it was a different question that you asked there, but your concerns seem similar and the same advice given there applies here.

To echo the sentiments of others, perform when you feel ready and no sooner. I obviously don't know your teacher, but if she is making you feel that you have to perform a solo to be a valid member of her class then she's not respecting your personal feelings. My teacher encourages everybody to practice at home and develop a solo if they want to, but if we don't she doesn't put any pressure on us. Do you feel pressurized? How does everyone else in the group feel about doing a solo?

I have only been dancing just over a year and a half and I'm only just developing skills in understanding rhythms and the different styles of belly dance well enough to start trying to choreograph.

I have to say it does sound like a fun opportunity but I would be nervous about it too if I was faced with the idea of performing to that many people. There's no way I would have been ready at 6 months. If you do decide to do it, as others have said, you should find a short piece of music that you love and listen to it over and over again.
 
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gypsy

New member
Yeah, there is definetly pressure to do a solo to be part of the group. I wouldnt be freaked out by dancing a solo for a student hafla, but this seemed too soon to show the whole city.
I don't want to badmouth the teacher or anyone, she really is a talented dancer, but there were several things about the class that turned me off.
For example, telling (not asking or suggesting) a student they will not be wearing their glasses for a performance, even though she needed them to see. It seemed like it was all about her creative outlet, and maybe her ego.
Anyway, I hope I find a better fit so I can continue to learn and enjoy!
 

Aniseteph

New member
Wouldn't it make more sense to think about what pushing new beginners into public solos looks like, rather than whether someone is wearing glasses?

I'll buy the glasses argument if you are the BDSS or a pro/semipro troupe, but if it's a fun hobby thing I think it should be up to the individual.
 

Shanazel

Moderator
Glasses, the heartbreak of glamorous dancers. :lol: I can wear my glasses or I can end up in the lap of someone in the front row after I tumble off the stage.
 

lizaj

New member
I noticed that one of the finalists in our local beauty pagent ( no I don't like 'em) wore glasses. Despite my spoil-sport attitude to such events, they were a bonny group of girls and she looked just as good as the rest of them so with a bit of look, attitudes will change and make eye-wear more accepted in glamourous situations. Mind you for a professional and very energetic dancer, I can't see them becoming acceptable.
 

Demelza Aradia

New member
I went to a hafla not long ago where one of the most fabulous and amazing to watch dancers was wearing glasses. I don't think she was a pro (i think she kicked the ass of some of the pros really), I think she was a student of the teacher, but she was so beautiful to watch. She had gorgeous short curly hair and a kickass six pack and I am so glad she was wearing glasses as I could talk to others about how awesome she was saying "The girl in the red costume and the glasses? She was awesome..."

Wearing glasses did not affect her performance in any way, she was still gorgeous.
 

Kashmir

New member
For example, telling (not asking or suggesting) a student they will not be wearing their glasses for a performance, even though she needed them to see.
As someone who is very short sighted (about -7) I used to keep contacts for performance (I cannot wear them for my day job working on computers in air conditioned environments - my eyes get too dry). Now I just take off my glasses at the last moment. In my last show I encouraged my students to do the same but didn't raise a fuss when two decided it was too freaky.
 

teela

New member
In regard to taking off glasses just before dancing. If its in a situation where you can place those small christmas lights around the edge of the dancing area, that can help folks know where the "stage" area is even if their sight is bad. It provides a little extra safety.
The lights can easily be taped to the floor or edge of the stage and removed at the end.
 

Aniseteph

New member
I was going to say it might be a problem to be spec-less in a group dance, but maybe there would be benefits - you would be forced to rely on knowing what you are doing, not copying anyone else!
 

SidraK

New member
I was going to say it might be a problem to be spec-less in a group dance, but maybe there would be benefits - you would be forced to rely on knowing what you are doing, not copying anyone else!

Yes, except that depending on how blind you are, it can affect depth perception and balance to be without your glassess. I perform with glasses in a student troupe that is the closest to a semi-pro group our community has to offer. Nobody has ever complained and it gives me an excuse to never learn to apply false eyelashes!
 

Aniseteph

New member
I'm so short sighted I get state-subsidised eye tests for being Special. Yes, balance would be an issue for me (no change there then...:rolleyes:) but the reason I thought about it was that our teacher had us all practising a section with tricky timing with our eyes shut - to make us really listen to the music rather than getting distracted watching ourselves in the mirror, or cueing off each other. We were much more in time eyes shut (well, she said we were... :lol:).

It was an interesting exercise and it did make me think about practicing more like that. I wonder if the lack of visual cues would force my body to learn to feel the balance internally more. :think:
 

Mosaic

Super Moderator
I'm so short sighted I get state-subsidised eye tests for being Special. Yes, balance would be an issue for me (no change there then...:rolleyes:) but the reason I thought about it was that our teacher had us all practising a section with tricky timing with our eyes shut - to make us really listen to the music rather than getting distracted watching ourselves in the mirror, or cueing off each other. We were much more in time eyes shut (well, she said we were... :lol:).

It was an interesting exercise and it did make me think about practicing more like that. I wonder if the lack of visual cues would force my body to learn to feel the balance internally more. :think:

Interesting, I must try that. Sometimes I think I throw myself off by looking in the mirror or catching out of the corner of my eye what someone else is doing, especially when learning a new Choreography.
~Mosaic
 

Aniseteph

New member
Interesting, I must try that. Sometimes I think I throw myself off by looking in the mirror or catching out of the corner of my eye what someone else is doing, especially when learning a new Choreography.
~Mosaic

I know I am very lazy with new choreographies and have to make an active effort to think for myself and not just copy. (especially fellow class members - sometimes they are going wrong :lol:).
 

gypsy

New member
It is interesting to debate whether or not one should wear glasses or not for performing, but my point was just that this teacher was so domineering that she ruined my experience.
This was just one example of the way she was in class. It felt more like her interpretation than like an actual learning environment.
Large outdoor performances are nerve racking for most students, wouldn't you rather be asked than ordered in this situation?
 
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