Introductory Lecture on Raqs

[Mya]

Helllloooo folks! So i've had the distinct pleasure of being invited to give an introductory lecture on raqs at the Ministry of Public Administration here in Trinidad :dance:

I'm really thrilled because it's a step in the right direction..people WANT to KNOW about the dance and not just ogle at dancers anymore.

but anyway, the point of this thread is for you to tell me what YOU wish you were told about the dance when you were first introduced to it. i have some ideas but i really want to try and hit on what people actually might want to know.

Teachers and pros...please feel free to share with me what you've shared with audiences as well in these sorts of settings - i really want to do a good job with this!

shimmying with excitement,

Mya

 

[Marya]

WOW!! what a great opportunity.

The list of what I wish I had been told early on is so long....

I think an excellent resource is the book "A Trade like an other"

I think a bit of history is good, a little bit about the different countries and how BD has developed differently in each country, an acknowledgment that we don't know everything about the history so can't give definitive answers.

Instead of trying to cover every detail, it might be helpful to focus on Egypt, after the introduction, and stick to what you know best.

Do you have time to show videos or do a demonstration? When I have given such talks I spend some time on the role of dance in the everyday life, celebrations, weddings etc and showing some youtube videos of regular people dancing could be helpful to lay the foundation.

The most positive feedback I get when I give a lecture is around this subject, that dance is an important aspect of life in Egypt and that the origins of the nightclub act (Belly dance) comes from the people. Beledi in other words.

Marya

 

[Caroline_afifi]

CONGRATULATIONS!!! :dance: and the best of luck dear Mya.. I am sure you will be fantastic :clap:

 

[Shanazel]

Good for you, Mya. You'll be an absolute smash, I am sure!

 

[Mya]

awww - thanks guys! i've gotten quite a bit of feedback between here and facebook that makes me think that i'm definitely on the right track. i'm putting together my power point now - i feel ready for tomorrow!

 

[Aniseteph]

Knock 'em dead Mya! :dance:

 

[Shanazel]

Woo! Woo! Woo! Go, Mya, go!

 

[Mosaic]

After you have finished your lecture can we have a read please, I am sure it will go really well. Congrats on being asked to do that!
~Mosaic

 

[gisela]

Cool! Lots of good luck!

 

[Mya]

After you have finished your lecture can we have a read please, I am sure it will go really well. Congrats on being asked to do that!
~Mosaic

Gosh you know i didn't write it like that! being a grad student at my particular programme in the uni, they try to groom us all to become lecturers (because there are so few of us in the field) and they teach us not to read "at" people - especially when they're unfamiliar with your content!

i tried to make it memorable and interactive with a power point presentation which is mostly pictures and some video clips that cue me on my content for that section.

I pretty much just know what i'm going to say for each - i've said it so many times for my own students! i thought they'd be bored if i just read to them...trinidadians have a very VERY short attention span. i'm wondering now if i made a bad choice there

<insert panic here> :shok:

 

[Mosaic]

Gosh you know i didn't write it like that! being a grad student at my particular programme in the uni, they try to groom us all to become lecturers (because there are so few of us in the field) and they teach us not to read "at" people - especially when they're unfamiliar with your content!

i tried to make it memorable and interactive with a power point presentation which is mostly pictures and some video clips that cue me on my content for that section.

I pretty much just know what i'm going to say for each - i've said it so many times for my own students! i thought they'd be bored if i just read to them...trinidadians have a very VERY short attention span. i'm wondering now if i made a bad choice there

<insert panic here> :shok:

Now don't you go into a panic The way you are going to deliver the lecture sounds fine, my mistake I just thought you may have some sort of written form. Actually with PP presentation etc it sounds interesting and should hold peoples attention well.
~Mosaic

 

[Aniseteph]

i tried to make it memorable and interactive with a power point presentation which is mostly pictures and some video clips that cue me on my content for that section.

I pretty much just know what i'm going to say for each - i've said it so many times for my own students! i thought they'd be bored if i just read to them...trinidadians have a very VERY short attention span. i'm wondering now if i made a bad choice there...

I don't know about how things play in Trinidad, but for me those are the most memorable speakers - when you can tell they are really enthusuastic and familiar with the content and can just use the powerpoint to keep on track and illustrate things. When I'm watching someone reading a script or reading the slides out half of me is wondering why they couldn't just email it to me, 'cos I can read it myself...