Intermediate belly dance level 3, does anyone know what that involves?

[Bellydancebotswana]

Hi guys, I will be taking on an intermediate level 3 belly dance course with Mia Serra belly dance school in London in January 2011, ..

The only thing is that I'm not quite sure what the course involves, it just states on the website that technique, choreography and combination to Arabic music will be taught for 12 weeks...

The only thing is that I don't want to step into a course where I already know what I will be doing, I have spoken to them but its just the same answer.

Does anyone know what level 3 includes really?


Love n Joy

Bianca

 

[Shanazel]

You need to contact the school and ask specific questions re: experience required, style covered, teachers' backgrounds, references from previous students, and their policy re: refunds if the class turns out to be something unsuited for your needs. If they can't or won't answer these questions, you need to decide whether you want to risk time and money on an unknown situation.

 

[Bellydancebotswana]

Thank you, I will give it a try its worth finding everything out instead of wasting time and money xxxx

 

[LadyLoba]

Thats a very good point on the "can't or won't answer your questions." That got me into two bad situations with dance classes (non belly dance). They would not give me straight answers..and I signed up anyway...and lost money...no skill to show for it. Both of these were a long time ago, so of course I won't make that mistake again...but yes definitely...never hand over your money or devote your time unless you know what you're getting.

 

[Crow]

My advice would be to contact the school and see if it possible to go on a drop in basis for the first lesson and pay for the full course if you are happy with it. If this is not possible, then I would go for a level lower as it is better to solidify your foundation rather than risk going overboard and consequently become demotivated.

 

[jenc]

The requirement for the class is 48 lessons with them (equivalent one year) or 18 months with someone else for level2 you require 6 months. It's pretty damn expensive for this level too, anyone else from London care to correct me. £12+ a week

 

[jenc]

The requiremwent stated on the website is 18 months of dancing elsewhere, or the equivalent of one year of their courses, so it should not be a problem. How long have you been dancing?

It is also rather expensive at £12.33333333333333 a week - at least to this non-Londoner - although I stand to be corrected.

 

[Aniseteph]

£13.33 from tomorrow - yikes that IS a lot. I pay just under £8 an hour.

 

[jenc]

I pay £5 an hour in Colchester, but admittedly not with a teacher like yours - who I would pay more for. Not sure I would pay more for Mia Serra thouigh.

 

[Daimona]

You lucky girls!
If I was to attend regular classes where I live, I'd have to pay an equivalent of app. £17/h ...
(If I'd been living a place with more competition, prices would probably have been lower)

(sorry, couldn't help this outburst - unfortunately I can't answer the OP)

 

[Corylus]

I have no idea what level 3 includes because it is according to the lady's own way of teaching.

I was going to ask where this level thing came from but I went and had a look at the her website. I hadn't heard of Mia Serra before. Has anyone on here been to her classes?

I am a bit dubious if they aren't able to explain exactly what the course involves; I would want to know what I was getting for my money and, like you, whether it would be the right level for me or whether it would be covering things that I wasn't interested in.

Also, the focus seems to be on learning everything fast; the word fast is used a lot.

Although I know this isn't the class you are thinking about taking, this really puts me off:

Commercial Belly Dance Fusion

It says the teacher is a pro-commercial dancer and has worked on the 'Step Up' movies. That's a brilliant achievement as a commercial dancer. But what does any of that have to do with belly dance? Don't get me wrong, the instructor is a beautiful girl and is no doubt a great commercial dancer, but it doesn't say anything about her having knowledge or understanding about belly dancing and yet she is teaching 'Commercial fusion' to people to 'the latest commercial music'......never have I wanted to learn belly dance with a lady gaga twist.

 

[Crow]

I have some knowledge of Mia, although no direct experience of her classes, being a man myself and not a dancer. Hence I don't want to say anything in favour or against. Besides, I would be biased since I am married to a teacher from London.

I can say though that in London you'll have Mia Serra and Fleur Estelle competing for the popular market, and charging these prices. There's a demand for the sort of classes they teach and they supply that demand.

I say that let google do the talking. Then start e-mailing and asking questions. It really depends on what you are after. Belly dance can be seen as a dance form on a par with ballet, which requires many years of dedication, as I imagine most of you (and my lovely wife) would, or as a "get fit fast and have fun" kind of dance, much like Zumba and the like. Both are valid, both have a demand. It's just that the second one is the more popular.

 

[Eshta]

I know of Mia Serra and her dance school. It's quite cliquey. You can see Mia Serra if you go to youtube and look for Nuts TV's diary of a belly dancer mobisodes. Well, you can see a fair number of cleavage closeups. But that's another topic

I don't know enough about the 'levels' to be able to comment, as there isn't really a standard. I think if you've been learning for 12-18 months you should probably be fine.

I do think the classes are expensive, even by London standards. I charge £8 per class on a drop-in basis and am contemplating a discount for buying a number of classes. I think Shafeek Ibrahim charges £10-15 per class and for a well-recognised Reda trained performer, I know where I'd rather drop my money.