To clarify... in my mind, self taught means not having taken any in-person classes where I share the same physical location of the teacher, so shooting a video and asking for critique in my mind qualifies as self-taught.
By this particular definition (as applied to anything really, not just bd) I would agree that a self-taught student would have a very, very, very difficult time advancing her or his skills as I truly believe there comes a time in just about every endeavor that an outside opinion is invaluable.For my mind, a dancer who is self-taught has learned solely from videos, still images, and written sources. As soon as a professional level dancer's input enters the equation, a teacher/mentor has been engaged.
I say everyone learns differently, has different sources available to them etc. Isn't it best to just let the dancing speak for itself? You can watch a performer and see if they have technique, musicality, stage presence, feeling, rhythm etc.How they learned it isn't overly important if they are getting the job done on stage in my opinion.
There are dancers with limited resources who go onto dance well and dancers with access and training by top instructors who still aren't great and vice versa. While I agree most should take classes if they can and get involved in their local dance community, not just for the same of proper instruction but also for the social aspect and support in the learning process as well as objective (well hopefully objective) feedback.
And I'd hope what you were doing was belly dance as well - assuming that is how you have been billed. Too often "self-taught" go down the path of drawing on instinct, emotion, even past lives to work out what "belly dance" is. When someone points out they aren'y belly dancing as such they get all defensiveIn the end, I just want my audience to think
"Wow, she really danced with a lot of energy and skill and she looked like she was having fun the whole time!":dance:
By this particular definition (as applied to anything really, not just bd) I would agree that a self-taught student would have a very, very, very difficult time advancing her or his skills as I truly believe there comes a time in just about every endeavor that an outside opinion is invaluable.For my mind, a dancer who is self-taught has learned solely from videos, still images, and written sources. As soon as a professional level dancer's input enters the equation, a teacher/mentor has been engaged.
Next, I am actually confused why people would be proud of not being taught. Does it apply to anything else? Self taught brain surgery? lawyering? plumbing? And it is actually insulting - you may have spent 20 years and $100 000 learning this - but I can do it in 3 weeks for free. Sub-subtext - you are old and stupid and I'm young and hot.
Let's face it- it's the performance that matters, not how it was learned.
With that said, it's extremely rare that someone can be 100% self-taught and be up to par with the best. I'm sure it happens, but every self-taught person wants to think that they are that jewel, and they most likely are not.
It was mentioned earlier by a couple of members that a self taught person needs to have a critical eye on themselves and needs to be able to see what they need to improve on. That is not only very true, but very difficult.
Interaction, critiqing, new ideas & a mixture of different ideas are what make people think & then improve. One does not usually come upon these things on their own.
With this said, I do think that it would drive some professionally trained dancers nuts to know that someone who is self taught is dancing at the same level they are. But everyone learns differently, that's just how it is.
There is definitely something extra special about someone who is self-taught in any area of expertise. There are guitar players, sculptors and other artists who are self taught and the best of the best in their fields. It's rare, and that rarity is what makes them special.
I am self taught thus far and while I believe that I'm a "natural" at belly dancing, there is no way I would be good enough to go anywhere near a stage right now. I expect in the future I will need some sort of formal training, but the moves I'm learning now I'm able to do on my own, so I figure, why pay someone? Also, I learn by imitating, not by being told how to do something... it's the way I've always been. If I wasn't able to learn on my own, I would definitely be taking classes- I'm just not at the point where I need it yet.
If you don't put those hours in you will never be any good! But I wouldn't call that "self taught". To me to be totally self taught means no other input - not a single class or video or watching aunty at the hafla. Next level is to have never had a single person, ever, show you a move or interpretation or comment on your dance. Once you get into a few classes then follow up with teaching videos and the occassional workshop you have moved way beyond "self taught".BellaBohemian has it right - we are much self taught because we practice hundreds to thousands of hours.
I am actually confused why people would be proud of not being taught. Does it apply to anything else? Self taught brain surgery? lawyering? plumbing? And it is actually insulting - you may have spent 20 years and $100 000 learning this - but I can do it in 3 weeks for free. Sub-subtext - you are old and stupid and I'm young and hot.
To me to be totally self taught means no other input - not a single class or video or watching aunty at the hafla.
I taught myself how to ride a bike & swim when I was a kid. I made up my own practice techniques and finally got it- all by myself without anyone showing me how to do it. I was always embarassed about it then, because I thought I was "less than" for not having anyone to teach me. But now that I look back on it, it was pretty cool of me to teach myself how to swim- especially since I was terrified of the water!
I am self taught thus far and while I believe that I'm a "natural" at belly dancing, there is no way I would be good enough to go anywhere near a stage right now. I expect in the future I will need some sort of formal training, but the moves I'm learning now I'm able to do on my own, so I figure, why pay someone? Also, I learn by imitating, not by being told how to do something... it's the way I've always been. If I wasn't able to learn on my own, I would definitely be taking classes- I'm just not at the point where I need it yet.
Now I've seen some of these self taught dancers and I would personally understand her point of view better if perhaps these women had been performing some sort of dressed up version of a strip tease or burlesque dance, but from what I can tell, there really wasn't anything wrong with the way they danced. . .other than the fact that they had never received any formal training.
I guess that make me self taught too then - once past the alphabet stage, with the exception of a few private lessons - I've never received critique. I attend mostly Egyptian workshops so movement breakdown is the exception rather than the rule.I learn by mostly watching other dancers just dance. Occaisonally, I watch a Youtube video on how to do a specific move, but essentially, I'm still doing it on my own. I don't have anyone critiquing me on every move and explaining everything to me.
I can't rep you for that Kashmir, but you deserve a rep for it. So have a cupcake instead!