Umm... what?

[shiradotnet]

To me, the goddess clip in the original post looked as though the teacher was trying to have a bit of light-hearted fun with her storytelling. Although her choice of story didn't work for me, I don't think it was a bad idea to try using storytelling to communicate the joy of belly dancing. I think she was trying to convey the diversity of ages and body types that could participate in this dance, which is a message I agree with.

However....

The music in that clip was so awful it took all my self control to keep watching until the end. It was truly, truly miserable.

She didn't do herself and her students any favors by taking dance performances that had obviously been originally done to some other music and superimposing them over this dreadful sound track. It would have been a MUCH better promotion of her classes to use the original music that choreography was designed for.

The teacher looks like she has a lot of skilled technique. However, I can't say whether she's a good dancer or not since it was impossible to gauge her musicality skills or her stage persona from this hot mess of a clip. Her decision to dub this dismal soundtrack over the original music gives the appearance of her being a very poor dancer because her movements don't fit this music at all.

Also, her choice to wear a brilliant high-end sparkly costume in the same scene with her students wearing whatever-they-had-on-hand student garb created a real clash of aesthetics. It would have been better to incorporate separate clips - one in which Teacher does a solo to Middle Eastern music to showcase her Oriental solo skills, and another in which her students do their choreography to the music it was originally designed for without Teacher in the scene.

And I do wish she would get rid of the stupid bent-wrist moronic-Pharaonic arm poses.

 

[Nath]

Even with that horrible music muted, I was laughing too hard to get past the first minute. Awful. Truly awful.

 

[teela]

I think I feel a bit sorry for the teacher in this. The whole effect of the video is much like those old fashioned key stone cops movies. I also feel sorry for those who helped her out because they come out looking rather inept as does she for reasons stated in other messages.

 

[BellaBohemian]

I have to agree with everyone else here. Terrible marketing idea! A lot of people just starting their first BD class feel a little uneasy or insecure (not everyone). It just see it rather egotistical. Everyone is beautiful in their own way and I do believe that one should take pride in that. But the whole goddess story just made me

Maybe I'm impatient but 8mins of some slapped together story, overlapped music that doesn't fit, and poor camera skill couldn't keep my attention. When I was looking for teachers I wanted to see their performances or watch a video in which they talked about what they have to offer. Get a feel for their style, knowledge and of course their personality!

No one wants to learn from someone who's an excellent dancer but has a rude unbearable personality. Just the same, its unfortunate to find a wonderful teacher who knows very little about their subject.

Maybe she needed to be at the talk I gave as my 3 minute challenge to the fitness industry Lounge Talk - Belly Dance - YouTube

I loved this video! Put a smile on my face! If I where looking for a teacher and I found this video, I would probably be in your class the next week. Exhumes honesty, knowledge, willingness to teach and the ability to have fun while still making a point. Bravo!

 

[Amulya]

If you turn off the music, you can kind of 'hear' the music by the movements of the teacher, the rythms I mean. But most people won't think of doing that of course.

 

[Aniseteph]

Also, her choice to wear a brilliant high-end sparkly costume in the same scene with her students wearing whatever-they-had-on-hand student garb created a real clash of aesthetics. It would have been better to incorporate separate clips - one in which Teacher does a solo to Middle Eastern music to showcase her Oriental solo skills, and another in which her students do their choreography to the music it was originally designed for without Teacher in the scene.

Agree with all your post, but this especially pinpoints it for me. The teacher showcasing her dance skills is one thing, her students showcasing theirs is another, and I don't think it does either side any favours to mix up the two until the students have the skills (and costumes) to hold their own alongside the teacher, even if you are just trying to share the joy.

And I do wish she would get rid of the stupid bent-wrist moronic-Pharaonic arm poses.

:lol: there was me calling it "that stupid walk like an Egyptian thing", or "that Wilson, Keppel and Betty sand dance arm thing" - "moronic-Pharaonic" is going to save so much time!

 

[gisela]

:lol: yes Moronic-pharaonic is brilliant. That is exactly how I feel about it.