Intermediate but re-learning

[Ahava_Melantha]

okay, i am relearning.

I started when I was 15, and danced until i was 19. I had studied under 4 teachers, not counting yearly workshops.

well, i had a break of not belly dancing until I was 26. I'm 27 now. i didn't quite lose everything, but i want to go back and re=master my skillz.

I no longer dance witha troup and perform but I dance at home, and take it somewhat serious. although, now, I like different styles. I like modern, I like traditional, cane dances, egyptian, tribal, I wouldn't mind dabbing in a little bit of all of it, y'know.

I have finally mastered the heartbeat of belly dance by jenna. i am thinking of getting her basics dvd. i saw teh previews and wow, lots of basics stuff i'm not sure if I ever learned, lol

so what i'm wandering is if jennas dvds would be agood step for me to relearn the basics?

[Darshiva]

Firstly, let me say that everyone has a different idea of what basic moves are and that's the reason why there was so much new content for you on her dvd.

Secondly, I'd recommend finding dvds from instructors you'd like to study with instead of trying to move 'to the next level' as it were. You'll only really attain level gratification in a classroom with those labels.

For example (there are a few coming so be patient!):

In my second teacher's class towards the end of my time there, I was considered an advanced dancer. Then I decided to do teacher training and started studying for that under another dancer's system, and by her system (Hi Keti!) I was barely a beginner.

Just recently I was feeling pretty confident about my own dancing and by my own class structure I am (once again) an advanced dancer. Then I went to a private lesson (Hi Barbara!) and by her system I'm probably a beyond beginner to intermediate.


So you see, it's really a matter of perspective. I'm not necessarily saying that any one of those view points is wrong, but you can definitely see that there is a huge variety of moves and skills that are classed as different levels by different teachers. So worry about learning new moves and mastering new techniques rather than attaining levels. Chances are you'll be in a beginner group in a new classroom regardless of your dance experience when you go back, just so the teacher can ensure that you are in the place she wants you to be for her more advanced classes.

[Ahava_Melantha]

thanx. and yes, i soooo agree about that. after learning for 1 or 2 years i went to another teacher, it was 6 or 8 week class, by her class, i was already advanced but she also had a bad reputation. her students didn't even know there were other bd teachers in teh state, or workshops or anything.

after i got intermediate with my first 2 teachers (1 year) I was an advanced beginner in their teachers class. and then i never really got "advanced" in my opinion, but I did get intermediate or the most advanced student in the class.

so i understand. I think I'll try jennas beginners dvd.

besides a glitch i had with heartbeat of belly dance, (3erd drum solo, this move she didn't really go into depth in, and the choreography she taught, wasn't linear. shes teach something farther in the choreography and then go back to what we were supposed to be learning, but . . . I've finally mastered it, yay)

she is a very good teacher. her teaching style is very clean and structured I think. not messy at all and not difficult for most ppl (like in sadie's dynamic drum solo - i have problems with my feet so i can't stayon the balls of my feet very long).

thanx for ur perspective.

[Amulya]

One of the things always to watch out for are teachers who deliberately keep their students learning slowly. I have heard students complain that they had been going to classes for a long time and still couldn't do all basics because their teachers didn't teach them all, plus never explained how to do the movements, students just had to copy them following her in a mirror.

[Ahava_Melantha]

yeah, that is sort of bad. Or a teacher who doesn't still try to learn more.

[psychobilly5]

Yeah, that's bad...but on another token there have been students who blamed the teacher for not advancing as fast as they think they should've (while not practicing on their own). When a student tells me that about a previous teacher I tend to take it with a grain of salt unless I know the teachers instruction technique, etc...

[Amulya]

yeah, that is sort of bad. Or a teacher who doesn't still try to learn more.

Then it's time to move on. There will always come a stage where you find you need a new teacher, even if they are amazing, sometimes a new one is just very refreshing. And then you can always come back later.

[Ahava_Melantha]

very true.