Do you need classes?

[Alysha]

I'm new to belly dance so maybe it's a silly question but do you need to attend classes to perform or even get good? I know there are classes around but we only have one vehicle and my husband needs that and we don't have the money for me to attend online classes, so I'm feeling somewhat discouraged.

 

[Kashmir]

If you grew up from birth in a family that belly danced socially - maybe not unless you want to go pro. If you want to learn belly dance with little or no background - yes - at least for a few years then you might (if you have the right skill set) be able to get by with the occasional workshop, private lesson and DVD study. (Frankly online classes are not a real option either unless you have had a real teacher).

Why? Firstly there is so much to learn. I pack in the absolute basics in my Introductory course in 10 hours. An average person probably needs another 50-150 hours to consider moving out of beginner level - and that is with a teacher. Most online or DVD courses are only a few hour in total.

A live teacher should be able to give you feedback on your technique - but also guide your study of what belly dance is (and is not), the beginnings of what various styles are - basically letting you know what you don't know. If you try and do it on your own you simply have not idea what you don't know. (Last night I ran into a ex-student who was talking about someone who had been a student with her and found the next level - ie past the firts 10 hours - hard. The ex-student asked with all honesty - "what else do you need to know?")

 

[Dunyah]

Would you try to learn a new language without ever talking to someone who spoke that language? Dancing is like a language you speak with your body and it doesn't come easily to most people. Even if you are naturally gifted, you need a teacher. I hope you can work things out so you can attend a class.

 

[Bellydance Oz]

I'm new to belly dance so maybe it's a silly question but do you need to attend classes to perform or even get good?

If you've studied other styles of dancing before, then you could learn to belly dance from a DVD and do well enough to get a job in some restaurants. Professional belly dancers would probably think your dancing sucks, but you'd get away with it.

If you've never studied dance before - then no, not a hope. Without a teacher, you won't be aware of your mistakes. You need someone to explain, encourage and correct you.

 

[Shanazel]

...do you need to attend classes to perform or even get good?

The short answer is "yes." Don't worry, your time will come. Maybe you could carpool to classes with interested friends?

 

[Farasha Hanem]

The short answer is "yes." Don't worry, your time will come. Maybe you could carpool to classes with interested friends?

This---this, this, this, this (Shanazel read my brain! )! We, too, only have one car, and Hubby uses it to get back and forth to work in (he works swing shift, and it's just easier for him take the car). When I first started lessons, they were in my hometown, so either my daughter would get me there and back, or let me borrow the car if she didn't have some place she needed to be that evening. When my teacher temporarily stopped giving lessons right before she had her first baby, most of the girls in my class started going to her teacher's class in the City, which is a little more than 30 miles away. One of my friends from class offered to take me, since we don't live too far from one another. So yes, there are ways of working things out so you can go to classes. Where there's a will, there's a way!

 

[Amanda (was Aziyade)]

There is a weird phenomenon that happens when people try to learn something in isolation. It's often called "thinking you look fabulous when you really look foolish."

People are notoriously inept at actually judging their own performance. I can email you a research paper about this issue. Without the help of a live, well-trained instructor (and I'm not talking about the teacher who has no more actual training or performance experience than you do) you'll never learn how to accurately assess your own skills.

I speak from experience: after a couple of years of no regular classes, I recently started doing online private lessons with a mentor, and I had the extremely humbling experience of having some OTHER set of eyes realize that I'm not as awesome as I like to think I am lol.

A good teacher will do more than teach basic movements, musicality, and cultural relevance. A good teacher will not only point out what needs work, but he/she will also help you learn to assess your own skills, so that you can ACCURATELY judge your own performance.

 

[Alysha]

Should I still practice at home then or will that just make it worse until I can get into a class? I don't think I could completely stop but it is going to be a while until I can get into a class.

 

[Amanda (was Aziyade)]

No, definitely practice at home You may end up having some habits to unlearn, but that's do-able.

I'd really seriously check out the carpool situation -- or public transportation if you live in a an area where that is a possibility.

 

[Kashmir]

If you've studied other styles of dancing before, then you could learn to belly dance from a DVD and do well enough to get a job in some restaurants. Professional belly dancers would probably think your dancing sucks, but you'd get away with it.

Actually unless you are switched on any belly dancers or people who have seen the real thing will think you dancing sucks - but restaurant dancing is not about "belly dancing" - it's about eye candy and entertainment. I know of one very experienced dancer who lost a long term gig when the mangaement changed and the new guy wanted to see young flesh. The replacement "dancer" could hardly dance in any style but looked goood in a costume.

 

[Kashmir]

Should I still practice at home then or will that just make it worse until I can get into a class? I don't think I could completely stop but it is going to be a while until I can get into a class.

Continue to practice what you know you can do correctly - but keep an eye on what you are doing. Keep up the muscle control and fitness. Watch lots of good belly dance performances.

 

[khanjar]

I look at it this way, if you really want to belly dance do it as best you can via videos and books and the free online stuff via youtube, it was how I started before I had the courage to find a class and join the girlies.

As to what kind of dancer you will be, does that matter if you are enjoying yourself belly dancing as best you know how to the instruction you have gleaned from sources are available to you ?

As something else there are so called belly dance teachers out there that many an amateur could out perform as a recent thread proved from a video of said belly dance teacher, the forum agreed, so even with a teacher it is not to say you will be better than what you can do for yourself.

If you really want to belly dance, just do it in whatever way you can as to remember belly dance is an art before it is a profession and the country it comes from it is described as dishonourable profession at that

 

[Darshiva]

There is a weird phenomenon that happens when people try to learn something in isolation. It's often called "thinking you look fabulous when you really look foolish."

People are notoriously inept at actually judging their own performance. I can email you a research paper about this issue. Without the help of a live, well-trained instructor (and I'm not talking about the teacher who has no more actual training or performance experience than you do) you'll never learn how to accurately assess your own skills.

I speak from experience: after a couple of years of no regular classes, I recently started doing online private lessons with a mentor, and I had the extremely humbling experience of having some OTHER set of eyes realize that I'm not as awesome as I like to think I am lol.

A good teacher will do more than teach basic movements, musicality, and cultural relevance. A good teacher will not only point out what needs work, but he/she will also help you learn to assess your own skills, so that you can ACCURATELY judge your own performance.

I am extraordinarily lucky in that my husband is able to spot what needs work (and thanks to my "descriptive" naming system) articulate it. It's not a talent most people have, but if you are lucky (as I am) it can help.

So I agree, you do need a fresh pair of eyes to spot what's wrong and correct you. It takes a heck of a lot longer if you're the one who needs to figure out how to correct the mistakes that someone else spots, though.

I keep wanting to say it is possible on your own but I can't honestly say that. Whilst I have done it primarily on my own, I haven't done it entirely on my own. I've taken advantage of every opportunity I've had to take private lessons and workshops, and to video myself for mentor assessment. A fresh pair of eyes, particularly ones that are highly trained and skilled, goes a very long way to helping you achieve your bellydance goals.

 

[Bellydance Oz]

Actually unless you are switched on any belly dancers or people who have seen the real thing will think you dancing sucks - but restaurant dancing is not about "belly dancing" - it's about eye candy and entertainment. I know of one very experienced dancer who lost a long term gig when the mangaement changed and the new guy wanted to see young flesh. The replacement "dancer" could hardly dance in any style but looked goood in a costume.

Well, that's kinda what I was trying to say. You can learn enough from a DVD to get a job if you look the part, because that's what restaurant owners want. And the audience will be impressed because most Aussies have never seen a really belly dancer.

 

[Sophia Maria]

Trust me--you need years of classes and personal instruction, unless you are from the culture and grew up dancing socially.

I started dancing almost a year before I had any formal instruction. And I knew I wasn't great, but I have to admit I thought I was way better than I was. My teacher corrected many little things that I would never have noticed, that make ALL the difference. But it was definitely an exercise in humility, because I had to relearn a lot of stuff, and I learned to respect the level of work that makes a real belly dancer.

You can always always do it on your own for fun. Heck, sometimes I go to youtube and learn a hip hop move, or a jazz choreography. But if you have any hope of looking even close to professional you need years of training with live people.

Good luck!