At a dance crossroads...

[Aniseteph]

Hello people. I haven't been posting much because I'm feeling so out of the belly dance loop since my teacher quit weekly classes. I know, it happens all the time, but those classes had been my base for a long time. I've been to loads of workshops and other events, but that was my base. It feels like limbo now, but I'm hoping it's more of a crossroads.

So it's been a funny old few months. Once we knew the classes were going in we organised a hafla, which was a big success (falls over in amazement). Looking back it's like the performances were possible directions off the crossroads - keep our own group going in some shape or form? move on to classes with this teacher or that...? There's some umm no I don't think so, but no obvious next step.

We are planning to keep going with monthly classes, which is nice as we'd just started to get a really good group of regulars going. And I'll support that 100%, but now I'm at that crossroads I know it's not enough. I felt like I was treading water, this might well go backwards. Other Egyptian-style teachers? well there are a few, but I'm picky these days, getting to classes is a PITA or impossible, and which classes? I've been in improvers forever and a push is just what I need, but no way am I an aspiring pro. I don't know where I fit anymore. Added to which, HUGE lack of confidence in own ability.

So I've done what any Egyptian-style afficionado would have done in my place, and started classes with an awesome TF teacher. Er... yeah, right. It is doing a big fat nothing for the confidence as I am totally winging the Tribal element and feel like a square peg in a round hole, part of my inner soul is crying for the lack of Egyptian-ness (WTH is Egyptian about something called Basic Egyptian?, and where's my lovely music gone? ), but it is giving my technique a right royal boot up the behind with the drills, loooovely stretches, practising travelling steps down the room, explanations in a way that clicks with me rather than having to find them myself, and more feedback.

I don't want to cross to the TF side, but there's something I can get from these classes. Dunno where I'm going - I think I'm going to have to put on the ol' big girl panties and forge my own path, or end up somewhere I do not want to be. I never felt so connected with the local scene as when we did the hafla, and at the same time I feel I'm off on a lonely trail. (You guy's are still out there though, right? ray

TL DR, sorry. But I feel better.

 

[Shanazel]

You don't actually have to embrace The Dark Side in order to get something out of it.

Hang in there, Aniseteph. Transitions are uncomfortable but they are also not permanent conditions.

Sometimes I feel like it is time for me to retire (again) but I know if I do my dancers will fall apart as a group and the group is very important to all of us. So come September I'll pull my dance clothes out of the drawer and go back to class for at least another year.

 

[Duvet]

Change is often difficult. I'd say we've all experienced it sometime, in some form. Sometimes you loose a teacher that you will never replace, and you will always think about what could have been. Other times you loose a teacher and are forced to find another path, which can open up avenues and possibilities about yourself that you never knew. Sometimes you feel the teachers around you no longer match the impetus you desire.

If your fellow students are willing and able, keep up the monthly (or even weekly) get-togethers to practice what you have learnt, but these things can eventually trail off without a 'leader' or a teacher to maintain input and fresh incentive. Perhaps if you organized regular haflas you could get teachers to come and do workshops, or at least see what else is being done locally. You felt your hafla created something new for you (feeling connected to the dance community). That's very valuable. What was it about organizing and hosting the party that inspired that feeling? How different was that from just being a student?

Re-evaluating where you are is always good, whether forced by circumstances or not - it makes you think about what you want, where you want to go, what you want to get out of (or put into) the dance/community. It'll take a while to work out, and might continually change as well. But that's how we learn about ourselves and about what we can do.You're now going to TF classes, that you thought you would never do - and actually finding some benefit from them. There's lots that you're missing, but you can take the parts that you are finding beneficial and apply that to what you already love.

When I lost a teacher, and the dance was no longer right on my doorstep, I had to decide how important it was to me and how much my love for it would motivate me to seek out other teachers. Perhaps you're at the stage where no teacher will do. But practice and dance for yourself for a while; and in my experience your connection and understanding will develop in a different way, and you'll no longer be looking for a teacher to replace or recreate the old situation, but be seeking inspiration and motivation for something more. That can be harder to find, but working things out for yourself is always harder, although more rewarding in the long run. Holding haflas might help - seeing other people dancing, giving you ideas and emotions that lead to desires to develop yourself. You might end up going to fewer classes, but ones further away that provide what you need. You might pursue by-roads and avenues you've never envisioned before, choosing the (seemingly) second best because what you want can't be found (or even defined). Part of this dance (IMO) is all about developing yourself, expressing your own style (within the existing framework) and learning from all the different experiences that feed into or develop out of this. It can be very exciting, but periods of this 'lost' feeling is part of that.

Then again, you might wake up tomorrow and find a new teacher in town who lets you slot right back into how you used to feel! But would that really be the best? [okay - you might say YES! to that - and whatever you choose, I wish you all the best in finding your heart's rest ]

 

[Dunyah]

Whatever you do, keep dancing. That's the important thing. If you feel you could organize another hafla, do that so that you have a goal to work toward. Take what you are learning in the TF class and apply it to music you love. Perform it at the next hafla.

Just don't quit and you will find your way.

 

[AndreaSTL]

I hate that "now what" feeling, especially when none of your options feel particularly attractive. What is the structure of your monthly meeting? While you might not feel qualified to be a Teacher and hold weekly classes, that doesn't mean that you don't have anything to teach someone else. Each month a different dancer can be responsible for leading the practice. She can drill what she knows she needs work on or can teach a new combo to the group. I agree with Duvet that without some bit of formality these sessions are likely to taper off if they continue to be loose gatherings to which dancers feel no obligation.

Since the hafla was a success and you enjoyed it, why not make it a quarterly or semi-annual event? This will also help keep you focused with a goal to work towards.

As long as you are getting something from the TF classes there's no reason to leave. If it stops being fun or educational then don't go, but until then you might as well stay and keep yourself moving.

And yes, we are still out here to give you virtual hugs and spout our wisdom. :lol: :yay:

 

[Aniseteph]

You lot are great, you do know that? Thank you.

Yeah, ITA about the pitfalls for an informal group. We haven't actually started anything yet; the plan is to hire our old teacher in once a month for a slightly longer class, and she's been away. There might be a bit of drift, but we've got a core group who've been going for a good few years and are pretty committed. If we get something to work on and the odd hafla performance to focus on it could really gel. Who knows. But for me I can't kid myself that it is going to be enough.

We are planning another hafla already :dance:, and my dance buddy and I are going to try to get out to support others' haflas more too. The great thing about the first one for me was the community aspect, making and reinforcing contacts with other groups, and how it brought our group together. (Oh yeah, and did another solo. Forgot lots of choreography, improvised, sky did not fall down. The usual. I didn't even bother choreographing it within an inch of it's life this time, because I know what happens...)

Sometimes you loose a teacher that you will never replace, and you will always think about what could have been. Other times you loose a teacher and are forced to find another path, which can open up avenues and possibilities about yourself that you never knew.

That's it. I know that the "what could have been" in terms of weekly classes was probably going to mostly be more of the same, so the new avenues are a really good thing. I don't expect to find a weekly teacher in a style that I want, but there are workshops around, a regular hafla with performance slots - it's not a desert here by any means. And the TF does keep me moving and is ticking a lot of boxes. It will not hurt me one little bit to work on more control and definition and that class is the place for it. Awesome top class teacher just 10 mins from my work? I'd be nuts not to. I can get down with my tarab-loving self in my own time for now.

 

[~Diana~]

You don't actually have to embrace The Dark Side in order to get something out of it. .

hey what is wrong with the dark side? We got cookies after all lol.

 

[Shanazel]

:lol:

 

[Farasha Hanem]

COOKIES????? :shok: *zip!*

 

[Yame]

Don't worry about level right now. As long as you can find another teacher that you like, you'll be fine. You can try out different classes, or even start from the beginning if you're afraid their advanced classes might be too much. There is nothing wrong with taking beginner classes as an intermediate or advanced dancer, especially if you are starting with a new teacher.

 

[Farasha Hanem]

What Yame said. When I lost my transportation to my regular class, I went all the way back to the beginning when I enrolled for the online class I'm taking now with Darshiva. It has been a tremendous help, because I'm getting that one-on-one instruction, cleaning up my basics, which wasn't practical in a regular class setting. Even when I practiced technique at home before, I was never sure if I was doing it right. I feel that my online class is helping to make my dance stronger---I definitely feel more motivated to practice, without having to worry about memorizing choreo for the next performance.

 

[Aniseteph]

It's working out fine. I'm thinking of adding in level 1 if it is moved to the same night, but level 2 is the right amount of challenging. The level of "yeah I see what I'm supposed to be doing with this and no it's not happening now, but give me a couple of weeks".

Another good thing is it's making me use the mirror more. And I might need some new clothes - black top and pants in a dark studio is not helpful. Shopping!!!!

Mmmmmm, dark side cookies.