Hmmm... Does this sound right to you?

[teela]

I'm on the yahoo group where all this information is being posted. As I hear more about what will be on the videos, her feelings towards some well renouned and respected teachers, etc, I find I am quickly loosing interest in her proposed product. I do not understand how you can teach moves without referring to the music and what various sounds evoke. The DVD's I watch of the famous egyptian dancers do not have a huge number of moves but just a few with certain variations. I think I'll stick with the ones I have right now and forgo her series. In regard to floorwork, I was under the impression that floor work in general is not typical egyptian although it is occasionally seen. Its like veil is used but not to the extent Americans use it.
just my 2 cents worth.

 

[Gilana]

I know her

Hello Ladies,

I had to join this forum just so that I could post a reply to this!...I have been reading posts here for about a year. My name is Gilana and I live just north of Seattle. I perform and teach gypsy style middle eastern dance/more folkloric, but adore Turkish Oriental and have been devoting my recent time to studying that style more in-depth.

I was recently at a hafla on Whidbey Island, a small island in Puget Sound where I finally had the experience of seeing Teegan/Chenum dance. As I had read her posts on Tribe and her Tribe profile I was curious to see what she performed. She wore a satin gypsy style full skirt, some sort of beaded egyptian halter top and then tied the matching belt around her hips, backwards!! She did no egyptian type moves that either I, or any of the other dancers that I know recognized....she did some sort of fusion thing. This from a woman who professes absolute ignorance about all other forms except "pure" egyptian dance. We were all like, "hmmmmmm........" I suggest you save your money.

Best,
Gilana

 

[Salome]

I can't quite get past the 3 years of lessons at 10 dollars a go comment... And name calling? That's sad... but also revealing...

 

[Amanda (was Aziyade)]

Hello Ladies,

I had to join this forum just so that I could post a reply to this!...I have been reading posts here for about a year. My name is Gilana and I live just north of Seattle. I perform and teach gypsy style middle eastern dance/more folkloric, but adore Turkish Oriental and have been devoting my recent time to studying that style more in-depth.

THANK you, Gilana. !! And welcome, by the way.

I'm all for new instructional dvds -- especially in Egyptian style, but I want to know that the instructor knows of what she/he speaks, ya know?
Thank you for this comment. It helps me to understand where she's coming from, in terms of her understanding of "Egyptian style."

 

[Gilana]

Aziyade,

Several of us have a joke about waiting with baited breath for these new dvds, as they appear to be all we will ever need from now on....all the other stuff can just be chucked as we will now have the definitive instruction! Not very nice, I know, but we just can't help ourselves given the high opinion of herself and the level of mediocrity we actually witnessed.

Thanks for the welcome, I believe I have also seen your posts on Tribe.

Gilana

 

[Damariz]

thank you for posting this topic! I was very interested in what she was proposing when she wrote her message on tribe. However if she's dissing other dancers just because they studied with Jamilla, this completely changed my opinion of her. I'll be using my $300 for something more worthwhile

 

[Taj]

Hello Ladies,

I had to join this forum just so that I could post a reply to this!...I have been reading posts here for about a year. My name is Gilana and I live just north of Seattle. I perform and teach gypsy style middle eastern dance/more folkloric, but adore Turkish Oriental and have been devoting my recent time to studying that style more in-depth.

I was recently at a hafla on Whidbey Island, a small island in Puget Sound where I finally had the experience of seeing Teegan/Chenum dance. As I had read her posts on Tribe and her Tribe profile I was curious to see what she performed. She wore a satin gypsy style full skirt, some sort of beaded egyptian halter top and then tied the matching belt around her hips, backwards!! She did no egyptian type moves that either I, or any of the other dancers that I know recognized....she did some sort of fusion thing. This from a woman who professes absolute ignorance about all other forms except "pure" egyptian dance. We were all like, "hmmmmmm........" I suggest you save your money.

Best,
Gilana

In all fairness, you say you teach "gypsy" style ME dance (not sure what that is, "gypsy" being a pretty ambiguous term) and adore Turkish Oriental. Do you have a pretty solid understanding of Egyptian dance? Is it possible you didn't recognize the moves because they aren't part of your training?

I think I'll wait and see, myself, before judging Tegan/Chenum's dancing. I do say (and have said, on other forums) that I don't much care for her rather condescending attitude about her knowledge. However, she's just posted another note on the group in which she really tries to mitigate that. So, barring another rude response to anyone who tries to help her out (like Aziyade has), I think I'll just reserve judgement until I see her in action.

 

[chryssanthi sahar]

I think I'll wait and see, myself, before judging Tegan/Chenum's dancing. I do say (and have said, on other forums) that I don't much care for her rather condescending attitude about her knowledge. However, she's just posted another note on the group in which she really tries to mitigate that. So, barring another rude response to anyone who tries to help her out (like Aziyade has), I think I'll just reserve judgement until I see her in action.

Dear Taj.

It is nice to be fair, but in this case the matter is obvious: this woman surely is NO expert for Egyptian style. Everybody who deals with Egyptian style can see this immediately from the description of her DVD program. You cannot be an expert for Egyptian style and teach a DVD without music! This is outrageous The music is the absolute basis for the Egyptian belly dance and dance moves without music are nothing worth in this style. I can tell you this, because Egyptian belly dance is my speciality. I've been dealing with it for about 22 years now and I've learned it only from Egyptians.
Then, if this woman performed in a costume like Gilana describes it, this is also a witness for her dilettantism. So I advise you not to spend money on DVD series from such an "instructor".

 

[Maria_Aya]

Inside greek bellydance joke (Chryssanthi will get the person we are speaking lol).
Well maybe this "teacher" is twin sister with our own "Greek Goddess of Raqs Sharqi" that had the nerves to give a lecture to the Unesco Congress saying that Egyptians wrote choreographies in the Pyramids and when we see a Hawk we do a hip circle, when we see Osiris we do Maya etc.

(and she is lucky I wasnt there)

Maria Aya

 

[Ranya]

Maria are you SERIOUS? There was a person who did that? Was she on high on something or what? Yeah I bet she's lucky you weren't there, I can imagine what you would have done to her (with justice of course!).
;-)

 

[Taj]

Dear Taj.

It is nice to be fair, but in this case the matter is obvious: this woman surely is NO expert for Egyptian style. Everybody who deals with Egyptian style can see this immediately from the description of her DVD program. You cannot be an expert for Egyptian style and teach a DVD without music! This is outrageous The music is the absolute basis for the Egyptian belly dance and dance moves without music are nothing worth in this style. I can tell you this, because Egyptian belly dance is my speciality. I've been dealing with it for about 22 years now and I've learned it only from Egyptians.
Then, if this woman performed in a costume like Gilana describes it, this is also a witness for her dilettantism. So I advise you not to spend money on DVD series from such an "instructor".

Thanks for your concern, but at this point, I have no intention of spending money on the proposed series. I said that I would not judge her *dancing* based on what *someone else* saw.

 

[Gilana]

Reserving judgement

Dear Taj,

I introduced myself in another part of the forum, in which I explained what I do.

I absolutely do not claim to be an Egyptian dancer, although I did take lessons exclusively in Egyptian style for a little over a year, so I know what I should be seeing when somebody claims to be performing it. Other dancers who were there who have been dancing Egyptian style for many, many years were perplexed as well.

While it is always good to reserve judgement for your own eyes, I feel a little defensive by your tone towards me....perhaps it just came across badly due to being written?

I care deeply about this whole artform and do not wish to see any more people passing along bad information....there is enough of that already. I merely responded here to let people know that I have seen firsthand what she does and that people's instincts are correct. I don't think she has poor intentions at all, she absolutely believes that her way is the only correct way and is not open to any other input or ideas.

Regards, Gilana

 

[Taj]

Gilana, my "tone" had to do with wondering whether you knew what Egyptian dance was supposed to look like. I'm sure you can understand why that would be a legitimate question.

 

[chryssanthi sahar]

Maria are you SERIOUS? There was a person who did that? Was she on high on something or what? Yeah I bet she's lucky you weren't there, I can imagine what you would have done to her (with justice of course!).
;-)

No, she was lucky that I WASN'T THERE Maria is a nice girl, she cannot become to furious but I can become really really bad, when I have a reason to. And in this case I would have had a reason
Maria, I know who you are talking about

 

[chryssanthi sahar]

I merely responded here to let people know that I have seen firsthand what she does and that people's instincts are correct.

And I think that it is very good that you responded and confirmed what we suspected

I don't think she has poor intentions at all, she absolutely believes that her way is the only correct way and is not open to any other input or ideas.

Well yes, I can imagine that. But this doesn't make things better. As I said in my prior posting, half-knowledge is far worse than no knowledge. And this woman is very obviously only half educated or wrongly educated.

 

[Farasha Hanem]

And I think that it is very good that you responded and confirmed what we suspected



Well yes, I can imagine that. But this doesn't make things better. As I said in my prior posting, half-knowledge is far worse than no knowledge. And this woman is very obviously only half educated or wrongly educated.

I agree. Also, apart from bellydancing and depending on subject and situation, half-knowledge can even be a dangerous thing.

 

[LeylaLanty]

Agreed with Chryssanthi and Farasha. I joined the Yahoo group and read many of her posts and have the impression that she is not well educated, not very knowledgable but considers herself to know everything about Egyptian dance. I'm hoping she does charge $30 per DVD and prices herself out of the market...

I agree. Also, apart from bellydancing and depending on subject and situation, half-knowledge can even be a dangerous thing.

 

[Amanda (was Aziyade)]

Leyla et al --

I realize I don't own every video of Egyptian dance, but is the Turkish drop and lots of floorwork (inlcuding the "worm") actually part of Egyptian dance??? SHould I be demanding my money back from my instructors?

This is too weird.

 

[Mara2]

Leyla et al --

I realize I don't own every video of Egyptian dance, but is the Turkish drop and lots of floorwork (inlcuding the "worm") actually part of Egyptian dance??? SHould I be demanding my money back from my instructors?

This is too weird.

Welcome to Morocco's Meanderings

 

[Amanda (was Aziyade)]

Thanks for posting this -- I was trying to remember who I'd seen doing any kind of floorwork on video, and I kept thinking it was Aza Sharif. Nope. Twas Nagwa -- but on the same video as Aza. I'm going to watch that again tonight, because I'm convinced that floorwork is nothing like what I've learned as floor work in AmCab class.

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