Pirika Repun
New member
Long post alert
I'm still new to Oriental Dance, but when I teach Jazz, I danced with my students for opening number and closing number, and I was just part of it. I choreographed to mainly for students and I always watched them and shape them up. Usually I took at least 3 months (or more) to prepare for the show, and rehearsal many times as possible. So students can get enough confidence to perform themselves. When I dance with my teacher, we also had more than 6 months to prepare for the show, because we danced more than 15 numbers for 2 hours show. I was in advanced students group and all of us performed many places together, so my teacher dance with us more than beginner group. Also, she danced with all of us for opening and closing numbers. I think Jazz is more like group dance than solo dance, so I am so used to group dance. For Jazz, we had some synchronized moves and some all different moves. Because we prepare so long and try to get everybody comfortable without looking at mirror, I didn't have problem look at teacher and follow her move.
However, I understand that Oriental Dance is more solo dance, and express your personality.
Early this year I performed 2 group dances with 2 different groups. One was with my teacher. She was center and front row, and 6 of us were all behind her. I didn't look at her even I didn't remember entire choreography, because I didn't have enough practice time due to my work. I was very surprised that she just started choreography and get all together in 3 weeks. Compare to what I did in months of preparation. I was very surprised. :shok: Anyway, I performed a little messed up steps, but it wasn't major mistakes. Then one of her top students who was also professional dancer made total different move and all messed up. However, my teacher was in the front, and couldn't see it. When she saw the video, she just laugh at her and we did second show. After the all show was done, the teacher thanked all students. BUT she said "You have to practice more for next time!" with demanding voice to me and one other girl who also didn't have enough practice. Actually both of us were NOT her favorite students, and she didn't say anything for her favorite students even they messed up.:shok: You know I'm not taking her class anymore, because she discourage students a lot. I know many students left her for the same reason.
What I'm talking about? Yeah, dance with teacher. I guess sometimes good for change. I mean, when you go to the Oriental dance show and solo after solo getting bored especially choreographed by the same teacher or same taste, or/with no personality. I'm not saying all of them, but some of them do not have enough vocabulary for different songs or music.
I don't mind dance either solo, duet, or group, but I think it'll be better to have the same or similar level of dancers dance together. Also maybe for group dance, teacher dance with them partially, but not entire with them. I mean, maybe teacher dance solo middle of the number, maybe two eights or three eights counts, to add some flavor it then back to all students dance. If teacher worry about students to look at teacher's move, just take more preparation before put them on the stage if possible. I know it is difficult because students' work schedule and other things, but long preparation won't hurt performance.
When I start taking Oriental dance class with this discourage teacher, she did all choreography the song, and it was all complicated. She has great variety of hip works, but she put too much of in one place. It was worked for her, but for beginner or Int. students, it was just busy busy move and it didn't look good at all. We just busy to remember complicated steps, and hip moves, and top of it, her brake down was not good at all. :naghty: However, I was so used to choreograph by Jazz, so I was ok to remember it. When I took different teacher, she didn't choreograph, just she improves dance for music. At first I was totally confused and frustrated, because I had no idea what gonna come next. However, when I got used to her style, and her vocabulary, I was getting enjoy it. Then now I have great teacher Tarik, and I totally enjoy his class every time I take his class.:dance: Actually I had my first solo with live band performance last Wednesday, and he helped me a lot. He gave me an advice that just make outline for the dance (not choreography) and prepare for any change by the band. He actually played the song in the class and showed me some tips. I did ok for the performance for the first time with live band. ( I guess) I can tell Tarik's class help me a lot for improves especially with live band and even with CD when you forgot your next move. If you only used to choreography, you have no idea wht to do when you forgot your next step, and especially inexperienced dancer, you can tell she/he just think about next step and not enjoy the dance. Now I'm getting enjoying improves that I had fear before in other teahcers' class. Thanks to my great teacher.
I'm still new to Oriental Dance, but when I teach Jazz, I danced with my students for opening number and closing number, and I was just part of it. I choreographed to mainly for students and I always watched them and shape them up. Usually I took at least 3 months (or more) to prepare for the show, and rehearsal many times as possible. So students can get enough confidence to perform themselves. When I dance with my teacher, we also had more than 6 months to prepare for the show, because we danced more than 15 numbers for 2 hours show. I was in advanced students group and all of us performed many places together, so my teacher dance with us more than beginner group. Also, she danced with all of us for opening and closing numbers. I think Jazz is more like group dance than solo dance, so I am so used to group dance. For Jazz, we had some synchronized moves and some all different moves. Because we prepare so long and try to get everybody comfortable without looking at mirror, I didn't have problem look at teacher and follow her move.
However, I understand that Oriental Dance is more solo dance, and express your personality.
Early this year I performed 2 group dances with 2 different groups. One was with my teacher. She was center and front row, and 6 of us were all behind her. I didn't look at her even I didn't remember entire choreography, because I didn't have enough practice time due to my work. I was very surprised that she just started choreography and get all together in 3 weeks. Compare to what I did in months of preparation. I was very surprised. :shok: Anyway, I performed a little messed up steps, but it wasn't major mistakes. Then one of her top students who was also professional dancer made total different move and all messed up. However, my teacher was in the front, and couldn't see it. When she saw the video, she just laugh at her and we did second show. After the all show was done, the teacher thanked all students. BUT she said "You have to practice more for next time!" with demanding voice to me and one other girl who also didn't have enough practice. Actually both of us were NOT her favorite students, and she didn't say anything for her favorite students even they messed up.:shok: You know I'm not taking her class anymore, because she discourage students a lot. I know many students left her for the same reason. What I'm talking about?
Yeah, dance with teacher. I guess sometimes good for change. I mean, when you go to the Oriental dance show and solo after solo getting bored especially choreographed by the same teacher or same taste, or/with no personality. I'm not saying all of them, but some of them do not have enough vocabulary for different songs or music. I don't mind dance either solo, duet, or group, but I think it'll be better to have the same or similar level of dancers dance together. Also maybe for group dance, teacher dance with them partially, but not entire with them. I mean, maybe teacher dance solo middle of the number, maybe two eights or three eights counts, to add some flavor it then back to all students dance. If teacher worry about students to look at teacher's move, just take more preparation before put them on the stage if possible. I know it is difficult because students' work schedule and other things, but long preparation won't hurt performance.
When I start taking Oriental dance class with this discourage teacher, she did all choreography the song, and it was all complicated. She has great variety of hip works, but she put too much of in one place. It was worked for her, but for beginner or Int. students, it was just busy busy move and it didn't look good at all. We just busy to remember complicated steps, and hip moves, and top of it, her brake down was not good at all. :naghty: However, I was so used to choreograph by Jazz, so I was ok to remember it. When I took different teacher, she didn't choreograph, just she improves dance for music. At first I was totally confused and frustrated, because I had no idea what gonna come next. However, when I got used to her style, and her vocabulary, I was getting enjoy it. Then now I have great teacher Tarik, and I totally enjoy his class every time I take his class.:dance: Actually I had my first solo with live band performance last Wednesday, and he helped me a lot. He gave me an advice that just make outline for the dance (not choreography) and prepare for any change by the band. He actually played the song in the class and showed me some tips. I did ok for the performance for the first time with live band. ( I guess) I can tell Tarik's class help me a lot for improves especially with live band and even with CD when you forgot your next move. If you only used to choreography, you have no idea wht to do when you forgot your next step, and especially inexperienced dancer, you can tell she/he just think about next step and not enjoy the dance. Now I'm getting enjoying improves that I had fear before in other teahcers' class. Thanks to my great teacher.
