Metamorphosis Belly Dance

[Caroline_afifi]

If she is 14 or 15, I certainly *hope* she is escorted by her mother to gigs!

Well I would have liked my mum to come to gigs with me til I was 30! lol

I dont care how good someone dances or looks, call me old fashioned but 14,15,16,17 is way too young to deal with the restaurant business.

I once helped a girl get a job in a restaurant who was 19 and very beautiful, her dancing was OK.

She really needed the money to help support herself, her mum and younger brother. She worked at a very nice place until everyone who worked there (including the owners) had tried it on with her and was unsuccessful, they then replaced her with a more experienced dancer whom they knew who was in her mid 40's.

Apart from this they messed her around, cancelled last minute, didnt pay on time, made her wait along time to dance so she missed her last train home and spent half of her money on a taxi etc etc.

Some people really can self-teach effectively, and many pro singers got their start as children. And how many popular singers were truly "taught" how to sing, hmm?

Some, but very few.

On the other hand, I'm always slightly suspect of self-taught people who teach; my experience is that self-taught teachers' classes are not as focused, nor do they move as quickly as the classes of teachers who have had skill-specific teaching methods modeled for them over a long period of time.

There is also an element of self teaching which means it is selective, you choose which information you wish to absorb possibly ignoring many important things. People maybe able to teach themselves but even fewer are great at self assessment.

But the proof is in the pudding. I certainly don't think the "performing arts degree" and the 3.5 years of college dance classes I took qualify me to teach or perform bellydance professionally. Nor do my 4 years of bellydance classes (and more years of video study). In my mind, the proper qualifications are: 1) do you dance at (or very near) pro level, and 2) do you have the *teaching* talent as well as patience and personal integrity necessary to handle a class.

I agree it is not about time and specific training. Sometimes the most random people who live in the middle of nowhere can outshine someone who has been at if for 20 years.
The talent for this dance can be quite random. There are people who have something which makes them more natural at this dance than others, but I doubt it can be completely self taught.

 

[maria_harlequin]

I really do hope this girl's bubble bursts soon so she can get some REAL decent training. I don't understand how she can seem to love the dance so much but not care about undergoing some real training. And that posture!

She seems to run some sort of club at a university...I can't believe people are taking her seriously.

 

[lilith71]

This was in a post on Bhuzz...

self taught via video: Zaheea Anan ~ Pure Raks Sharki

goes on to win: Gilded Serpent / Bellydancer of the Year Pageant '01

goes to show what determination and practice will get you (not to mention some really great videos ;-)

I think people shouldn't generalize how other people should learn. While I think it's best to have a teacher, it's not always easy to get to one.

 

[teela]

Its not the self taught part that is at issue, its that she does not have a good foundation for dance and her moves are not being done correctly and she is teaching others before she is ready. That is the issue

 

[Afrit]

goes on to win: Gilded Serpent / Bellydancer of the Year Pageant '01

goes to show what determination and practice will get you (not to mention some really great videos ;-)

I think people shouldn't generalize how other people should learn. While I think it's best to have a teacher, it's not always easy to get to one.

I'm wondering what category in the Pagaeant - best raw beginner? Otherwise it'd suggest the pageant is of little value.

The issue is not that she is self taught but rather she self mis-taught. She has missed so many important points and when offered advice (for free) from experienced dancers and teachers she ignores it. She then compounds the problem by going out and teaching the most vulnerable dancers - those with no experience - when she really does not have enough understanding. The first things learnt burn deep and bad habits and misinformation picked up early on a very hard to correct later.

 

[Emma_Williams]

well here are her students and i am assuming a piece she taught them
YouTube - MetamorphosisBD's Channel

 

[Emma_Williams]

YouTube - University of Kent Belly Dance Society Performing at the Kent Dance Showcase

 

[lilith71]

I'm wondering what category in the Pagaeant - best raw beginner? Otherwise it'd suggest the pageant is of little value.

The issue is not that she is self taught but rather she self mis-taught. She has missed so many important points and when offered advice (for free) from experienced dancers and teachers she ignores it. She then compounds the problem by going out and teaching the most vulnerable dancers - those with no experience - when she really does not have enough understanding. The first things learnt burn deep and bad habits and misinformation picked up early on a very hard to correct later.

Umm, I understand what the issue is about Metamorphis's teaching skills, I was just adding that sweeping generalizations about being self taught is uncool in my book and you should look up the what the pageant is about and how valueable it is to see if it is of "Little Value"

 

[Darshiva]

I feel so sorry for those poor girls. Does she even watch them practicing to see if they're doing what she wants them to do?

 

[jenc]

Not if you watch the dvd where she runs through choreo for them.

 

[lizaj]

This was in a post on Bhuzz...

self taught via video: Zaheea Anan ~ Pure Raks Sharki

goes on to win: Gilded Serpent / Bellydancer of the Year Pageant '01

goes to show what determination and practice will get you (not to mention some really great videos ;-)

I think people shouldn't generalize how other people should learn. While I think it's best to have a teacher, it's not always easy to get to one.

Where is the generalisation? One very young dancer is mentioned as being self taught. One dancer who obviously has had few lessons and lacks basic technique s the subject of the thread.
No one here has said there is no one out there who through dligent self study, an undestanding and ability to interpret music has become a good dancer.
And I am sure we have all met the dancer who after a few years' study overtakes many who have slogged away for much longer to gain any competancy.

 

[Farasha Hanem]

well here are her students and i am assuming a piece she taught them
YouTube - MetamorphosisBD's Channel

-_-;;;;;;;;;;;

It was hard to see the dancing for all the techno lighting and gobbledeegook, but from what I could see, their technique was...lacking. Their snake arms were like a raw, not-been-exposed-to-bellydance-before beginner's on her first day, and the "choreo" just, well...it was just moves to techno wanna-be ME music. This sort of performance makes me sad. It wasn't bellydance, it was club dance with not really even so much as a lip service to bellydance.

 

[da Sage]

-_-;;;;;;;;;;;

It was hard to see the dancing for all the techno lighting and gobbledeegook, but from what I could see, their technique was...lacking. Their snake arms were like a raw, not-been-exposed-to-bellydance-before beginner's on her first day, and the "choreo" just, well...it was just moves to techno wanna-be ME music. This sort of performance makes me sad. It wasn't bellydance, it was club dance with not really even so much as a lip service to bellydance.

Actually, I thought some of them were surprisingly good for what, 4 to 8 weeks of lessons? The undulations were a bit rough, but some of the dancers seemed to have a good understanding of body lines in dance. I'm not sure they picked that up from this teacher, though (I believe that was Miss M leading the class in front, and I preferred the stylizations of some of the other dancers).

Kudos to the class for learning a full-song choreography in a very short period of time! Choreography retention is something I have problems with, but 1) I've gotten much better with practice, and 2) it is so much easier to "cement" a choreography with a video aid (although I sometimes need a teacher to clarify certain moves and weight transfers).

 

[da Sage]

I'm wondering what category in the Pagaeant - best raw beginner? Otherwise it'd suggest the pageant is of little value.

The issue is not that she is self taught but rather she self mis-taught. She has missed so many important points and when offered advice (for free) from experienced dancers and teachers she ignores it. She then compounds the problem by going out and teaching the most vulnerable dancers - those with no experience - when she really does not have enough understanding. The first things learnt burn deep and bad habits and misinformation picked up early on a very hard to correct later.

Hi Afrit, there are two different people being discussed here. Miss Metamorphosis is NOT to my knowledge, a bellydance pageant winner. The dancer mentioned on Bhuz who did win the afore-mentioned pageant describes herself as self-taught, and NO one who has seen her dancing has described it as raw or lacking.

Maybe that clears up some confusion?

 

[da Sage]

speculation

I wonder how Miss M would feel if one of her university students watched some YouTube videos, and then started aggressively marketing herself in nearby towns? Is Metamorphosis grooming her students to be professionals? What would she expect a dancer to learn before going pro?:think:

 

[jenc]

I guess she wouldn't mind. There aren't any real teachers in the Uk after all lol

Does anyone know this lady. She is the original teacher. I see she also teaches something called "ecstatic dance" which seems to me to be a better description of Miss M's dance!
Belly Dancing in Kent (Canterbury & Thanet)

 

[lizaj]

I guess she wouldn't mind. There aren't any real teachers in the Uk after all lol

Does anyone know this lady. She is the original teacher. I see she also teaches something called "ecstatic dance" which seems to me to be a better description of Miss M's dance!
Belly Dancing in Kent (Canterbury & Thanet)

WEll it sure ain't "static" dance..oh I am getting mean now(SMACKS HAND) and WTF is rebirthing and breathwork all about and to do with belly dancing.

 

[teela]

I really don't see any qualifications for this one either. Is this a case of the blind leading the blind?

 

[lilith71]

If she is 14 or 15, I certainly *hope* she is escorted by her mother to gigs!

Some people really can self-teach effectively, and many pro singers got their start as children. And how many popular singers were truly "taught" how to sing, hmm?

On the other hand, I'm always slightly suspect of self-taught people who teach; my experience is that self-taught teachers' classes are not as focused, nor do they move as quickly as the classes of teachers who have had skill-specific teaching methods modeled for them over a long period of time.

But the proof is in the pudding. I certainly don't think the "performing arts degree" and the 3.5 years of college dance classes I took qualify me to teach or perform bellydance professionally. Nor do my 4 years of bellydance classes (and more years of video study). In my mind, the proper qualifications are: 1) do you dance at (or very near) pro level, and 2) do you have the *teaching* talent as well as patience and personal integrity necessary to handle a class.

This... Lizaj.. is where I felt a little defensive about the self taught issue. Looking over the post now, I see where I have been overly defensive. I take classes 3 times a week and use dvd's, but feel for the other members here who have no way to study except through dvd's and youtube. I agree that Metamorphis has a loooong way to go and shouldn't be teaching anything, hopefully her students will realize this and move on.............:think:

 

[lizaj]

This... Lizaj.. is where I felt a little defensive about the self taught issue. Looking over the post now, I see where I have been overly defensive. I take classes 3 times a week and use dvd's, but feel for the other members here who have no way to study except through dvd's and youtube. I agree that Metamorphis has a loooong way to go and shouldn't be teaching anything, hopefully her students will realize this and move on.............:think:

Actually Lilith I hope she reads this and starts to learn more herself as someone with passion is always good to hear about. But passion is rarely enough unless one is a quite remarkable person. I agree that there are people who has naturally quick on the up-take with this dance and it seems especially likely with a very young dancer. But there are usually edges that can be smoothed and other things to be learnt about being a professional and a teacher. That's not necessarily qualifications but advice and guidance fro long-time experienced dancers ( those a lot more so that me!) are peerless.