Thread: Abandoning stuff you've learned

Have you ever reached a point where you find that you no longer wish to use a certain technique in your dance that your teacher or former troupe director used to have you do? For example, have you abandoned a certain costuming style, or quit using a certain type of prop, or discontinued a certain move, or embraced an entirely different style of music from what you learned in the past?

Have your tastes changed? Did you formerly enjoy some of the moves/music/props/costuming, and then lost interest in it?

I've noticed that there are certain things I was taught that I no longer care to do. I don't have anything against people who still like to do them, but I've found they're not right for me. I don't want to get too specific about them, because I don't want to hurt the feelings of anybody reading this message who still likes them, I'm more interested in discussing the general idea of choosing to un-learn something or leave it in your past.

I remember the first time I found myself thinking, "Even though I know that move, I'm not going to teach it to my students. I don't see a need to teach them *everything* I know if I don't think it's attractive." Or, the time I realized during a solo performance, "Why am I doing this move? I've never liked it. Just because I learned it doesn't mean I need to use it." Or, "I used to like the troupe costume I owned that was made from a certain fabric, but now I don't like that fabric at all."

Is it just me, or have others gone through their own changes of this sort?

I have embraced a different type of belly dancing music which I didn't have an ear for and now do. It made me switch from studying/performing AmCab to Raks Sharqi and also delve also into folk dancing. And since I really want to learn and grow in Raks Sharqi, I don't perform AmCab or attend workshops, etc. My AmCab performance would look Arabic and I don't believe in mixing those styles for me even though some moves are similar.

I also stopped dancing with veils that aren't silk and definitely opted for dancing with silk veils.

My first teacher used to teach a very diluted form of Suraya Hilal's dance...which I didn't like at all, and aside from this have too many bad memories of the teacher associated with it. I don't mind watching Suraya's videos occasionally, but I would (probably) never ever perform or teach Suraya's or my first teachers style. I say probably because I believe in never saying never!

Yes with my first teacher.
I had lessons for 4 years, and thought I was the queen of the class and the dance school lol

My then teacher was saying to us that we were doing the ONLY authentic Oriental style, and we were above and very snobish from all the other dance schools.
So I just had to go to London, have Hossam Ramzy watch me dancing and start screaming at me lol
He and Serena sit me down and saw for first time Taheya Carioka, and Samia Gamal and Naima Akef, and then I just fall in love with Egyptian dance.
I had to forget everything !!! it was a mitch and match style
And felt that started to learn from the begining.
Was lucky enough for my second start to have Lubna Eman as my first teacher ..g.: even then didnt knew her.

Maria Aya, Greece

My music tastes have greatly changed as I've grown as a dancer. I also have abandoned routines that, while fine when I first developed them, are "now" holding me back.

I no longer do the belly rolling that was a big part of my first teacher's style. I'm glad that I learned it, because it helped me develop great abdominal strength for undulations and such. But to me it doesn't fit in with the flow of how I'm dancing now. I will occasionally whip one out at a bellygram or something to wow the crowd, but it's more of a "party trick" to me than something that would enhance a piece I'm putting together.

That said, I think some dancers can incorporate them beautifully without it being a "look what I can do!" trick. Aziza, Jim Boz and Aradia make belly rolls an organic and natural part of their dancing, and I could watch them roll all night!

Yes, I started taking classes with a tribal fusion style teacher, and added classes with a Turkish style teacher, then I took classes from teachers who were Greek and Lebanese in style, respectively, and then somewhere along the line, I realized that my style was different from either of them. But I still had no idea what my style was. Then, another dancer told me one night at a show while we were watching a very Egyptian style routine, that I needed to learn to love that style of music because that is what she saw in me. And damn if she wasn't right! So, moves that I was taught that were very tribal, or Turkish, or Greek or Lebanese in style, are no longer part of my movement vocabulary because of my natural style evolution.

I did not choose to be Egyptian style, my 'inner dancer" chose that for me.

I haven't been at this long enough to have something to ditch but I would imagine that if over time I realized that a certain prop or move was just not me, I would get rid of it. Why waste your time performing something that doesn't fit you or make you feel good?

I learned a lot of props sword,shamadan even though I have them I will never use them. I used a cane at Raks east first time in at least 4 years. I may use it once in awhile again. I also do candle tray dance(rarely) I learned double veil. I scraped that. I like wings but hardly use them. I used to love to dance with my veil, now its just and entrance then toss. I use my props in moderation. I took tribal for a year realised. It wasn't my cup of tea. But I did try it at least.

Alrana

Yes. I remember when I first got into belly dance I preferred music from Desert Wind, Light Rain and Omar Faruk Tekbilek. Now that I've matured in my dance I hardly can stand that "goddess" like music anymore. Now its all Egyptian styles, the more Tabla and accordion the better!
Also, I used to have a passion for veils but for the last 5 years I've been having a love affair for the cane. Whoa, that sounds wrong. But I can't think of a better way to put it.
If I can get inspired by the veil again, I might pick it up. I once took P.J's double veil workshop and had so much fun, but I didn't keep up with it and sort of lost the urge to perform with it.

Originally Posted by Shirin.

for the last 5 years I've been having a love affair for the cane. Whoa, that sounds wrong.

This made me LOL!

Originally Posted by nikkiraqs

My first teacher used to teach a very diluted form of Suraya Hilal's dance...which I didn't like at all, and aside from this have too many bad memories of the teacher associated with it. I don't mind watching Suraya's videos occasionally, but I would (probably) never ever perform or teach Suraya's or my first teachers style. I say probably because I believe in never saying never!

I so agree 100% with this. I relearned to dance after i'd been to Mme Raqias workshops in the late 1990s and visited Egypt. The biggest thrill of my dance life has come from a recent coment from Mme Raqia saying good technique after she saw my performance because she became the teacher I wish I'd had.

I don't do that "lay-back" posture for my Vintage Oriental any more!

It looks terrible on me!

Besides, it's really not so great for your back . . . and I'm nowhere near 21 anymore . . .

Deborah

I am learning from a tribally inspired dancer - although I see myself as being more Egyptian in temperament. I want to be more flowing less obvious, definately more improvising. My problem is trying to work out what I need as i go along. I am happy to practice and learn full body undulations for example, as i think they are great for flexibility, but they are a bit too much for my style.
how do I move on. suggestions from UK dancers as to workshops to atttend would be great!!

I started out in the Hilal style because I loved the music used in lessons and workshops.

After a few years I accidently bumped into Raqia Hassan at a dance costume shop in Sweden...

We started to chat-
I decided there and then to take a big hunk of cash and invest in all the workshops the alert and charming lady was holding the same weekend.

I´ve never looked back!:D

Changing one's repertoire of movements is to me an indicator of continuing development and growth in one's dance. When I first started, I used EVERYthing I learned when I performed. After I'd been dancing for about 5 years or so, I started finding a place in classes where I could see both the teacher and myself in the mirror (if any). If there was no mirror, then I practiced what I learned in front of a mirror at home. I then forced myself to look at myself in the mirror with an an honest appraisal of what looked good on me and what didn't. While in class, I learned and practiced what the teacher was teaching and then performed using what looked good on me. Consequently, I continue to do the same kind of evaluation using videos of my performances. I've dropped moves over the 30-some years I've been dancing as I've learned and developed new and different ways of expressing the music with my body. I'll continue to do that as long as I dance. If I didn't, then I'd bore myself (not to mention the audience) to pieces, doing the same old stuff over and over.

Leyla is totally on spot with what I think I am currently doing. I know a ton of moves, though a lot of them just don't look right on me. Others I know, but just can't seem to transition to or tie them with my current "style" I think I've totally simplified my a.d.d. dancing to a point it's oversimplified that I can now start to actually learn new stuff again. However I feel like I'm designing my own style, but I'm sure others are sick of me doing the same stuff. But hey, I do this for my own growth at haflas. Performances are different, but we don't see much of those in our area...

Ya I've totally changed! I gave up ATS and all the costuming and turned Cabaret.. I like the sparklies..g.:

Originally Posted by AngelaDiCaprio

Ya I've totally changed! I gave up ATS and all the costuming and turned Cabaret.. I like the sparklies..g.:

I was happy to turn my brown/green/grey Hilal wear into lazy weekend wear!

Love sparkly stuff too..l;,

Yes, totally. My first teacher (who shall remain nameless cuz I'm being nice, but most of you already know who I'm talking about anyway) prided herself in "not being traditional", so my early dance repetoire were moves that I don't even recognize as bellydance now. She was very anti-what she called "traditional" music - which was basically anything that didn't have a techno beat behind it. For the first two years I thought Alf Leyla was originally a clubby techno song!!

So, in my baby dancer days, I danced only to pop music, and did a lot of "fusion" steps. Not my style at all anymore. At all.

Originally Posted by mehndidancer

I learned a lot of props sword,shamadan even though I have them I will never use them. I used a cane at Raks east first time in at least 4 years. I may use it once in awhile again. I also do candle tray dance(rarely) I learned double veil. I scraped that. I like wings but hardly use them. I used to love to dance with my veil, now its just and entrance then toss. I use my props in moderation. I took tribal for a year realised. It wasn't my cup of tea. But I did try it at least.

Alrana

i'm not a fan of things that go on my head- they just don't work for me.

i love cane though and i find it suits my personality.

in the summer i did a music workshop and oh my god- have i ever found greater love and appreciation for accordions. i still don't like the nay though ;)

Originally Posted by Shirin.

Yes. I remember when I first got into belly dance I preferred music from Desert Wind, Light Rain and Omar Faruk Tekbilek. Now that I've matured in my dance I hardly can stand that "goddess" like music anymore. Now its all Egyptian styles, the more Tabla and accordion the better!
Also, I used to have a passion for veils but for the last 5 years I've been having a love affair for the cane. Whoa, that sounds wrong. But I can't think of a better way to put it.
If I can get inspired by the veil again, I might pick it up. I once took P.J's double veil workshop and had so much fun, but I didn't keep up with it and sort of lost the urge to perform with it.

for me to leave things behind, it was because my body was hurting or i was getting injured. somethings that i loved, i learned how to get the same look but without hurting my body. others i had to let go.

i've had an instructor or two who LOVED backbends, as in the more the better, i just don't see the need for them for MY dancing.