Thread: Yousry Sharif - how to get the most from workshops?

Hi all, I am taking a 2-hour saidi workshop with Mr. Sharif in Chicago on Dec. 5, and am contemplating the Sat. oriental workshop. I'm posting here for two reasons: 1) aside from focusing and paying attention to Mr. Sharif on Friday, is there something I can do to prepare to absorb more of his teaching; and 2) what is the oriental workshop like? I know he is a god of authentic dance and teaching, but that's about all I know.

Thank you!

Yousry is considered the master of the cane, but his oriental is so ooey gooey and yummy, I wouldn't miss it if he were in town. So many light bulb moments dancing his musical interpretation!

To prepare... hmmm... do they still have the super cheap deals on VHS videos of his stuff? I'd say the basic intro to dance video (taught by Nourhan) would be great preparation for his technique.

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Bellydance-Technique-Nourhan-Sharif/dp/B000068RNH]Amazon.com: An Introduction to Bellydance Technique: Nourhan Sharif, Nourhan Sharif, Yousry Sharif: Movies & TV[/ame]

The choreo videos are mighty advanced and don't break anything down, I'd say do one of those after the workshop, not before.

we just hosted yousry here in seattle, and it was fantastic. the cane and orientale classes were pretty much the same format - a warm up that incorporates a lot of sharif-ish movements, and then a choreography, taught combination by combination as he came up with them in his head.

I don't know what you could do to prepare ahead of time - if you're able to find out what music he's going to be using, it would give you the advantage of already being familiar with it (I wonder if he'll teach you en conte nasse? gorgeous, amazing, fun!) so you'd have one less thing to devote your attention to.

during class, stay quiet and pay very, very close attention - you won't want to miss a thing. you'll learn so much more than a choreo - you learn how he moves, how he hears the music, how he weaves movement into choreos that are exactly perfect with the music. and you will be SO entertained - his teaching is almost like getting to watch him on stage. he'll play with the combos and do silly things once you've already been through them a dozen times. he can be really witty. :)

I would also recommend planning on getting together with a friend as soon as possible (as soon as you get home?) after the class to go over the dance together and get it on video. the combos are so complex (easy things, just a lot of things! lots of weight changes and foot work and stuff tied to the emotions in the lyrics) that you probably won't be able to write it all down in class.

enjoy! yousry is a treasure.

I was at the Seattle workshop and it was amazing! I was raving about it for days afterwards, so I'm sure you'll have a great time.
Yes, be silent and pay close attention to the man, he is always brewing something up.
And from a practical standpoint, I don't think I could have survived the workshop without my Foot Undeez, as he does a lot of quick footwork and turns. So dance shoes of some kind are highly recommended.

"Yousry is considered the master of the cane, but his oriental is so ooey gooey and yummy, I wouldn't miss it if he were in town. So many light bulb moments dancing his musical interpretation!"

Sold! I'll sign up for the Sat. oriental class.

"you'll learn so much more than a choreo - you learn how he moves, how he hears the music, how he weaves movement into choreos that are exactly perfect with the music. and you will be SO entertained - his teaching is almost like getting to watch him on stage. he'll play with the combos and do silly things once you've already been through them a dozen times. he can be really witty. :)"

He sounds wonderful!!

And Razia, dance shoes already in the bag!!

thanks Ladies, I know more than I did before. I have Nourhan's "Rakset Assaya, an introduction to egyptian saidi technique," so I'll watch that today.

If you sign up- be prepared to have your head very full. His choreographies are very fast with very little repetition and a lot of jazz influence. You'll be sure to come away with something new. :)

"very fast with very little repetition" - sounds like my Jasmin Jahal five-day workshop. I've been working so much and traveling for work I need an intensive workshop to recapture my mojo. It doesn't matter if I don't memorize everything, he can teach me things!! I'm signing up for Sat. and Sunday. Will post my thoughts/feelings when it's done.

Hard to tell what song he'll be teaching b/c he can often dream up the choreo on his way to the workshop! He's brilliant like that.

You're in good hands but yes, pay close attention and just be like a sponge.

Oh, and behave! Of course I'm sure you don't need to be told that, but Yousry has little tolerance for people who sit down during class (notetaking is OK), get distracted by sparklies, speak when he's speaking, etc. He will take individuals to task in front of the group, or display his disgust with the group at large if it's a big problem.

He's not a grouchy person, and his corrections are done quickly, not a big deal. But he comes to work and expects everyone else to do the same.

I'll be a good student and absorb the master's teaching!! Thanks everyone!!!

ok, I have to say wow. I show up, he turns the music on loud, and for the first half hour he says nothing and shows us by example how to handle our canes and we follow him. damn, he's good. I love my cane, I love the on-the-spot choreography, I love Mr. Sharif. and he didn't make us balance the shiny foil wrapped cane on our shiny clean slippery hair thank god.

Oriental workshop for the next two days!!! whoop-te-doo

What an excellent decision I made to learn from this man.

Originally Posted by EzmaSiddiqah

ok, I have to say wow. I show up, he turns the music on loud, and for the first half hour he says nothing and shows us by example how to handle our canes and we follow him. damn, he's good. I love my cane, I love the on-the-spot choreography, I love Mr. Sharif. and he didn't make us balance the shiny foil wrapped cane on our shiny clean slippery hair thank god.

Oriental workshop for the next two days!!! whoop-te-doo

What an excellent decision I made to learn from this man.

Was that you I talked to last night about balancing the cane on your head?

All I can say is he wasted a lot of time with that song he chose. It was necessary to start it at the beginning every time and wait the 1-1/2 to 2 minutes to start practicing the routine again. But otherwise, he really showed some neat stuff.

yes, that was me. I'll ask at lunch who the other bhuzzers are. I agree about that song. See you shortly!

I was there last night too and had a ton of fun! I've done a *lot* of Saiidi, but here he was, showing me new things to do with my stick. Loved it!!

I won't be there for the workshops this weekend, but I'll be in the show tonight. Seeya there!

Originally Posted by mihri

I was there last night too and had a ton of fun! I've done a *lot* of Saiidi, but here he was, showing me new things to do with my stick. Loved it!!

I'll say - that was definitely a different schtick (no pun intended).

Originally Posted by Lauren_

Oh, and behave! Of course I'm sure you don't need to be told that, but Yousry has little tolerance for people who sit down during class (notetaking is OK), get distracted by sparklies, speak when he's speaking, etc. He will take individuals to task in front of the group, or display his disgust with the group at large if it's a big problem.

He's not a grouchy person, and his corrections are done quickly, not a big deal. But he comes to work and expects everyone else to do the same.

That's what I love about his teaching style and he's a highly talented and accomplished dancer and teacher. He takes the dance and teaching as serious business and I appreciate it greatly.

I can't wait until he comes into the area in April!!! ..g.:

Thank god he had the pause at the beginning it gave us enough time to recover and think. It was also nice but the intro mirrors portion of the dance so you could go over what to do next!

Definitely challenging and a style I hadn't study under before.

I must admit, I have a very hard time remembering choreography from a day-long workshop. Does anyone have the notes or a video of the Friday night cane or Saturday's oriental? I'll pay you for them. hopefully waiting, ezma

Originally Posted by atareen

Thank god he had the pause at the beginning it gave us enough time to recover and think. It was also nice but the intro mirrors portion of the dance so you could go over what to do next!

Definitely challenging and a style I hadn't study under before.

Not a bad idea but we had to wait so long I was (1) forgetting what we did, and (2) losing momentum. I think a good workshop involves keeping it going, at least when we are first learning something. In the first hour, he did just that. I don't think waiting for an intro should be that long. This is my only complaint.

yes, I agree, while I was waiting for the cane part to come on I found myself shimmying and daydreaming, and now I can't remember all of it.

Next time you can ry go to the workshop with a friend or meet a buzzer there and one of you do the whole choreo, the other one record it and you made 2 copies because is really hard to remember everything...