Thread: Fun suggestions for my intermediate students?

I am starting a six-week, invite-only, bellydance intensive for some of my intermediate students who I think would benefit from a smaller class where everyone is of the same level. I teach at studios where I don't have a say in who attends my classes - ie: I have an "intermediate" class where you should, ideally, have taken at least two of my beginner sessions before you join it, but if someone shows up at that studio that night and says they want to take the bellydance class - even if they've never danced a day in their life - the studio will sign them up for the intermediate, just because that's whats taking place that night.

So, I feel that these particular students have been sort of held back by this type of situation, and I wanted to take the next 6 weeks to really push them over the little "plateau" of learning, so to speak.

I want to first review proper techniques and postures, and work on old choreos. But I also want to work on their improvisation and performance techniques. How does one teach "performing"? Any little games or exercises for either the performance aspect or the improvisation aspect?

Thanks!!

You could try the basket method...

write down moves or combos on slips of paper then have the students draw 2 or 3 and put them together and perform the combo chain for their classmates

Any of the suggestions in this thread:

http://www.bhuz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=888
(called: What to teach Intermediates, I think)

or some of the ideas in the Big Drama Moves thread or the What A Fun Class! thread (both found on page 3 of this forum).

Thank you for those links and suggestions, Kat.

Here's a question I have then - everyone on the What to teach Intermediates thread talks about drilling technique.

So...does anyone have any suggestions for drilling technique? I have drills that i work on with my student since they are beginners, but I need new ideas.

Thanks again!

My suggestion would be to do the drills you learned when you were an Intermediate student.

Originally Posted by danielabellydance

So...does anyone have any suggestions for drilling technique? I have drills that i work on with my student since they are beginners, but I need new ideas.

Thanks again!

What type of technique are you planning on teaching? Just general overall technique, i.e. better, more precise figure 8s or 10 variations on hip circles, etc. -- no particular "style", just general belly dance focusing on more precision in movement-- or are you planning to focus on "better Egyptian style (or Turkish style or Lebanese style or ATS or using props etc.). Perhaps you want an intro to rhythms or learn-to-improvise type class or on analyzing ME music. All of those would take different styles of drills tailored to the subject matter.

So, first you need to decide what type of technique you want to teach, then dissect the "type" for clues as to what movements/issues/history/etc. you might want to include in the course, then begin to develop your drills in a way that help you accomplish your goals.

That probably isn't as specific as you'd like , but I think you have to decide what you'll be focusing on in the class before you can decide what type of drills will work for you.

Originally Posted by kat

That probably isn't as specific as you'd like , but I think you have to decide what you'll be focusing on in the class before you can decide what type of drills will work for you.

Jumping off from Kat's post, with only 6 weeks and the desire to push through a plateau what about a new intermediate choreography for them? I'm thinking decide on which new moves (or layers) you want them to learn, build drills around them and then incorporate them into the choreography. New skill acquisition + drills for mastery + practical application = fun!

~~Kimahri

Originally Posted by Lucinia

My suggestion would be to do the drills you learned when you were an Intermediate student.

Ha ha! If I actually learned any drills that would be a great idea.....(I didn't exactly have the best teacher my first few years)

Originally Posted by Kimahri

Jumping off from Kat's post, with only 6 weeks and the desire to push through a plateau what about a new intermediate choreography for them? I'm thinking decide on which new moves (or layers) you want them to learn, build drills around them and then incorporate them into the choreography. New skill acquisition + drills for mastery + practical application = fun!

~~Kimahri

I do like the idea of a choreography. In response to Kat's post, when I say "technique" I mean it generally - cleaning up moves, making moves sharper, paying attention to our arms, etc. Some of these students learned a (6 minute!) choreography to Alf Leyla last year. Maybe I can use that choreo to emphasize technique, by reteaching it and working on things that way?

Any suggestions for the teaching performance technique stuff? I've been performing since I was two - I don't think anyone has really broken down how to perform for me. But I realize that it's something most people have to learn. Any thoughts on doing that?

I really dislike teaching choreography to intermediates. Just as I dislike paying lots of money to learn under a master and just learn choreography. My level 2 students learn zill playing patterns, veil combos, rythyms with movements, layering techniques, cane, sword, fusion combinations, slow taksims, melody vs rythym movements, varying your performance with speed and sharp vs soft movements, & focus of emotions.

Nilaja

I vote for layering on basic but challenging to do well movements - small traveling hip circles, walking with a shimmy, etc.

Also for performance - I've mentioned this ad nauseum on bhuz but one of the best performance exercises I've ever had is in Mesmera's class where she devotes the last half our to 2 minute improv by each student while everyone including her watches like an audience. Gentle critique - usually just admiration as opposed to constructive criticism - but pointers delivered in a supportive way. She picks out a piece of music not used in class and everyone does their teeny performance.

I've been seriously thinking of going back to her class just for this - given my dislike of performing lately and this as a good way to get used to it again.

Some random technique drill thoughts:

- Layered shimmies. Try to keep moving for a whole song. Pick a shape (eg: circle), position hip at side, hold and shimmy, hold back, shimmy, etc. Then connect each position by shimmying while moving around the circle. Layer over twists, circles, fig 8's. Also try deep wobbly shimmies then tight, vibrating up the body.

- 3/4 shimmy variations. Pause hip up/down; add a hip swing side-side;layer over basic arabic walk (stepping forward/back) or grapevine; add a twist; strong and sharp vs loose

- Different vertical 8's: for both inward and outward 8's do them first lifting foot off floor and stepping out; then try stepping just underneath yourself; then feet flat on floor; also try bobbing down and up whilst doing move.

- Layer sharp hip drops over move: twisting hip forward/back; circling hip on one side; drawing hip close in and pushing out

I have the same situation where I teach. ,m::

I think your idea is a good one but may hurt a feeling or two when you decide to exclude someone who feels she/he belongs in the more advanced class. Maybe you will be lucky and not have this problem. I've already had to deal with it to a lesser degree. ,f::

Anyway, I think the content of the class may depend a great deal on their goals as dancers and maybe your goals as their instructor (and possibly troupe director? I'm reading into things a bit here.) If they want to increase their improvisation skills in order to perform in restaurants or even haflas, then drilling movements/combos along with teaching musicality would be key.

If your goal is to challenge them a bit more with more complex choreographies for an upcoming show, then teaching choreography isn't such a bad idea. I would suggest teaching small sections of the choreography, really focusing on why a particular move or combo "works" with the music and overall feeling of the dance. Eventually you put all the "bite size" pieces of the choreography together and see how they do. If they understand the "why" of the choreography rather than simply memorizing the moves, it will help them respond to music while improvising or when choreographing their own solos.

I think choreography sometimes gets a bad rap, perhaps because it is often taught as a rote memorization exercise rather than as an opportunity for the artist (you) to teach your apprentices (your more serious students) how to create art (not just recreate it). Improvisation is also very valuable and can work together with choreography to create a pleasing performance that is both well conceived and spontaneous.

Regarding drills...I have an excellent instructor, Zayna, who squeezes 15+ different drills into every class. She's amazing! Unfortunately my old brain cannot hold that much info. and I tend to forget many of them unless I work them into a choreography (yes, linear thinker here). Taking a class or workshop with this type of instructor might help get your creative juices flowing regarding new drills for your students. If you don't have that option, I would watch LOTS of belly dance videos for new ideas. I always credit my sources, of course, which actually helps expand the students' knowledge of the dance community at large (e.g. here's an Egyptian twist from Jillina's video, now let's try that Urban Tribal combo, etc.). I compare it to learning how to interpret literature in high school (i.e. basically the teacher's interpretation) to then discovering an entire world of literary criticism in college (i.e. countless literary critics, numerous schools of literary criticism, etc.). Eventually, some of your students may even go on to "graduate school" to develop their own dance styles.

I'm doing a special technique session with my intermediates this time around, but I'm not sure it'll be fun. .w.: It's going to be all about cleaning up technique, posture & arms -- a lot of things that start sliding when we focus on choreo too much. .p::

But one thing we all really enjoy is a bit of improv to some lively pop music. We usually start out in a circle & take turns being in the center. Lots of silliness there helps to break up the shyness.

Then we split into two groups & line up opposite each other (picture Red Rover Red Rover lines). Your partner is the person directly facing you, in the opposite line. All the people in one line start dancing toward their partners, keeping eye contact the whole time. The partners smile, clap, make faces, and generally encourage. The first line then dances backwards back to their spots, and it's the partner's turn to dance to them.

We have a great time with this one, and everyone gets comfortable with being looked at/making eye contact while they dance.

Jaded - thank you for the suggestions. And I am a little nervous that the students I haven't asked will have hurt feelings, so I've told my students that are taking the class to be hush-hush about it. It's not on my website and the girls don't talk about it in their regular classes. Hopefully, those that weren't "invited" this time around don't get wind of it.

Lauren - I wish my students would actually have *fun* with improv like yours do! When we work on improv, it is like I am torturing them. I try all sorts of games and things to make it more fun, but they get so embarrased! They'd all rather just learn choreo, but I'm not letting them follow me all summer. I am FORCING them to improv! And they'll have fun, DAMMIT!

Daniela, mine didn't have too much fun at first either, but it gets better if you make them do it. It helps a lot that this group of students is comfortable together, they've danced together for a long time now. Still, some have more fun than others!

Other things that help:
- Keep the improv part of class really short at first, right at the end, so they don't freak out and stop coming! If you don't do it every week, or on a regular schedule, they won't know when to skip. ..l;,

- Give them an 'oh crap' move to fall back on during each session. Figure 8s, or basic egyptian walk, something simple.

- Dance with them in your regular formation, you at front, at first. Put on some music with lots of changes and ask them "Does this part sound round and smooth or hard and sharp? So what kind of moves might we do here?" Try out the moves and repeat the question when the music changes. This activity made lots of light bulbs go on with my students, when they realized they really could trust their instincts.

- Same as above, music with lots of changes, show them how they might do nothing but figure 8s (for example) and make it work with the music no matter what happens. Teach them how to use an 'oh crap' move.

Then progress to the other activities, starting out in a circle but no one gets in the middle -- or even really looks at each other -- and gradually over a period of weeks work up to being looked at/making eye contact.

They CAN do it!!

Originally Posted by Lauren_

- Same as above, music with lots of changes, show them how they might do nothing but figure 8s (for example) and make it work with the music no matter what happens. Teach them how to use an 'oh crap' move.

I like this idea! I will try it next week!

Originally Posted by danielabellydance

I do like the idea of a choreography. In response to Kat's post, when I say "technique" I mean it generally - cleaning up moves, making moves sharper, paying attention to our arms, etc. Some of these students learned a (6 minute!) choreography to Alf Leyla last year. Maybe I can use that choreo to emphasize technique, by reteaching it and working on things that way?

Any suggestions for the teaching performance technique stuff? I've been performing since I was two - I don't think anyone has really broken down how to perform for me. But I realize that it's something most people have to learn. Any thoughts on doing that?

Hi - Nisima here and I agree; most dancers need training in performance techniques and also improvisation (I for example had horrible stage fright) - these are totally different skill sets than choreo or cleaning up technique. In fact, I would go so far to say that you could probably make "performance and improv clinic" a six-week series all by themselveswithout any choreo. I think intermediate dancers get to a point where they are trying to perform, but simply learning choreo won't ensure a good performance, unless they have prior experience on stage, especially for solos! You could break down "performing" into topics like: stage presence and projection, entrances that command the stage, polished finales and exiting in character, and so on.

I would teach just segments of choreo for each performance technique you want to cover and not "link" them all together until maybe the final two classes. By then they will have absorbed enough "performance" techniques to make a HUGE and I mean BIG difference in the way they appear on stage. Even if they are not quite ready for a solo, troupe performances will look better when dancers have better stage presence. I always have to chuckle when I recall one director who would tell troupe in rehearsals, "paste a smile on your face or I will slap you"!