Thread: Question for beginning dancers: how did you choose your teacher?

I have a question for the beginning dancers here on bhuz.

What went into your decision-making when you tried to decide which teacher to take classes from?

Did you take classes from the first person you found? Or did you look at several? How did you choose the one you did?

I'm not a beginner, but I can tell you, there was only one teacher in my town, so the only decision I had to make was: do I want to do the classes or not?

I thought there was only one teacher in town - she is in fact the only one with staying power who teaches egyptian - or was until recently, so we will have to see if new one stays around. Also she teaches thrugh local ed college so she was in prospectus.

Still can't really choose most places in UK

Hi! I'm no longer a beginner, but I started out at the only local rec centre that had belly dance classes in the summer so I didn't choose my first teacher. For my second teacher, she just conveniently taught Sunday nights at the same rec centre. For my third teacher, I had excellent referrals and recommendations. She teaches classical Egyptian style.

There are many belly dance teachers in Vancouver. However, do they teach well? In addition, how well do I as a student connect with the teacher to improve my dance skills?

My first teacher I "found" when a friend asked me to come to her first class with her, she was awful I only went once.

When I started again I looked on the net for people locally, and couldn't find any, except for a workshop that was in a couple of weeks. I called the people organising that (a regional bellydance association) and asked. It turned out there were 2 teachers in town, but they were only willing to recommend one!

i began by watching dancers, i took the "style" and the most complete within their style , at the time 1971.
i got ms. rathor and ms.aram!
i always tell those moving out of town, to go watch first, then decide.

My introduction to bellydance was in the SCA in the early/mid-90s. Even though much of it wasnt ATS tribal, most of it had a very "Bal Anat" feel to it.

My first attempt to find a local class failed, so I bought the only video I could find. . .Janine Rabbit. LOL After viewing, I made a harder attempt to find a class and found one at a community college near my home.

That class was fun, alot of fun, we were encouraged to dress up for it, and choose dance names and it was, well, fun. But I was used to a more structured approach to dance (I was studying Irish dance at the time which was all technique and structure in class), so I went looking for another teacher.

This time I did ALOT of research on the internet. I found a couple teachers, and talked to them. I ended up taking classes with Piper in Baltimore after sampling one of her classes. I had the "serious" class feel I was looking for. (As an aside, I dabbled in that on and off, and took some ITS style classes years later, but realized tribal wasnt for me after all. LOL, and now I am back studying with Piper again!)

My first teacher had a shop in town that I found and she ran a big festival, so she was very accessible. All my teachers after that I've taken from because I saw them dance and loved them or because other dancers talked really positively about them.

My teacher was the only teacher within 80 miles or more.

I had this idea of wanting to try bellydance. My mom called me one evening and said she saw a class on the internet. It started the day after so I called and asked if there was a space. I had no idea who the teacher was and I had not looked for any. Turns out I was pretty lucky and I'm still with this teacher after 5 years.

i am very much a beginner. there for a while, i was only locating classes that were an hour or more so from my home until just a few years ago when someone finally starting teaching a class just about 15 minutes from my house and i was caught. i went to her website and learned about her and then finally when the time showed that i could take the class, i signed up and went! just started this month actually lol but i love it and have always loved belly dancing. it has always intrigued me and just love the beauty of it.

She was the easiest to access of the teachers I found. I was in Philly for the summer, and Habiba was really the only person I could find and figure out on my own how to get there

I didn't look for teachers but instead my friend suggested a studio. I went to the class that fit my schedule.

i googled, and my teacher was the only with a website. so i picked her solely for that reason. i later found out that there were many more teachers in my area than what came up on google!

My instructor has a beautiful website with lots of photos, Q&A, class schedule, etc. She responded my emails quickly (still does) and she puts on two wonderful shows a year for her students. She also offers a variety of classes so you feel like you're progressing in a clearly defined way. In my first class, I felt really comfortable, and a close bond with her, my classmates, and the studio developed fairly easy and quick. Despite the fifty minute drive, I felt more compelled to continue studying with her than with a different instructor who is five minutes away from my house. I don't blame anybody, just a matter of preference.

Not a beginner, but here's my story. I was looking for a Yoga class at the YMCA we belonged to, and I noticed in the same section that they offered Belly Dance a Belly Dance class as well. I thought it sounded a bit more fun than Yoga (all I wanted at the time was a recreational class to get me out of the house and up off my butt for a change), so I signed up for BD instead. I stayed with that teacher for two years until she took a sabbatical from teaching.

Though I started in late 2005, I still consider myself a beginner. I've had 3 instructors and each was "chosen" for the same reason... they were the only one available within a reasonable distance. First was in NH, then after moving to MI the second was a class offered by the local community college. The class wasn't renewed, so now I'm taking a community ed class with another new teacher (Azziza, formerly of Detroit).

When I started, I was curious, but not searching for classes. So, my very first class I happened to spot in the catalog of an Arts Center. Then, I kept my eyes open and found a class listed in the events catalog of the local museum. At first, I had no idea that there were different teachers, or styles, I just signed up for the classes I happened to come across. There was no "choice" - things just came my way.

Originally Posted by Jennah

I started out at the local rec centre that had belly dance classes

same here... I had no idea who Zahra Zuhair was when I saw her name in the park's catalog. 6 years and over 50 other dance instructors later, I'm still taking her classes.

In 1996 I was kind of bored just changed my job. My friend told me about a belly dance in local entertainment paper. Fairfield County Weekly. I got the paper it was 20 minutes away dance studio right near Metro North. So my friend went with me (backed out 2 after 2 classes wasn't her thing) I went I loved it and after a year we were in a small troupe after 2 years I got my first solo at a local arts festival.
After I learned what I could she encouraged me to go to workshops in NYC some were very advanced but I did them anyhow best I could at time. Then she sent me out on gigs in restaurants. Did that for awhile realized pro-dancer not my thing. rather keep it as a hobby, I'm happy with my choice.
I still do privates and workshops when funds permit. At the moment with packing and job situation, Its DVD classes for now.

Alrana

Originally Posted by laura 2

*snip* ...all I wanted at the time was a recreational class to get me out of the house and up off my butt...

Same! Plus, I had been curious about BD for ages but was too chicken to try it alone... when my friend suggested we take some class together, I dove in!

We looked at a number of options through adds and online, and finally decided on the closest, most affordable venue to get our feet wet: two teachers conveniently taught at our University at a nice student discount, and my teacher taught on the particular day we were both available. It was a very lucky first shot because I've stayed with her ever since! ;D

I didn't have a car, so I picked the teacher that was teaching at the campus gym. Lucky me, she was quite good so I took a couple hours a week with her and then when she left, a studio opened just down the road and my boyfriend (now husband) who had been a fixture outside my dance classes at the gym (he didn't want me to walk to my dorm alone in the dark), was willing to drive me to/from classes since I found an instructor I totally adored.

Originally Posted by laura 2

Not a beginner, but here's my story. I was looking for a Yoga class at the YMCA we belonged to, and I noticed in the same section that they offered Belly Dance a Belly Dance class as well. I thought it sounded a bit more fun than Yoga (all I wanted at the time was a recreational class to get me out of the house and up off my butt for a change), so I signed up for BD instead. I stayed with that teacher for two years until she took a sabbatical from teaching.

Wow, that story is so closed to mine that I did a doubletake. .... except for the part of 2 years & sabbatical. I'm about 1 year into studying and still with the same teacher.

Great thread.


I too was one of the ones who went to the first teacher I ever saw who taught classes. She was nice, but turned out to be a rank beginner herself, so I realized v. quickly that I needed someone who'd reached a high level of skill [someone who's dancing made me wish I could do it that well, and who moved in a way that their dancing really was music in motion].

And being of an analytical type of mind, I just worked my way through other teachers by asking myself: A. do I love the way this person moves enough to want to emulate it (not their style, but their expression/expertise). B. Is this person a good teacher - do I really make progress? And C. Do I enjoy myself?

And C, boy that one is key - I've taken classes from a couple of dancers and then quit when I realized that none of the students seemed to really be having fun.

The first studio I attended had a website with a current schedule listed and was close to my subway. I was able to show up without having to talk to anyone, whew!

The instructor was just okay, so I tried another one at the same studio and liked her much better. Then I discovered bhuz and realized that there was so much more out there and decided that I needed to get off of the recreational path and onto the serious hobbyist path and am trying someone who I hope will fulfill that new goal.

I found my first teacher last summer through Rec & Ed (community education). It was the only belly dance class I could find. My instructor has been in a dance troupe for 30 years and told me one of her troupe mates was teaching a class out of her home. That's how I found my current teacher.

I didn't know there was more than one teacher in town! I read about classes in the Community Ed circular, and signed up! I loved the teacher's dancing, but her instructional style didn't work for me. I resolved to sign up again, and learn it all next time, but I got busy, and then she stopped teaching community ed for a while, and then when she came back the classes filled up immediately.,f::

Then I started surfing the internet, and found there were lots of teachers in town! I chose the one closest to my home, and I was very lucky that she was not only an excellent dancer, but such a good fit for my learning style!..g.:

My first teacher was my Daddy, great huh? :) My first "actual" belly dance instructor was Donna Marie in Tarpon Springs and my mother (since I was young at the time) made that choice for me, but I'm certainly glad she did! :)

Originally Posted by *Shira*

I have a question for the beginning dancers here on bhuz.

What went into your decision-making when you tried to decide which teacher to take classes from?

Did you take classes from the first person you found? Or did you look at several? How did you choose the one you did?

When I was a beginning dancer, I Googled all over to find the instructors in my city. I'm pretty sure your website was a big help. :) My choice was easy--all but ONE of the schools/instructors whose information I found were in the middle of a session at the time that I was looking. The one other instructor offered her classes on an ongoing basis. I wanted to try bellydance as soon as possible (I had just seen it for the first time at a sci-fi convention, and I was totally intrigued), and I didn't want to wait for a new session to begin, so I went with the teacher whose class I could start that very week that I was looking. :)

After about two months, I switched to another teacher whose classes were much closer to my home and at a time that was more convenient for me. Since that class, I've of course changed my criteria for what teachers I want to study with, but when I first started, the most important factors were #1 AVAILABLE NOW!, #2 location close to my home, and #3 day and time that worked with my schedule. Since I didn't know much about bellydance beyond that, I wasn't concerned too much with credentials or experience. (Fortunately for me, the teachers that I came across early on were very excellent. I feel very lucky to have "stumbled upon" Margo Abdo O'Dell as my first bellydance teacher!)

I started by taking classes at my university's sport center... Fortunately, my teacher was (and still is!) awesome and very skilled. I guess I was lucky, because I've heard many horror stories about teachers putting down students, not letting them perform in students shows, etc, etc.

I really chose this class because the schedule was convenient and the price was very low because I was student at this point.

I still am with this teacher

As for my tribal teacher, well, I was working out at the gym and she gave classes so I tried it with her... and loved it! Then I started taking classes at her studio and blabla.