Thread: Opinions Wanted; Tweaking your workshops for current trends

OK, heres the situation and the question; You are a known workshop instructor with a diverse portfolio of subjects to offer. You are hired by a major player in the BD scene to teach a subject that is "trendy" something that the promoter thinks will bring in people from the GP with the hook you can offer in your workshop. (something from a very popular movie perhaps?)
This workshop is something that you offer and teach on a regular basis in a dedicated intense program.
Question: Do you get up on the "trendy: side of the subject or not?
Not asking if anyone would compromise their teaching programs but would you bend a bit and jump on the trend wagon and try to reach more people?
Let me hear from you all!

hi,
i think i get all you are refering to.
perhaps the instructor being asked to tweek for gp, tells the sponcer they would be glad to give a slant twords the "movie" ( for promoting i guess ) in a manner that educates the gp as to the ogigins of the "popular dance craze". then teach the historicaly correct dance showing the history....

Which is more important to you--drawing the GP "into the fold" in the hope that this will lead to long-term respect for the art, or preserving your personal artistic integrity regardless of short-term/long-term issues?

There are valid arguments to be made on either side. If you feel that it is more respectful to the cultural tradition (and to yourself) to continue teaching this material in an intensive, long-term situation, as opposed to dressing it up and dumbing it down as a workshop to hook non-dancers, then don't do the workshop. If you feel that expanding the dance community and exposing people to the depth and beauty of something that they probably never gave much thought to puts you in a position to bring more long-term respect to the cultural tradition, then give the workshop that the "major player" wants. I don't care much for the idea of a "false-advertising" compromise, though. All that will lead to is a room full of disgruntled workshop attendees.

If it was something I was good at teaching and taught regularly anyhow...then yeah, I would. Its good marketing. I'm always looking for ways to draw more people to classes and workshops. If the workshop in no way compromises your integrity as a teacher....why not?

I'd make sure that the dance comunity is aware that this is the "lite" version if you decide to do it.

What particular trend are you talking about? Please illuminate!

If it were, say, Irish dance, I would want to know if what was being taught was REAL Irish dance, or some fantasy fusion or Riverdance thing.

I think if it is just a new marketing angle for the same workshop content - then that's not a problem. However I assume if you are planning to pull in the GP then the content will have to be targeted to baby beginners, i.e. no previous dance knowledge required.

The 2 styles or types of dance being fused for this particular workshop would be non-classical Indian dance and belly dance.
All good opinions!