Thread: Question about beginner classes/class levels...

How do you guys handle this:

Traditionally, new classes for beginners start in september...
However I've noticed that I get a lot of questions from people wanting to start bellydance classes in januari, or even in april or the summer.

Personally I like absolute beginners to begin from the absolute beginners classes, so I wouldn't put them in a class of people that have been learning for 6 months or so. My beginner classes are very structured, we start from zero and each class builds upon the previous one, which most people really appreciate. It would be hard to drop in after missing the first months of classes...

What do you say to a student wanting to start in januari? Bad luck? You'll have to wait till september?
Would it be a good idea to organise something like "introduction workshops for beginners" so they would be able to at least have some basics before they drop in?

And another question: how do you avoid having too many groups?
For example: say you teach wednesdays: 19:00-20:00 for beginners, 20:00-21:00 for intermediate and 21:00-22:00 for advanced.

Now in an ideal world, I would have my students 1 year in beginners class and at least 2 years in intermediate before moving up to advanced. So practically, I would have to shift my beginners from 19:00-20:00 to the next hour (and thus putting them in the intermediate with other people) in september, if I were to be able to start a new absolute beginners class in september...

I know students would rather have their classes on the same hour every year (and thus advance in the same group), but I can't keep on creating new groups every year!

I've only been teaching for a year now, so I would love some input on this ..g.:

I can understand your desire to keep green beginners out of the higher-level classes--they simply don't belong there. However, it isn't quite right to assume all brand-new dancers come into class at an equal level. People who have had a lot of dance experience from another discipline, or just a lot of body awareness from yoga or Pilates or tai chi, often pick up material much faster than people without those backgrounds. Some teachers get around this by running a 6-8 week basics class that students just keep repeating until they get to a level where they can be promoted. Depending on interest, the starter class may be in a constant cycle, or it may restart every couple of months. That way, no matter when the potential student inquires, they're never too far away from an enrollment date, and when they do start, they're not stuck in the introductory class so long that they lose interest.

By telling students that they have to wait until autumn to begin, I think you are basically sending the message that they ought to find another teacher, unless they are calling in August--and in most areas, there is another teacher who will be happy to accept them on a rolling admission whenever they call. Unfortunately, I'm afraid if you start with an intensive beginner's workshop, you are asking for too big a time and money commitment and too much of a physical demand from many potential students. A lot of people get into this on a whim, they're not always in shape to dance for four hours, and they really aren't that serious about learning good technique when they start anyway. The general public typically has no idea that this is a serious discipline that takes years to master. It's supposed to be good exercise, they've heard it is fun, it doesn't sound as sleazy as pole dancing, and you get to dress up like a genie.

It's great that you want to teach with such a methodical and academic approach, but the reality is that in most places it's not possible to pull it off very well--and by trying to do so, you may be inadvertently sending a lot of potentially serious dancers into the arms of teachers with lower standards, which I'm sure is not your objective. It's okay to want to weed out the fluff students, but you are probably losing a few good ones in the process. My suggestion would be to restructure your Level 1 class so that your most basic fundamentals are taught in a more frequently offered Level 0 class, and your new Level 1 has defined entry points every quarter or so, so Level 0 students can be promoted into it as needed.

The studio I attend has a 4 week intro class, for people who have no experience. At the very least, new students are expected to attend that class once. From there, once they're able to, they jump into the beginner class I believe.

I don't see what's so bad about having two or so of the same class if you have the demand and the time. My teacher has several beginner classes that I believe are identical.

Most instructors around here seem to run their classes in 8-12 week sessions that take into account public school holidays, etc. So, one session starts in September and goes until December (ending before the public school winter break). The next starts in January and goes until the public school Spring break (typically in April). The next session goes until the end of June. There isn't usually a summer session, although some have tried. However, some run drop-in mixed-level classes throughout the summer. So, a beginner can start in any session.

I run an 8-week intro class at least 4 times a year. From there students are settled into appropriate classes. Every year or so I do a shuffle - or people self select a different class (with one exception which is for more experienced/capable dancers which is by invitation only).

I have had to start beginner class over. Just because I had a c-section and I knew I wouldn't be able to do the moves I learned a year ago.

I have been her student for 8 years. She kept on making sure and reminding me that I would be in the beginner class. I reassured her that it would be okay, since I would be able to take my time.

Rest assured, I was hurting at the end of it. Especially on my right hip, where my SO says that they ended up pulling that side a great deal during surgery. Hurts like hell!

Sometimes life circumstances play a roll in what class you need to be in. I only took class for a summer and was put into an Immediate class that fall. That being said some people are really fast learners.

On another note, I would take a beginner class if it wasn't the style of dance I was doing before.

Thx for all the input ladies!

I like the idea of running 6-8 weeks classes for the basics, so I'm gonna look into that!

I've toyed with the idea of going semesteral but my old timers are convinced Belly Dance is a way of life, and would not like periods where there's no class. However, I could do semesters for beginners. When I first started teaching I had students pay for 8 weeks in advance and it worked out pretty well. It's just a chunk of change to whip out - but most of them had no problem or could choose to do a single class fee.

I wonder if I should go back to that just for beginners. That way I could get a small break in some of my classes. I'll have to think about that...

As it is now, I have ongoing classes for each of the "levels" - a beginners class where we rotate through 8 different lesson plans (these plans are flexible in that the moves can be expanded upon if the students are adept). Usually I reccomend 16 weeks of beginners before moving into intro to choreography (where they learn the simplest of the choreos). Then there's an intermediate and an advanced and a drills class to choose from as well. As long as the students are showing good posture and safe movements, I am usually open to having them do an intermediate class as well. The advanced classes are usually more strenuous choreography. So I have to feel certain of good technique before people come into that one. Then the drills can always be modified so all are welcome there.

All of these classes only close for Thanksgiving and Christmas. So it's been a while since I've had a break (not counting the occasional vacation, where my advanced students cover for me) - 7 years! It's a lot of work if you account for directing the perfomance group and performing as well.

Hope this helps...

KS

I don't think my first-time beginners would want to commit to a whole semester.

I teach Level 1 in four components of 6-weeks each. The components can be taken in any order, so every 6 weeks I'm open to new beginners.

Summer is normally a bad time to start any new classes (if you were thinking of changing your schedule so you can provide a summer newbie class), especially for right off the street beginners. Depending on the time of year, like End of August would be good or even first 2 weeks in September. Kids are already in school by mid September, most vacations are over, and the end of year holidays aren't overwhelming yet.

I teach my beginner classes in four six-week sessions. There's level 101, 102, 103, and 104. They have to be taken in order, but I offer one of each for the 102, 103, and 104. I offer several 101's at a time in various locations. Every 6 weeks, they can go to the next level if they feel they are ready. I don't have my own studio, so I teach at five different places. I use the 101 classes as "anchors" to find students from these places and then they go to my main location for the 102, 103, and 104.

After they're done with those 4 sessions, they move onto the next level, which is in between beginner and intermediate. From there, students can take any 6-week session at that level and don't have to take them in order.

It keeps me busy, but I have enough students right now to make it worth while. It works for me.

I frequently have people who call and it might be right after the 6 week session started, so they feel they have to wait an eternity for the next one to start. I think only once a year is too long to wait (in their minds).