Thread: Teaching Improvisation???

I know this is something we've discussed before but I've never really got to grips with it....

Just how do you all handle teaching improvisation? My classes are very geared towards teaching choreo and combinations. Whenever I try to bring in some improvisation I find that the energy of the class really drops and there are always some poor souls who look so terrified and embarrassed and no matter how much encouragement or guidence I give them they just stand there looking completely lost.

I've tried the circle dance thing which clearly terrifies some people. I've tried it with everyone 'in their own space' and promising them that no-one's looking at them, they're too busy doing their own thing, but still it doesn't work well.

I have big classes (typically 25+ people) which means we don't have a lot of space for moving around unless everyone's going in the same direction and they can't get expansive with improv. Also, I like to keep the energy up in class and I find students haven't been keen on group or partner exercises when I've introduced those.

I also just teach an hour so what with a warm up, drills, technique, teaching a combination or two and then having a cool down, there's typically no time for adding a bit of improv in.

I notice that at haflas they seem to have no real problems in getting up and dancing so they are able to improvise in a social setting but I do feel that I'm not teaching an important skill.

From someone who attends your class I think it's great, it's just not long enough.
I think most people don't like looking at themselves in mirrors and other people don't feel comfortable with other people looking at them. But if those people are interested in belly dancing they aren't going to get away from it. I think they may feel a lot more self-conscious in a class because they know they are being looked at by you and by others in the class. At a hafla everybody are just getting up and doing their own thing. In a class if you tell us to do hip circles then I admit I look at everyone else to see how they're doing it and if it looks the same as what I'm doing. I also think that if you came with someone it gives you more confidence then if you came on your own.

hiya
have just PMed you - Sunshine - but guess I should have posted it here as its long and may have been of use to someone else!
Em

Thanks Emma!

Originally Posted by ellariaal

hiya
have just PMed you - Sunshine - but guess I should have posted it here as its long and may have been of use to someone else!
Em

Do please post here too!

Yes, please post here too!

I have found similar issues, Sunshine - I think it's a matter of self-consciousness in class that doesn't exist in the same way at events like haflas. One thing I have found works for me is to have a short 'free dance' at the end of EVERY class (literally just before the cool down).

I play a short piece of Arabic pop - because it's more accessible to Western ears! - and say to everyone 'do what you like to this'. I encourage them to do absolutely anything - it doesn't have to BD. This seems to relieve the tension. What inevitably happens the first few times is that people stand around in groups of friends doing 'ordinary' dancing, throwing the odd BD move then collapsing in giggles. Some more adventurous folk try practicing what we do in class. The next week most people are a bit more serious at trying to put different moves together, and a few weeks in most people are participating (and IMPROVISING!) with less self-consciousness. I don't participate at all in the part of the class (gives me a chance to pack some stuff up ) as I find people will copy me if I do. This works well for a beginners class - for improvers / intermediate you could replace the pop music with something more formal.

This is what works for me, I look forward to the other suggestions!
D

ETA - I realise that the above isn't about 'teaching' improvisation as such, but I think it provides a route into it, and helps people apply some of the guidance provided in the formal part of the class.

Deelybopper - Fantastic idea!!! But it would mean we'd have less time doing the 'stuff' we are already doing. I guess doing it every other week would work though. How about it Sunshine? I think the beginners class will stand around for a bit until they get used to it. It would be like having a mini hafla.

I've found that getting people to dance in pairs is helpful. Like Desna says, sometimes they'll do the odd move inbetween giggles, sometimes they'll take the opportunity to practice, but generally they will dance.

When I'm teaching improvisation to beginners I give them three moves (taqs, eights, shimmy), and they have to dance just using those. It helps to avoid the panic of "what next?!" if there are only three moves to choose from. We dance all together, following me, then they get into pairs and do the same thing. I might then get them to dance in fours, or to add extra moves, depending upon how they're getting on.

I've also borrowed some follow the leader ideas from tribal dancers, such as dancing in a diamond shape or half circle and changing leader, which puts people on the spot a bit more.

Every so often there's the one student who freezes up (or even worse, starts to cry) when faced with improvisation. It doesn't happen very often, but what do you do when it does?

I saw Yasmina do it by playing a phrase of music, and saying "now, show me all the movements you could do to this", then showing us some herself, then a wee bit choreo, then second improv phrase.

So she did this for a good 30 mins, then when we ran through it, you *had* to improvise for those small portions.

Hi Sunshine,

I just read your post on the other thread and thought, "that sounds like a great structure for a class", so hopefully I can return the favor with my own suggestions. I've written an article on improvisation and posted it here: http://www.jewelbellydance.com.au/articles.php. It outlines somes techniques for 'planning' your improvisation as a dancer. I have developed the following exercises in class to practice these techniques. I've numbered the exercise to correspond to the technique in the article. NB: I use these for inter/advanced students.

1. Know your music - listen to a song that exhibits various 'moods' (an Egyptian Oriental perf piece is great). Get students to take notes on what feel or moves each section of music suggests (eg: 'the whooshy bit sounds like veil', 'I'd do sharp movements on those drum accents', and discuss.

2. Know your drum rhythms - teach a few combos/moves that fit with a particular rhythm. Practice together, then students improv and throw in that combo. Use a few tracks of different music that have the same underlying rhythm. Saiidi is a great first choice.

3. Last point in creating a loose structure- work your moves down your body. Practice taxim improv moving from your top (hands/arms) down through your body. I like this because it gives some direction for a longer taxim piece. The CD 'How To Make Your Husband A Sultan' has a great taxim track for this - the violin starts in high pitch and gradually lowers.

4. Dance to the beat/melody. Choose music which has a strong rhythm with overlying melody (eg: Shereen's 'Ah Ya Leil' on BDSS 1). Practice dancing to the beat (eg: hip work) and then the melody (eg:arms, fig 8's), then swapping.

5. Develop beyond your default moves. Get students to improv and identify the moves they keep doing. Now get them to think of moves they'd like to remember to do, and get them to improv while focusing on throwing that move in on occasion.

6. Use combinations - I teach a basic combo, then demo how I'd change it to suit different music (eg: instead of travelling hip pushes in an upbeat song, change to travelling camels in a slower song). Practice the combo with the students to the various pieces of music, then play them again and get them to improv, throwing in the combo at will (and possibly changing it further).

7. Explore each movement fully - improv using only hip circles (for eg), varying as many ways as you can.

8. Repetition - use the combo from above and get students to improv and throw it in with every chorus, for eg.

9. Match moves to instruments - play samples of different instruments and discuss with students what 'feel' or moves they suggest. Improv to each instrument.

I think you'd need 15-30 mins for each of these exercises.

Phew! Long post! For beginners, I provide much more restrictive guidelines so they don't get too scared.

Originally Posted by beafarhana

Do please post here too!

I will when I find it all again - besides I'm sure I've said it all before!! BUT I do have to do some proper science work today - for some reason I'm feeling guilty about the amount of "research" I'm doing online!!

E..g.:

Originally Posted by Egyptianangel

Deelybopper - Fantastic idea!!! But it would mean we'd have less time doing the 'stuff' we are already doing. I guess doing it every other week would work though. How about it Sunshine? I think the beginners class will stand around for a bit until they get used to it. It would be like having a mini hafla.

I don't think I'd want to do it in the beginners class. I have so much to cover in that class because I like to drill every single beginners move every week so people really get the move in their muscle memory. And I can imagine the response if I said we're not going to do Hips Don't Lie! Also, since my classes are drop in classes, I have new people starting the beginners most weeks and I think it would absolutely terrify them - I'd probably never see them again!

But I'm seriously thinking of throwing in Deelybopper's idea to my level 2 class (what I call my General class) tonight. ..g.: People go into that class after 10 weeks or so and I think they'd be up to having a bop for three minutes.

Originally Posted by jewelbellydance

Hi Sunshine,

I just read your post on the other thread and thought, "that sounds like a great structure for a class", so hopefully I can return the favor with my own suggestions. .

Jewel thank you so much! I'll sit down and have a good read and think about your ideas. They wouldn't work in my level 2 class because it's just too big, but my level 3 (intermediate/advanced) class is smaller (and longer) so I could try incorporating some of your ideas and see how they go down.

Edited to say Ah I see that your suggestions are indeed for inter/adv students

Originally Posted by Emma

Every so often there's the one student who freezes up (or even worse, starts to cry) when faced with improvisation. It doesn't happen very often, but what do you do when it does?

Oh my goodness, a student crying!!! That would be so awful! I've had a student who always went to the loo whenever it was time to improvise. Sometimes if my students seem really tense, I get them to face the walls (perhaps stand in a big circle facing out), or laughingly switch off half the lights to create 'mood lighting'. I might leave the room momentarily to give them some play time, or turn off the music soon if they start looking too uncomfortable.

Originally Posted by sunshine

Jewel thank you so much! I'll sit down and have a good read and think about your ideas. They wouldn't work in my level 2 class because it's just too big, but my level 3 (intermediate/advanced) class is smaller (and longer) so I could try incorporating some of your ideas and see how they go down.

I think I got the following idea from Bhuz, and it works great for crowded classes (in fact, the more the merrier, because it can become very noisy and joyful):

The Shimmy Train - students stand in two long rows facing each other. The 'pair' at the top of the rows dance in towards each other, then travel down the centre of the rows to the end. Everyone else claps along. For real newbies, I give them the moves they have to do the first time through (something different for each pair), then let them improv next time through. I often get them to do one travelling move to the half-way point, then they dance around each other, then must do another move to the end. I also like to go through all the travelling moves they know beforehand.

I think the circle is great, and I have noticed definite improvement from it (even though it gets some groans now and then!). Some other ideas:

1) If you do stick with the circle, I suggest using music you have used in class before, and leading the class in an improv to the song once during class for a few weeks up to a circle.

2) Another exercise is to have students dance to a piece of music using only one part or area of the body. I generally have them do this as a group while I observe, or sometimes join in if people seem stuck. This can allow them to both focus on what they are doing with that area, and also can lead to a discussion on what instruments in the song work better for them to follow with, say, hips or feet rather than hands or upper torso.

3) Put together a combination for a small part of a song and teach it. Once students are comfortable have them split in to pairs or groups of threes and finish the choreography (or add 48 more counts or something). Then they will perform it in front of the rest of the class. This is not teaching straight improv, but it does 'demystify' songs rather quickly. That song can then be used for improv practice, as well, giving students something to fall back on.

I mainly improvise when I solo, and I learned by having a teacher that put us in studio recitals with live bands four times a year, from baby dancers to pros. I appreciate that early education more and more.

Imporovisation is what I primarily push with because I think of it as the basic most essential skill a dancer can possess. It's been a long time since I've taught regular classes so I'm not sure how much help I can be but I can toss out a couple of ideas and we can see if anything sticks. ;-)

~Make three lists and put them on little strips of paper; one with a prop or technique you've covered in class, one with an adjective (cutesie, dramatic, humerous), and one with the names of your students. Fold them up and put them into three bowls. During the last 10 minutes of class turn the lights down, have everybody gather and draw a slip from the names bowl. Then have that student draw slips from the other two bowls. Turn your CD player on random and let her give it a go. (Give her the choice of starting on stage or off stage. Off stage would be standing with the crowd. On stage would be standing in the central focal point you've cleared for a dance space.)~

~Start hosting open dance nights for improvisation practice once or twice per month. Just put the CD player on random.~

~Dedicate a few full classes to developing good improvisation technique instead of just brushing on it lightly.~


~Take the last ten minutes of class to throw on some unfamiliar music (maybe a good time to introduce classic orientale dance music?) and have everybody dance at once as if they were at a nightclub.~

It's really helped me in the past to lead by example. If you approach improvisation with enthusiasm personally then others will pick up on it and respond the same way. If you personally dread it they'll pick up on that too. Being a leader doesn't mean acting one way in class and another when class is over. If you set yourself in a role model position then you will always be "on" wherever you go. If you stick to only choreography when you perform then your students will get the idea that its ok to forego improvisation no matter what you may try to teach them in class.

To be continued...

Continued from above...

In my experience I have had the best luck with the "sink or swim" method when it comes to performing (100% success rate so far) so long as it's done in a supportive appropriate environ. You may want to try organizing a purely improvisational recital for your students.

The trick to teaching improvisation is to recognize that what you lack in memorized steps and patterns you make up for in attitude. Improvisation is all about feeling the music and interpreting something from it. While we've all heard that phrase a hundred times or more it's a different thing to actually embrace what that means. To perform improvisation properly you don't just come up with different and interesting combos on the fly. You take an idea or an emotion and you play it out through dance. It can be a simple concept like "my body is running away with me," complete with facial expressions to match. It can also be a complex concept like "I caught my boyfriend with another woman." You don't need to turn it into something avant garde, far from it. You express these notions through utilizing regular orientale movements. This is how you emote and it's the secret to a good improvisation performance because it shifts the dancers focus from trying to come up with different combinations to actually moving with the music. It flows better and looks more natural.

You have more freedom of interpretation in an instrumental piece if you like having that kind of liberty. But if you need a nudge or some inspiration then you can look to the lyrics of the song you want to dance to. It would look very strange to try to pantomime every lyric in a song so let them be an inspirational force and not a mirror. Use key points in the song to connect a few gestures but don't over do it.

I hope that helps. Some of this was in response to the actual question that was posted but the rest was more for the benefit of other dancers who may need a little nudge in the improvisation department.

Best Wishes,
~*Genisis*~

I don't know if my experiences will pass for suggestions, but here they are anyways.
From the first class I emphasize improvisation, we never do choreos. I stress that from day one and explain to them that this way they can go home and take what they learned and show it off :). With the choreo they will be limited to that one song and one way of dancing - with impro they have the freedom to dance to any music the way they hear it. This opens them up to the idea.

In the beginner class I split them up to 2 groups for impros. In the beginning they can only do a few moves but I also encourage to use all the different variations they've learned, travel with it, turn, change directions etc. They soon realize that they can have fun with a combination of just a hip lift and snake arms - they can do so much. This also relaxes them, because there's not much to think about - already so much is going on, listening to the beat, dancing in front of people, etc.

By the time they have learned quite a few moves,
- I sometimes let them use all the moves (they love it and always beg for it)
- sometimes I specify which moves they can use,
- sometimes I tell them to insert at least one combination and repeat it a couple of times.

Before we do the impro:
- I go over the moves they know - sort of refresh their memories, and it gives them more choices
- we listen to the song for about 10-20 seconds - they get the idea of how fast or slow it is, the mood of the song, etc. I tell them if there will be rhythm changes or if it's more simple
- I always remind them that this is not easy, there's no pressure
- and to have fun with it.

All my students like it, I never had anyone leave, or look nervous, I think because we do it from day one.

With my Advanced beginners (about 5-7 students) we do solos. I like that class, the atmosphere is great: they show up to each class, we get to know each other, they are supportive of one another, there's no embarrassment, nor diva attitude. So it's a really great environment.

Couple of suggestions:

Break the group into groups of two or three. Tell them to pick 3 moves each and to dance those three move to one another. One being the masculin, drum. Someone else being the melody. DO this for 2 - 3 mins and then ahve them switch roles.

Improvise at the end of class. Dimming the lights is a great idea.

Do a choreo which has spaces which the dancers are SUPPOSED to improvise! (I know, majorly evil, but it works!)

Now, one of the things which the Brittish teachers at Raqs B kept saying is that the students needed to stop dancing so very Brittish. This may also be a stumbling block, yes?

*Remember I am not only coming at this from an AMERICAN point of view, but also a LOS ANGELES point of view. Restrained? Not draw attention to ourselves? What is that and why not? ;-)

{{{HUGS}}}}

I lot of great ideas. I've been struggling with this my self as I've recently decided to totally restructure my beginning class and am doing away with drills. But I'm finding that teaching drills can teach someone how to do a step but it doesn't teach them how and where to fit the step into the music. I find it very boring and as an experiment this week I decided to try teaching the way I learned and the class had so much fun and actually did amazingly well. I've always been a solo improv dancer and the way I learned was we started dancing immediately. We would start out with a basic choreography. Then over the weeks my teacher showed us different moves that would go with that section of music. Every week the routine would change a little bit. So we never did the routine exactly the same way. That way we got to learn a piece of music thoroughly, learned that steps aren't set in stone, trained our hear to ear what sort of steps go with certain rhythms or instruments. So when we had to do the routine on our own, we already knew for instance, in section A, we could pick and chose which variation of 3 shimmies that went with the music, section B might be great for hip drops and variations section C be good for arms, hip circles, figure 8's, and belly rolls, so on and so on. Once we got the basic choreo down then we focus more on technique and posture and the fine tuning.

I too have a problem with getting new people in with the old and I think this will help the new people but still keep the old ones interested. Every 8 or 10 weeks it's a different piece of music, but the basic steps are always used just in a different way and some new ones are thrown in to spice things up.

I think if you tell students that there is structure within improv, it won't be so daunting. It's not something you pull out of nowhere, it takes on everything (steps, patterns, combos) you learn in class.

Learning to divide music plays a big part in improv. If you don't know how to differentiate between phrases, know when one starts and the next one begins, you can't make that musical map that is vital to improv.

Learning musical patterns is vital, too. Every entrance, beledi, taqsim, mawal, (good) drum solo etc. follows some sort of basic pattern. The more you listen to music, the more you pick up on this.

In an effort to keep me from looking like a complete mess, Artemis of DC made me write out a list of all the moves I knew. She would play a song, and at the end of a phrase, 8 counts, or however the music works, she would call out a different move. It was fun...

Yasmin of DC always taught how to vary within the phrase instead of doing 2 or 4 sets of exactly the same thing. It seemed like the logical second step. She also taught to repeat a pattern you had done for a previous phrase, to emphasize important parts of the music.

For taqsims and mawals, I remember both of them teaching how to recognize the subtle points, the high points, etc. so the interpretation would flow with the music.

That watch-and-follow method seems to be really effective for improv. If you keep it exciting enough, I don't see how anyone could get bored with it.

I am still learning to do what my teachers taught me some justice, but anyhow, those are the methods that have proven effective.

I remember Leila's workshops here in DC. She did do one workshop for a choreography, but the other taught 2 styles of dance. She left us to our own devices to practice what we had learned about the styles (i.e., improv to the given music).

She said after she had finished her tour that some dancers in different parts of the country were miffed that she would expect them to do that. It's sad that some people are anti-improv, but I think that's what happens when people exclusively teach choreography. I think with some structured teaching methods, it's possible to work into classes from the beginner level.

I remember the horror of my first teacher who would play a track we'd never heard before and smile and say "just dance". So when I started teaching I thought I'd make it easier, used a circle and a few people would dance around the circle at a time. Nice short, limited dance once around the circle. The extroverts loved it and sometimes had to be moved on. Most people coped. But one day I found a student in tears in her car - she found it too stressful and never returned ..c::

These days I start with shadow and mirror exercises ie one leads one follows. In theory they are meant to take turns but I sometimes "don't see" that one does all the leading. I use music they drill to in class, so it's familiar. I start from the second lesson - but don't insist on ME moves at that point. As the weeks go on, it follows "on the fly" combinations so they have something to fall back on, I add "rules" such as they need to include a hip drop or a travelling step before swapping.

The idea is to get them laughing with their partner so they don't notice the time go by.

Something else - for some students I set homework - "turn on some music, off the lights, and dance" - some have NEVER danced alone for the sheer pleasure of movement ,r:;

Originally Posted by Genisis

Continued from above...

The trick to teaching improvisation is to recognize that what you lack in memorized steps and patterns you make up for in attitude. Improvisation is all about feeling the music and interpreting something from it. While we've all heard that phrase a hundred times or more it's a different thing to actually embrace what that means. To perform improvisation properly you don't just come up with different and interesting combos on the fly. You take an idea or an emotion and you play it out through dance. It can be a simple concept like "my body is running away with me," complete with facial expressions to match. It can also be a complex concept like "I caught my boyfriend with another woman." You don't need to turn it into something avant garde, far from it. You express these notions through utilizing regular orientale movements. This is how you emote and it's the secret to a good improvisation performance because it shifts the dancers focus from trying to come up with different combinations to actually moving with the music. It flows better and looks more natural.

You have more freedom of interpretation in an instrumental piece if you like having that kind of liberty. But if you need a nudge or some inspiration then you can look to the lyrics of the song you want to dance to. It would look very strange to try to pantomime every lyric in a song so let them be an inspirational force and not a mirror. Use key points in the song to connect a few gestures but don't over do it.
Best Wishes,
~*Genisis*~

Genesis,

I really like your ideas, but in practice I don't quite get how you turn an emotional response into steps when you dance. I can understand slowing down or internalising movemnets for a 'sadder' or reflective mood, or dancing joyfully for an upbeat song, but for me, picking an emotion or idea wouldn't be enough to translate into actual steps for a whole song. Perhaps it's because I think too much, and because I'm not an outwardly emotive person in real life (no emoting, thank you, my mother's British). To 'emote' so much on stage would make me feel very exposed and like this: . Maybe that's why I always dance with a big smile on my face that I find hard to wipe off ...l;,

[QUOTE=jewelbellydance;44218]Genesis,

I really like your ideas, but in practice I don't quite get how you turn an emotional response into steps when you dance. I can understand slowing down or internalising movemnets for a 'sadder' or reflective mood, or dancing joyfully for an upbeat song, but for me, picking an emotion or idea wouldn't be enough to translate into actual steps for a whole song. QUOTE]

You should give it a shot. You're not really going to understand what I mean until you try it. It's basically like acting lessons. If you've ever done any improvisational comedy or theatre the concept is pretty much exactly the same. (It's an art so of course it's going to connect to other arts...) This type of improvisation isn't about plugging into your deep emotional side. I really don't see people being able to do that on a regular basis and I really doubt that kind of thing is even appropriate for a public performance venue. What you're doing is creating a character and show around a thought form. You would be surprised how much easier it is to string a connection of movements to a thought form than it is to just memorize combinations. (I'm pretty sure that any type of rehersal or falling back on a set system of preconcieved movements really defeats the whole point of improvisation.)

If any of you have ever taken martial arts then you might be familiar with the word "Katas." Katas are a family of movements that can be linked to a single thought form with an easy to remember trigger word. This is the same thing. Only the trigger word is usually a song title or some random nifty thing you've come up with in the first few moments of the music being played. I would like to reiterrate that I've had 100% success with this method. I do not have a single student or person who has ever danced with me using this technique who has not come out with just fantastic improvisational abilities.

Try this little exercise if you think that it would be hard to teach.
Take one song or piece of music that you like (heck it can even be something off a random CD you've never heard before) and dance to it using nothing but the word "Cleopatra" to inspire you. Don't think about it too much ahead of time. Just relax and dance to it in the privacy of your own home/studio. Then take the exact same song and use the words "wind storm" to inspire you. You should notice a complete difference in not only the movements you adopt but also your attitude and posture. That is why improvisation is more than just memorizing steps and contingencies. You can train yourself to be a robot but it takes a dash of something more inspirational to make an artist. ;-)

~*Genisis*~

As a little side note...
I pretty much live off improvisation. I write choreographies for the dance troupe that I perform with but I don't enjoy it for a moment. I've never been able to work with dancers who rely on choreography more than improvisation. It ruffles my feathers which I guess can be a good look for me... *chuckles* Anyway I have on occasion performed choreographies on stage where I "pull a rabbit out of my hat" (metaphor for throwing in something that wasn't supposed to be there) just to be Genisis. It is not out of character for me to wink, make faces and wave during a choreographed routine. (Hahaha I can see everybody making a mental note to never dance with Genisis right now.) I get away with this stuff because it's a part of my stage persona that I've been wearing for years now. It's almost expected of me to the point that I think people would be shocked if I didn't "pull out a rabbit" at least once per show.

I think that having that kind of confidence in how you move translates very well to the audience. I don't think that everybody could pull it off because we're not all carbon copies of each other (just like I'm pretty sure I couldn't do sexy with a straight face if it paid $1,000 per minute). Confidence manifests itself in different ways depending on the dancer and so long as it's enjoyable for it's intended audience then I say run with it! But the problem so many students and performers face with improvisation is fear. "What if I go blank? What if I screw up? What if everyone remembers me from this point on as the dancer who screwed up?" Before you can perform improvisation in front of an audience you have to kick off the training wheels and grow some self confidence. I think you can guide a student to developing self confidence but if you kick out those training wheels too early they may leave your class in tears or never come back at all. So the big question I think we should ask is, "At what level of dance education do we start working with improv?" I also still think that leading by example is a great way to plant the seed.

Yours,
~*Genisis*~

Genisis -- wow. I was doubtful about your technique when you first mentioned it, mainly because I think creating imaginary scenarios about lost love or whatever could pull a performer out of the present moment, deeper into herself, and farther away from her audience. I think being fully present and in communication with the audience is a critical component of this dance, the absence of the 'fourth wall' (sometimes the first three walls are absent as well!).

But I do like to use larger concepts to create my troupe choreos, as you describe. And I love the idea of just using a single word or phrase to help give shape to an improv piece - that seems like it could work, without pulling the dancer too far into herself.

I'm not familiar with Katas but in yoga we have sutras and mantras, which are VERY similar to what you're describing -- complex stories or concepts condensed into a single word or sound.

I like this!

Originally Posted by jewelbellydance

Genesis,

I really like your ideas, but in practice I don't quite get how you turn an emotional response into steps when you dance. I can understand slowing down or internalising movemnets for a 'sadder' or reflective mood, or dancing joyfully for an upbeat song, but for me, picking an emotion or idea wouldn't be enough to translate into actual steps for a whole song. Perhaps it's because I think too much, and because I'm not an outwardly emotive person in real life (no emoting, thank you, my mother's British). To 'emote' so much on stage would make me feel very exposed and like this: . Maybe that's why I always dance with a big smile on my face that I find hard to wipe off ...l;,

I have to laugh a little at this, because one of the essential parts of belly dance is the emotions. Of the song, of the music. As dancers we are supposed to be the physical expression of those emotions. We are supposed to be valnerable. As I said in an earlier post, this is one of those times when you have stop being so very British.

I wish I could get my vids on line. I have two (one from Rakassah and one from Raqs B) which show good examples of this. And yes, it was all improved.

{{{HUGS}}}

Originally Posted by Lauren_

Genisis -- wow. I was doubtful about your technique when you first mentioned it, mainly because I think creating imaginary scenarios about lost love or whatever could pull a performer out of the present moment, deeper into herself, and farther away from her audience. I think being fully present and in communication with the audience is a critical component of this dance, the absence of the 'fourth wall' (sometimes the first three walls are absent as well!).

I'm not familiar with Katas but in yoga we have sutras and mantras, which are VERY similar to what you're describing -- complex stories or concepts condensed into a single word or sound.

I like this!

And I was starting to worry that I was sounding like a complete nut. Oddly enough I picked this up from studying Flamenco. I hope it helps you guys out. It really does make moving easier and shifts the focus from "What move to I do next?" to "and now I do this!"

~*Genisis*~

This is all very interesting. Genesis - I got what you meant when you said think of dancing 'Cleopatra' then 'wind storm.' I can immediately imagine myself dancing very differently. I'll have to try this in class.

I guess we can all come to improvisation from different points - we end up with the result that we're improvising, but for some of us, the technique that allows us to do that is connecting to emotion, for others it may be more structured thinking about the music, etc etc. Which leads me to the conclusion that I should offer my students different ways of trying improv - they'll then be more likely to find what works for them.

In case it sounds otherwise, I do usually always improv when I perform, and save choreos for class numbers. But personally, by thinking about and practicing a piece beforehand, and perhaps even structuring it to a degree, it helps me feel comfortable enough to then improvise. In fact, my favorite thing these days is improvising to songs I've choreographed for class. It means that I know the music so well that I suddenly feel free to kick out the choreo and dance how I feel. Like all that background work gives me the freedom to do what I want.