Thread: "Technique" Workshops

So, I posted this in the Teachers Group but y'all must be sleeping in there. ,s::

I've been asked to teach a workshop to dancers just outside my local area. Fine, no probs. I LIKE teaching people who are already dancers, because I can deliver material that both they and I can get our teeth into. However... the one thing that really trips me up is what organisers mean when they ask you to teach... "Technique". Many times when I hear people talk about "technique" classes and workshops they seem to REALLY be saying "New Moves".

There's a few problems with that for me:

1. It's very difficult to anticipate what might be "new moves" for any group of dancers. I'm unfamiliar with the dancers of that area - although I know there's an active and very skilled tribal group who hail from that location. So, how do I aniticipate what they know and what they don't?
2. There aren't that many "new moves" if you're already dancing. The artistry of the dance dosen't lie (for me!) in how many moves you put into you dance, or how many bells and whistles it has. It's in the INTERPRETATION of the music... and that's a *very* unpopular topic for class it seems.

Do I get round this "new-move bias" by teaching combinations of moves? I'm not a choreographer by nature, more of a loosely-structured improviser. I can certainly come up with combinations, but I'm not sure how useful they would be in the grand scheme of things. Hm.

"Technique" for me means tightening the execution of moves that the class have ALREADY been introduced to. Tightening and sharpening hip drop technique for example - engaging glutes and supporting leg thigh muscles for a cleaner, crisper drop. Or layering shimmies over moves, or working with arm positions and movement to complement/frame body moves they're already familiar with. Am I way off track? I DON'T want to disappoint either organisers or the students by simply reading off a different page from them. Any thoughts?

If you don't teach, you can help me out with this one too - what would YOU expect from a "Technique" workshop? Or what would you expect generally froma workshop with a visiting teacher?

Originally Posted by wigglewhiz

"Technique" for me means tightening the execution of moves that the class have ALREADY been introduced to. Tightening and sharpening hip drop technique for example - engaging glutes and supporting leg thigh muscles for a cleaner, crisper drop. Or layering shimmies over moves, or working with arm positions and movement to complement/frame body moves they're already familiar with. Am I way off track? I DON'T want to disappoint either organisers or the students by simply reading off a different page from them. Any thoughts?

That's what I expect from a technique workshop, but I do hope to get the odd new move as well. "New" can include an old move in an unfamiliar way e.g. layering a shimmy over it. I remember a workshop with Yasmina a few years ago where she covered running shimmies, and I was amazed at everything you could do with them, things I'd just never thought of before. I also like plenty of feedback and practice time in a technique workshop.

In my experience, technique usually just means not choreo.

Originally Posted by wigglewhiz

So, I posted this in the Teachers Group but y'all must be sleeping in there. ,s::

"Technique" for me means tightening the execution of moves that the class have ALREADY been introduced to. Tightening and sharpening hip drop technique for example - engaging glutes and supporting leg thigh muscles for a cleaner, crisper drop. Or layering shimmies over moves, or working with arm positions and movement to complement/frame body moves they're already familiar with. Am I way off track? I DON'T want to disappoint either organisers or the students by simply reading off a different page from them. Any thoughts?

Hi!
I`m not a teacher, but I am a VERY active student! ..l;, In the classes/workshops/private lessons I have taken with Scandinavian and Egyptian teachers, technique is always understood to be what you described above, including an explanation of what the teachers sees as "good technique" and then drilling. What usually differs from teacher to teacher is what they see as most important to drill, or what their pethates are .p::
For instance, Raqia Hassan aaaalways talks about circles ("What is this! You call this a circle!??"). One of my Norwegian teachers always emphasizes making the hips bigger and stronger, while Randa Kamel seems to put importance on arms.
With advanced students (as in they already know most technique, just need practising), I think it`s really nice if the teacher offers additional "stuff", like how to glance at your hip to draw the audience`s attention to a particular movement, how to make a jewel more "dancey" by twisting your upperbody in the same direction as the working hip, how you can make a camel more "curvy" by angling your body diagonally to the audience instead of facing them, little things like that, that non-performing students might not think about.
I find it a bit "strange" that someone would expect a workshop to cover "new moves". I mean, what defines "new moves"? For someone studying with teacher A, teacher B`s version of a jewel might be completely new. Or is "new" the latest steps from the stars in Cairo?
Ok now I`m blabbering on, but for me, I would expect a technique workshop to cover just that, technique. If they want *your* "new steps", then they should call it "Wigglewhiz`s style" or something.
Hope this can be of slight help!

I like combinations, they are what for me end up being the most usable material from a workshop wether it is a choreo or technique class.

Why did they ask you for a workshop? What do you do that is so special, so different?

That is where you would start and really what you said here:

""Technique" for me means tightening the execution of moves that the class have ALREADY been introduced to. Tightening and sharpening hip drop technique for example - engaging glutes and supporting leg thigh muscles for a cleaner, crisper drop. Or layering shimmies over moves, or working with arm positions and movement to complement/frame body moves they're already familiar with."

Sounds like a pretty damn good workshop in itself... you just may have to 'sound out' the class to see where they're all at (warm up exercises that are based around the basic level technique you teach) and have extra material that can be dipped into depending on the level or experience of your students.

You may be surprised at how many people that would love to have a/any jewel broken down for them, and how many wouldn't know how to combine one with other elements such as traveling, direction change and level changes.

Wiggle, your description of a technique workshop is exactly what I would expect from such a workshop, with some "artistic" additions (staging tips, etc, as posted by Dheisha and Emma) as well as combinations, etc.

I've been BDing for nearly 30 years, so I rarely learn new moves, but I like to be challenged by things I might not do often (cuz I'm too lazy or it's <whine ahead> "too hard") and new ways of doing the old stuff.

Sounds like you're on the right track to me!

Deborah

For me a "technique workshop" is not so much about new stuff as thinking about and tightening up what I already have.

Depending on the level this could be cleaning up underlying movements eg distinguishing between a tilting circling and an oriental hip circle, a vertical figure eight and a horizontal one.

It could be introducing concepts such as an isolated shimmy (I once meet a dancer who had been performing for years and had only just come across that concept!) or that a shimmy is timed to the music. It could be about the different textures for the "same" move, or about the importance of being able to stop a move or gesture where and when you want.

What about foot patterns (such as arabeques, ball change etc), types of turns, weight transfer, transitions?

Oh, I'm so glad to hear you're all on the same page as me! ..g.: You've given me things to think about too - it's funny how just sounding things out with people gives you more insight than sitting around thinking about it on your own!

So here's what I was thinking then: (not in particular order, and not necessarily covering EVERYTHING)

1. Devising a warm-up that covers some more advanced moves than my usual warm-up, watching how the class get on to see where any problems lie.
2. Spend time dealing with problem issues arising from the warm-up
3. Sharpen technique in some basic moves (if necessary), eg the aforementioned hip drop technique
4. Cover some moves that I've noticed are often a problem in workshops I've attended - stepping patterns mostly, include movements that come up fairly rarely such as the jewel (or what *I* understand the pesky jewel to be!)
5. Do some layering - shimmy overlays, arm movements
6. Drill some movement combos

It's hard coming up for a handout for these types of things, since I'm going to probably have to prepare more material than I'll ever use and be pretty felxible about how much/which parts we cover. Hm. I like to give handouts, it gives people something to take away. Perhaps I'll just leave my email address as usual for people to ask me any questions they have.

Whatcha think? I only have two hours! ..l;,

Oh, Wiggle, this is such perfect timing. I'm preparing to teach my first pure 'technique' workshop, too.

I specifically was going to cover the glute/hip drop connection, too! As well as other hipdrop 'styles' -- to me, that's a percussive drop, but there's also a folkloric drop (loose & twisty) and, of course, endless variations on dropping (one in front, two in back for saiidi, while turning, etc.)

I was planning to focus on the wide variety of variations that can be done with simple moves like mayas, big hip circles, undulations and hip drops to make them look jazzy, Egyptian, more folkloric, etc. and maybe some simple combinations.

Then introduce some basic layering for those who haven't done much. And shimmy variations. If there's time (haha) traveling steps. Then some silk veil.

I've got three hours. It's gonna be tight, but full. Maybe I should think about a handout as well.

Originally Posted by Lauren_

I was planning to focus on the wide variety of variations that can be done with simple moves like mayas, big hip circles, undulations and hip drops to make them look jazzy, Egyptian, more folkloric, etc. and maybe some simple combinations.

Hey, I want in on this workshop! ..l;,
Wiggle, if you want to give out notes, why not write down the combinations in case people want to practise at home, or maybe some points to keep in mind for the moves you`re covering? For instance: Arabesques: Turned-out toes, tuck in pelvis, the arms should "originate" from the back etc.etc.
I would have loved to get a handout with the combinations, it makes it so much more fun to drill technique when you can combine stuff.
ETA: Oh, now I read why you weren`t sure about the handouts. But even if you don`t have time to cover, lets say, arabesques, people will already know the move, so they can still use a "technique checklist".

A workshop on "Technique" can include whatever you think it ought to include. (And yes I'd agree with the concensus here).

What's important is that the workshop organiser needs to make sure she/he advertises the workshop correctly, and if she/he thinks Technique should be something different, make sure she/he tells you what she/he wants.

Hi Wigglewhiz-

I'm not asleep any more! - but yes, as a teacher people seem to think that the more "new" moves they get the more value for money the class. And many would never think of atttending the "same" workshop twice. It's very difficult - I think people can "quantify" moves whereas quality is an entirely different matter , it's difficult to get people to recognise that more - or bigger - isn't always better!
Partly I think it can be a reaction against actually expressing the music - far too scary!! -
Terminology is a useful tool tho- instead of saying
"Appropriate interpretation of Shaabi" (for example) - how about
"How to perform successful authentic Shaabi "
This avoids the use of "interpretation" (requires thinking).
"how to " implies here's a formula. much easier - fact is it can be the SAME workshop but the dancers frame of mind is different and therefore may learn much more. Cheers

Originally Posted by wigglewhiz

It's hard coming up for a handout for these types of things, since I'm going to probably have to prepare more material than I'll ever use and be pretty felxible about how much/which parts we cover. Hm. I like to give handouts, it gives people something to take away. Perhaps I'll just leave my email address as usual for people to ask me any questions they have.

Yes, sounds like a good approach. If you don't know the group they could be any where. Lots and lots of prep for all the variations - reading through people's suggests maybe two days?..g.:

But on the other side, I would not prepare a handout - unless there is one thing you definitely intend to cover. Let the body absorb it.

As a workshop-goer, I would be all about attending a non-choreography workshop. Seems like almost every workshop I go to does a lot of rushing to "complete the choreography". Personally I would prefer more time being spent on variations of a kind of move. For example, suppose the teacher spent an hour on undulations and an hour on hip circles and eights... there are so many things you can do with those that it wouldn't be dull, if she had specific things to say about them.

I thought the cleverest approach to this problem was Amaya's... at a Chicago workshop she spent time on technique and then taught HALF of a drum solo, telling us specifically that we should make the first half our own and feel free to perform it.

Frankly... I think the thing that helps me decide whether to go to a workshop is how much information I have about it. Just the name of the teacher is not enough (unless we're talking a Big Name like Reda, for example).

When I teach technique workshops, I always choose a topic: shimmies, steps, arms etc. That way, the students know what to expect and I know what to offer.
Just "technique" would be a bit vague for me - both as a student and as a teacher.

MEISSOUN

First - I would ask to have a read of the publicity the organiser used to advertise your workshop, so that you've an idea of what people are expecting. I agree that part of the aim is to tighten up technique that people already know, but I think that people need to feel that they are coming away with *new* and *improved* things. I would get straight into teaching some combinations, then, sneek in the sharpening up of existing moves, that you will have in your combinations. it will be for their own good !!!

yours a sneeky organiser.