Thread: Need some ideas for "Taste of Belly Dance" class

Alright, so I am talking to a studio owner about starting a 6 week "taste of Belly Dance" class next month. I am thinking that this should be less a learn to seduce your sultan ..g.: class and a giving people some fundamental knowledge of Belly dance as well as history, etc.

But I need some ideas of how to put this together in such a way that it is fun as well as informative. And that no one walks out thinking that they can go pro with what knowledge they have gained from a 6 week course.

Open to suggestions!

{{HUGS}}}

I was asked to do something like this for adult summer ed thru the local college. My take - 6 weeks, 6 rhythms, 6 countries, 6 moves - a dance journey thru the Middle East.

Personally, I'd do it as a "Learn a few moves" class, with those moves leading into a quick & simple choreography, probably a very dumbed down version of a more complex routine. That way the students have an End Product, and a sense of achievement, and you get to show them the more complex version so they know they've only had a Taste, and they are encouraged to continue with regular classes. If you aren't teaching regular Beginners classes yourself, have a list of teachers you can recommend to them.

Personally, I would keep the History & Culture & Music to stealth teaching, just sneaking it in, not making a big deal of it at this stage. Again, it's just a taste, and you can give a good impression of your wealth of background knowledge without ramming it down their throats. At this stage, you want to entice them into our sparkly world, not make it seem like going to work. There's plenty of time to make them sit down & study musical theory. Our job is to recruit enough Beginners who will want to continue, for whatever reason, and will want to try & get better because they like dancing.

I taught such classes (eight to ten weeks) for about seven years. Message me privately if you want details.

But one thing I think could make them better would be a teeny tiny bit of music appreciation. I used Arabic pop mostly which is easy for them to move to, but I now think it's probably worth throwing in a nice short version of a classic that you like, and perhaps having them try the new movements they have learned each week (plus those from previous weeks) while listening to said music. This will help them get a feeling for it right away. Doesn't matter if they do it "wrong", does matter that they will start to get used to the different sound of the music and hopefully begin to like it.

I suggest making a handout for the end of the session recommending other teachers' beginner classes for them to continue with (assuming you aren't continuing with classes and hoping to retain them or re-direct them to your classes). Recommending local *beginner* classes will help make it clear they have only received a taster course.

I agree with Bea about keeping it dance oriented, sprinkled with tasty knowledge and cultural context. Fun for me when taking a dance class would include mostly dancing, though I would also want to know I was getting, you know, ethnic dance in an ethnic dance class. ;) So, for example, talk about the music and instruments they are hearing in the music you choose, who the singers are, and/or what country or region the music is from.

Perhaps you could also have a video/potluck party for the last class so they can see a variety of dancers, or you could have a field trip to see a dancer (though i recognize that may be a lot of extra work for a short-term one-off class!).

Hi Zumarrad,
Sent you a PM but forgot to sign it lol

Thanks everyone. I am going to talk to the owner of the studio in the next couple of days about details. I like the idea of a simple choreo at the end. I also am putting together a list of resources for students who want to continue to study. Mainly teachers in the area as I know most have no desire to haul all the way across town where most of my classes have been.

Zummarad, I'll drop you a PM in a bit.

Keep the ideas coming, please!

{{{HUGS}}}