Thread: Comments on teaching and learning

I understand why members have questioned why you don't think you need an instructor. What I would like to say is that in asking about three basic movements used in middle eastern dance, you have taken a step toward learning more. And despite everyone's questions and speculations, you are in the right place with the right people to learn more.

Middle eastern dance isn't just a bunch of "moves." We usually call these movements rather than moves and most of them can be done many different ways depending on the style of dance, country of origin, and the music one is dancing with.

One of the reasons that teachers here have suggested that you work with an instructor is that no matter how good a video or book or photograph can be, it is still two dimensional. It is difficult to see where the movement originates from (whether from muscles or skeleton), how the weight and center of gravity shifts because these are often very subtle. For example, the three hip movements you asked about--omis, flat 8's, and sways--will look and feel very, very different is they are initiated and carried through by pushing your bones around than if they were driven by contraction and release of abdominal and pelvic muscles. These differences are hard to see on a video and as you could see from the explanations you got, difficult to completely explain in writing.

Having a teacher doesn't mean you have to go to a class. Most instructors offer private lessons. If you are serious about this dance form, you might want to consider booking some private lessons with a dancer whose style you admire. You can use these lessons to polish your technique and to learn to put movements together into combinations that will help you to express the music. That is where this dance form really lives--inside the music.

I hope that you will take all the suggestions given here to heart. And good luck in the future.

Souzan

that is great souzan.

Very good post. Thank you. And good luck to Rita.

my 2 cents... this reaches beyond to things that support the dance as well, yoga, pilates, other dance forms, etc...having a physical body to correct you is ALWAYS good at least once in a while for most things, not just bellydance!...they can see angles of your body that you will never see ;)...

what can be difficult is getting yourself and your mind to a place where you feel comfortable in general with critique (critiques? critique-ing? LOL)...it can be hard not to feel self conscious to begin with, and top it off with someone telling you you're doing it wrong? AAACK!...but if you keep in mind the greater purpose, it helps ease the sting a li'l :)...

Originally Posted by yellowliongrrl

what can be difficult is getting yourself and your mind to a place where you feel comfortable in general with critique (critiques? critique-ing? LOL)...it can be hard not to feel self conscious to begin with, and top it off with someone telling you you're doing it wrong? AAACK!...but if you keep in mind the greater purpose, it helps ease the sting a li'l :)...

Reminds me of a private I had with Denise Enan - she asks, gently, do you want correction? Why on earth would I shell out all that dosh otherwise? To have my ego stroked? So I can say I "danced for" Denise Enan? For me, feedback postive and negative is essential to learn. Mmm, maybe that's why some of my students don't hang around and worship at my feet. ,f::

Hi Rita,

Since you've been able to learn a whole lot of "moves" on Bhuz and Orientaldancer.net, how about a youtube performance for all of your "instructors" to see if the advice paid off?

she got what move? this thread isn't even about a move.

darn smileys

Originally Posted by kashmir

Reminds me of a private I had with Denise Enan - she asks, gently, do you want correction? Why on earth would I shell out all that dosh otherwise? To have my ego stroked? So I can say I "danced for" Denise Enan? For me, feedback postive and negative is essential to learn. Mmm, maybe that's why some of my students don't hang around and worship at my feet. ,f::

Hey, a lot of students don't want correction. THAT would be why they don't ever get any better! There's always a few gals in each of my classes who ignore my instructions and continue to do things wrong... why they waste their time and money, I'll never know...

Denise is just a very sweet woman and was being polite about it. Why waste her energy unless you really wanted the correction?

Originally Posted by rita38

To;jaziri.
Do you have a video on youtube or on this board?

Nope, I don't post videos. I have one of my kitten playing screen saver though.

Sincerely, congrats on finding a teacher to work with. Some people never practice at home, only wanting to dance at class. It sounds like you are not this sort but are the enthusiastic "moving all the time" sort. This is good and having someone to help give a few hints and tips in person is a big help.

Rita

i have several on youtube, and bhuz and have been RIPPED apart many times.........IT MAKES ME A BETTER DANCER

Rita,

What is going on with you? Have you started taking classes yet with the instructor you found?

Good to hear. So who are taking lessons with?

Souzan

This is the weirdest conversation ever.

Originally Posted by rita38

A.person here in arizona.
Im also learning from books and dvds also.
Where did you learn to belly dance at?..l;,

I learned from Elyssa Kiariakou, who was a student of Aisha Ali's. She was teaching at one of the Adult high schools here in Los Angeles. I then started to study with a teacher names Amaya,who taught turkish style. Amaya was origianlly from the South of France.

After studying with Amaya for soem time, I started to study with just about every teacher in town. I finally found my nitch with Sahra Saeeda, although she is only here about 12 weeks out of the year. I also take with tamra-Henna when I can get my back side to class as well as attending workshops with as many different teachers as I can.

now I am very lucky, I live in SoCal. I have a lot of choices. And yes, I have a video or two. Right now I am looking at learning more tribal because I have been told that the style is very popular where I am going to move. So I am looking at vids of both East Coast and American tribal style tribal bellydance. I will most likely go spend time studying with Sooz in Anaheim.

{{{HUGS}}}

Originally Posted by tabitha

This is the weirdest conversation ever.

It reminds me of interacting with Eliza ;-) ELIZA - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

very weird

Originally Posted by rita38

A.person here in arizona.
Im also learning from books and dvds also.
Where did you learn to belly dance at?..l;,

Hi Rita - what style are you learning and what is the teacher's name? It's always nice to pass on the name of a good teacher - you never know who is looking for someone in your area.

Oh my. That is eerily similar indeed.

Regards
Priscilla

Originally Posted by steffib

It reminds me of interacting with Eliza ;-) ELIZA - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

My first teacher is in az I wonder if it is the same?

wtf

I like pie.

I'm cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs!

excuse me while i kiss the sky

Hey...that one I understand.....

i don't but it sounds pretty. i need to listen to more jimmy huh?

i THINK she is commenting on the posts about putting up a video of herself on youtube for critique...... i think......

OIC. well if ur new here it might be confusing to find the right thread again i guess.

i was all for your initial wtf?
then i went through all the posts and the light bulb went on.. dimly.. but it went on

I am still in WTF land...