Thread: GRHHHHH Arghhhh

,r:; Now you tell me why I would sooo not be attracted to attend these classes where I a transatlantic overweight (slightly or somewhat depending on your perspective)and mature gal wanting to learn to belly dance (in stead of a slightly etc.... UK gal )
Will I really look and feel sexy if I resemble your art work...I feel.... patronized
I think any of my older students would feel the same.....

Scroll down 'til you get my drift!

Ethnic Dance Epressions Studio

Good. Grief. "Lifestyles over 30"???

Well, move over, Kadife. I want my space in the class with "ladies my own age and size" too!

Oh, barfOLA.
Move over, you old biddies -- my walker and I need LOTS o' room.

Originally Posted by Zana

Oh, barfOLA.
Move over, you old biddies -- my walker and I need LOTS o' room.

..l;,

I'll see your walker and raise you a Depends!

do you know these people?
can't someone "suggest" a bit to them?

Originally Posted by Taj

..l;,

I'll see your walker and raise you a Depends!

Only if it's sequined, baby!

the 30s & 40s are segregated from the 50 +!
that seems like a "unique" system
these are billed as exercise classes?
my gym is not segregated by age. this seems kinda weird to me.

maybe the 30+ class will do the "chair belly dance" for us elderly folks ;)

Well this 46 yr old will take on any 20 yr old anyday!!! Bring on your shimmy and we will see who falls down first. I need no special classes! Grrrrrrrrrr,m::

Okay, perhaps...PERHAPS...this is something this particular instructor devised because of what her students were asking for??? Maybe she had a few of her students who are not 20-somethings feel awkward in class with them and they asked for their own class?

Regardless, it IS rather poorly put. (To put it mildly!!!) And, running across it as a new student I would be rather put off by the tone of the whole thing. Not a good marketing decision. *sigh*

Edited to add: AHHHH!!! More sense is made of things!! It is in Florida!! With the number of retirees there, I can see this being something that may work in that particular locale.

Originally Posted by Lucinia

Well this 46 yr old will take on any 20 yr old anyday!!! Bring on your shimmy and we will see who falls down first. I need no special classes! Grrrrrrrrrr,m::

I have a student in her mid-60s who has far more stamina than most of my 20-somethings!

Darn, they pipped me to the post, I was thinking of starting up two new classes: "Bellydance for fatties" and "Bellydance for OAP's" also "bellydance for slappers". I thought the last class would appeal to the younger contingent.

Originally Posted by lizajuk

,r:; Now you tell me why I would sooo not be attracted to attend these classes where I a transatlantic overweight (slightly or somewhat depending on your perspective)and mature gal wanting to learn to belly dance (in stead of a slightly etc.... UK gal )
Will I really look and feel sexy if I resemble your art work...I feel.... patronized
I think any of my older students would feel the same.....

Scroll down 'til you get my drift!

Ethnic Dance Epressions Studio

The woman who owns this studio is somewhere around our age, Lizajuk! She has had this class listed on her website for quite some time, so it must be popular. Just wish she would use a different picture than the one she illustrates it with.

Souzan

The pic at the top of the "Lifestyles over 30" page doesn't show up in my browser.

However, I think if you, as an instructor, are 54 yourself, it's a little hard to understand why you'd want to segregate your students based on age and/or weight. I mean, what a great role model you are already, right? Your attitude alone could/would mitigate the discomfort some women may feel dancing in the same class as younger women.

Maybe it'd be better to offer a class that is "slower paced", for those students who'd just like to take things down a notch or two. And that could include those "unnerving" college students, as well. I really don't like the assumption that us "mature" dancers are somehow not up to working alongside the younger, slimmer set.

Originally Posted by lizajuk

,r:; Now you tell me why I would sooo not be attracted to attend these classes where I a transatlantic overweight (slightly or somewhat depending on your perspective)and mature gal wanting to learn to belly dance (in stead of a slightly etc.... UK gal )
Will I really look and feel sexy if I resemble your art work...I feel.... patronized
I think any of my older students would feel the same.....

Scroll down 'til you get my drift!

Ethnic Dance Epressions Studio

Well, this ranks alongside those commercials advertising funeral expenses for the over 50s.

Over 50? Well, we'll help you give up that ghost, put an extra nail in your coffin and all with a fantabulous free gift of a pair of electric sock warmers or non slip rubber doofahs for your zimmer frame (no more embarrassing slippages down the Derby and Joan).

Originally Posted by kharis_UK

Over 50? Well, we'll help you give up that ghost, put an extra nail in your coffin and all with a fantabulous free gift of a pair of electric sock warmers or non slip rubber doofahs for your zimmer frame (no more embarrassing slippages down the Derby and Joan).

You know, this has me giggling uncontrollably, even though I don't really grok what it means!

ETA: Urm, that is, what's a "doofah"? (slippers?) And a "zimmer frame"? Don't really care, actually: the cadence was lovely. "Slippages down the Derby and Joan" make me want to get out my zils.

Originally Posted by Taj

You know, this has me giggling uncontrollably, even though I don't really grok what it means!

ETA: Urm, that is, what's a "doofah"? (slippers?) And a "zimmer frame"? Don't really care, actually: the cadence was lovely. "Slippages down the Derby and Joan" make me want to get out my zils.

Rubber doofahs are those little rubber things on the bottom walking sticks. Derby and Joan ....some kind of English thing which represents old folks. The Derby and Joan Club...where old people gather.

When I die, I demand to be reincarnated as a British person. I desperately want to have this kind of way with words!

I have to say that MY BEST students are all well over 30!!!! they have the self confidence to really try this dance! sometimes the 20 somethings have a hard time keeping up!

The graphic that accompanies the class description is just incredibly unfortunate.

"Wanna be sexy? Well, that'll never happen if you're fat! You should belly dance--with other fatties of course, because I'm sure you have low self-esteem! Don't you feel accepted now?!! We have a special class just for oldies, fatties and old fatties!"

:(

To play devil's advocate, I think some people might actually LIKE a special class like that, so it's entirely possible that this class was requested. In that case, I'm way off base.

I think I had betta suggest that the group I belong to rename themselves "The Four Tenas".
Do you think this teacher runs a tribal class and troup Tribe Menapausa?

Originally Posted by BabsGrrrl

Okay, perhaps...PERHAPS...this is something this particular instructor devised because of what her students were asking for??? Maybe she had a few of her students who are not 20-somethings feel awkward in class with them and they asked for their own class?

Regardless, it IS rather poorly put. (To put it mildly!!!) And, running across it as a new student I would be rather put off by the tone of the whole thing. Not a good marketing decision. *sigh*

Edited to add: AHHHH!!! More sense is made of things!! It is in Florida!! With the number of retirees there, I can see this being something that may work in that particular locale.

Yup I noticed it was Florida and images of Barbara Streisand in "Meet the Fockers" sprang to mind ..l;,

The teacher's costume in the "Lifestyles over 30" page reminds me of this costume Alcrea made for another thread.

http://www.ethnicdanceexpressions.com/lifest3.jpg

http://www.bhuz.com/file/pic/gallery/3782.jpg

No further comment.

Originally Posted by lizajuk

I think I had betta suggest that the group I belong to rename themselves "The Four Tenas".

Almost choked on my coffee, too funny!

Course content for the over 50s belly dance class

1.How do dance without loosing yer glasses,dentures, hearing aid,wig and conti-pads so s-l-o-w-l-y.........

2.How to remember that choreography of 4 HD r and 4 HD l and 8 f of 8's reverse and......... F*ck , I forgot the rest,r:;

3.How to dress appropriately...seeing as your are o l d fat and wrinkly ,a burkha is best with pockets for your anti-fart pills, hip flask and bus pass

well that's it really 'cos we know your are not up to much and the 1 hour lesson will contain 2 20 minute breaks for tea and biscuits (cookies)
Crosswords, suduko ( for the really lively) and wool and needles (mmmm will they pass health and safety legislation)for knitting squares will be provided.

Have no fear we have a fully trained para medic first response team on hand throughout the session although obviously should your lips turn blue it hard to see through the burkha

Fess are $50 for 10 lessons and $2000 insurance premium

Oh and message to gym owner this decrepit 60 year old over here in the UK (whois definately not what she used to be pre nasty flu that left me with asthma) taught a 5 week course to young pole dancers wanting to be more fluid ( and I assume sexy) and they couldn't keep up with myself and two of my over 40 year old regulars who joined them at their gym !

Originally Posted by Bellydancingcaroline

Darn, they pipped me to the post, I was thinking of starting up two new classes: "Bellydance for fatties" and "Bellydance for OAP's" also "bellydance for slappers". I thought the last class would appeal to the younger contingent.

Come on Caroline..yer slapper don't need lessons...well make it a short course of 2 lessons then she'll be off to wow them down the local Turkish restaurant!

Originally Posted by firefly5

The teacher's costume in the "Lifestyles over 30" page reminds me of this costume Alcrea made for another thread.

http://www.ethnicdanceexpressions.com/lifest3.jpg

http://www.bhuz.com/file/pic/gallery/3782.jpg

No further comment.

Please be kind to this gal! She is located in North Florida, which is very different culturally from Miami and Orlando. North Florida is very Southern Baptist, conservative, rural. The costuming she wears is well made, colorful, but most importantly for general public audiences in that area--not revealing. It meets what THEIR expectations of what a belly dancer looks like--a glammed up "gypsy" look.

I am also in North Florida. What we wear for haflas and workshop shows is very different from what our troupe wears for public performances.

Souzan

Yes, let's not bash anybody's costuming here.

I'd bet the instructor probably does offer this class in response to requests. I just wish it was less focused on really irrelevant divisions like age and body type, and more on, say, energy level.

Dang, I'll be the big Three-Oh in a mere two weeks time. Nobody forewarned me I'd have to sign up to different classes with other old dears like meself.

I wanted to be super-duper fair and suggest that, back when I were on the heavier side, I might have found this description appealing. NOT necessarily because I was looking to go to a class that only had... Rubanesque people like myself in it. But reading the description may have allayed those niggly little fears I may have had about being "too fat" and making a damn fool of myself. However, then I remembered that I signed up for a regular, normal class not knowing who and what to expect and didn't much care either. I had the most slender and gorgeous teacher I have still ever seen to this day, and I was the biggest gal in class. I still stuck it out though, and didn't think much of being the big gal. I just thought: "Damn, I want to move like that". Hm. I guess I'm not an advocate for any kind of separatism - even though I know there are some who'd rather be in groupings of similar demographic. Not for me! (Although keep me away from pouty teenagers, thank you!)

I saw Barefoot in the Park the other day with Robert Redford and Jane Fonda. Jane's mom was supposed to be 52 my age and she slept on a board, went to bed early dressed like she was 75 and had no life. I saw no glimpse of me in that picture. I know there are situations where only thin and beautiful dancers are required no matter what the skill level and that is sad. When I weighed 120 in high school I was told I was fat because I have large bones and curves. Years and many pounds later I still have issues but thanks to bellydancing I am much more comfortable in my body. I would not attend a class that was advertised in that manner. But that's just me. Our group and our classes are all sizes, shapes and ages and it works well. And I agree that when I see my teacher, thin and gorgeous, I just want to to be able to move and have a great stage presence no matter what my size. Easier said than done but I keep telling myself that I am a work in progress.