Thread: *sigh* Beginner choreo

I think I just need your emotional support.

It's time to come up with a new choreography to teach my beginners. They usually learn a drum solo, a pop (Hakim) choreo and a veil piece before they move on to level 2. (I have more beginner choreos, but...um... they kinda suck and I can't stand to teach them any more ).

But these days I have bigger classes and veils are impractical for level 1. What would be suitable for a third choreo to balance the drum solo & the pop?

I thought about something like Zenia or even Alf Leyla, but I almost can't stand to see those pieces 'dumbed down' to a beginner level. Or Saidi (no canes) but it might be too folkloric for their ears and they might not recognize it as 'belly dance' at this stage.

A techno remix of a classic, maybe? Or something very very slow, almost tribal-ish???

Can anyone share thoughts? Or just commiserate on how hard it is to choreograph for bellybabies???

I like to use music from Mary Ellen Donald's & Mimi Spencer's Gems of the Middle East. These are mostly Egyptian classical songs played with a small ensemble (percussion + kanoun). Some of them, like Habena, Nibtidi Mneen al-Hikaya, and Al Ataba Ghazzaz lend themselves well to repetition and therefore are good for beginners, while still introducing them to "the repertoire".

how about a chiftetelli?

it helps them to learn the different rhythms, opens discussion on the different cultures the rhythm can be found in.

AND Delilah from Seattle teaches a very simple line dance, all about Womyn Power that is easily taught and still very beautiful.

I FINALLY finished my very FIRST choreography EVER. I've been dancing for nearly 10 yrs. so it's a big deal to me. ..g.: I've always just moved with the music. I went throuht LOTS of music choices and finally ended up with "Salamat Um Hassan" on Leilas Shukra CD. I used VERY basic moves. I have to say I'm super proud of it. Now that I know my own choreo. I can add to it later to make it more challenging. I used large hip circles, grape vine, hip bumps, walking shimmy, some fluidy arm moves. This is not something I would perform in public but rather a stepping stone for me in my dance life.

Ahhh, all of that to say, I vote for Salamat Um Hassan. Sorry!!!!!

Lauren - I feel your pain/know your anguish. Bellybabies are just about *all* that I teach most of the time (since we're set up with Sedonia handling our continuing-level students). Don't have much time to "chat" at the moment, but if you don't receive some *gems* from our fellow Bhuzzers before this evening (which would surprise me greatly) I'll pop back on and commiserate with you in much more depth.

I will mention this before I run away here: There was one semester a couple years ago that I was to be teaching a particular choreography (had taught it just SO many times before) that I just could *not* get jazzed about it. It got so bad for me that halfway through the semester I just totally scrapped that course plan. I'd been listening to Wash Ya Wash, Vol. 6 and there was a piece on there that spoke to me, so in class that night I started working the class with that piece of music. Now this is the only time I've ever done this in class, but I ended up choreographing the piece as we went along over the next couple of weeks. The students in that class absolutely loved the opportunity to see how a piece could be put together. That choreography is now one of the foundation pieces used by our student performing group. Go figure!

Ha! I see that Shira, Kina and Michelle beat me to the "submit" button.

I have a very nice choreography to "Maoukeb Elnour" by Mohammed Abdel Wahab (yes, the original, old version). It's a beautiful piece, sounds belly dance-y, and there's a section where I could add finger cymbals and floor patterns later on for a stage performance and to keep it challenging as they progress. So far, my students have responded very well to it, and I've come to appreciate the choreography more over time (which is why I will be using it for some time to come).

I second a slow chiftitelli. Something slow and dreamy that requires a lot of muscle control is a good thing for beginners to work with.

i wont be any help. i solved this problem by not teaching beginners choreo ;-)
is that an option?

Originally Posted by Lauren_

I think I just need your emotional support.

It's time to come up with a new choreography to teach my beginners. They usually learn a drum solo, a pop (Hakim) choreo and a veil piece before they move on to level 2. (I have more beginner choreos, but...um... they kinda suck and I can't stand to teach them any more ).

But these days I have bigger classes and veils are impractical for level 1. What would be suitable for a third choreo to balance the drum solo & the pop?

I thought about something like Zenia or even Alf Leyla, but I almost can't stand to see those pieces 'dumbed down' to a beginner level. Or Saidi (no canes) but it might be too folkloric for their ears and they might not recognize it as 'belly dance' at this stage.

A techno remix of a classic, maybe? Or something very very slow, almost tribal-ish???

Can anyone share thoughts? Or just commiserate on how hard it is to choreograph for bellybabies???

Originally Posted by artemisia_danst

i wont be any help. i solved this problem by not teaching beginners choreo ;-)
is that an option?

I did that for a while, but am now back to teaching choreo. I've found it to be a real motivator for the students to actually have "a dance" under their hipscarves, and it helps them to learn how to structure a dance, something which I wish I'd had more of at that time in my dance development.

However, I do occasionally put on a piece of music and do free dance in class to give them a taste of improv as well.

for song choices for low level choreo (but in my case intermediates but i'm sure it can be adapted)

- batwasnis beek
- zeina (start out teaching it without the veil, than add the veil, just as a frame, no fancy stuff)
- tarkan forever
- a baladi. semi-impro. (this piece we dance with all the eightsn we know, than this piece we hit the accents, than this piece, etc)

i teach music structure through impro/combinations/follow the leader/guided impro and semi-choreo.

i dont do the "free dance"... i dont think that teaches people impro, it just terrifies them...

still, all my classes lead up to impro really (and often group impro), but it's through technique, musical exercices

i always find this hard to explain ;-)

Originally Posted by tamrahennatx

I did that for a while, but am now back to teaching choreo. I've found it to be a real motivator for the students to actually have "a dance" under their hipscarves, and it helps them to learn how to structure a dance, something which I wish I'd had more of at that time in my dance development.

However, I do occasionally put on a piece of music and do free dance in class to give them a taste of improv as well.

My Beginner Choreography pieces:

Ah Wa Noss - Nancy Ajram - pop
Gozi - Farouk Salama - baladi
Maigurakshi - Hassan el Asmar - pop
Music for Zeinat - Hassan Abou Seoud - Baladi
Scheherezade & the Golden Slave - Beata & Horacio - Oriental
Ziggarats of Cinnamon - Anne Dudley & Jaz Coleman - Modern Oriental

I find that even a very simple choreo makes my students happier than technique only. I do teach technique-only sessions starting with level 2.

I'm really liking the idea of a chiftitelli. Actually, one of my old crappy beginner choreos was a chifti, maybe I can just rework that into something better! I already know the music and have it counted out, and I can use bits & pieces of the old choreo.

Bhuz is awesome!

Aziza used this for a choreography she taught in a recent workshop. I really like this version and it's only 3:12.

Originally Posted by Michelle75

I FINALLY finished my very FIRST choreography EVER. I've been dancing for nearly 10 yrs. so it's a big deal to me. ..g.: I've always just moved with the music. I went throuht LOTS of music choices and finally ended up with "Salamat Um Hassan" on Leilas Shukra CD.

Originally Posted by artemisia_danst

i teach music structure through impro/combinations/follow the leader/guided impro and semi-choreo.

i dont do the "free dance"... i dont think that teaches people impro, it just terrifies them...

still, all my classes lead up to impro really (and often group impro), but it's through technique, musical exercices

i always find this hard to explain ;-)

Actually, I should clarify by saying that I put on a piece of music, and I improv to it, and they follow along - follow the bouncing butt kind of thing. It gives them a chance to see an experienced dancer respond to the music naturally, and as I often do things while dancing that I don't teach in class it also gives them a chance to try doing something new that hasn't been broken down for them - a taste of traditional-style teaching, as it were.

YAY!
This sounds like an excellent solution! Take all those parts of the choreo that feel crappy to you and just toss them out the window. Try to remove the concept of them completely from your mind, and look at this piece of music with fresh eyes. Woo Hoo!!!!

Originally Posted by Lauren_

I'm really liking the idea of a chiftitelli. Actually, one of my old crappy beginner choreos was a chifti, maybe I can just rework that into something better! I already know the music and have it counted out, and I can use bits & pieces of the old choreo.

Originally Posted by Lauren_

I'm really liking the idea of a chiftitelli. Actually, one of my old crappy beginner choreos was a chifti, maybe I can just rework that into something better! I already know the music and have it counted out, and I can use bits & pieces of the old choreo.

I really, really like the song Al Ataba Ghazzaz, but up until recently I was never satisfied with my choreos to it! I came up with a choreo, taught it to my students, and didn't like the way it looked. So I revised it, tried again, still didn't like it. I think I've revised it about 5 times so far! The current version, which I taught last fall, just might be a keeper.

I also like the song Habena, and my choreo to that one is still a work in progress. I'll teach it for a 7-week session, decide which pieces I'm not satisfied with, and rework those for next time.

What about one of the Eddie Kochek slow chiftis with fans?

Souzan

since it seems to be a dying art...what about a SIMPLE zill number?

"Raks Araby" by George Abdo is slow, and repetitive... :)

A belated suggestion...what about a choreo in a particular 'style', such as Khaleegy or saiidi (without stick)? That way you could introduce the concept of different dance styles. For the khaleegy you could practice with a veil tied around the neck and tucked in at the hips, so they have to incorporate holding it into the dance (or they could make basic tunics). With saidi you could play zills to jazz it up.

Hmmm, Khaleegy choro....I've never done one of those (lest I get it wrong). Perhaps that's a challenge that I should take up myself!

I like the Saidi idea...fun, bouncy and has very distinct movement vocab.

For my beginners, I alternate 6 -week sessions, one with a choreography taught, the next without. I find I have some students who love to learn a choreography, and some who love the "technique and combinations" classes (with a "follow me" at the end of each class, same as Tamrahenna explained), so this way all of the continuing beginners can have their favorite every other session.

I find that even the continuing students don't mind if I recycle the same beginning choreos, so I've been teaching the same 5 or 6 for a few years now, looping them back around about once a year.

Yet, for my own sanity I need to throw in a new one from time to time. Often what I do is take a choreography I've done for my intermediate/advanced students, and simplify it way down to teach it in Level 1. It's a little tricky trying to keep the original version and the "stripped down" version straight in my head, but that way I don't have to spend all that time choreographing just to have something that's only useful in the Level 1 classes.

I like the ideas mentioned of doing a chifti choreography to balance out the "trio". Also the simple cymbals choreo idea, although I've personally scared away a lot of Level 1 students by making them learn cymbals...lol Right now I'm drilling the heck out of my Level 2 and 3 students on cymbals, though - must keep the art alive!

I'm still pretty new to teaching regular bellybaby (aw) classes, so I can't really offer any suggestions at all. I've only done two choreos, Dahakteni by Samira Sa'id, and Hawetl (with veil) by Amr Diab. I've started using classical pieces in the drilly sections of class... perhaps I'm taking it too gently with them!

Anyway, just wanted to sympathise really... it's so hard to come up with beginner choreos. I've been avoiding the Hawelt choreo for ages, having got really stuck - and I've been TEACHING IT for the last six weeks! Uh... yeah. I just finished it in my head last week. Like 10 minutes before class. I should be ashamed.

I'm also very 'deadline oriented' Wiggle, don't be ashamed, this is how things get done.

When I'm working on a choreo, I usually finish the bit I want to teach that night in the afternoon. If I come into class and say "Tonight we're going to review the first part of the dance. I want to make sure you feel completely comfortable with it before we move on." it means "I didn't get time to work on your choreo today." .w.:

Originally Posted by Lauren_

I'm also very 'deadline oriented' Wiggle, don't be ashamed, this is how things get done.

When I'm working on a choreo, I usually finish the bit I want to teach that night in the afternoon. If I come into class and say "Tonight we're going to review the first part of the dance. I want to make sure you feel completely comfortable with it before we move on." it means "I didn't get time to work on your choreo today." .w.:

woo hoo! I am not alone!!!!!

I find my beginners like the slow to medium paced beledi pieces too. I have one now that has about 30 seconds of a taqsim at the beginning. I give them a few guidlines and then let them each improv their own taqsim however they want. The rest of the piece is choreographed. They just love their improv part! Some of them really get into it and add their own creative flairs. It is fun to watch to see what each student will do.

Lisa

Wow. It's always so interesting to see how different people's classes are.

My beginners literally just walked in off the street last week. If I asked them each to improv for 30 seconds they'd cry & run out. If I tried to teach them Khaleegy they'd look puzzled and say "I thought this was a bellydance class?"

I'm thinking the difference is because I have so many levels, so my beginner class is really limited to pure baby beginners?

I hold zills, improv and folkloric styles off until at least level 2, sometimes level 4!!!

yes, that we do a LOT! actually, a few numbers for each lesson actually, but i mostly use the technique they know , but might throw in a few new things and new combinations... , i often use the same song a few classes running, so they aslo get to know the music, and see the new technique they learned in practice... it works very well.

Originally Posted by tamrahennatx

Actually, I should clarify by saying that I put on a piece of music, and I improv to it, and they follow along - follow the bouncing butt kind of thing. It gives them a chance to see an experienced dancer respond to the music naturally, and as I often do things while dancing that I don't teach in class it also gives them a chance to try doing something new that hasn't been broken down for them - a taste of traditional-style teaching, as it were.

Originally Posted by kina

woo hoo! I am not alone!!!!!

deadline choreographers anonymous: i'll join

Originally Posted by artemisia_danst

yes, that we do a LOT! actually, a few numbers for each lesson actually, but i mostly use the technique they know , but might throw in a few new things and new combinations... , i often use the same song a few classes running, so they aslo get to know the music, and see the new technique they learned in practice... it works very well.

I have to really resist doing this. It was my teachers pet peeve when she was training me that I would go off and start doing other things to the music. I can't seem to reign myself in when there's a good song on.

Yesterday we completely threw out the choreo and worked on Aziza's traveling figure 8's, so much fun.

woops, just thought of something, off to start a new thread ..l;,