Thread: New Online Bellydance Classes with Ansuya, GypsyNet is here

And? How about a few details? This has a very nice "teaser trailer" but that's it.

Originally Posted by tigerb

And? How about a few details? This has a very nice "teaser trailer" but that's it.

Sure, what would you like to know? The site will be live in 3 days, so you'll have all the details then, but we can answer a question or two.

I'm slightly confused (and excited) by the concept of an online bellydance class. Is it like downloadable lessons or is it done over webcam or what?

Originally Posted by _Kepi_

I'm slightly confused (and excited) by the concept of an online bellydance class. Is it like downloadable lessons or is it done over webcam or what?

We stream high quality video straight to you so you don't even have to download anything, just press play. What we've aimed to do is to capture the feeling of actually being in the studio with Ansuya and we're happy with results. We'll have free classes available so everyone can check them out. Ansuya does also offer live in depth classes via webcam.

How would you join & how much?
There is not much info in these trailers to really get what is being promoted here, what you are getting or for how much...
It looks like a silly soap opera is going on & it has nothing to do with dance training...

Why is there so much violence in the video Ansuya? Slapping people, swords used as weapons, guns, exploding cars?

I am really disappointed and actually quite disgusted with this being used to advertise an online bellydance class. It's a sick way of trying to attract people in to make money.

I would have tried your online bellydance class before, but I now won't be after seeing that video.

Originally Posted by nikkiraqs

Why is there so much violence in the video Ansuya? Slapping people, swords used as weapons, guns, exploding cars?

I am really disappointed and actually quite disgusted with this being used to advertise an online bellydance class. It's a sick way of trying to attract people in to make money.

I would have tried your online bellydance class before, but I now won't be after seeing that video.

I'm in total agreement, that third video was completely offputting.

It looks like a poor entry for a 48 hour film challenge. I'm sure it's a barrel of lols for the people who made it. Also, is that Independence Day footage?

Oh, come on guys! You didn't think that was funny?

Never mind, I forgot where I was for a second.

I thought it was a hoot, and I think the new site sounds like loads of fun.

I guess it's funny if you're in on it. To an outsider it just looks like a bunch of girls having a laugh in their BD costumes and playing sword fights in the garage. They had no lights? Personally if I was promoting classes etc I wouldn't use this to do it. But I guess it might appeal strongly to people who want to feel like they're part of a gang of Crazy Urban Club Chicks or something.

Originally Posted by nikkiraqs

Why is there so much violence in the video Ansuya? Slapping people, swords used as weapons, guns, exploding cars?

I am really disappointed and actually quite disgusted with this being used to advertise an online bellydance class. It's a sick way of trying to attract people in to make money.

I would have tried your online bellydance class before, but I now won't be after seeing that video.

I am in total agreement. I too am disgusted. I did not find anything funny or otherwise attractive about it. So much violence is extremely disturbing to me and makes me wonder what you will be teaching your students to do, blow things up? Slap people? shoot at me (that's what one "shot" pun not intended does) like the 2 women shooting at the camera? AND to bring up yet another can of worms, the violent interactions on your promo film are associated with a website called "Gypsynet" - What do you think any Rom (a real "Gypsy") would think of this?

In total agreement with Leyla's sentiment, especially about the Romani vs. gypsy observation. And, given that this is the project of a well-respected, highly accomplished 2nd generation dancer who has the education and experience to set a grand example and make a difference, it's a dropped ball.

Originally Posted by nikkiraqs

Why is there so much violence in the video Ansuya? Slapping people, swords used as weapons, guns, exploding cars?

I am really disappointed and actually quite disgusted with this being used to advertise an online bellydance class. It's a sick way of trying to attract people in to make money.

I would have tried your online bellydance class before, but I now won't be after seeing that video.

If you've ever taken a workshop or class with Ansuya, you'd know she's sweeter than a newborn kitten. She is so opposed to violence that she saves roaches and spiders then releases them outside with her bare hands! (seriously, ask the students at her studio) So it's a teensy bit extreme to think we're marketing online bellydance classes with violence, guns, and helpful lessons on how to slap people. Satire is meant to ridicule something that is taken seriously, which you find flawed. The video "Last Time on GypsyNet" is a parody of American Action movies. (which are notoriously violent, which we dislike) and are full of guns and explosions seemingly every 2 minutes.

If ya don't get it , ya don't get it.

For those of you who do, we'll see you on GypsyNet!

I probably shouldn't say this because I am not the target market here - at least I assume I'm not - but I'm going to anyway.

"If you don't get it you don't get it" is not an answer to criticism.

I'm sure Ansuya is sweet as a kitten but people who have not studied with her might not know that. If Gypsynet is aimed solely at people who already love and adore Ansuya and will buy anything with her name on it, then great. But if not, if the goal is to attract new students as well, then I think this marketing campaign is doing her a disservice, honestly. And tossing your toys when people say they don't like it doesn't help you or her.

I personally am very *over* the Indigo wacky BDer drunken gypsy schtick, which is an injoke for the converted and tedious for the rest of us, and this just looks like more of the same kind of thing to me. I don't object at all to spoofs or BD being involved in them - I LIKE them - but I think this should have been reserved for the acolytes at Gypsynet itself, not used to promote the online classes that don't even exist yet. I am in the market for online classes and based on what I'm seeing, Gypsynet is not for me because I need serious, focused classes.

On the other hand, I'm guessing that Gypsynet is aimed at the mid-teen/college age crowd, girls who think of BD as a way to make more female friends and get attention for their crazy dancing mashups or whatever. And maybe they'll come in droves.

Agreed with Zumarrad. Have fun on Gypsynet, I won't be seeing you there and if you continue in the same style with your advertising clips and copy, better keep your asbestos undies on at all times.

Look, I don't know who Gypsynet's target audience is. I thought it might be somebody like me, who has been taking classes and workshops for years but has never had a chance to study with Ansuya. I've only seen her dancing on videos, but I know it's good.

But these videos aren't promoting this service in a way that attracts me. Rather than showing me a lot of Ansuya's dancing, or her teaching style, or even a twenty-second clip of a class or two to show how they will be presented (from the front? the back? next to mirrors as in the Cheekygirls productions?), the videos show a whole lot of light-hearted superfast edits and over the top animation. They tell me nothing about what you want to sell me.

I feel like you don't really care about me and my money, because there's nothing here to convince me to come spend it -- no real information or incentive to visit. But that's just me -- I'm sure there are a whole lot of dancers who will come to the site and participate. I wish you every success.

Originally Posted by Gypsynet

If ya don't get it , ya don't get it.

I get what it is, I don't get WHY it is.

Originally Posted by tigerb

...But these videos aren't promoting this service in a way that attracts me. Rather than showing me a lot of Ansuya's dancing, or her teaching style, or even a twenty-second clip of a class or two to show how they will be presented (from the front? the back? next to mirrors as in the Cheekygirls productions?), the videos show a whole lot of light-hearted superfast edits and over the top animation. They tell me nothing about what you want to sell me.

I feel like you don't really care about me and my money, because there's nothing here to convince me to come spend it -- no real information or incentive to visit. But that's just me -- I'm sure there are a whole lot of dancers who will come to the site and participate. I wish you every success.

I agree. Plus, I've taken a workshop from Ansuya and she may be sweet to you but she kinda left me feeling cold. Anything I could ever learn from Ansuya I believe is on her DVDs. A mish-mash of styles is not my cup of tea. I would rather learn each style individually rather than a cabatribalray whateverstyle shes going for at the moment. I'm sure she will get some subscribers - but not me.

Originally Posted by jasani

I agree. Plus, I've taken a workshop from Ansuya and she may be sweet to you but she kinda left me feeling cold. Anything I could ever learn from Ansuya I believe is on her DVDs. A mish-mash of styles is not my cup of tea. I would rather learn each style individually rather than a cabatribalray whateverstyle shes going for at the moment. I'm sure she will get some subscribers - but not me.

I think there will be more instruction in the online classes than in Ansuya's currently available DVDs. To me the total concept seems a lot like Suhaila's online empire, but Ansuya doesn't want to duplicate the sometimes off-putting "We are the One Best Way" Mothership attitude in marketing her classes. She wants to present her site as accessible and informal, and the students' class-course as self-directed (not dictated from above).

Setting the appropriateness of advertising with that action-movie spoof aside, I think Ansuya's online classes seem very promising. I'd love to hear an outsider's take on them, once they start up.

Did I read it wrong, or did the countdown just get an extra day or so thrown on it?

Originally Posted by Zamira

Did I read it wrong, or did the countdown just get an extra day or so thrown on it?

Funny - that's what I thought, too.

If you want a bellydance fix, you could always check out the dance competition on www.topbellydancer.com - it's online now.

Originally Posted by tigerb

But these videos aren't promoting this service in a way that attracts me. Rather than showing me a lot of Ansuya's dancing, or her teaching style, or even a twenty-second clip of a class or two to show how they will be presented (from the front? the back? next to mirrors as in the Cheekygirls productions?), the videos show a whole lot of light-hearted superfast edits and over the top animation. They tell me nothing about what you want to sell me.

I gotta agree with Tiger on this. I actually got a little chuckle out of the last video because I know the genre that you're spoofing there, but it didn't make me want to buy whatever it is your selling. Of course I'm not quite sure what you are selling so that's probably part of it. Now, I've got my eye on Hanna Sultan's down loadable series and plan to pick a couple of them up when I've recovered from the giftmas spending flurry but this doesn't really peak my interest at all at this point.

The "what the heck is gypsynet?" video does give some information but I'm still left wondering on what the teaching is going to be like. Are the studio clips from the actual teaching portions?

I think you're trying to do something new and exciting to get people interested but it doesn't really seem to be working well at this point. Maybe once your site is live and there's some critiques or reviews I might have a look-see but right now I'm kinda "meh".

GypsyNet is officially live! We hope to see you all soon!

Ansuya talks in depth about violence here.

This is a sample class/workshop I found

Originally Posted by lylagus

This is a sample class/workshop I found

Sorry for being slow on the replies, we've been very busy with the launch. We've got a veil class available in the tour (scroll through to the end of the tour) , zill workshop available on our facebook. And we'll have a non prop class available tomorrow.

A very important thing to take into consideration about our classes is that our members have a high level of customization. We take feedback from our community and on our forums and through polls and make our classes to suite what everyone wants. So not only do you have influence on what kinds of classes we make, but you even have some say in which angle/perspective the classes are delivered.

With that in mind, what you see in January are essentially prototype classes that will be molded into what our members want.

I'll put some screens here to try to illustrate some of the perspectives on the classes, but of course it's not the same as immersing yourself in the class.

Here you see Ansuya primarily from behind but also see what she is doing in the mirror so you have two perspectives.


Here we give you an angle as if you're directly behind her and can follow her hands exactly.


Here we get in close to show exactly whats going on in the body movements.

What I would really like to see is a listing of exactly what is currently offered for this month. If I pony up my $60, what will I get for it? One general level class/week plus one monthly workshop? 3 different classes a week, each tailored to a different level (plus one monthly workshop)? 2 classes/level per week for two different levels, plus a special topics class (chosen by vote) every two weeks, plus one monthly workshop (chosen by Ansuya). Can you watch the same class again for multiple weeks? How long are these classes and workshops?

I already know what $15/week will get me at my local dance schools. Those schools put out a class list with teachers, topics, and times - so I know what to expect. I also know that Ansuya's classes are not endlessly customizable according to the individual demands of possibly hundreds of online students (she's only one person) - so it would be great if the website would say exactly what instruction GypsyNet plans to deliver in this first month.

I know that marketing gurus say you need to sell the lifestyle, not the product...but we all have our own lives already, and only so much time and money to spread around. So maybe it's time to put the details up. Because an informed customer is more likely to buy!

Yep..mystified by the parody. Seems off message to me unless controversy is part of the master marketing plan. Wouldn't be the first time that ploy has been used. I will give Ansuya the benefit of the doubt as this may not have been her idea, and somebody in marketing may be feeling their budding brilliance.

I will relate an encounter I had with her when I was a baby dancer from an isolated town 8 years ago and and the BDSS came to Albuquerque. I had never seen a live, good quality belly dance show before. I was literally moved to tears as I saw how good this art form that I had fallen in love with could be. I shared that with her in the meet and greet in the lobby after the show...and got a bit weepy with it. She responded with tears in her own eyes and a huge hug. She struck me as a fine and genuine person.

Originally Posted by da Sage

What I would really like to see is a listing of exactly what is currently offered for this month. If I pony up my $60, what will I get for it? One general level class/week plus one monthly workshop? 3 different classes a week, each tailored to a different level (plus one monthly workshop)? 2 classes/level per week for two different levels, plus a special topics class (chosen by vote) every two weeks, plus one monthly workshop (chosen by Ansuya). Can you watch the same class again for multiple weeks? How long are these classes and workshops?

I already know what $15/week will get me at my local dance schools. Those schools put out a class list with teachers, topics, and times - so I know what to expect. I also know that Ansuya's classes are not endlessly customizable according to the individual demands of possibly hundreds of online students (she's only one person) - so it would be great if the website would say exactly what instruction GypsyNet plans to deliver in this first month.

I know that marketing gurus say you need to sell the lifestyle, not the product...but we all have our own lives already, and only so much time and money to spread around. So maybe it's time to put the details up. Because an informed customer is more likely to buy!

You've got a ton of good questions here. I'm going to try to get them all. Excluding all the other features (interviews, event coverage, contests, giveaways, behind the scenes footage) We're anticipating changes, but as of day 1 of the website launch, if you're cut and dry, solely asking about training with Ansuya:

2 Classes/week (each class is available for 1 month)
(generally 40 mins each, we encourage the 10 min warmup and 10 min cooldown but are separate for people who like to do their own stretches, so ideally 60 mins)

1 Workshop/month (changes each month)
(generally 40 mins each, ideally 60, unlike a class that plays in one big chunk, this may be broken up into 2 or 3 videos that allow you to practice different sections at your own pace.)

Not endlessly customizable, but as mentioned, you do have input that we listen to.

Unlike spending $15/week locally and only getting to do the class once on someone else's schedule, you can do GypsyNet classes as much as you want all month, on your own schedule, without spending the extra gas money. Add in all the other features and it's really a great package with a 2nd generation world renowned performer.