Thread: Hello from the great corn desert!

I started my first bellydance class on january 18 2007... Took all of the level one classes that teacher had over the course of that first year. I also started an its(then just called ats) class on august 8 of that same year. I remained consistent in both for most of 2008... But then I hit a realization, that my first teachers choreographies she taught were pretty much the same five to ten moves in a different order for different songs...

So I stopped taking classes from that teacher, I felt that I was going less than nowhere; I wanted to learn dancing not just choreo, I wanted to drill moves until I could do them without trying. (Is that too much to expect as a beginner-ish student?) The its group was sort of having the same issues: I and a few others wanted to do drills until the moves were in our dna, but the teacher saw it all as "just a hobby" and "some of us have lives".....

So I stopped taking classes from her... I pretty much did nothing for several months until two of the more seasoned gals invited me to participate in the creation of a Bedouin style dance, I LOVE the more ethnic feeling dances, so I happily agreed to join in.

Over the next two months we had a weekly "practice" as we tried to assemble something for a fancy well-paying job that the dance was being..."written" for. It was about 85% laughing, and in a very tiny space with mirrors that cut our heads off. The most fun I'd had in the dance so far!(well aside from when we rehearse it...now it's more like 97% laughing and silly faces every time we pass each other) I feel that I grew SO very much as a dancer...I even (had to) learn 3/4 shimmy, which I had wanted to...but had no personal motivation or 'need'(none of the classes I took did more than poke at the concept).

Since that distant little dance we did between giggles I've done pretty much nothing, and I've finally gotten sick of it! So I took a four week mini class from one of the local(only one I hadn't studied with yet) teachers and my lack of effort really hit me hard....like "Wow I suck THAT bad?" hard. So I dusted off the two dance videos I'd used maybe three times between both and have been trying to just get myself in the order I should have long been in.

I want to dance. I LOVE love love dance... But I also seem to expect too much and too little of myself all at once.

Also I can be way chatty ,s:: ....So ah... "Hi, from Illinois!"

Welcome Cute!

Keep looking for a teacher! I'm not familiar with teachers in your area,so hopefully the gals on Bhuz can point you in the right direction!

I'd check out All About Belly Dancing! Learn to Belly Dance!
She has a directory of teachers in the U.S.

Thankye much for the welcome and the tip!

Shira's site does have tons of great info and BHUZ is a great resource with plenty of users that love to chat, support and share. (Annnd, have you gone to the SwapMeet yet? It's cossie heaven...)

Welcome and enjoy!!!

Welcome to Bhuz!

Keep dancing and keep looking for that teacher that you want!

Yes cute, stick around here. If you are between teachers, this is the place to be (when not practicing that is...)

Welcome to the board. I know what you mean, I took a break for a little period of time and it is a challenge getting back in to it however within a few weeks you'll be back in the swing and thriving, for sure!

Thank you for the warm welcomes! I started up with another local teacher doing a beginner sampler type class, then today I started two consecutive classes! She's awesome! It's lots and lots of drilling!<3