Thread: invitation only performance group?

I have a thriving level 3 class. All the ladies are great. I have some who are very interested in doing more than class time will allow, working with more props, better costuming, that sort of thing.
Well if I were to start that. (we already do perform in local festivals, haflas, but not a whole lot). I can only see it working with students that I know will be there to rehearse, not on again off again, students who take correction to heart and CORRECT, students who work well together in a group. I am not looking at it from a who is the best dancer but who is most willing to work hard. I don't want to start a professional troupe just a student perfomance group that I can bring to a different level than the class dances. Does this make sense?
So how did some of you approach this with students? I am sure that it may cause some problems and I understand I may lose some students (which would mean I would end up with the class that is the performance group ..c:: ) I don't want to hurt anyones feelings but some students just want to devote more time and effort than others. I do have some students who perfom with other teachers and such as well, so they do like to perform, but I feel they give a little here and a little there and a split between the two.
OK this is getting WAY to long!
So how have teachers done this sort of thing?

i am also interested in peoples responce to this!!!!

Originally Posted by faaria

So how did some of you approach this with students? I am sure that it may cause some problems and I understand I may lose some students (which would mean I would end up with the class that is the performance group.) I don't want to hurt anyones feelings but some students just want to devote more time and effort than others.

You're so right, that if you make it invitation only, some will be upset that they weren't invited. I'd suggest that you set very clear, easy-to-understand criteria up front, tell them that you'll start the group xx months from now, and that their behavior between now and then will define whether they receive an invitation or not.

Put these criteria in writing, and distribute copies.

Some examples of criteria you could consider:

* By <whatever date> you must be capable of performing the choreography I've taught in class to the songs ____, ____, and ____ from beginning to end in a solo audition, without error.

* Between <start date> and <end date>, you must attend 85% of classes. (You'll have to take attendance every class if you include this criterion, so that you can show someone's attendance record to her if you cut her due to this criterion.)

* You must purchase your own <insert type of prop>, and it must be the one sold by <whatever vendor you choose, to ensure group consistency>.

* You must be prepared to commit $____ to purchasing a costume that matches the rest of the group.

* You must practice at least 2 hours per week on your own, between classes. Although I obviously can't observe whether you're actually doing this, I'll know because I'll be able to see whether you have successfully made the corrections I give you in class or not.

* As of <end date>, I will hold auditions. I will decide whom to choose for the performing group based partly on the quality of dancing you exhibit in the audition and partly on how well you have met the above criteria between now and then. One thing I will consider in the audition is how much your skill has progressed between now and the audition date, because that will show me how seriously you have practiced and sought to improve during this time.


Of course, you don't have to use all of the above criteria. You may have ideas for other ones to add that I didn't list. The point is to set an expectation in advance, clearly communicate it, and then see who lives up to it. That way, if you reject someone, you can tell her, "You only came to 50% of the classes and my criterion was 85%," and it will feel less like a rejection of her as a person.

Oh, Shira, you sound scary!.w.: But I totally agree with your suggested approach.

I've never done this type of performance-group thing, because I find the thought all too hard, but my two cents: I think you can only do it with extra practice time outside of the existing class (as an add-on). It wouldn't be fair to use the class as rehearsal time when not everyone is in the group. If you still require attendance at the existing class, plus an extra troupe rehearsal, you can still teach technique and choreos in the class that will be used by the troupe. That way your non-troupe students will have to opportunity to learn the skills they need if they want to join the troupe. And it's also clear that just attending that class is not in itself enough to make one troupe-worthy.

I think I just said something very obvious!

I like Shira's suggestion of listing specific criteria and holding auditions. Tell them up front how much of a time and money commitment is involved, and what level of proficiency is required. Being part of a troupe is fun and exciting, but it is also a lot of work. If everyone knows what the expectations are, they can also decide for themselves if it's worth it to them.

I also think it's reasonable to ask that if they are dancing w/ your troupe that they not dance w/ other troupes during that time. Scheduling group rehearsals is hard enough w/ jobs and family life -- and then there's the chance that both troupes would have performance conflicts (same festivals or days).

Originally Posted by jewelbellydance

Oh, Shira, you sound scary!

..l;, Jewel, I actually have never instituted anything precisely like that with my own students. I've simply required that if they want to be in the troupe, they must attend 80% or more of the rehearsals. But since Faaria said she wanted to take an invitation-only approach, I just did a bit of brainstorming on how she might be able to get the students to self-select, thereby reducing likelihood of drama later. (Of course, there will still be some drama, as some people will think the rules don't apply to them, but that's another story.)

Originally Posted by jewelbellydance

It wouldn't be fair to use the class as rehearsal time when not everyone is in the group. If you still require attendance at the existing class, plus an extra troupe rehearsal, you can still teach technique and choreos in the class that will be used by the troupe.

I completely agree. I once was in a class that the troupe director used for troupe rehearsal, and I heard the angry mutterings from people NOT in the troupe when 45 minutes of a 60-minute class got used for setting up entrances and exits for the next troupe performance. I didn't blame them - I too would have felt ripped off if the class I paid for was keeping me on the sidelines 3/4 of the time.

One of my friends requires that her student troupe (NOT professional) members take a minimum of 2 of her classes per week PLUS troupe rehearsal in order to be part of the troupe. Choreography is taught/rehearsed ONLY in the troupe rehearsal, not in the classes. Her logic is that people learn and polish technique in the classes, which allows troupe time to focus on the choreo and staging. It amounts to 4 hours a week of time spent in her classes and rehearsals altogether.

What Shira's friend does is very similar to what Sedonia and I have done with our student performing group. We have a two hour troupe rehearsal/meeting in which we work on choreographies and any special needs (staging, entrances & exits). We don't make performance an absolute of being a member (some people want to learn the dances without the pressure to perform), but it is the primary focus of the student group. Performing members are required to take at least one regular dance class in addition to the troupe rehearsal. Most of them take Sedonia's continuing-level class (1 1/2 hours), as my class is beginning-level (and is the feeder class for Sedonia's). We also have an established performing ethics statement for the group that they all have to read and then sign their compliance to abide by. It's up to us as their teachers to teach them all important aspects related to the dance, not just how to move their bums.

I would hold 'try outs', so you can weed out who REALLY wants to be in a troupe.
They might be more dedicated.
In try outs you can ask them how much it would mean to them to be in the troupe, how much time they can put in, would costuming be a problem, etc.

Originally Posted by TediThomas

What Shira's friend does is very similar to what Sedonia and I have done with our student performing group. We have a two hour troupe rehearsal/meeting in which we work on choreographies and any special needs (staging, entrances & exits).

We also have an established performing ethics statement for the group that they all have to read and then sign their compliance to abide by. It's up to us as their teachers to teach them all important aspects related to the dance, not just how to move their bums.

My student troupe is set up this way too, although membership is not by invitation. Troupe members must be currently enrolled in my Level 2 class or be at that level with me as a private student. The troupe choreographies are not covered anywhere except at the rehearsals. And yes, I have a 3-page troupe guidelines document that they have to sign, stating their commitment to the troupe and to acceptable behavior within the dance community.

I don't now if this will help or not but...
When I started my troupe (which at two years is still new enough that phrase makes me grin) it was orginally for an event the other class instructor/troupe leader wasn't interested in but I was. She told me to go for it and so I made an open call to the current troupe members, to be a member of that troupe you simply have to take the advanced class.
I told them what I would be demanding by way of rehearsals, costuming and what not and that all of it would be outside of class time, unlike the other troupe which is also the class. I ended up with 3 other gals so I started approching the gals in the classes I taught that I thought would be interested and able. These were not the most advanced or nessisarily best dancers, but the ones with good attitudes who showed up just about every week and tried with 100% effort.
I now have 13 gals who work thier coins off for me year round and to brag a bit are AMAZING!! I have students constantly asking how they can be part of my troupe after they see shows. I try to always be upfront with them and tell them that right now we have full membership and when (unfortunately it will always be a when since we have military gals who come and go at the goverments whim) a space opens up there will be either auditions or invatations depending on how many spaces open up. Only one person has gotten upset over that response and was a whole nother problem in and of herself before that. When I do invite someone I do not make a huge todo about it in front of the other gals in classes. When we added new members this past year they had been with us for several months before anyone else in classes knew about it.
When I'm asked what I look for in a potential memeber for the troupe I'm up front and honest. Someone who is willing to give 100% to rehearsals and performances, have good attitudes and attendance in classes, and most important to me, are willing to try everything, fail at some things, and keep trying at those they can't master right away. To me effort and attitude is everything. I also tell them what type of time, and costuming (which means money) and effort is involved when I'm asked about how to get into the troupe. I haven't lost any students because of it to my knowledge, but the looks of surprise when they realise how much of a comittment it is to be part of the troupe is interesting. And I have seen some gals making even more effort in classes after asking me about the troupe too, which shows me they are truely interested.
Of course it probably helps keep the hard feelings at bay that eventually anyone taking the classes can perform with the other troupe and we do hold haflas at the end of every session where they can do open dancing and when I do a choreography session perform a choreography created for just thier class.

I already do have my level 3 class performing and they will continue to. I only have the level 2 & 3 students perform, not beginners. I am not at all looking to start a pro troupe!
I would have the level 3 students involved in any performance the others would have. They also have the oppertunity to work on and perform duets and solos of their own at our yearly hafla.

My point to this group is that some students have approached me that they would like to work on more difficult choreos and props. I agree that some of them are ready for that! I am not making invitations by best dancers, but those who have shown for some time now that they practice, and want to improve.
This seporate performance group would need to still take class every week but would meet at a different time entirely to work on choreos of their own. Nothing would be done with this in weekly level 3 class as we already work on class dances to perform all are very welcom to do these performances.

I'm not thinking about this so much as a troupe but as a performance class.
Am I being unfair and unreasonable to invite those students who have shown improvement, I know will practice, and are ready (have or are working on mastering the level 3 matieral? Or should I just set up a level 4 and slit the class?

My question, as a student, is if you are in a troupe and having a rehearsal would you make your students pay like a class? Or is considered part of being in the troupe to learn extra choreography and work with more props? Of course this is based on the student still taking regular class and paying.

Originally Posted by nakiajizeem

My question, as a student, is if you are in a troupe and having a rehearsal would you make your students pay like a class? Or is considered part of being in the troupe to learn extra choreography and work with more props? Of course this is based on the student still taking regular class and paying.

It varies. Usually a student troupe still has to pay for a space to rehearse in and a teacher's time. Often, though, the instructor will donate her time for 'extra' rehearsals before a performance, since theoretically the performances of the group will also be good publicity for her classes.

A pro troupe is less dependent on a teacher, the members can take turns choreographing and leading, so they'll often just split the cost of the rehearsal space or pay 'dues' toward a space and any props, music, etc. the group needs. If it's truly a pro troupe, these costs are more than offset by performance income.

There are also troupes that are pro, but the dancers sort of 'work for' a troupe leader. So the structure is "Bertha Bellydancer and her Berthettes" In this case, the director still comes up with all the choreo and leads all the rehearsals. She pays the expenses from performance proceeds and the Berthettes are paid to perform.

In a TRUE pro troupe, the Berthettes would also be paid for their time in rehearsal, because it becomes a full-time job. But I don't think there are many troupes of that level of professionalism (or income) in bellydance, besides the BDSS/Desert Roses.

When I was in a pro troupe, we paid dues to cover the rehearsal space and costumes. But we split the money evenly when we were paid to perform. The troupe was started and headed by a master teacher. If you took her class you could then aduition to be in the troupe if she thought you were ready, and all the troupe members had a vote in if you could join or not. We did not pay a "class" fee, of a fee for the teachers time.

Originally Posted by Lauren_

It varies. Usually a student troupe still has to pay for a space to rehearse in and a teacher's time. Often, though, the instructor will donate her time for 'extra' rehearsals before a performance, since theoretically the performances of the group will also be good publicity for her classes.

A pro troupe is less dependent on a teacher, the members can take turns choreographing and leading, so they'll often just split the cost of the rehearsal space or pay 'dues' toward a space and any props, music, etc. the group needs. If it's truly a pro troupe, these costs are more than offset by performance income.

There are also troupes that are pro, but the dancers sort of 'work for' a troupe leader. So the structure is "Bertha Bellydancer and her Berthettes" In this case, the director still comes up with all the choreo and leads all the rehearsals. She pays the expenses from performance proceeds and the Berthettes are paid to perform.

In a TRUE pro troupe, the Berthettes would also be paid for their time in rehearsal, because it becomes a full-time job. But I don't think there are many troupes of that level of professionalism (or income) in bellydance, besides the BDSS/Desert Roses.

Well, I would have to collect, by splitting, the fee to rent the space for this student group. I have rented the space in the past without charging my students for extra rehearsals or my time to get ready for a show. Sort of look at it as a cost of doing business. However if it becomes weekly then that would add up.
No pro troupe here, just students wishing to push a bit further and my wanting to work with the ones who I feel can right now. This doesn't mean that the others will not be able to join in the future.
Thanks everyone for your input!