Thread: how to get your students to attend workshops

many people have been saying, "how do i get my studetns to go to workshops", "sponsors complaine i dont bring my students, i try but they dont want to" etc

so here is what i do

for the last years i've been organising cheap summer mini workshops with other local instructors. they cost a little more than a normal class, but not much, and they offer students things they know i dont teach, such as folklore, different props than i do, different styles etc.. it gives them an introduction to both that different style AND to taking a workshop from someone else, someone new, to get comfortable with that at a reasonable price. plus for my fellow teachers, i know the extra work in summer (low season for their own classes) is welcome.

also, well, while I know that traveling to an expensive workshop with a big name is worth the money, my students dont know this, or might not want to spend that much... so i try to mix organising workshops with really big names with up and coming dancers that I think have some great stuff to offer, but are more affordable, dont mind staying at my place etc. at my upcoming festival, the workshops cost only 20E for two hours and i have many lower intermediate students signing up who have never ever been to a workshop. I hope they like it and maybe next time when i have an expensive big name visiting again.. they'lll know a workshop can be worth the time and money spend.

basically, apart from the money issue they also need to get over their fear of taking classes with someone else than their own instructor. having a guest teacher in to sub my own classes when i'm gone, also helps in that respect.

also, labeling your workshops well is really important. most of my lower level students are afraid something will be too difficult for them.

the down size of labeling workshops "open level" though, seems to be that it scares of the professional dancers. i never really got that. i get as much out of an Aziza low level workshop, as one of her higher ones; there is always stuff i can improve on AND if not, it gives me teaching ideas. also most competent instructors can easily cater a class to mixed level. so when i announce open level, it means its for everyone, while the local pro's sometimes seem to think it means its only for beginners!!

an idea i'm toying with is to have also the "big name" instructors teach a 1 or 1,5 hour class that is specifically beginners level only, at a low price, just before the "real" workshop starts... years and years ago when i took my very first workshops, we had an organiser in brussels that organised workshops that way, and as a beginner student i really enjoyed it. it gave me a chance to try out an instructor (and often the next time that person was in town i got brave enough to sign up for the whole thing)..

anyway, that's just some thoughts on the matter, feel free to add and comment!

Have a hot guy with no shirt on pass out tea to all of the ladies after the workshop. Just kidding. LOL

Seriously though,
I suppose it depends on what your community is like and what level they are. If you have alot of beginner level dancers than I would host a famous dancer for beginner levels on one or two days and maybe have the advanced dancer workshop on the other days. That way all dancers get to go but be on seperate dates.

my basic point is also: even when you are not an organiser, or dont want to become one, it's not so much work and beneficial for everyone to sometimes hire another local dancer to teach a one of class/workshop to your students,

Artemisia, I don't understand what you are saying in your last post. SORRY!! Tell me again.

You have to start from the very beginnning classes to introduce the concept of guest teachers and outside workshops being valuable. This sometimes means going yourself to a workshop, offering to take someone if you have an open seat in your car, talking up the particular teacher that you are suggesting they take a workshop from and sharing your positive workshop experiences with them. You especially have to let them know that NO ONE gets every thing that is taught in a workshop and let them know that they will not be stared at by others because everyone is so self-focused they are ususally only worried about themselves.
I know its hard to convince students who may not consider themselves ready for workshops of the value of workshops but you gotta try.
They see the money already going out for lessons and music and maybe a hip scarf and cant justify the fees for workshops when the concept is not familar to them.

Hot guy works too.....

Originally Posted by Michelle75

Artemisia, I don't understand what you are saying in your last post. SORRY!! Tell me again.

Artemisia is just suggesting that someone organizes a locally based workshop as a way to entice students into being willing to take a headliner workshop.

Artemisia, your summer workshops is exactly the way the Las Vegas Bellydance Intensive was born. It started as weekend of workshops with all the local instructors and a hafla. And it really did bring the community together as well as introducing students to what our local teachers had to offer.

Originally Posted by artemisia_danst

also, labeling your workshops well is really important. most of my lower level students are afraid something will be too difficult for them.

the down size of labeling workshops "open level" though, seems to be that it scares of the professional dancers.

From its inception, the LV Intensive had workshops geared to beginners as well as advanced students. I've played around a lot with labeling. I found that if I two tracks labelled as "beginning/intermediate" and "intermediate/advanced"...that there were tons of 2 month wonders that felt they should move to the more advanced track. When I labelled them as "beginning/intermediate" and "advanced/professional"...then only folks who were pretty confident would take the advanced classes. That was exactly the distribution that I wanted. Seems that very few people can accurately place themselves, so I very specifically use words that help them do so.

These days I have 4 tracks of classes on Sat. and Sunday. I still have a beginning track...and now I have an "advanced/professional" track for "Oriental/Raks Sharqi/Folkloric", one for "Tribal/Tribal Fusion", "General Skills". (at least that is what I'm toying with at the moment..it might change).

an idea i'm toying with is to have also the "big name" instructors teach a 1 or 1,5 hour class that is specifically beginners level only, at a low price, just before the "real" workshop starts...

Yes, I do something similar. I know there are some organizers out there that feel that it is a waste of time to pay top dollar for beginning classes, but personally, I want to meet the needs of the students. The fact is that most dancers out there are relatively new. So I have my headliners teach the same topic twice...once for beginners...and once for more advanced students. This keeps most people in the respective level-appropriate class. Who wants to take the same class twice, eh? And then everyone gets a chance to work with all of the headliners in their respective track.

Anyway, I think you are headed in the right direction. So much of what you are doing is exactly how I've structured my event...and for many of the same reasons. Making things accessible is the thing that helps newer dancers overcome their fear of workshops. I can't tell you how many emails I get from folks wondering if they would be ok at my event. I have often said that my beginning track is geared specifically to start someone from scratch. I've actually had several people who STARTED dancing by attending the event...LOL. I love that! ..l;,