Thread: Out of style?

Lately I've had a few classes where no one showed up. Trying again Monday but I've started to lose hope.

At my day job, there's a girl who teaches zumba. She says it needs no qualifications, just pay a fee and voila, you are a zumba instructor. She says that she could fill an auditorium every night of the week - her problem is that she feels stressed because she's doing *too many* classes.

At one gym where I was going to teach, not a single student - yet there are two zumba instructors (one of which I was told was terrible, but was retained anyway because that's how many people are interested).

Also, the pole dancing class that meets in one of the rooms where we rehearse has over forty attendees.

And I hear crickets. Has bellydance gone out of style? It makes me wonder if I should have been trying to become a zumba instructor for the last eleven years.

always hope Brea, and plan a dance class for you alone just in case. Belly dance will never go out of style…it takes more work than the others as far as specific body movements and positioning. Zumba seems really hot now, one of our advanced troupe dancers just became a certified zumba instructor. Don't know what to say about pole.

Sahra tells the story about how, sometime in the 80's she had been teaching belly dance at a gym quiet successfully. And then one session, her classes dropped to nothing. Jazzercise had been born and the gym couldn't find enough Jazzercise instructors.

(I don't believe that Sahra ever became a jazzercise instructor.)

I found that when setting up classes, there does need to be some and effort put forth. Belly dance was very popular at one point, a lot of people took the classes, and yes, are now on to something else. Many teachers are dependent on their core students to build a following. But this takes time. And effort. Have the classes been advertised? Have you put up fliers? Contacted the local or neighborhood newspaper offering to do an interview (or write and article) about the health benefits of belly dance? Have you thought about teaching "Belly - robics" as opposed to straight belly dance?

These are just ideas. I know it's disheartening when you are trying to get started and things aren't happening for you or aren't happening the way you'd like them to. They will get better!

{{{HUGS}}}

Ezma - haha! re: the jazzercise thing. Maybe that's the case.


Tahira: yes to all of the above (flyering/advertising/newspaper). And the class I'm referring to was a belly-robics class...c::

the smaller your area, the more fads hurt .it can be out of style, or i would not be making a living...the pedulem will swing back.take the time to promote ....show how fun un mindless movement can be....zumba has costumes? props?...if no, talk that up.

First of all it appears you have to take some sort of teacher training to become a zumba instructor
Instructor Trainings: Overview — Zumba®

Second, if I'm going for a workout, something to burn calories and make me sweat, I'm not going to a bellydance class. I love bellydance and all of it's nuanced movements and meanings but it is not nearly as physically demanding as Zumba or Pole dancing.

Zumba is all about fitness. I state from the word go that my classes are not about fitness but about learning to do the dance. My college class is full. These are ladies who want to belly-dance. They are remarking how they feel they are toning but realise it's a by-product.
I think you have also to consider what other belly dance classes there are in the near vicinity rather than what alternatives there are. It may be that you are in a saturated market,it may be that the demographics are wrong.
I don't see fitness aids such as Zumba offer the same kind of activity and it really is best to aim to attract those students who wish to learn to dance, to be creative, to explore another culture and yes even those who wish to be part of a community. These are things we offer along with performance opportunities (which I don't directly from classes) that something like Zumba really doesn't. Here in the UK, many belly dance students really appreciate being involved in social activites but classes build up from small classes, from small retention numbers over terms and years.

Thanks Tanya for the zumba information.

I think I just feel discouraged.

Liza and Cory- you're right; it might help to focus more on what bellydance can offer instead; culture, community, etc. That's what I love most about bellydancing myself. ..g.: Also, things are definitely different in the UK. I see a *lot* of tribal interest here, for example.

I also failed trying to run a belly dance based aerobics class, while a studio up the street was busting at the seams during multiple nights of Zumba classes.

Based on some discussions I've had, I would say part of it is the familiarity people have with Zumba now. When people sign up for a Zumba class, they know exactly what they're getting because it's a specific format being taught. The Zumba class on Tuesday taught by X is going to be very similar to the one taught on Thursdays by Y, so there's no fear that students will be wasting their money or time on something they might not like.

You also really can't beat the name recognition. Zumba corporate spends millions on dollars of advertising, DVDs, CDs, logo wear, etc. It's really hard for a lone belly dance teacher to compete with that.

Originally Posted by lizajuk

Zumba is all about fitness. I state from the word go that my classes are not about fitness but about learning to do the dance. My college class is full. These are ladies who want to belly-dance.

I agree. While my BD cardio class was a resounding failure, my regular technique based dance classes have held pretty steady.

Well, I start a regular BD class on Monday night. Perhaps that is the difference?

When I was teaching for the uni, my class was full with a waiting list.

I also think that I might have to adapt to new advertising methods due to the size of the city I am in. A lot of my old standbys (such as flyering) don't seem quite as effective.

I've seen this too, in my area. I think belly dance popularity is wanning, but the good news is you're more likely to bring in students that are truly interested in the art form, as opposed to people who come because it's popular. Zumba is also cheaper (at least in my area).

Antecdotally, I seen zumba usurp me in two cases. Why? The person or studio I was renting space from put a lot more effort in getting the zumba classes off the ground. At one place, I walked in to teach my first BD class at a new location and there was a HUGE colorful zumba poster right in the front. You couldn't miss it. Where were my materials? Shoved in the back on a random bulletin board. Something similar also happened at the clubhouse where I teach. In the end, both of my classes had to be cancelled, but I know the Zumba classes are still going strong... :(

Originally Posted by BreaMorgiane

Well, I start a regular BD class on Monday night. Perhaps that is the difference?

I can only say that that was my experience. While my regular dance classes offered something different, the cardio class attempted to compete directly with the Zumba classes, and it just never really got off the ground. People I talked to just didn't want to take a chance on a new workout class (even though I did a couple of free tasters) when they were perfectly happy in their Zumba class.

(as applied to new/beginner level students)

Yes, Zumba is huge in my small town. I think a lot of people can't dance or don't think they can dance and are intimidated by learning how to. Zumba has been heavily advertised as something ANYONE can do and the sheer number of people taking Zumba classes only reinforces that fact to the general public.

I just offered a free belly dance intro class for my studio's grand re-opening and got a pretty good turn out. We'll see how many people actually sign up for the class, but I overheard a lot of the girls exclaiming that they didn't think they could belly dance or that they saw it on YouTube and were skeptical that they could learn how to do it.

Even though we push "any shape, size, fitness level, age..." , I think people are still unsure that they can do it.

When making a choice to take Zumba or belly dance, they think Zumba is the safer choice.

Originally Posted by BreaMorgiane

Thanks Tanya for the zumba information.

I think I just feel discouraged.

Liza and Cory- you're right; it might help to focus more on what bellydance can offer instead; culture, community, etc. That's what I love most about bellydancing myself. ..g.: Also, things are definitely different in the UK. I see a *lot* of tribal interest here, for example.

Tribal in the UK? That really does depend which area you look at. It's strong in some and non-existant in others. Where an interested indiviudal has gone in and promoted herself and what tribal can offer,it grows. Other dancers form troupes and don't necessarily teach or spread the word. I have seen it grow from nothing in NW England to small strong pockets with large deserts. I dance in a troupe and I coach a troupe. This year I am not teaching a class. There two teachers who teach fusion aprt from myself on the whole of Merseyside!No one teaches ATS..London teachers come up monthly to teach the dedicated which is how we started gettting a Scottish teacher to come to us and then going to festivals with US teachers.

Originally Posted by lizajuk

Tribal in the UK? That really does depend which area you look at. It's strong in some and non-existant in others. Where an interested indiviudal has gone in and promoted herself and what tribal can offer,it grows. Other dancers form troupes and don't necessarily teach or spread the word. I have seen it grow from nothing in NW England to small strong pockets with large deserts. I dance in a troupe and I coach a troupe. This year I am not teaching a class. There two teachers who teach fusion aprt from myself on the whole of Merseyside!No one teaches ATS..London teachers come up monthly to teach the dedicated which is how we started gettting a Scottish teacher to come to us and then going to festivals with US teachers.

SE. too. A friend of mine saw a need, took a few classes at tribal London and started teaching. She had 2 years Cab under her belt. I was slightly appalled, until she told me that she had every intention of continuing her dance education and went so far as to get her teachers cert from the Fat Chance.

I actually spoke to Carolina about switching to ATS for economic reasons, her reply was basically, why not?

{{{HUGS}}}

Originally Posted by lizajuk

Tribal in the UK? That really does depend which area you look at. It's strong in some and non-existant in others. Where an interested indiviudal has gone in and promoted herself and what tribal can offer,it grows. Other dancers form troupes and don't necessarily teach or spread the word. I have seen it grow from nothing in NW England to small strong pockets with large deserts. I dance in a troupe and I coach a troupe. This year I am not teaching a class. There two teachers who teach fusion aprt from myself on the whole of Merseyside!No one teaches ATS..London teachers come up monthly to teach the dedicated which is how we started gettting a Scottish teacher to come to us and then going to festivals with US teachers.

Hmm, maybe it's Scotland-specific then. The last hafla I was at, I would say that more than half the dancers were tribal.

Where I teach ALL the dance formats are slow, attendance has dropped like a rock.

The place is slow period.

This economy is a bear.

They had an article today about how people rush to the store with food stamps the minute their accounts are refilled. One in seven Americans lives below the poverty line.

I don't know how long this is going to last - meanwhile - keep on truckin' and of course dancing.

I think it WILL pick up again but meanwhile we obviously have to try harder and be prepared maybe for a lean stretch. I don't think we can beat ourselves up about this or blame it on changing fashions although that can be a factor - this is something else though imo.

I do think the economy is a factor. There was a recent newspaper article about how food banks in our area are struggling because they're receiving fewer donations and seeing increased need.

I also think belly dance is on the downward path of its popularity in mass culture. El Clon is now old news. Shakira has drifted away from using belly dance as a gimmick. The "urban primitive" movement is no longer trendy. Women who are looking for an activity that will make them feel more sexy are more likely to pursue burlesque or pole dancing.

I think we're entering a period in which the people who saw belly dance's popularity as an opportunity to make lots of money are going to move on to the newest trendy thing, whatever that is. Those of us who stay with belly dancing will be those who genuinely have a passion for the dance form on its own merits, regardless of how much money it puts into our bank accounts. But, we may need to scale back on how many events we attend, how many costumes we buy, how many classes we teach, etc.

Originally Posted by BreaMorgiane

Hmm, maybe it's Scotland-specific then. The last hafla I was at, I would say that more than half the dancers were tribal.

Oh. That makes me really sad. ,f:: Thought not surprised, I guess.

I've been poking around my new (slightly rural backwater) hometown here in NZ for a bellydance scene and there's none to speak of... but there IS Zumba.

Two YMCA fitness instructors recently came back from some Zumba instructor training workshop somewhere in New Zealand, and this was announced with a feature in the local paper. ZUMBA! At laaaaaaaast! The YMCA now has.... jeez, three or four Zumba classes a week. They *used* to have bellydance classes, from an old advert from December 2009 that I found online - but when I enquired with them, they replied with "We no longer offer bellydance classes at the YMCA - but we do have Zumba classes. I can send you more information if you're interested".

Uh.. thanks, but no. The two things are not interchangeable. <sigh>

Zumba is just the shiznit right now. The pendulum will swing back again and it'll be time for something else to be Flavour Of The Month - we had our turn a couple years back, I think. I imagine we'll have a turn again at some point. In the meantime, I think it's a bit pointless trying to fight Zumba with fitness-oriented BD. It's perhaps time to scale back and focus on teaching people who *want*to dance. And that's a very small niche market.

Originally Posted by *Shira*

I do think the economy is a factor. There was a recent newspaper article about how food banks in our area are struggling because they're receiving fewer donations and seeing increased need.

I also think belly dance is on the downward path of its popularity in mass culture. El Clon is now old news. Shakira has drifted away from using belly dance as a gimmick. The "urban primitive" movement is no longer trendy. Women who are looking for an activity that will make them feel more sexy are more likely to pursue burlesque or pole dancing.

I think we're entering a period in which the people who saw belly dance's popularity as an opportunity to make lots of money are going to move on to the newest trendy thing, whatever that is. Those of us who stay with belly dancing will be those who genuinely have a passion for the dance form on its own merits, regardless of how much money it puts into our bank accounts. But, we may need to scale back on how many events we attend, how many costumes we buy, how many classes we teach, etc.

You hit the nail on the head. I was going to say the same thing, but you said it much more eloquently.

I may be showing my age here (haha) but i remember a similar thread on the MEDlist 10 years ago (before the wonders of bhuz & tribe et al.)

cycles... we diehards will always be here- we can try to ride the waves, but we're here in calm water too. It can been harder to make a living at dance in the valleys than at the peaks, but lest tempestuous too.

Originally Posted by Lara L

I may be showing my age here (haha) but i remember a similar thread on the MEDlist 10 years ago (before the wonders of bhuz & tribe et al.)

cycles... we diehards will always be here- we can try to ride the waves, but we're here in calm water too. It can been harder to make a living at dance in the valleys than at the peaks, but lest tempestuous too.

I think you have a point; plus what Shira said!

In defence of Zumba it is not easy to teach, either mentally or physically. You do need a qualification, although it is a one day course, but you are expected to put in a ton of work yourself before you can start teaching.
I think the reason people find it attractive is because the gratification is instant. You feel like you are dancing well (even if you are not), and you get fit, (often) lose weight and feel as though you improve quickly.
I agree that it is probably just a passing fad, but I plan to jump on the bandwagon while it's happening!

Originally Posted by BreaMorgiane

Hmm, maybe it's Scotland-specific then. The last hafla I was at, I would say that more than half the dancers were tribal.

Yes, but my guess is people who do real ATS would not agree and probably call it fusion.

There are a few people in the UK, who have noticed this over the years and have found it increasingly worrying.

I guess you have to experience it for yourself to know that we are not just having a good old moan but have genuine concerns regarding the imbalance.

Originally Posted by caroline_afifi

Yes, but my guess is people who do real ATS would not agree and probably call it fusion.

There are a few people in the UK, who have noticed this over the years and have found it increasingly worrying.

I guess you have to experience it for yourself to know that we are not just having a good old moan but have genuine concerns regarding the imbalance.

Amen to that, Caroline. Certainly when I was in Scotland it was much more Tribal Fusion than ATS, although there are a few practitioners of the more ATS style in Edinburgh.

Zumba is crazy popular. I got certified and immediately got requests for classes and got my own class at a gym. That being said, my first class had one student because the gym hadn't publicized it's new schedule. Zumba is popular because the steps are easy and like others said there is continuity. It is fitness, students are working out but feel like they're dancing. If they want to learn real Salsa, Samba or Belly Dance there are plenty of classes they could take.

People are still interested in belly dance. I teach beginners and have a handful of students. It's very hard to bring in students. The best results I got happened with a ton of marketing that I did myself and that the studio where I teach did. When one of us lets up with the marketing, enrollment drops. Maintaining classes is way more time consuming than I ever thought it would be. LOL

People also tell me they're interested but can't make it the day I teach or the time or the place and I just send them to the many other places where they can take class. It is what it is.

Originally Posted by *Shira*

I also think belly dance is on the downward path of its popularity in mass culture. El Clon is now old news. Shakira has drifted away from using belly dance as a gimmick. The "urban primitive" movement is no longer trendy. Women who are looking for an activity that will make them feel more sexy are more likely to pursue burlesque or pole dancing.

...I've heard Shakira will have more of her signature "belly dancing" in an upcoming video. Some dancers weren't too happy when I told them this but I said "hey, it'll bring in more students!" :P

Zumba is picking up in popularity in my region too. Instead of fighting it, I've seen a few belly dancers embrace it. I know one belly dance instructor who got certified to teach Zumba. I know another teacher who lets a Zumba instructor rent her studio.