FCBD "Who We Are" - Page 2

Eve · 08-05-2008, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Durrah

I just took a workshop from Rachel a few months ago, and she's been very big on trying to be more gentle to her body. She claimed to be feeling her age

She does teach good posture. Carolena definitely does not teach the swayback posture either, and Megha is quite upright when she dances. But if you look at Megha, her shoulders are very narrow, so it looks like she's holding her arms much more closely together (when upright, in an Egyptian, for example), than she really is. Body types can alter how a posture or move appears. Good teachers really are important.

Whilst I don't do tribal anymore I take occasional workshops with ATS styled teachers - I can confirm what Durrah has mentioned. I took a backbend class with RB and she was discussing how she used to perform them (perhaps still does?) to how she is trying to do them now (lift through the upper back to take compression out of the lower spine) and from my point of view she was teaching them safely. Perhaps it has come from her experience with yoga as that too stresses the importance of lengthening the spine in backbends.

I don't agree with the comment - do as I say not as I do - implying she's a bad teacher. I may be willing to risk injuring myself, that does not mean I am willing to risk yours

Durrah · 08-05-2008, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eve

I don't agree with the comment - do as I say not as I do - implying she's a bad teacher. I may be willing to risk injuring myself, that does not mean I am willing to risk yours

I took that to mean what you said in your second sentence, that Rachel sometimes performs things she teaches not to do.

Eve · 08-05-2008, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Durrah

I took that to mean what you said in your second sentence, that Rachel sometimes performs things she teaches not to do.

um - yes

I brought it up because of the suggestion that if she does this it makes her a bad teacher.

TribalDancer · 08-05-2008, 06:47 PM

Sorry Eve, but yes, she has taught things one way and performs them another, and has said so publicly. So I am not making that part up.

As I said, she is capable of doing things some people could not do without injury due to her unique physiology and yoga practice. Additionally, there are some things she does which I feel others can do without injury, but only a small cross-section of people, while the rest of us can be badly injured if we tried (like Turkish Drops)--these are the things I wished weren't performed by teachers who have such a strong following of young dancers. Seems every other day on the many tribal forums I belong to, there is some 16-25 year old asking how they can "do a Turkish Drop just like Rachel Brice." RB is in a position of great power and influence, and that needs to be taken very seriously and carefully.

For the record, I think Rachel is a good person. I have had nothing but friendly and fun interactions with her over the years, hanging out at many different events we both performed and taught at. I like her very much. I just think some of the examples she demonstrates on stage sets unrealistic goals for her fans who try to emulate her in every way (to a greater degree than most bellydance fans).

Durrah · 08-06-2008, 09:12 PM

Actually Rachel once told me that she spent her first BDSS tour re-breaking the same toe every performance doing Turkish Drops, before she learned to do them correctly. I bet some of her devotees wouldn't want to emulate that

She does seem to inspire obsessive phangirldom, doesn't she?

da Sage · 08-06-2008, 09:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Durrah

Actually Rachel once told me that she spent her first BDSS tour re-breaking the same toe every performance doing Turkish Drops, before she learned to do them correctly.

Sweet Jesus, that's scary!

Eve · 08-07-2008, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TribalDancer

Sorry Eve, but yes, she has taught things one way and performs them another, and has said so publicly. So I am not making that part up.

er- sorry for what? I'm agreeing with you.

karena · 08-07-2008, 09:01 AM

Thanks for the video. Was interesting and food for thought. I sometimes wish I liked tribal more, but it doesn't resonate with me in the same way, but the stuff about authenticity and multiple histories interested me. Thank-you

Aziyade · 08-07-2008, 04:19 PM

Carolena is so cute!!

I do have issues with her interpretation of the history, and how she figures the dance spread. There is SITA-based dancing where there are no and were no "Gypsies" so I don't really think we can credit them for spreading belly dance.

On the postural thing, you can get that high-arched upper back without sacrificing anything in the low back. It's the standard posture for Flamenco, and it's how Ghawazee dance is taught by Alexandra and Habiba. I'm sure Rachel teaches the back bend the same we we learned it in ballet - as a lift from the upper back, with the spine going up and over a point in the midback.

While a SWAYBack posture can be unhealthy, the upper back arch is not necessarily unhealthy, unless it's actualized by a contraction in the low back.

It's the glitterpuss in me, but I SO want to yank the turbans and tassels off them and swathe them in jewels and beaded fringe...

TribalDancer · 08-07-2008, 11:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aziyade

It's the glitterpuss in me, but I SO want to yank the turbans and tassels off them and swathe them in jewels and beaded fringe...

Please don't do that. And I promise we won't yank the beads off of you and turban and tattoo you. Fair enough?

08-07-2008, 09:01 AM	#18 (permalink)
karena Moderator Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: The North, UK Posts: 820	Thanks for the video. Was interesting and food for thought. I sometimes wish I liked tribal more, but it doesn't resonate with me in the same way, but the stuff about authenticity and multiple histories interested me. Thank-you __________________ "Nothing is black and white, it's all shades of grey" Me

08-05-2008, 06:47 PM	#14 (permalink)
TribalDancer Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 313	Sorry Eve, but yes, she has taught things one way and performs them another, and has said so publicly. So I am not making that part up. As I said, she is capable of doing things some people could not do without injury due to her unique physiology and yoga practice. Additionally, there are some things she does which I feel others can do without injury, but only a small cross-section of people, while the rest of us can be badly injured if we tried (like Turkish Drops)--these are the things I wished weren't performed by teachers who have such a strong following of young dancers. Seems every other day on the many tribal forums I belong to, there is some 16-25 year old asking how they can "do a Turkish Drop just like Rachel Brice." RB is in a position of great power and influence, and that needs to be taken very seriously and carefully. For the record, I think Rachel is a good person. I have had nothing but friendly and fun interactions with her over the years, hanging out at many different events we both performed and taught at. I like her very much. I just think some of the examples she demonstrates on stage sets unrealistic goals for her fans who try to emulate her in every way (to a greater degree than most bellydance fans).

08-06-2008, 09:12 PM	#15 (permalink)
Durrah Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Chesapeake, VA Posts: 17	Actually Rachel once told me that she spent her first BDSS tour re-breaking the same toe every performance doing Turkish Drops, before she learned to do them correctly. I bet some of her devotees wouldn't want to emulate that She does seem to inspire obsessive phangirldom, doesn't she?

08-07-2008, 04:19 PM	#19 (permalink)
Aziyade V.I.P. Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Cornfields of Evansville Indiana. Posts: 1,049	Carolena is so cute!! I do have issues with her interpretation of the history, and how she figures the dance spread. There is SITA-based dancing where there are no and were no "Gypsies" so I don't really think we can credit them for spreading belly dance. On the postural thing, you can get that high-arched upper back without sacrificing anything in the low back. It's the standard posture for Flamenco, and it's how Ghawazee dance is taught by Alexandra and Habiba. I'm sure Rachel teaches the back bend the same we we learned it in ballet - as a lift from the upper back, with the spine going up and over a point in the midback. While a SWAYBack posture can be unhealthy, the upper back arch is not necessarily unhealthy, unless it's actualized by a contraction in the low back. It's the glitterpuss in me, but I SO want to yank the turbans and tassels off them and swathe them in jewels and beaded fringe...