Teaching standards and quality of instruction - Page 2

Yasmine Bint Al Nubia · 07-17-2008, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jendayi

Thank you for you inspiration. I seem to live in an area of Ohio that has no one around to instruct me, hence the $$ I have spent on dvd's to try to learn as much as I can. i hope to make a trip into Cleveland or Columbus to see about a possible class. Until then the dvd's and the internet will have to be my teacher for now.

Where in Ohio do you live?

There are many fantastic teachers with loads of experience and performance opportunities:
Aegela in Toledo
Shakira in Columbus
Deniz In Dayton
Cassandra Al Warda in Cleveland
Conchi in Cincinnati
Of couse there is our school, but I will admit, we have taken seminars and special classes with these Ladies.....
Yasmine

Aziyade · 07-17-2008, 01:09 PM

A'isha, our two posts got combined -- isn't that weird??!!

Aziyade · 07-17-2008, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kayshier

what helped me understand the music more was getting the Ritmos Arabes cd's by Mario Kirlis, that breaks down at least 40 of the more common arabic rhythms.

I ADORE Mario but I don't have any of his CDs. I need to get those. The dvds with Saida are AMAZING. So much good content! And she's a fantastic dancer.

Quote:

I was lucky that i got the initial instruction that i did. My teacher is a professional belly dancer of 15 years experience, from Argentina.

Wait -- are you talking about SAIDA???? If so, I'm falling over dead right now.

She is PHENOMENAL.

Quote:

Believe it or not i only began to learn about 6 months ago.

Well you have an EXCELLENT start!

Quote:

Although I am still a novice and still have a lot to learn before i consider myself ready for anything, I have developed a love and a very intense one at that for the art form, and I just want to keep going at it.

Yep, that's pretty much every one of us. Love, obsession, lifestyle. And the more you learn, the more you realize how much MORE is OUT THERE to learn. I love that.

Mya · 07-17-2008, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aziyade

Wait -- are you talking about SAIDA???? If so, I'm falling over dead right now.

She is PHENOMENAL.

No, her teacher is Karem Boudargham an Argentinian with some Lebanese heritage. A good dancer technique-wise as far as i can tell but gave some questionable info about the history of the dance in her workshop. The best Trinidad has seen for a while.

kayshier · 07-17-2008, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aziyade

I ADORE Mario but I don't have any of his CDs. I need to get those. The dvds with Saida are AMAZING. So much good content! And she's a fantastic dancer.

I am in the process of getting the 2 dvds featuring Saida...she is TOTALLY PHENOMENAL and she is also one of the persons I look at very closely

Wait -- are you talking about SAIDA???? If so, I'm falling over dead right now.

She is PHENOMENAL.

well no..as mya said her name is Karem Bourdargham, her grandfather is Lebanese.

Well you have an EXCELLENT start!

thanks

Yep, that's pretty much every one of us. Love, obsession, lifestyle. And the more you learn, the more you realize how much MORE is OUT THERE to learn. I love that.

I am realising that every day.

Aisha Azar · 07-17-2008, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kayshier

Yes, at the moment i have a preference for the Egyptian "style" of belly dance.
I love the folkloric especially.

Dear Kayshier,
Egyptian is my favorite belly dance style as well. I also love Ghawazi and various forms of Beledi and I think Shaabi is too much fun.
Regards,
A'isha

Aisha Azar · 07-17-2008, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aziyade

A'isha, our two posts got combined -- isn't that weird??!!

Dear Aziyade,
I thought it was weird, too. I think I accidently did something wrong... I am real techno-moron and can apparently do miracles based on my amazing ignorance alone!!
Regards,
A'isha

kayshier · 07-17-2008, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mya

Hello Kayshier,

I'm glad you danced with karem as she did to an extent give a good class. I attended a few as well as her workshop to see what more i could learn from her but unfortunately the class was quite a bit below my level and i couldn't afford the extra expense just for a practice class.

Please be willing to reasearch and be willing to question the things she's told you regardless of her 15 years experience because some of the things that she said in those classes were simply not right. For example at her workshop she claimed that beledi and saidi were influenced by bellydance when in fact they predate bellydance.

Also, lost in translation were quite a few technical points as well. She is a beautiful dancer though - much more talented and knowledgable than our "premiere bellydance troupe" and i'm glad you found a mentor in the dance as they're very important to a beginner.

Aziyade gave you some excellent advice and i remember being in your position a year ago when i left the studio. My recommendations especially being in Trinidad is to find people who are like you and have similar dance goals to you.

The only other Egyptian style dancer in Trinidad is Nneka Matthews who was trained in Scottland and Houston - she's not teaching at the moment though but recently had a workshop - you should look out for her other workshops and i can also let you know when they are as she and i train and perform together frequently. She is my mentor locally and frankly i look upon quite a few of the knowledgeable people here in that way as well and am grateful for their wisdom whenever they offer it solicited or unsolicited.

Be also prepared to make extreme investments to progress - for example there was recently a workshop in puerto rico that i was quite interested in attending (but alas i have no visa). I am also saving to head to DC early next year to do some work with our A'isha from the forum.

Find dvds that fit your dance goals so that you don't get out of touch with your movements while you try to find an instructor that works for you. It will keep you motivated.

Feel free to contact me at any time even if you just want someone to dance around with some time.

Actually in terms of workshops I have gotten in touch with Tamalyn Dallal, and i am planning to be in miami sometime around april next year when she gets her schedule finalized. she travels quite a lot.

later next year i want to take a month or 2 off to go to argentina to see the belly dance scene down there. probably see a live performance by Saida.

I think there is an issue with the exact translation from spanish to english where Karem was concerned, but I have been doing my own research and not totally relying on what she has taught me, yes there were somethings that were a bit muddled. Thankfully she should be back in march or april of next year

My training had been a bit more intense with her than the other classes she had even those you attended. I was training for 5-6 hours per week in some cases dancing for 2 hours per day.
I think she recognized my intense enthusiasm for belly dance and decided to really help me along the way.

As for dvd's i already own 5, and counting...there is a list of about 6 more i want to get before the year is out.
I practically dance every moment i get...do basic exercises to free my hips and soon will be doing some yoga in order to increase my flexibility.

you don't have to tell me how expensive it is, trust me i know. lol but what I plan to do in the long run will be well worth it.

Aisha Azar · 07-17-2008, 02:34 PM

Dear Mya,
I live in Washington State, which is across the country from Washington DC, but I hope you will come anyway!! I would love to have you stay with me if you can stand bad house keeping. (I am a good cook, though!!)

Dear Jendayi,
I can recommend Shakira in Columbus as well. I have worked with her and she is a wonderful teacher!!
Hugs,
A'isha

Mya · 07-17-2008, 02:35 PM

Good going! You're dancing the way i did when i first started - I was clocking those hours as well. =)

I still do now between teaching and training - good luck and know that there is a supportive dance community here one the forum and even in trinidad though it's more underground than mainstream.

Happy Dancing!
Mya

07-17-2008, 02:34 PM	#19 (permalink)
Aisha Azar V.I.P. Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Pacific Northwest USA Posts: 4,462	Dance, etc. Dear Mya, I live in Washington State, which is across the country from Washington DC, but I hope you will come anyway!! I would love to have you stay with me if you can stand bad house keeping. (I am a good cook, though!!) Dear Jendayi, I can recommend Shakira in Columbus as well. I have worked with her and she is a wonderful teacher!! Hugs, A'isha

07-17-2008, 01:09 PM	#12 (permalink)
Aziyade V.I.P. Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Cornfields of Evansville Indiana. Posts: 1,050	A'isha, our two posts got combined -- isn't that weird??!!

07-17-2008, 02:35 PM	#20 (permalink)
Mya Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Trinidad Posts: 567	Good going! You're dancing the way i did when i first started - I was clocking those hours as well. =) I still do now between teaching and training - good luck and know that there is a supportive dance community here one the forum and even in trinidad though it's more underground than mainstream. Happy Dancing! Mya