Your first class,as a male, what was it like ?

khanjar · 07-04-2008, 02:43 AM

I thought to post this question after reading the article,' Finding a teacher and getting started ' on Zorba's website. I had not read the article before I had my first class, but can seriously relate to what is written there, for me, my first class was terrifying, but I am over that hump, and will continue when the classes start again in the fall. I was wondering of other males here, how did you find your first ME dance class ?

Mago · 07-09-2008, 04:58 AM

I just took my first class tonight and there was my wife and another dancer... and I loved it. I love that my instructor is willing to train a guy, and her other dancers are willing to put up with my dipped-in-concrete shoulders and martial-arts hand waving (my previous dance experience is a Brazilian marital art called capoeira).

It was a great way to learn something graceful... i think I'm hooked, or at least I will be once I get some of the basic steps.

taheya · 07-09-2008, 06:53 AM

Slightly off topic Khanjar but which teacher did you find to go to? Hope you enjoy the classes!

khanjar · 07-09-2008, 07:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by taheya

Slightly off topic Khanjar but which teacher did you find to go to? Hope you enjoy the classes!

That would be Siouxsie Cooper who I will say when I emailed her, replied no problem, so terrified I was at the first class, and hopeless but she was very patient and understanding. I apparently went to the last class of the season, they are now finished until the fall when I will go again, but this time hopefully I will not be so wooden thanks to Jenna.

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Zorba · 07-09-2008, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mago

I just took my first class tonight and there was my wife and another dancer... and I loved it. I love that my instructor is willing to train a guy, and her other dancers are willing to put up with my dipped-in-concrete shoulders and martial-arts hand waving (my previous dance experience is a Brazilian marital art called capoeira).

It was a great way to learn something graceful... i think I'm hooked, or at least I will be once I get some of the basic steps.

Feeling a bit clumsy around all the graceful gals, are you?

Don't worry, virtually ALL guys, and more than a few of the gals feel the same way! Perseverance moves mountains.

I've been Belly Dance for 7+ years, and Greek Folk Dance for almost 13 - and I *STILL* go into "major male blunder mode" when I'm learning something new!

Tarik Sultan · 07-09-2008, 05:54 PM

I was really scared. I wasn't quite sure that Morocco was telling me the truth and that men really did move this way in its native culture, but I loved the music so much, I wanted to know how to move to it. I had no plans of doing it anywhere but in my bedroom as I listened to my music.

Once I got to the actual class I was surprised that no one took my presence as being anything worthy of attention, which really helped me to feel more comfortable. During the class, I was so focused on what I was doing that I didn't have time to pay attention to what anyone else was doing, but the few times I stole glances around the room, I saw that they too were very absorbed in what they were doing.

Because I'm West Indian, I was use to using my hips, but the torso, FORGET IT! Of course the fact that I had a sunk in chest, stooped shoulders and a severe sway back didn't help things, but I was determined to stick it out and practiced as much as I could at home. No one treated me any different than the other students, although they did find it interesting to see what the same movements looked like on a guys body. Just mild curiosity.

Shanazel · 07-09-2008, 06:48 PM

The only male student I ever had was another dance teacher, so he wasn't the usual newbie belly dancer, but as Tarik points out, most people are too absorbed in their own dance issues to pay much attention to the students around them. What perhaps male dancers fail to realize is that most WOMEN (at least in America) are not any more accustomed to moving the way one moves in belly dance than are men. I have had female students cry in a first night class just because they were stepping so far out of their comfort zones into a place that feels out of control and dangerous, at least at first. For some students, this is part of the allure. For others, it is what finally drives them away.

khanjar · 07-09-2008, 06:57 PM

My first class, well I very nearly didn't make it what with public transport and all being unreliable, but I was determined. I did not trust the next bus, so I ran to where I thought the venue was, about a mile and a half away. I got to the venue and guessed it was the right place judging by some of those who were going in. I went in and sheepishly went up to an organised looking person and asked, yes I had found the class. Once I had made my introduction, the pressure lifted a bit, first hump. The class, well, it was a dance studio, cushioned floors and mirrored walls.

Then the dancing, the instructor tried her best with me, but I was hopeless, things that I was trying to make move would not and co ordination, forget it. It was a taster class, and I tried to learn what the others were practicing, which was one of the walking movements, again hopeless but I tried, then came practice for a performance they were doing, I chickened out at this and watched and noticed something. All the others there were very impressive, they could do the movements no problem, but they had been doing it for six months plus and the thought is, if they can do it to a standard that looks impressive to me, then I can do it in time, my gender is not a bar to learning and practicing this dance, especially as I have at this point, no intention to do anything more than be able to move to the groove.

The instructor Siouxsie Cooper told me she had taught males before and has no problems doing so again. The rest of the class, as Tarik said, the same here, they just got on with the dance lesson and paid no attention to me. One of the ladies there saw me struggling to move my feet which felt as though they were stuck to the floor, and she said everyone was like that at the start and it takes time, but it comes in time.

Zorba · 07-09-2008, 08:12 PM

Yep - Tarik and Khanjar's reflections pretty much mirror my own. We're talking about MAJOR blunderbuss here!

Nothing worked, my ribcage was welded to my pelvis, my arms were hopelessly rigid, my feet wanted to go in opposite directions, and I was convinced that "everyone" was watching me (of course they weren't)!

taheya · 07-09-2008, 09:11 PM

Lucky you Khanjar Siouxie is a great teacher I hear! I have friends who have been to her workshops.

07-04-2008, 02:43 AM	#1 (permalink)
khanjar Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: England Posts: 444	Your first class,as a male, what was it like ? I thought to post this question after reading the article,' Finding a teacher and getting started ' on Zorba's website. I had not read the article before I had my first class, but can seriously relate to what is written there, for me, my first class was terrifying, but I am over that hump, and will continue when the classes start again in the fall. I was wondering of other males here, how did you find your first ME dance class ? __________________ I am a dream to some...and a nightmare to others.

07-09-2008, 04:58 AM	#2 (permalink)
Mago Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: San Anto, baby! Posts: 25	I just took my first class tonight and there was my wife and another dancer... and I loved it. I love that my instructor is willing to train a guy, and her other dancers are willing to put up with my dipped-in-concrete shoulders and martial-arts hand waving (my previous dance experience is a Brazilian marital art called capoeira). It was a great way to learn something graceful... i think I'm hooked, or at least I will be once I get some of the basic steps. __________________ Better to be dead and cool, than alive and uncool.

07-09-2008, 05:54 PM	#6 (permalink)
Tarik Sultan V.I.P. Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Jersey City, New Jersey Posts: 1,373	First time I was really scared. I wasn't quite sure that Morocco was telling me the truth and that men really did move this way in its native culture, but I loved the music so much, I wanted to know how to move to it. I had no plans of doing it anywhere but in my bedroom as I listened to my music. Once I got to the actual class I was surprised that no one took my presence as being anything worthy of attention, which really helped me to feel more comfortable. During the class, I was so focused on what I was doing that I didn't have time to pay attention to what anyone else was doing, but the few times I stole glances around the room, I saw that they too were very absorbed in what they were doing. Because I'm West Indian, I was use to using my hips, but the torso, FORGET IT! Of course the fact that I had a sunk in chest, stooped shoulders and a severe sway back didn't help things, but I was determined to stick it out and practiced as much as I could at home. No one treated me any different than the other students, although they did find it interesting to see what the same movements looked like on a guys body. Just mild curiosity.

07-09-2008, 06:57 PM	#8 (permalink)
khanjar Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: England Posts: 444	My first class, well I very nearly didn't make it what with public transport and all being unreliable, but I was determined. I did not trust the next bus, so I ran to where I thought the venue was, about a mile and a half away. I got to the venue and guessed it was the right place judging by some of those who were going in. I went in and sheepishly went up to an organised looking person and asked, yes I had found the class. Once I had made my introduction, the pressure lifted a bit, first hump. The class, well, it was a dance studio, cushioned floors and mirrored walls. Then the dancing, the instructor tried her best with me, but I was hopeless, things that I was trying to make move would not and co ordination, forget it. It was a taster class, and I tried to learn what the others were practicing, which was one of the walking movements, again hopeless but I tried, then came practice for a performance they were doing, I chickened out at this and watched and noticed something. All the others there were very impressive, they could do the movements no problem, but they had been doing it for six months plus and the thought is, if they can do it to a standard that looks impressive to me, then I can do it in time, my gender is not a bar to learning and practicing this dance, especially as I have at this point, no intention to do anything more than be able to move to the groove. The instructor Siouxsie Cooper told me she had taught males before and has no problems doing so again. The rest of the class, as Tarik said, the same here, they just got on with the dance lesson and paid no attention to me. One of the ladies there saw me struggling to move my feet which felt as though they were stuck to the floor, and she said everyone was like that at the start and it takes time, but it comes in time. __________________ I am a dream to some...and a nightmare to others.

07-09-2008, 08:12 PM	#9 (permalink)
Zorba Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 862	Yep - Tarik and Khanjar's reflections pretty much mirror my own. We're talking about MAJOR blunderbuss here! Nothing worked, my ribcage was welded to my pelvis, my arms were hopelessly rigid, my feet wanted to go in opposite directions, and I was convinced that "everyone" was watching me (of course they weren't)! __________________ -Zorba "The Veiled Male" http://www.doubleveil.net "There is nothing sadder than a veil, that is for sale."

07-09-2008, 06:53 AM	#3 (permalink)
taheya Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: uk Posts: 524	Slightly off topic Khanjar but which teacher did you find to go to? Hope you enjoy the classes!

07-09-2008, 06:48 PM	#7 (permalink)
Shanazel Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Rocky Mountains USA Posts: 4,684	The only male student I ever had was another dance teacher, so he wasn't the usual newbie belly dancer, but as Tarik points out, most people are too absorbed in their own dance issues to pay much attention to the students around them. What perhaps male dancers fail to realize is that most WOMEN (at least in America) are not any more accustomed to moving the way one moves in belly dance than are men. I have had female students cry in a first night class just because they were stepping so far out of their comfort zones into a place that feels out of control and dangerous, at least at first. For some students, this is part of the allure. For others, it is what finally drives them away.

07-09-2008, 09:11 PM	#10 (permalink)
taheya Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: uk Posts: 524	Lucky you Khanjar Siouxie is a great teacher I hear! I have friends who have been to her workshops.