Learning to dance while on the go?

Winged-Scarab

Winged-Scarab

New member
I face a new dilemma in my dance journey. With my previous job, I had a regular schedule and I could take classes that fit around that. However, now that I am starting my new job, all that has changed. I don't have a solid idea of how the scheduling is going to work just yet, because I just got the job yesterday and I still have to go through my training, but what I do know is that the jobs through this company are contracts. In the winter season, I would be sent out of state for weeks (maybe even a couple months) at a time with a typical work schedule of 6 days of work and 1 day off until the work is completed. Then I get a couple weeks of time off at home before the next job. Summer would be mostly Michigan based (or close to Michigan) jobs with the same work schedule. I highly doubt I could do a search, find a nearby dance studio and just pay to drop in on my only day off whenever I am out on a job? Especially since my skills are still at the beginner level. I thought about taking classes through Datura Online and trying to do them from the hotel on my day off, but I have never had a Datura subscription, so I am uncertain if that would help me? Any thoughts or suggestions, you guys? Thanks for any input you can offer!
 
Kashmir

Kashmir

New member
Many years back I travelled a lot. I got to do classes with a lot of great teachers as a result - although it was frustrating that it'd only be for a short time. Another thing to look out for are workshops and you could book private lessons.
 
M

MidnightSunDancer

New member
Congrats on the new job! That's terribly exciting. So is having the opportunity to travel. What fun. I love your idea of contacting local studio/teachers near you. Explaining your situation may help them, help you with the perfect class for whatever amount of time. And, if not a class, then privates which could also be great.

As much as I love travel, I know I tend to stick close to the hotel or only engage with fellow work-people or just really surface convos from a hotel bar! It can be alienating and also, it can be harder for me to be physically active which is so needed with such a job. Having a class or a teacher to meet, even if only once or twice, would address that.

I do take Datura classes and I've very much enjoyed them. Many of the classes are slanted towards 'with some experience' but there are beginner classes and that might be a nice supplement to keep up with whatever you learn when you go out and about with classes or a teacher. They also have a wide variety of styles which is really cool to be exposed to when you're new.
 
Daimona

Daimona

Moderator
Congratulations on your new job.
If you don't ask local teachers (wherever you go to work), you won't know if they will accept students for a shorter time span.
The worst answer you'll get from an inquiery is no answer. The best is of course "yes, please come."

I've asked teachers for possibilities for drop-in classes at several places, even if I'm just staying for just a few days or a week.
And it has been both fun and challenging, particularly the intermediate choreography class in Finland where they were reviewing previous choreographies. My vocabulary in Finnish is limited to app. ten words, but I could still take home some nice combinations.

Good luck on both your new job and dance journey.
 
Winged-Scarab

Winged-Scarab

New member
Holy wow! You all have provided such awesome input on this! Thank you so much! I leave for training on January 3rd. Here is my plan. I am already in a few FB belly dance groups, so I will keep an eye out for any upcoming workshops that might be near wherever I end up. While I am working, I will be saving up for a Datura sub to give it a try. Wisconsin is where they will be sending me for training, but they haven't told me what town yet. So I will have to wait to find out what area I will be looking for local instructors in to contact. As for Darshiva, I would love to partake in a Skype lesson for those times when I am unable to locate a nearby instructor. I will also be getting in touch with my instructor in Michigan to see if I can arrange private lessons or drop ins for the times when I will be home. Thank you for the congrats on my new job!!! You guys are awesome with all the suggestions and feedback! <3
 
Obsydian

Obsydian

New member
I'm a flight attendant, and just started with Datura Online. These are all excellent suggestions! I have been slowly working through the videos in my hotel room.
 
Greek Bonfire

Greek Bonfire

Well-known member
If any of the above options aren't available, you could bring one or two instructional DVDs with you. With that option, you can stop and start at your convenience.
 
lilya

lilya

Member
I had the pleasure to take a term of Darshiva's classes and absolutely loved them - beautifully structured and personalized perfectly. Then work got erratic... I do enjoy Datura classes, too, but whenever I activate a subscription I just end up listening to them while I work, probably getting around to doing at most 1-2 classes per month. My stamina & visual attention span have seemingly decreased as well. They have the "DO daily" (~30 minutes), of which I did 3 or 4 because even that seems too long to me right now. In my quest for as short as possible, I've just discovered Sahira's "Belly Dance Bites" - about a dozen of free, short videos (10-15 minutes). I hope to have a look at them over the weekend.

Edited to make a subject and a verb agree. :)
 
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