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3. Tryout Classes
Firstly there should NEVER be more than 20 – this is a real maximum pushing your luck number! – Students in a class.
How on earth can you get quality tuition from a lady whose attention is so divided? I personally set the limit at round 15.
Tryout classes are an excellent way to determine, firstly whether you like Belly Dancing and secondly whether you like the teacher, her methods and style of instruction and whether you will benefit from participating in her classes.
Class etiquette to remember when trying out a class:
- Inform the teacher that you are coming
- Please never be late, it is very disruptive, rather be there 10 minutes early to assess everything and/or speak to the teacher.
- Dress comfortably and ask when inquiring what she expects you to wear to a class.
- Ask for help when needed
- Do not converse with other students while the class is in progress – meaning striking up a full blown conversation on the other persons experience in dance etc. leave this for after class! It is rude and disruptive and you are depriving the other students of the knowledge the teacher is sharing. You will personally also not get the most out of the class if doing other things.
What should a class look like – this is also only a rough but mostly accurate guide:
- Most importantly – stretching. A well trained teacher knows this is vital to prevent injury as well as to enable students to do the movements better as their muscles are more supple. It also promotes flexibility and endurance during class! Stretching is not just doing movements or following the teacher directly into belly movements. It is getting down on the floor and stretching, hamstrings, gluts arms, the works!
- A class should be divided and separated at least into the following:
- Beginners
- Intermediate
- Advanced dancers
This is so YOU get the most from your dancing experience! There is nothing worse than being a beginner surrounded by experienced dancers doing movements you can not possibly expect to be doing at your level, or an advanced dancer learning nothing because new dancers keep joining every week.
For a beginner class a teacher should:
- Explain a bit about the styles you will be learning and what she teaches e.g. Egyptian cabaret and Folkloric styles etc.
- She should also explain basic posture, stance and frame – where your arms should be.
- Explain the basic movement – you are paying good money to be taught, ensure that she is teaching! Class should not be a person dancing about in the front of a room and you blindly following. Then you might as well buy a DVD for all the worth you are getting.
A teacher should take approximately 4-8 movements in class and:
- Tell you their name
- Break the movement down and explain EXACTLY what you should be doing/moving, what muscles should be working, and what parts of the body should not be moving
- She should tell you where your feet should be
- She should show you where your arms should be – frame
- She should demonstrate the full movement and what it should look like
- Drill it! Repetition is the mother of learning and getting things right
- She should be open to questions if you do not understand a movement or are having problems executing it.
- Keep in mind students learn in different ways:
- Visually - by seeing – visually her showing you with her own body
- by hearing – the teacher explaining the movement verbally
- through touching – your teacher putting her hands on your hip/ shoulder etc. and gently directing your body and you placing your hands on her hip/ shoulder etc. and feeling her muscles move. PLEASE NOTE if you have problems or dislike being touched, please inform your teacher as to not cause any future problems in this area!
- Through speaking – you physically repeating the words and explanations mentioned above.
- Through a combination of the above
To conclude a class, once again stretching is very important. A cool down will prevent injury and general aches and pains.
Finally decide whether you liked the teacher, her style of teaching etc.
Remember to try out other classes to compare with if you can find more than one in your area.
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