becoming a dance teacher
So you want to be a professional belly dancer! (performing and teaching)
So you want to be a professional belly dancer! (performing and teaching)
Written by Mellilah
PERFORMING
Belly dance is such a beautiful art form. People say that this is a “dance for everyone.” It is! Belly dance makes us feel sexy, feminine, and proud of our bodies. Without a lot of training or expertise, you can get instant gratification dancing through an entire song. Belly dancing does not require a particular body type. To do it for fun, you don’t have to have special shoes, you don’t have to be super fit, and you don’t have to have a whole lot of balance, like in so many other dance forms. You can’t fudge your way through tap dancing, etc… But in belly dance, you can dance, dance, dance, by yourself or with others, and feel good about it! It’s fun to watch people you know belly dance, as we can appreciate how hard it is to do some of the movements and isolations. It’s exciting just to see someone come close. We have student recitals just like all other dance forms; however, we also have big celebrations that you don’t see in other dance forms, haflas, belly dance festivals and retreats, etc… So, yes, belly dance is unique in these ways. Yes, it’s a dance for everyone to “enjoy”!
However, an art form would cease to exist if there weren’t some who excelled at it. Those that excel in art, music, sports, etc… are the ones that motivate others to learn it, patronize it, dabble in it, or aspire to be it. Without fine examples, the art form would die. Those that excel become the catalysts and teachers for the dancers of tomorrow.
So, what do I need to learn and how do I know when I’ve reached a professional level? Unfortunately, there’s no black and white answer. So then what? Here are a few things to keep in mind:
1. Just relax, learn, and enjoy the dance and everything will happen as it’s meant to be.
2. Don’t let people discourage you from trying. It’s your “right” to try. It’s this passion to “be,” to learn, that makes life worth living. Although everyone can enjoy the dance, not everyone is cut out to be a professional belly dancer. Just like any other art form, some people never get to the professional level no matter how hard they try. However, even if you remain a student, it’s usually the journey not the destination that matters. (Coming from a schoolteacher, I know that you should never get in the way of someone’s dreams. I’ve seen kids struggle for years and then suddenly blow everyone away. No one knows what another human is capable of and no one knows the true nature of another’s psyche, which plays a huge role in our success.) So, dance your heart away and give it all you’ve got.
3. Be selective and find a good teacher. Take group classes, private lessons, or both.
4. Take workshops and be selective about which ones you choose. If you don’t know, ask your teacher.
5. Get online and watch videos of exceptional belly dancers. Your teacher should be sharing these with you. Study what these dancers do. This is vital to your education as a dancer.
6. Read- Get online and read about the history, rhythms, costumes, traditions, etc… Your teacher should be sharing this with you.
7. Attend shows- See high-quality dancers perform live as much as possible. Ask your teacher for recommendations. If you are fortunate to have live Middle Eastern bands in your area, attend as many of their shows as possible. Get up and dance when it’s an open dance. Watch any Middle Eastern patrons dance. Notice how they move.
8. Set goals and schedule practice time- Plan when you will research and practice. How many hours per week? Decide when and how long you will study videos.
9. Save your money for the most important things. Spend your money on more classes instead of fancy jewelry or costumes. Ask your teacher before buying instructional and/or performance videos, as there’s a lot of junk out there. You can’t learn everything from one person or source but you do want to be selective, so you’re not spinning your wheels. Do your homework and find out. Save your money for the best classes, shows, workshops, etc.
10. Help elevate the dance form you are in or that you’re joining by voting with your money. Support the shows that showcase high-quality dancing and pay their artists well. Support your local Middle Eastern musicians. If you have limited funds, it’s more reason to be selective. The time you spend observing will help you develop a keen eye.
11. Dance Theatre/Fusion Dance- It’s fun but resist the urge to fuse or alter belly dance at first. Initially, you need to fully learn good belly dance technique. Later, you can fuse it with other dance forms or use belly dance moves in dance theatre or alternative dance. And if you choose to branch out, label it as such. (Fusion dance is a dance that encorporates two specific dance forms. For example, Flamenco and Belly Dance can make a beautiful fusion dance.)
12. When you feel ready, do get stage experience at haflas and student recitals and showcases. There are lots of events that are appropriate for gaining stage experience. Ask your teacher for a list.
13. Be responsibile: Do not dance for pay and do not pose as a professional dancer until you are ready. This includes dancing for the general public without announcing that you are a student dancer. By representing ourselves properly, we help raise the publics’ perception of our dance form. Sometimes students and “up-and-coming” dancers are given a chance to open up a show at a public venue; in these cases, it’s the producers and/or dancer’s responsibility to announce the performances properly, and it’s important that the dancers are polished and well prepared.
TEACHING
Dancers often jump into teaching too soon and before they are qualified to teach. This comes from poor training, in my opinion. Teaching is a huge responsibility; so take it seriously. Here are some thoughts regarding teaching:
1. Why do you want to teach? Consider the other teachers in your area, the good ones. Are you able to offer the same instruction or better?
2. Be well learned and never stop learning. Take a “real” look at your credentials and your skill sets. What do you need to learn? What are your strengths and weaknesses? Especially if you’re not Middle Eastern, it can take a lifetime to come close to truly figuring out the mystery of the dance, the history, and other dance customs.
2. Be honest- Be ready to be a positive example for your students. Admit when you don’t have the answers. Dabbling in something does not make a person an expert, so only call yourself a professional when you have truly excelled in that field. We may have expertise but there is always more to learn.
3. Excelling in your field is not the only prerequisite to teaching, as teaching requires more than just dance ability. An excellent dancer is not necessarily an excellent teacher.
4. Teaching belly dance is more than just teaching “moves.”
5. Have full knowledge/understanding of all aspects of belly dance
–Middle Eastern rhythms
–Music interpretation
–Stage presence
–Dancing with live band/musicians
–Body anatomy
–Body awareness and alignment
–Injury prevention
–Proper warm-ups and stretches
–How/when to dance to specific rhythms
–How to dance to different types of music; choosing appropriate movements for the music
–Culture/traditions/customs- What to do/not do in a plethora of environments
–Professionalism/ethics
–Costuming- Appropriate dress for different dances
–Choreography and improvisation
–Middle Eastern instruments
–Use of props
–How to teach music and dance appreciation
–Belly dance technique- movements, isolations, variations, traveling moves
–Knowledge of creating a syllabus/class – Chronology, what’s important /not important
–Knowledge of how to teach- You don’t have to have a teaching degree but you do need to do some work before you start
6. Only start teaching when you can honestly say that you have reached a professional level in your field, have a wealth of knowledge to share, understand the responsibilities of teaching people, and have skill in teaching. Talk to your mentor or those you respect about your interest in teaching.
***Mellilah teaches and performs in Seattle, WA. For more info about the author, please visit www.mellilah.com.
PS- Hadia of Canada was asked this question in an interview: What advice do you have for the dancer, both new to the dance and those stepping out into the professional ranks? Here’s her reply, “I think that the first question that an upcoming dancer should ask herself is if she wants to be around for a long time or be a flash in the pan or the flavour of the week. Does she seek quality or quantity? Is she willing to work and work hard and go out of her way to be the very best that she can be? Does she want to touch people’s hearts when she dances or does she want them to see her technique? Is she in a hurry or is she prepared to let this luscious dance form slowly seep into her cells until it is time to unveil another secret and another perspective?” Excerpt taken from Hadia’s Articles. (I took the liberty of correcting a couple of typos from Hadia’s original post.)
