There’s Really Only One Word To Describe Unmata…

Badass.

Inspiration? Really?

I’m apparently feeling very inspired tonight.  I have a ton of blog post ideas running through my head.  The inspiration is even spawning ideas for a separate belly dance only blog (cross-posted here, I’m sure) and website and videos. Performance videos, class video blogging, interviews, discussions!  And I can post my teacher info there.  It will be a place to solely express my dancer persona.

Don’t get too excited (I’m mostly talking to me here).  Unfortunately, I’m sure retail will hammer the creative streak back out of me in a matter of days and I’ll go back to exhausting, boring, acronym spewing, sales promoting, mind numbing management like they pay me to.  (ugh)

Maybe it’ll last.  If it doesn’t at least I know it’s still there somewhere and it will return at some point.  I just need to accept the fact that I have to accomplish my creative goals very slowly, in increments, over long weekends and random inspired evenings like tonight.

Now unfortunately I need to be heading toward bed so I can get up and pretend to be a retail person in the morning.

What Was My Worst Performance Experience?

I was watching a Bill Hicks interview last night about the worst gig he ever did.  Kind of got me thinking about all the shows I’ve done.

Most of them have been positive experiences, but I think we’ve all had that embarrassing on-stage mishap, such as a runny nose (a huge fear of mine! Seriously, there are no good options!), costume malfunctions or having your show rudely interrupted by some cheek-sucking greyhound talking on her cell phone in the front row.

I don’t really get stage fright anymore.  Not much at all.  I used to really bad, so bad smiling was actually painful.  I’ve gotten over it through the years though.  Performing forces you to grow a thick skin at some point.  There’s really no other choice.

The worst performance experience I’ve had was with my first dance troupe.  We were invited to entertain at an auction for some good feminine cause like breast cancer awareness or something like that.  It was held in an absolutely gorgeous auditorium in a Masonic Temple with beautiful stain glass creations lining the walls, a feigned starry sky for a ceiling and an antique, multi-layered, forest-themed backdrop behind the stage.  All the seats were filled.

The auction was being held in the form of a fashion show with many wearable pieces donated by local artists.  We waited for over an hour in the dressing room watching the models prepare and come and go as the show went on.  The audience was loud with excitement. We were in for a good show.  Audience energy can give a huge boost.

Finally, the bidding stopped and we were going on to dance, which I believe was to be followed by some refreshments. We were introduced and our music started.  As we glided onto the stage, the crowd was rowdy.  We began dancing, they began walking around and in huge droves, exiting the theater!  There must have been at least a hundred and fifty women there, all leaving!  After a few minutes the only sound in the theater was our music.  There was only four audience members left.  If there’s ever a good time to run off stage and cry into your tassel belt, this was it.

We stayed of course.  For one thing, we were getting paid for a twenty minute set, and the four people who were watching actually did seem to enjoy themselves.

Looking back, I’m sure all the bidding just got the ladies riled up and they were ready to get their merchandise and have a drink.  But it feels pretty awful to have a whole theater walk out on you like that.

Students and Self Promotion

My dance class is shrinking slightly again.  I lose students periodically to such things as giving birth, foot surgery, personal lives and exhaustion.  I’m sure every class does.  It takes awhile to build a program.

I began fearing I wouldn’t make a profit on the class anymore, or worse, it would actually cost me money again.  I started considering canceling the class.  I really can’t afford any additional costs right now.

But, after teaching class tonight with a mere one student, and seeing her excitement for learning new moves and the feeling of accomplishment we both got from having made it through the whole vocabulary of movements I had put together for the class, I’ve decided that it’s absolutely worth it whether I have one student or twenty.

Babies get bigger and feet heal and obstacles pass.  Old students will come back.  New students will get interested.

I guess my biggest goal in teaching really is to share what I know; for a couple reasons.  First of all, it’s fun!  And I want people to dance with!  My greater goal is to pass on what I know and stabilize a good Tribal program that could continue on even if I was to move away.  It’s about passing the torch and sharing the love for the dance.  And even if I only get to do that with a few students, it will have been worthwhile.

And that brings me to the aspect of gaining students. Self promotion.  This isn’t my strength.  I usually just do my thing.  I’d have to make fliers and videos and advertise and make myself personally sellable as a teacher.  Ugh.  I work full time.  I’m tired a lot.  And I’m on the modest side.  I just don’t have the time and energy for all that.

So, I guess I need to reasearch some easy yet effective ways to promote.  Wish me luck.

A Shimmy Progressive

Dance classes are going really well finally.  I feel like I’ve really improved as a teacher, just in the fact that I’m now comfortable teaching. I actually have several students who come to class regularly.  This is a major improvement. And we are set to have our next performance at the end of October.

The dilemma I’m still facing, however, is time management.  How do you fit everything into an hour long class?  I still haven’t figured it out.  I’ve finally just succumb to the fact that I have to sacrifice something every week and prioritize what is really necessary to ensure we are in the best position to progress.

This week, I had to sacrifice the entire slow section to give a major zill break down intensive.  I hate to do it.  I feel like the slow family of movements already gets neglected as it is, but I really felt like the zill thing had to be done now before we got too far without them and then have to re-learn everything with them.  I promised to pay extra attention to the slow family of moves next week to make up for it.

So my class plan from now on, warm-up (always with shimmy practice, because you always need shimmy practice), one fast move breakdown and drilling, fast move vocabulary practice (revisiting things we’ve already covered) now with zills, one slow move breakdown and drilling, slow move vocabulary practice, and cool-down and stretching.  As soon as the zills come together more, the vocabulary practice sections of the class will also become leading and following practice sections.

So I will keep sacrificing things when it’s necessary to break something down in more detail and then keep building a more complexly structured dance class. Which makes sense because American Tribal Style is a complex dance form.  It’s like learning to drive a standard while talking on the phone, drinking a soda and smoking a cigarette.

Only prettier.