What Are Guinea Pigs?
2007-08-29 10:48:00
I got an excellent question about what are my "guinea pigs." My guinea pigs are students who take the Belly Dance Trainer certification material before it is released to the public. The point of this is to "test" the material. Is it clear? Is there enough explanation? Does the material cross cultural boundaries well? The guinea pigs also tell me if the assessment is fair. If none of the guinea pigs get a section of the material right, it's obviously not presented in such a way that is easily understood. If most of them are confused, I need to rethink what I am trying to say and how I am doing that. If most of them do get it, I can reasonably assume that others will also be able to get it.When I was in college, I had professors who didn't score questions if most of the class couldn't answer them correctly. It was assumed that the question was either flawed, or the teaching did not provide enough information to expect that the student would be able to correctly answer it. Using guinea
You Can Do It
2007-09-16 06:12:00
Sometimes people ask me if it's too late for them to start belly dancing. Or they will ask me if they can learn because they doubt their rhythmic ability. I think anyone can learn how to dance. I started at 28. When I was little, there was lots of music and singing in our house, but no dancing. My mom danced every now and then, but really in a non-rhythmic way. Even my child eyes could see that. My dad only danced if he was kidding around and that was extremely rare. None of us kids had any rhythm because we had no practice. I was also very shy, so there was no way I was going to get up and dance in front of someone else! I was the least likely person to become a belly dancer who dances for other people for money, but it happened. And if I can do it, you can do it.It started for me around the age of 17. I went to a club with an older friend. My first thought was, "This sucks. These people are just here to hook up. There is no way I am going to get out there and dance." As I watched pe
World Belly Dance Day!
2007-09-12 04:34:00
Time to start preparing for World
Belly Dance
Day. It's the second Saturday in May. For more information, see http://www.worldbellydanceday.com. I think it sounds like a really cool concept. I am going to see what can be done here to promote the idea. I like the goal of promoting belly dance as an artform. Doesn't seem like a very novel idea to me, but I am still amazed at the number of people who ask, "Do you take all your clothes off?" What! (lol) Here's to the day when belly dance is broadly known and misconceptions like that are a thing of the past.
bellies and hair
2007-09-10 19:58:00
I don't know how the stereotype that belly dancers have big bellies got started. I get really miffed at the question, "Do I have to have a big belly to belly dance?" or the comment, "I got the belly for that!" I think belly dancers typically have rounder, more feminine shapes (although this is not universally true, of course), but we aren't Buddhas!I also get asked if you have to have long hair to belly dance. Like, is there something in your hair that gives you rhythm? When I cut my hair in 1998, I felt bald and unbellydancer-ish and couldn't wait for it to grow back, but there certainly isn't a rule that you must have long hair to dance. I think your look should be whatever you are comfortable with. I mean, isn't part of the whole reason we love it is that it celebrates our individuality?
fun free events
2007-09-28 05:42:00
I know that we are always talking about getting paid for our work, but sometimes it's fun to dance at free events
. One of my friends is organizing one next month. It's a student event. It's low key and targeted to educating college students on culture. The performers will be mostly students with an experienced dancer thrown in here and there.Now, if all the performers were professional or most of them were professional, I'd have a problem with that. I think that pros should be paid. But if the event is open to students of all sizes and skill levels, then I am okay with someone with experiencing being in the show too. I mean, we all have friends who are more skilled than us and belly dance continues to be a social activity for us, right?Anyway, I don't think the lines should be so strictly drawn that we exclude ourselves from fun events. It's not always about putting on a professional, high quality show. When we give students the opportunity to dance in places where they can be su
All About Taaj
2007-10-03 15:38:00
...well, not really. I stole this from Saahira Nashita because I thought it would give some insight into me that are different from what my posts reflect.1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Yes, the movie and song, "Laura" which was my dad's favorite at the time.2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? I am not much of a crier. I couldn't even tell you.3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING Yeah, I guess. (Hey, I didn't make up the questions)4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? prioscutto5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? one6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? I would love me, yes! I'd get on my nerves too though. Sometimes I get on a roll with something and don't let go.7. YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? No. When I was little, someone told me that sarcasm was a cover up for insecurity. I took that to heart and became more of a straight shooter. 8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? yes9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? never, I am not a thrill seeker. Life is exciting enough.10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CER
Are All People Welcome?
2007-09-30 18:24:00
I have been asked if all students with money are welcome to take the Belly Dance Trainer Certification Program. To tell you the truth, I don't encourage beginning dancers to take it if they are interested in certification because they won't have the movement vocabulary to pass the assessments. If they are interested in the information to help them be a better students, of course they are welcome to buy the material. I don't ask everyone why they are buying it beforehand, but if they ask me if it can help them, I give them an honest answer.I have also been asked if all students pass the assessments. The answer to that is "absolutely not." This is not to say that the assessments are designed to be really tough. For me, it's not about being so difficult that nobody can pass. Neither is it about being so easy that all people pass. It's about setting a minimum standard of competency in defined skill sets. It's designed so that any student of a certified Belly Dance Trainer will know t
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Are You Doing Belly Dance or Being it?
2007-10-13 09:59:00
This morning I had an "ah ha" moment when I realized what I like when I am watching a dancer. I like the person who is being rather than doing. What I mean is, some dance looks technical to me. It's like it's work. It is like the person sat and planned everything they wanted to do to a set musical phrase and how they wanted it to look and then did it. Sometimes that can be done very artistically, intricately, and beautifully, but it still looks like a piece of work.Then there are dancers who embody the experience. They become one with the music, culture, and the audience, and the movements just flow from their body. You may not even remember what they did, but you always remember the feeling of being there because you were on that journey with them.It's kinda like religion. When you are little and being brought up in a faith, it's not yet yours. You are practicing it. You question it, play with it, turn your back on it, and then maybe accept it. Once you claim it (or another religi
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$222,000 Fine!!!
2007-10-05 16:15:00
In case you haven't heard, a MN woman was fined $222,000 for copyright infringement. She shared music (24 songs) online. I am so stunned, I can barely speak. But I have to at least say, "I told you so."For years people have been telling me that I am too much of a rule abider because I don't copy music and give it to other people. My stance for years has been that if you like the music, buy it. Support the artist(s) who made it so that he/she/they can continue to make more. Not to mention that it's illegal to bootleg music- EVEN IF YOU GIVE IT AWAY.I realize that it's hard to catch people doing this and judgments like this are rare, but who wants to be on the losing side of such a case? Especially for a $20 CD! Sheesh. Just buy the music. If you like it, it's worth paying for.
crossing the line
2007-10-19 11:15:00
Maybe I am a romantic, but I see belly dance as a girl's thing. Yes, guys are welcome. They drum for us, carry our costumes, hang out in support of their gals, but mostly it's "our thing."I can accept that some of us are nasty. They compete for gigs, undermine each other, undercut each other, and try to hog up the spotlight for themselves. I get that. I think that's part of being a girl and wanting to have all the beautiful "stuff" of belly dance all to yourself.But most of what is belly dance is girl stuff. It's shiny costumes, feeling pretty, being sensual, being comfortable in your skin and being around others who are too. It's about sharing that with others who like what you like. There is definitely a sisterhood about it, even when it's not all pleasant.So that's why I can't believe it when I heard that one belly dancer is having an affair with another belly dancer's husband. I know. I am silly. People do stuff. But I just couldn't imagine that anything having to do with
Okay, now I get it
2007-10-30 04:32:00
I couldn't understand why all these dance teachers were telling their students to clench this or that muscle while doing movements. That was really a pet peeve of mine. Then I got a new exercise video yesterday that had the same stuff on it. Now I get it!I think it's great when people get more education. I also think that cross training is a good idea, but all movement is not alike. The purpose of exercise is to stretch, tone, build muscle and/or lose weight. The purpose of dance is to move aesthetically to music. If you apply exercise science to dance, you are really likely to hurt yourself. They are not the same. To dance injury free, you have to use the least amount of force required to create the movement. Rehabilitative movement, such as that which is taught in Alexander Technique, has the same philosophy.I know people want certifications. They want to know about muscles and movement and all that to be better teachers, but applying exercise science to dance is not the way to go
Zills on Fire- a review
2007-11-04 09:37:00
I just received "Zills on Fire" by Lily Splane. It's a booklet called "A Finger Cymbal Workshop with Lily Splane" and a audio CD. It's available at http://www.cyberlepsy.com/zills.htm for $20.The website advertises that this product will provide a "different method of learning rhythm" , a rhythm study guide, and "learning your brain: right and left hemispheres" among other things. This sounded pretty cool to me. I couldn't wait to see it.Fortunately, the product was as advertised. All those things were included. Unfortunately, the written material was so brief that the only way that you could make much use of it would be if you attended a live workshop that explained it or you were already familiar with the material. If you are a beginner and/or someone with little musical background, you can forget it! This would probably make little or no sense to you.The audio tracks are designed to help people who have trouble differentiating dums from teks or picking out the rhythm from all the
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Empty Your Cup
2007-11-11 12:39:00
A seeker of truth goes to a Zen Master. The seeker's head was full with ideas about the truth, life, spirituality. It was read by the The Zen Master's eyes.The Zen master started pouring the tea in the cup, he continued to pour the tea even after the cup was full and the tea began to spill over from the cup. The seeker on seeing this pointed out to the Zen Master that cup was full and the pouring more tea was pointless.To this the Master replied, "Like this cup," Nan-in said, "you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?"Indicating that unless one goes with the calm and attentive mind free from ideas, the master cannot help.
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Growing as a Dancer
2007-11-11 07:06:00
I am glad that dance is moving in a direction that will foster even more growth. What I mean is, I see teachers offering classes in the business of belly dance and focusing on things like exploration of movement (rather than solely doing combinations), compositional structure, and individual personality. Oh, I am not saying that belly dance hasn't always been creative. It has, but in exploring the elements that make the dance wildly exciting, success can be more predictive than happenstance.Dance is not an either/or thing. It can be right brained and left brained. It can be structured and improvisational. It can be heartfelt and technical. In fact, it should be both.A lot of my learning and growing process came from defining and playing with elements. I may have known intuitively what X was, but until I worked with it in isolation, played with it, explored it, and intentionally used it in set places, it didn't become a thing that I could use or ignore at will. And I think that's one
Read more: Growing
, Dancer
BDT Yahoo group is up
2007-11-09 07:49:00
The Belly Dance Trainer Certification Program Yahoo
Group is up. There is no link on my website yet, but it's located at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BDTrainer/. It's open to people who are curious about the program, who are in the program, and who are certified belly dance trainers (although none of those exist yet). Check it out.
pretty cycle/ugly cycle
2007-11-09 07:42:00
I don't know if people will think I am crazy, but I think that I (and probably other people) go through pretty cycles and ugly cycles. Now, I am talking about outside appearance. ;)I must be going through a pretty cycle right now because I keep getting these admiring glances from guys. But I know that sometimes, it doesn't matter what I wear or how much make up I put on, I just look mediocre. Fortunately, I don't care all that much and will go out looking like a zombie, but if I could have good effects with the same effort, I'd rather look better than worse. Know what I mean?Anyway, it's nice to be in a pretty cycle and I hope it lasts a while. :)
I Love Teaching!
2007-11-08 17:22:00
I am not teaching weekly classes right now because I am focusing on getting the Belly Dance Trainer certification program completed, but I am teaching through that program- teaching people to be better teachers. I have to say that I am loving it. It's definitely different because it's long distance learning and it's not as hands on as doing weekly classes or even workshops, but it is absolutely thrilling to see people progress. The first time the student does A, it might be sketchy and unsure, but as time goes by, you start to see that it's smooth and seemless and it becomes all her own. She adds her own touch to it and uses it and works it like a pro. And then you forget that it ever was a problem for her. That's just fantastic for me to see. As the students move on, it gets harder and harder to come up with constructive criticism to keep them striving for the next hurdle because they just keep getting better and better. And that is so incredibly gratifying to me. I can't even i
In a Perfect Belly Dance World...
2007-11-07 19:25:00
... there would be no undercutting... people would ask for and be paid what they are worth... there would be a separation of hobbyist and professionals... teachers wouldn't mix exercise or other dance forms into belly dance unless there is a purpose... fusion would be purposeful... there would be venues for all styles of dance... there would be regular learning opportunities for intermediate and advanced students... performers wouldn't mix costuming elements out of ignorance of style... the division between dancer, teacher and choreographer would be recognized widely... event sponsors could make money... you wouldn't have to watch your back to make sure your teacher isn't stabbing you... musicians would be fairly compensated for their work... you could buy belly dance music in any music store... you could buy belly dance dvds in any movie store... we wouldn't have to deal with divas with attitudes... we'd never get questions like, "Do you take your clothes off?"It's come a long
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, Dance
, World
Copying Beethoven
2007-11-16 18:51:00
I just finished watching Copying
Beethoven
. There were two things in it that I thought were stellar. The first is the part where Beethoven is critiquing his copyist's work. He tells her that it's all about structure and form and has no soul. That was just so poetic. He's so right. While I generally teach from the rules, structure, form perspective, I do so because I find that is the piece that is lacking. Without structure, your soul cannot be held together in an artistic way. But what differentiates an artist from a practitioner is the harmonious blend of both. Anyway, that was nicely done.The other thing I liked about this movie was the music. The music was just fantastic. The music from this movie reminded me so much of Egyptian classical music because of the complexity, intensity, emotional quality, and in some cases the simplicity. There are pieces of music that I just can't dance to because I get too wrapped up in listening that I cease to move altogether. Some music is just
workshop courtesy
2007-11-15 07:34:00
What do you think of sponsors who do not provide a meal to their workshop instructor? As a sponsor, I ALWAYS offer to provide at least one meal during the instructor's stay. Most of the time the instructor accepts, but sometimes they have friends in town, just want to be alone, have to catch a plane, or whatever and can't stay. That's cool, but at least I have made the attempt. I have been sponsored by people who feed me and by those who just hand me my fee and say, "See ya!" I don't take offense to that. I know that sponsoring is a lot of work. Sometimes the sponsor doesn't have the help to do everything. Sometimes the sponsor is new and just doesn't think of stuff like that. For whatever reason, I am not upset by not being offered a meal. I think it's a nice social grace, but it's not in the contract, ya know. Anyway, I don't care. I think it's a nice perk, but not necessary.
Belly Dance as Therapy?
2007-11-14 07:03:00
I just saw an advertisement for a Belly Dance
as Therapy
workshop that is being taught by someone who isn't a therapist. Now, I realize that belly dance is therapeutic, but I do not think that anyone who is not a therapist should be teaching a "belly dance therapy" class or workshop. In fact, the law forbids it.Why? Because what happens when the student brings up all sorts of emotional stuff? Is the person qualified to deal with it? I don't think so. And that's a very real possibility.I used to teach a class that was held at a rehabilitation center. I got a lot of people who were recovering from physical illnesses in that class, so movement was modified to keep them from injuring themselves. The result is that we focused more on emoting and quality of movement than technique. It was not uncommon for the students to go to an emotional place and experience catharsis. I stopped teaching that class because at the time, I didn't have the credentials to help them process the experience.Y
Taaj's Top Ten
2007-11-12 19:11:00
I started to make a list of my top ten teachers, but then I got scared that I might forget someone really important. Then I thought, well, maybe it's not so important to give names. Maybe it's more important to say what I like about them. So here it goes...Teacher #1 is incredibly knowledgeable. She's made her entire life's work dance. Not just belly dance but western dance and Polynesian dance. She's danced on stage, so she understands staging and choreography. She's also incredibly knowledgeable about body mechanics, so she breaks things down with crystal clarity. She can do a dance backward, forward, to the right or left or whatever and never gets messed up. She can do a lot of different styles equally well. And she's a nice, giving person. I've never heard a negative thing about her from anyone and God knows that's rare in belly dance!Teacher #2 is really sweet. She dances and teaches with such love. You look at her and know that she's really invested in her work. She see
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No Intermediate Market
2007-11-21 06:24:00
I wonder why belly dance has not developed an intermediate market. There may be instructors who teach intermediates and cities where it isn't a problem to find intermediate level instruction, but industry wide there is no place for intermediate level dancers to go for continuing education except self-study, workshops, coaching and video instruction. I think that makes it horribly difficult for people to progress.I think that there are a lot of teachers out there who start teaching as intermediates and that takes them out of the intermediate market because they don't want to take lessons from someone whom they feel is not as good as they are. I think a lot of teachers start teaching with the thought of "I will just teach beginners and then my students can move on", but when those beginners get all the teacher is offering, they might think that they have all there is to have because no one is offering anything more. That's how *I* got started teaching so early.Anyway, belly dance is a
Read more: Intermediate
, Market
Know It Alls
2007-11-17 18:53:00
The last couple of days I have been surrounded by Know-It-Alls. I am getting tired of hearing about how this person knows everything about everything, knows everyone, and has been everywhere. What is wrong with not having a comment? What is wrong with listening sometime? What's wrong with acknowleding that someone else has an original idea. I was playing Trivial Pursuit with a group of people and this one Know-It-All kept saying stuff like, "Aw come on, you didn't know that?" when someone missed a question. Yeah, come on. Like you DID know it?Or this one belly dancer know-it-all is about 12 years old and she talks like she has been around since Moses. Come on. You get no street cred until you are at least 14...Yeah, I am being petty. Just in a mood, I guess...
giving
2007-11-27 06:33:00
So I posted on tribe about myregistry.com. I liked the whole idea of having a centralized wish list so that people who want to buy gifts will get something that "fits." I think it saves time and makes things a lot more convenient for the giver. Now, I was not prepared for the response of "this sounds like spam" or "what's in it for Taaj?" I was irritated at first, but then I had to laugh because I am the biggest skeptic in the world and that would probably have been my first reaction too had someone else posted it! Touche`! :)I hate shopping. I really do. I love Christmas, but don't like the crowds, lines, or searching for that perfect gift. It's too much stress and pressure. That's why I shop all year 'round. Not "shop" exactly, but if I am out and something jumps out at me, I buy it and usually save it for the next gift giving ocassion. If it's perfect for someone, they have to have it, right? I don't see giving as obligatory, not when I am the receiver or giver, but I think t
The Strange People You Meet Online
2007-11-28 14:59:00
Have you ever met someone in person that you first came into contact with online? Isn't it strange how they don't seem at all like they did in the cyber world? I mean there is the, "Hey, you said you were a belly dance enthusiast. You didn't say anything about being a stalker" types. Then there is the, "Where did you leave your doppleganger?" types. And then sometimes the person actually ends up being way cooler than you ever thought possible. I've had the experience of meeting all three types. Fortunately, the latter has been the more frequent run in. It's cool when you see someone at an event that you only knew online and then you have a real face to put with it. Very cool indeed.
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boo to political correctness
2007-12-10 07:21:00
I have been saying, "Happy Holidays" for years. Not because I am anti-Christian or don't want to offend people, but because my acquantaince is broad and diverse and I may not be privvy to what they celebrate or believe in. Wishing Happy holidays is simply a way of acknowledging the joyous wishes of the season without being specific.The problem with that is that some people want to lump me in with people who ARE political
ly correct and want to take the Christ out of Christmas and call it a "winter season" or some ridiculous thing. The USA is founded on Judeo-Christian beliefs. Acknowledging that does not diminish the faith or practices of Jehovah's Witnesses, pagans, Rastafarians, or anyone else. Spreading love and cheer in any season is a worthwhile thing and should be encouraged.I don't get politically correct people. Diversity is what makes us all interesting. If you can't have an opinion that is controversial, you won't be able to have an independent thought at all. Someone som
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, political correctness
Arabic lesson pt 2
2007-12-09 09:59:00
I think everyone knows what zaghareet means and how to say it, but did ya know that it's plural? Yeah, the singular is zagharoota (or sometimes spelled zagharuda. Since Arabic
is phonetic, you can spell it however you want!) This one doesn't really bother me that much when people get it wrong because how many times have you ever heard anyone use "zagharoota" in a sentence? I do like to watch my friend get all twisted up when she hears it misused though. lol
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Arabic lesson- maqam
2007-12-09 09:52:00
Okay, I don't claim to be an expert in Arabic
, but I really bothers me when common words are mispronouced, like maqam. It's correctly pronouced muh- KAHM'. The plural is maqamat.Maqam has no English equivalent because it describes an Arab musical phenomenon for which there is no western equivalent. The closest thing to a maqam is the melodic mode, which can be major or minor (for example). The maqam utilizes tones that don't exist in western music. Western music has whole steps and half steps, but Arabic music has quarter steps, which are not necessarily played the same way from song to song. Confusing? Yes, well, even if you don't understand it, it's cool if you can pronounce it correctly.
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old stuff
2007-12-06 18:43:00
I was watching some O-L-D instructional stuff
. It's funny how things change. Posture sure isn't what it used to be. Some of the aesthetics have changed too, but there are some pretty cool things about the old stuff. I used to do all the things I wass watching on the videos, but I guess we all just move on to different things and forget what we used to know. Sometimes that's a really good thing, but others are worth revisiting. Anyway, I was inspired.
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