What Kind of Leader Are You?
Booker T. Washington said, “Most leaders spend time trying to get others to think highly of them, when instead they should try to get their people to think more highly of themselves. It’s wonderful when the people believe in their leader. It’s more wonderful when the leader believes in their people! You can’t hold a [...]
Hey, Teachers! Don’t Be Stingy.
I recently attended a non-dance class where the teacher was obviously avoiding direct questions to keep from giving away “trade secrets.” Now I ask you, why would you teach a belly dance class when you have no intention of sharing what the students need to be the best that they can be? I just don’t [...]
What Music Theory Does For Your Dancing
I was asked how knowing music theory helps in dancing. Let me break this down a little bit more. Think of learning dance like learning how to write. When you learn moves, that is like learning words. Combinations are like learning to put together sentences. Choreography is reciting something that you have already read. Music [...]
Don’t Work Harder Than Your Students
Enthusiastic teachers often want their students to succeed so much that they end up working harder than the students do. Although this may feel like helping, this actually inhibits growth because it doesn’t allow the student to learn how to think, make mistakes, work out solutions, and develop creativity. Not sure if you are one [...]
Teaching to Seasoned Dancers of Other Styles
Belly dance is definitely its own thing. We wear costuming to class. We giggle. We play with make-up and only go to class once a week. I’ve taken Latin, Polynesian and ballet and those classes were just not like that. So, it can be challenging for a teacher to have dancers from other styles in [...]
Teach What the Student Needs to Learn
Teachers, If you want feedback on how well your students are absorbing what you are trying to teach them, look at how they dance. If your students all have strong artistry, but are lacking in technique, that is a sign that you need to spend more time on basic movements. If they don’t know how [...]
Teaching Children Belly Dance
I love watching children belly dance. I think it’s a wonderful thing to introduce into their lives. It gives them a form of exercise and expression. It teaches them about culture. It can help girls to avoid the whole awkward teenage angst about body image and boost their confidence. What I don’t think is appropriate [...]
Learning to Critique Yourself and Others
In my opinion, worthwhile critique is the best thing you can get to improve your dancing. However, not all criticism is created equally. Learning to discern what to listen to and what to discard is as important as having a source that provides critique. So, how do you learn to critique? You learn by giving [...]
Students Thrive in the Environment that Suits Them
The question of, “What makes a good teacher?” has often been asked. There is the obvious criteria of knowing the subject matter, being able to convey information to your students, willingness to share knowledge, and inspiring the student to learn. But the relationship of teacher and student is a special one that requires something more [...]
The Ethical Use of Information
Quite often our belly dance teacher and fellow students are our friends. We dance, change clothes, eat, compete, work, and socialize together. It is easy to lose sight of the responsibility that a teacher has of safeguarding student information when it appears that everything is out in the open anyway. However, that obligation DOES exist! [...]
