(no subject)
ooo, IM fun!
I love stupid people, really I do.
(before this was a lot of "a/s/l" and "how r u?" and other illiterate crap, so I told him that due to his total lack of scintillating conversation, I would like it if he stopped talking to me...
lee_kidman: why r u not interested with me
Sandie : I just told you that.
Sandie : that's another reason.. reading comprehension isn't your forte.
Sandie : please don't make me hit 'ignore'
lee_kidman: ya so what did i make big mistake
Sandie : not comprehending what you've read is a pretty big mistake. could you please leave me alone?
lee_kidman: sure its ur world
Sandie : amen to that. first smart thing you've said yet today. bye!
lee_kidman: bye take care in this world. and if u like to talk so come here im ready to talk. i dont want to ignore anyone. so be smile and happy
Sandie : I was, I was...
So the dance instructor emailed me with the "you're new, I don't know you, you signed up for the wrong class" and I responded with "twelve years' experience should exempt me from the beginning class, no?" and she wrote back with this:
Thanks for your message and inquiry - as you should be aware, bellydance is found from SE Asia to NW Africa and the styles vary tremendously depending on where you are....where did you learn your bellydancing and what style(s) did you learn? I teach a mixture of North African and Syrian/Lebanese dance as well as some Tribal, with music from all areas. Each teacher will have specific movements that are taught, and many may build upon previous movements. Some of the work in the Intermediate class builds on movements and information learned in the beginner class as well as strength and flexibility developed over the course of one semester. Anytime you begin study with a new teacher it is a good idea to begin at their beginning so that you don't miss anything that teacher may have to offer in the way of physical training, dance movements, historical information, etc. I teach improvisational dance - I do not do choreography until a dance student has at least two semesters of experience with improvisation so that the student will have developed a sense of the music, rhythm and transition as well as learned the use of basic zill patterns. We also work on additional zill patterns and drum rhythms that depend on material learned in the beginner class.
Let me know how you feel about this information, and thanks for your email!
and I told her this:
I've learned from people all over the southwest (and they probably don't even know it)... I started with dancers in the SCA (Samia, Jasmine, Lady Chaninai, and a woman from Blue Dragon (Cottonwood) who's name I simply cannot remember all these years later)... having been a music theater geek in high school, picking up movement was simple for me.
After I got 'the bug' I read everything that was available, watched every video that was available (up to and including the scary twins neena and veena!) and then, four years ago, discovered the wonder that is Domba. I took classes with Heidi for 2 1/2 years until an injury (and total life upheaval) put me on the bench, so I'm quite familiar with most tribal and a touch of African as well... although I think Heidi's forte is west african...
After I'd recovered, I went back to self-instruction, and that's been going on ever since.
My last *cough* 'performance' was at a huge party in February at an SCA event... it went well, but that might have been due to the copious amounts of spirits that my audience had imbibed over the course of the evening!
So, to sum up... my background is mixed. I was 'fair to middlin'' with zills, but as I don't practice with them at home (I live in an apartment) i've probably lost quite a bit of what I'd learned in that respect. My veil skills need work, and I've never been one to use 'props' such as a sword, cane, or candles. What one style calls "Maya" another calls "taksim", and I'm fairly flexible (mentally and physically) so I feel that I could (quote, unquote) 'catch up' with the rest of your group. I LOVE improv and would rather, had I the choice, do everything that way... choreography, to me, most times ends up looking very stilted.
If you simply aren't comfortable with me joining the intermediate group, I'll understand... it is YOUR class, after all. Get back to me when you can... if I'm going to change my schedule, I'd like to do it soon!
Thanks for the time you've taken to talk with me.
So she responds today with:
Thanks for the great info update - it makes me feel a lot more comfortable with knowing something about where your belly is at, sight unseen! It sounds like you will probably do OK in the intermediate class, so plan on staying there, knowing that you will have some catching up to do in some areas....zills we can work on - veils also, etc.
Thanks for taking the time to chat with me - I'll look forward to meeting you on the 27th! If you have any further thoughts of questions, let me know via email!
Yay, so I don't have to go play with the 'kindergarteners' and that makes me happy.
There's stuff about my practice that I need to regurgitate, but it'll have to wait a while...
I love stupid people, really I do.
(before this was a lot of "a/s/l" and "how r u?" and other illiterate crap, so I told him that due to his total lack of scintillating conversation, I would like it if he stopped talking to me...
lee_kidman: why r u not interested with me
Sandie : I just told you that.
Sandie : that's another reason.. reading comprehension isn't your forte.
Sandie : please don't make me hit 'ignore'
lee_kidman: ya so what did i make big mistake
Sandie : not comprehending what you've read is a pretty big mistake. could you please leave me alone?
lee_kidman: sure its ur world
Sandie : amen to that. first smart thing you've said yet today. bye!
lee_kidman: bye take care in this world. and if u like to talk so come here im ready to talk. i dont want to ignore anyone. so be smile and happy
Sandie : I was, I was...
So the dance instructor emailed me with the "you're new, I don't know you, you signed up for the wrong class" and I responded with "twelve years' experience should exempt me from the beginning class, no?" and she wrote back with this:
Thanks for your message and inquiry - as you should be aware, bellydance is found from SE Asia to NW Africa and the styles vary tremendously depending on where you are....where did you learn your bellydancing and what style(s) did you learn? I teach a mixture of North African and Syrian/Lebanese dance as well as some Tribal, with music from all areas. Each teacher will have specific movements that are taught, and many may build upon previous movements. Some of the work in the Intermediate class builds on movements and information learned in the beginner class as well as strength and flexibility developed over the course of one semester. Anytime you begin study with a new teacher it is a good idea to begin at their beginning so that you don't miss anything that teacher may have to offer in the way of physical training, dance movements, historical information, etc. I teach improvisational dance - I do not do choreography until a dance student has at least two semesters of experience with improvisation so that the student will have developed a sense of the music, rhythm and transition as well as learned the use of basic zill patterns. We also work on additional zill patterns and drum rhythms that depend on material learned in the beginner class.
Let me know how you feel about this information, and thanks for your email!
and I told her this:
I've learned from people all over the southwest (and they probably don't even know it)... I started with dancers in the SCA (Samia, Jasmine, Lady Chaninai, and a woman from Blue Dragon (Cottonwood) who's name I simply cannot remember all these years later)... having been a music theater geek in high school, picking up movement was simple for me.
After I got 'the bug' I read everything that was available, watched every video that was available (up to and including the scary twins neena and veena!) and then, four years ago, discovered the wonder that is Domba. I took classes with Heidi for 2 1/2 years until an injury (and total life upheaval) put me on the bench, so I'm quite familiar with most tribal and a touch of African as well... although I think Heidi's forte is west african...
After I'd recovered, I went back to self-instruction, and that's been going on ever since.
My last *cough* 'performance' was at a huge party in February at an SCA event... it went well, but that might have been due to the copious amounts of spirits that my audience had imbibed over the course of the evening!
So, to sum up... my background is mixed. I was 'fair to middlin'' with zills, but as I don't practice with them at home (I live in an apartment) i've probably lost quite a bit of what I'd learned in that respect. My veil skills need work, and I've never been one to use 'props' such as a sword, cane, or candles. What one style calls "Maya" another calls "taksim", and I'm fairly flexible (mentally and physically) so I feel that I could (quote, unquote) 'catch up' with the rest of your group. I LOVE improv and would rather, had I the choice, do everything that way... choreography, to me, most times ends up looking very stilted.
If you simply aren't comfortable with me joining the intermediate group, I'll understand... it is YOUR class, after all. Get back to me when you can... if I'm going to change my schedule, I'd like to do it soon!
Thanks for the time you've taken to talk with me.
So she responds today with:
Thanks for the great info update - it makes me feel a lot more comfortable with knowing something about where your belly is at, sight unseen! It sounds like you will probably do OK in the intermediate class, so plan on staying there, knowing that you will have some catching up to do in some areas....zills we can work on - veils also, etc.
Thanks for taking the time to chat with me - I'll look forward to meeting you on the 27th! If you have any further thoughts of questions, let me know via email!
Yay, so I don't have to go play with the 'kindergarteners' and that makes me happy.
There's stuff about my practice that I need to regurgitate, but it'll have to wait a while...