Teach a Beginner Belly Dance Course
It can take 10 years of continuous study to master a sport and become a professional. Many would say this applies to belly dance as well. Before teaching belly dancing, it is suggested you have many years of experience and resources to share. These are instructions for preparing to teach your first 6 - 8 week belly dance course, about one hour per week.
Steps
- Collect basic items to share with your class. Hips scarves, veils, skirts, and finger cymbals. You should have enough for each expected student. Allow students to borrow your items for the first few classes, but encourage students to buy their own, either from you or a recommended source.
- Prepare handouts describing zill patterns, the history of belly dance, music you use in class, and maybe your bio including names of teachers with whom you've studied.
- Plan something special your first night of class that will unite your students and release inhibitions. For example: Start class with a hula hoop contest to help your students to begin thinking about hip movements. OR, begin your course with a short performance of your own. Your confidence in doing this will assure the respect of your students.
- Start each class with your favorite warms-ups & stretches. Authentic, soft, melodic pieces work well.
- Plan to cover 10 basic moves over the entire course, for example:
- Shoulders: snake arms, shoulder shimmies, shoulder lifts
- Hips: small & large circles, figure 8s, mayas (reverse figure 8s), hip drops & lifts.
- Chest: circles & lifts
- Undulations, body waves.
- Moving across floor: Arabic walks, grapevine.
- Walk with shimmy (3/4 shimmy).
- Basic zill patterns.
- Turning: pivots, three point turns (rumba), barrel turns.
- Veil: draping, holding, chaine turns, rumba walk with veil.
- Basic combinations.
- Choose inspiring music from your own collection that fits each move. Create a CD (or playlist) of these songs for easy access while teaching. Your enthusiasm will transfer to your students when you teach with your favorite music.
- Each week bring to class something different to share. Belly Dance Magazines, flyers, catalogs posters, newspaper clippings, your favorite DVDS, a list of restaurants featuring belly-dancers, books on Belly Dance, music collections on CD representing various countries, styles, traditions and original classics.
- Teach new moves each week, and review the old ones.
- Plan a hafla at a local restaurant at the end of class where you encourage your students to show off their new moves.
Tips
- Do not be afraid to teach difficult moves such as a 3/4 shimmy or maya. It gives students a challenge they will master in about the same amount of time, even when introduced it later.
- On the first day of class, collect your students' names, phone, addresses & emails on an index card for future reference.
- Do not focus on one particular style of belly dance. Introduce your students to the basics and discuss various styles. Encourage students to take the next level course where you can delve deeper into styles that appeal to your student's interests.
- Teach a move in front of the class, have them continue to do the move while you walk around each student, making suggestions for improvements and pointing out good examples. Don't be afraid to touch your students if you think it will help them.
- Do not isolate your students, encourage them to explore the larger belly dance community. They will support your future events when you create an encouraging learning environment.
- Teaching basic combos is the first step to learning choreography. You can use combos from your own repertoire or review videos of famous dancers for inspiration, use these combos in your class and credit the dancer: "This is a move Fifi Abdou did in her movie, Hazemni-Ya" This introduces a new move as well as the name of a belly dance legend.
