The Lady Fred

June 17th, 2010 – By Selene Rivera

You just finished your weekly belly dance class and can’t help it, but feeling that you didn’t get the most out of it. Next class comes and the feeling is the same, but now you are feeling frustrated. Don’t let another class pass you by and start asking.

The fact is that real professional belly dance teachers want you to ask when you have a question about their class or certain move in particular, because your interest lets them know you are seriously and determine to learn. It also lets them know whether you need extra help or want their feedback on your performance.

ASK ABOUT…

1. The step you’re having difficulty with: There’s this “certain” step that you are having trouble getting no matter how much try. The teachers walks by you side to check if you’re doing the step right and instead of asking, you fix your hair, your clothes, may be fake a cough, or do anything to make her think something has distracted you. In the worst case, you run to the bathroom, hide behind the girls that are able to do the step or leave class early. Get over it! You are a big girl and ask what you are doing wrong. May be she can do the step in a slower pace or explain what muscles of the body you have to use to create the step. Remember, good teachers like to explain until you get it right.
2. The mistakes you’re making during class: In this case, “what you don’t know, can actually hurt you”. Nobody else, but your teacher knows your flaws and only she or he can help you improve. Ask your teacher to watch you close throughout the class and let you know whether you need to work on your posture, your arms and messy turns, your eyes glued to the floor or the weird faces you make while you concentrate on a step.
3. Taking one step a week to practice at home: Teachers encourage students to practice at home all the steps they teach in one day, but if you’re feeling overwhelmed just take one step, -may be the one you have trouble with or the one you like the most- ask her to explain it to you once again and take home. With 52 weeks a year, your skills and repertoire will grow more than enough to start performing in a belly dance show case.
4. The best places to buy your music: You want to practice your steps at home, but you don’t have the music to dance, or the couple of CDs you got are starting to bore you. Ask your teacher what are the best places you can buy belly dance music and the type of artist, DJs, Group or bands you should look for depending on the type of dance you are learning.
5. Her entire class schedule: You don’t want to miss classes, but sometimes it can be difficult to make it to all of them. Ask your teacher for her schedule, so you have a choice of taking other classes during the week, and if you paid for a whole combo, then ask if you can make up for the class you miss.
6. The days she performs: You’ve only seen your teacher dance when she teaches you, but you want to see her perform with costume and all. After all, her moves and techniques are the reasons you are taking her class. Ask for her schedule of performance, experience the professional settings you will encounter in the future and enjoy. She or he will be delighted to see you.
7. The venues to start performing: You have pushed yourself to the limits and now you want to experience the thrill of sharing the lovely art of belly dancing to a real audience and not your closet mirror. Ask your teacher if you can perform in her troupe, the school upcoming event, or any other place where you can do your solos.
8. The best places to acquire a costume: If you’re no creative at all and can’t find a “belly dance costume from your closet”, ask your teachers to recommend you a place to buy your costume. Whether an internet website, a local shop, or costumes tailor, she will know what’s more convenient for you if you tell her your budget.

Asking can be hard because that translates into not knowing or understanding, but your teacher already knows you don’t know a lot of things, that’s why you are a student. The bottom line is that no matter what you study, in the end the action of “asking” is one of the best ways to learn.

• Don’t want to look “stupid” before the class? The fact is that you will not want to look “stupid” before your audience. Ask before is too late. Many students have the same questions and they wait for the brave person to ask the teacher. Be the brave one and don’t wait because your questions may never be answered.
• Don’t want to bother the teacher? Once again professionals don’t get bothered when they respond to a question from their students, but they do get bothered when you disrupt the class. It’s convenient to get a few minutes early before your class starts to ask a questions or wait until the class is over. Remember that you’re not the only student.

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