The joy of learning to teach

The weekend before last I completed my JWAAD Teaching course; The Safe Delivery of Belly Dance Classes. I hope to complete the full Teaching Diploma with JWAAD and undertaking this first module has definitely inspired me to continue with determination towards the Diploma.
There was not a single aspect I didn't enjoy about this course. (Ok I lie, the awful karaoke underneath my hotel at 2am was horrible :S) But excusing the bad singing the course was a much needed and wanted stepping stone in my teaching and dance development.

I would highly recommend the course for those already teaching belly dance or those that wish to. It gives you a firm foundational knowledge in the essentials that you need for teaching in general and for specifically teaching belly dance.

The course was really helpful in developing my knowledge of anatomy and physiology, health and safety, professionalism and administration, establishing and catering for technique level and for planning and organising lessons and lesson content.
It has already had an impact on my teaching. I feel more equipped to support my students and develop as a teacher. The feedback from the tutors was  extremely valuable and as was their willingness to share their vast experiences and offer considered and appropriate advice.
 I have a renewed confidence in my ability as a dancer and teacher and have in general been provided with the support and resources to be able to apply my ideas and utilise my skills and knowledge.


My own dance has taken a back seat this year while I have concentrated on developing as a teacher. A down side in completing the course has been the fact that, for financial and time reasons, I haven't been able to attend other dance workshop and training (No JOY Festival this year, booo!!!) and have felt that I have been distant from the local and surrounding dance community by doing so. I also feel as a consequence my personal development as an individual dancer has remained on a plateau rather than improving. I definitely need to work on reaching a compromise and fix a balance between Rachel the teacher and Rachel the dancer, not solely focus one at a time to the neglect of the other. (Cue the same old excuse, when I'm rich . . . )  

I feel it has been worth it though. I have noticed a growth in my confidence in my ability to deliver organised, fun and productive classes and workshops and I have gained a huge amount of new knowledge that I feel will benefit my students.
The feedback that I treasured the most was given after my warm-up assessment. My assessors told me that they really enjoyed my warm up and commented that my love of teaching was obvious and a pleasure to see.


Despite being unable to attend workshops over the summer, on the JWAAD course I did choose to join the JWAAD Personal Development Programme. From the first personal technique assessment and private tuition it was good to have feedback on my dance from a teacher at the top of their game and have personalised feedback on what I need to work at. I did feel really under pressure being assessed and hawk-eyed watched by a dancer I admire so much but the advice was more than worth the moment on panic when asked to perform for her!
I was also pleasantly surprised at my assessed technique level, I was alot higher than I expected to be!



While undertaking the course I also set up a new local belly dance class. It have been a pleasure to teach experienced dancers and complete beginners. The enthusiasm of the students and positive feedback and their obvious enjoyment of the dance has been a real motivator to continue giving them the absolute best of my ability.
Teaching has never been and isn't for me a financial venture or profit making, but belly dance is a joy that I feel privileged to have and share.
I love teaching and I love seeing other women learning and enjoying themselves, relaxing, being creative, taking time out and getting to know themselves. I love that I can give them the opportunity and the tools to learn about their bodies, their sensuality and share both in a friendly, understanding and loving environment.

The last few months have truly re-enforced for me the joy of learning and being able to teach.

Dance 3: The Swan Song

I should really have finished this post last year, as it was the last of my 3 dances but I have been so busy I have only just got round to it and it has quite a long story! Here it goes . . .


A story that has always fascinated me is that of the Swan Maiden. I remember reading the story in a book of welsh myths and legends when I was younger. I couldn't say exactly what it is about the story that fascinates me but the story I know is briefly as follows:
      

The Swan Maiden shape shifts from a swan to human form. In one tale the swan maiden meets a young man and they fall in love. Her steals her magic robe so that she cannot become a swan again and fly away. They then marry and have children. Constricted by her human form and unhappy that she cannot return to her natural state she steals back her cloak, and leaves her human form forever, flying away to freedom and her true self.

Last year I attended a few story telling events 'Tales and Veils' In Shrewsbury and a welsh tales event at a the smallest welsh folklore museum at Eagles Meadow, Wrexham. They rekindled my love of myths and legends and re affirmed my love of story telling.
During and after these events I considered how much dance has the potential to be like story telling; to take someone on an adventure and engage their senses, emotions and imagination.
I then decided that I would like to interpret, in dance form, a story that meant alot to me.

So I came back to the Swan Maiden


I had almost given up searching for a song that picked on the theme of release from emotional and physical captivity (that i connected to and could dance to) when I remembered a song I had downloaded a while ago while searched for a music for a fusion veil piece. The song is aptly named 'The Swan Song' and is by Within Temptation.

The song although not strictly about the swan maiden, explores the same theme of the release, freedom and often peace that comes from the end of life or the end of stage in life.

Supposedly a swan is said to never sing until its last day, when it sings its own death song and dies immediately afterwards.

It is a fascinating mixture and saddness and joy

Here are the lyrics

Winter has come for me, can't carry on.
The Chains to my life are strong but soon they'll be gone.
I'll spread my wings one more time.

[Chorus:]

Is it a dream?
All the ones I have loved calling out my name.
The sun warms my face.
All the days of my life, I see them passing me by.

In my heart I know I can let go.
In the end I will find some peace inside.
New wings are growing tonight.

[Chorus]

As I am soaring I'm one with the wind.
I am longing to see you again, it's been so long.
We will be together again.

 
    I tried to keep the choreography loose in the dance and leave time for improvisation, as the song explored freedom I wanted my dance to be free also. This was a little bit scary for me, I'm still scared of going blank while improvising and it can therefore be tempting to always fall back on the safety net of choregraphy, but practice makes perfect so improvise it was :)

Again this dance really summed up another aspect of my personal life journey of last year (2012). And it did help myself personally in sharing my emotions and feelings about the darkness and light that comes from endings and change. In the deep dark depths of pain and loss we find ourselves standing still for a moment looking at ourselves stark naked and seeing sometimes for the first time, or sometimes it is a much needed return, and considering who we really are, what we are really feeling and what we really need.  


Here is a (not so good) video of my dance peformed at Azhara, Wellington in September '12:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uswdcrtXhPQ


And thank you everyone on the costume compliments, it was one of the most difficult outfits I have done and I did try to make it look swan- like, not an Angel but ah well :D