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Kajira for inquiries.
“Hi Kajira!
I recently attended a tribal workshop where we ended up dancing as one large tribe so we could practice transitioning in and out of chorus. We took turns coming forward in small groups of 4, dancing for a moment, and then returning to the chorus as others took their turn. Since the group was rather large, our time in the chorus seemed endless, and eventually I no longer felt “connected” to those who were out in front. I was wondering how large troupes got around this problem so that all dancers could maintain that connected feeling? Thanks! ~ Samira ”
Aloha Samira,
I cannot speak for other teachers of any style, so will answer you with my personal manner of teaching large groups ATS, and how BlackSheep BellyDance handles large groups in ATS performance settings, from the standpoint of maintaining the connection of which you speak
First, it is best when a sponsor knows that the group will be large in order to bring out more than one teacher. By this I mean the Teacher and his or her Assistant, who is a member of their dance company and has trained for years under the Teacher, or a Certified Instructor in their format. In this case, it sounds like this problem would be easily eliminated, as each teacher could’ve led 2 different groups simultaneously. But then again, I was not there, and one person’s “large” may not be another’s.
Second, if I had only two hours (such as at a festival or dance camp) I would go for moves and combos with cues for ATS that they can use however they like later and not waste time on chorus practice at all.
Since I don’t know the length of this workshop, I will assume it was two days and that this unconnected feeling came about during the second day.
If I am teaching ATS alone to a group of 80 or so, I follow my ATS 2-day workshop curriculum on the first day as usual, as people are learning the moves and following me. In this size room I usually have a stage or platform so all can see me and sometimes even have the luxury of a headset mic! (I prefer to teach two 5-hour days for optimal immersion into the basics of the BSBD Format.)
When it comes time on the second day to put the moves and combos learned thus far into teaching people to lead, follow and transition, I ask the students to do one or all of the following exercises and in this order. If I do have a total of 10 hours we would get to all of this.
First, they would learn formations. I ask for volunteers or pull people out from the previous day whom I’ve observed will not be too shy (if no one volunteers) into 3 groups of 3 -5 dancers each group into the center of the room. We then show the rest of the students what kinds of formations are possible (there are more in the BSBD Format for ATS due to use of both sides of the body and a few other surprises we’ve come up with). They are told why they need to pay strict attention during this demo time: because they will have to do it next! Nothing keeps a better connection or state of alertness than a warning like that! ;-D
I direct the demonstrators how to change leads in all possible formations, I have them move into and out of various BSBD formations, I show our five or so formation possibilities for trios and quartets and what I think are the best shapes for more than 5 dancers at once. The others are expected to watch, listen, not talk and learn. If I had an assistant, s/he would be one of the leaders in the demo groups. This part of the class elicits many “ohs!” of enlightenment at how easy it is to do things others don’t think of, and delight in the sense of possibility they are now beginning to understand.
Then they ALL get into groups of 3 - 5 people, scattered throughout the room, with two or three moves max assigned to them to practice leading in and out of and trade leads while doing so. (Assigning moves is the easiest way to get people to start leading.) I put on a song, either slow, medium or fast, making sure to vary the tempos throughout the following exercises so more moves and combinations from the day before (and/or that morning) can be assigned, and repeated in the exercises for the second day.
While this is happening, I (and my assistant if I have one) am/are circulating and stopping at each group. Often each group have questions they are already working out amongst themselves by the time I get to the last group. I try hard not to let anyone hang without dancing, those are the groups I head for first and give ideas or even be a part of their group for a minute if needed before moving on. I reassure them that no one will be perfect at anything in just 10 hours - if ever, since we’re all still here on Earth (said with a smile!) - and not to worry if they make a “mistake.”
I do keep watch that they are sticking to the moves I have assigned them, as sometimes it can be so frightening to step out to lead for your first time that everything you knew suddenly flies out of your brain and the student can freeze up or, worse yet, mix two or more moves together out of fright! (Muscle memory kicks in when the brain goes “dead” ;-D) That tendency is especially bad when they revert to Oriental, as then their moves become mushy and indistinguishable from ATS moves, so it’s really hard on the followers.
I watch for this because this multi-part classroom exercise relies on memorizing the moves and cues previously learned and doing so while trying them as a leader and as a follower for and of people they may not know.
So, if I see that happening, I nip it in the bud by asking, “Was that supposed to be a half, quarter, third or full turn cue?” (as an example) and then going over whatever it was supposed to be. Or, “It looks to me like Turkish on the lower part of your body but like Arabic from the waist up. Which move are you trying for?,” help them and move on, circulating the whole time. I find that mostly it’s just a bit of reminding that they need while “on the spot.”
Of course assistants are handy for this as well, as then they can help monitor and circulate, definitely expediting matters, making this exercise shorter for all. But, I have taught huge groups alone, so it is possible. At least connection is maintained amongst the groups during this entire time, as each group works together, by themselves, on their assignments even if I am helping another group. As long as everyone in the room is fully involved in a thinking and doing exercise together that relies upon one another, they will remain connected.
By the time one song ends, each group most likely would have had at least one or two lead changes and have gone through the 2 or 3 moves I’ve assigned them. If not, or if everyone has not yet led, I’ll play another song, sometimes assigning new moves and using a different tempo, sometimes not, and I often have the students switch up the groups so they have new partners before they repeat the exercise. Throughout all this training a very intense sort of connection remains for all, as they are all equally engaged in learning with one another. This in turn also provides everyone a glimpse into how it might feel to dance ATS with dancers from around the world, whenever and wherever you run into one.
I love to witness the dawning of possibilities in people’s minds as they dance like this, following my instructions. I love to see them get a glimpse of the subsequent possibilities available in this art form. I love to see them understand how much responsibility a leader has on their shoulders, and feel that for themselves before we part, so they can know they’ve already done it at least once.... maybe they will try it again! I love to see my students come away from a weekend workshop not just with cool new moves and combos along with the basic idea of one way to construct a performance, but to actually experience all parts of the dance.
This way I feel they have a better chance of continuing ATS with their friends or existing troupes. Even if the workshop had to end here, they could still see a quick demo of the various chorus possibilities available in the BSBD format in about 10 minutes, and they can re-create those on their own later. It’s the actual group dancing that is most important to me as an ATS Instructor. This is why I work the small separate groups simultaneously, as I feel that part of ATS requires more practice than shifting the chorus does.
Part of ATS is understanding what I think of as the “tribal mind” and part of doing that in only ten hours is achieved by dancing with various people and seeing how each person reacts, leads, follows - “feels”. ATS is a highly intuitive dance form, so this skill must begin to develop early, and can be done so in the safety and relative anonymity of a workshop setting. And, as you may have guessed, the “tribal mind” boiled down to a one word definition would be “connection!" ;-D
Once I’m happy everyone in each group at least has the idea of the intricacies of the small group dynamic, we work on the BSBD Format for ATS Chorus Innovations. For that, if the class is large, say from 40 to 100 dancers, I’ll break it into 4 or 5 groups. If medium, such as from 20-40 dancers, I’d use 3 groups. Lastly, if the class is small, less than 20 dancers, I may or may not break them up, depending upon size and shape of the studio.
Each group would form lines with as much space in between each line as possible. If you took the spaces out, the formations would be triangles, parallel lines, a diamond, or a pentagon. The lines will face towards the center of the room, towards one another.
I then guide the lines into a chorus shapes and from there, through the chorus possibilities from the center of the room, making sure to keep turning as I speak so all can hear and do in their choruses everything I’m asking. For a couple of our chorus innovations, I may select one chorus and demo one of the ideas with them, and another chorus for the other. They’re not difficult, so everyone figures ‘em out pretty fast after a couple tries. These simple innovations also get many “ohs!” of enlightenment as they make such a difference in a stage presentation.
There is no danger in losing connection because the students are again responsible for figuring out the 4 or 5 things I am asking them to do with their chorus and remembering them for the next exercise, which I would have told them was coming, and by now, they’d probably figure out one thing leads to another in my teaching style. I assign the chorus “moves” just as I assign the moves they are to remember to do when leading, so that everyone has a better chance of remembering them. Here there are still three active areas of connection for all students: from me to them, from them to me and from them to one another.
After all that, they’ve now personally accomplished various formations for groups, leading, following, trading leads, all chorus possibilities and transitioning through all the moves I’ve assigned so far while in their small groups. They have been working hard and their work is recognized by me and they are praised, as know it yet or not, they are becoming well-armed for continuing real, true synchronized group improvisational ATS on their own by going through these exercises in class! Some are even surprised at themselves, that they “really led for the first time!” never thinking that would happen in one weekend before they arrived.
Now they are ready! (Muwah-ha-ha!) Time to put all that work into action on their own with only me (and hopefully an assistant) to circulate to each group as I/we’ve done before.
Since the choruses are placed facing inwards, I tell them this will help with development of their performance focus and not to get “off” by looking at another group, as that is part of what will be happening when they’re actually dancing ATS from the chorus and from small groups - you will either be looking at someone or someone will be looking at you, so I give ‘em a pep talk about why it’s good to face in and how to “forget everyone else but their own group.”
If I have not done so by now, I will show everyone how to step out of and in to the chorus to form groups. Everyone already knows how to change the chorus, everyone knows what types of formations to use for how many people - but it’s been a long weekend and not everything will stick for everyone. So, I again (briefly) go over verbally with everyone from the center of the room what the possibilities are. I tell everyone who wants to lead (I don’t force that in this exercise as I do in the small group exercises) to get at least 2 moves in their heads with the cues for the moves and keep ‘em there. Those will be their “fall back on” moves in case they run into “empty-head syndrome” when they lead. Using humor really helps students retain information, keeps their energy level up and minds positive. I reassure everyone who does not want to lead during this exercise that all they must do is come out and follow at least once. I go over the job of the chorus leader/s again, as everyone will most likely be one at some point during this exercise.
Now I put on a BSBD set (unless the group in general is moving slowly, then I pick slower or medium tempo songs only), they get their cymbals on again if they have taken them off, and I ask each group to pretend they are now “in the wings”. They are to enter in a circle - a.k.a. “claiming their territory/ marking the Sacred Circle/ designating their boundary” - whatever - and end up in one of the simple chorus possibilities assigned. Now the level of connection is picking up again, even though it’s been a long weekend, because everyone now has a new job to do: put the pieces together, together!
In each group, as soon as the chorus forms, the first leader (sometimes this has to be assigned as well, as every workshop and class has its own “pace”) exits the chorus and if others don’t follow her I tell ‘em, “get out there! Don’t leave the center of the stage empty!” I’ve been known to coax - OK, push! ;-D - reluctant students out of the chorus, reassuring them “you only have to follow for this exercise but everyone has to get out at least once” - I’ve also been known to assign timid students an important task such as stopping the chorus during the entrance, as this gives them confidence. They choose (or I suggest) one simple move for them to stop the chorus with and all is well!
If it’s not going as smoothly as I had hoped (my optimal outcome would have dancers unafraid to come out to follow a leader who has stepped out from any point in the chorus, and I’m pretty good at reading crowds, so may not have chosen this method if I thought everyone was new, OR if time is short), I use the usual boring thing where everyone exits out of one side of the chorus and backs into the opposite, or the other one where everyone comes out of the center and exits to the sides, so everyone has to come out and almost everyone has to end up leading the chorus at some point or another. This way I can “force” them to come out in groups of 3-5 and help the others to step up into place in the chorus as new leaders, how to even out its spacing, transition through the various chorus possibilities, etc.
Either way, if you have more than one chorus everyone should be able to get in and out of them easily and into groups - hopefully, several times - in one 12 - 15 minute set, which lessens the boredom of those old classroom exercises and keeps that connection!
That is how I help people in my workshops to attain and keep that “connected” feeling: by keeping them busy, thinking on their feet and interactive the whole time. This is also how I give people enough info in ten hours to actually start trying it with their friends. Without all of this practice, I feel they may walk away with not quite enough information about how it feels to lead, and so much is learned from each group’s conversations as they work it out. I really, really don’t want to see more “choreographies inspired by ATS” - I want to leave them with the experiences and tools to actually understand how to continue to practice and eventually actually do real ATS themselves, and how to add more pizzaz if they already perform.
As for how BSBD CA & HI does this in performance: well, now that we’re in two states, we usually don’t all dance together at one time except rarely at Tribal Fest, but using my method of teaching and following my requirements for troupe membership keeps the members in each state very connected onstage and off, as not feeling connected is simply not a possibility. I stay as connected as possible with “my grrrls” in CA via the phone and sometimes email. I have very strict rules of conduct, and we have “pass-the-stuffed-blacksheep” talks in circles if anything ever needs to be talked about, we attend and assist all 3 levels of classes twice weekly, so we do not “grow up” feeling unconnected from the time one steps into our classrooms until they leave the troupe.
Plus, our groups never consisted of more than 10 or 12 dancers at once, even before I moved. Our most common number of BlackSheep has been in the 4 - 8 person range. Sometimes only 3 or 4 Sheep and the same number of BlackLambs (understudies). So, I never have felt our groups have been too large to easily improvise a show. Even with 12 dancers, it was never a problem - simply not everyone is out at all times. While dancing in my format, dancers are expected to give and take constantly. To me (and them) nothing is more boring than staying in one place! We are constantly trading leads, changing directions, switching up formations and numbers of dancers in groups, and going to and from the ever-changing chorus.
We do have one prime example, though, and it was pretty complicated, so this will be a perfect example of how we stay connected in a LARGE performance group! Last year (May 2006) at Tribal Fest 6 BSBD-CA & HI, Students, Lambs and Alumni (LambChops) all performed together. We had 27 dancers and a bit less than a half hour. We started with the Level 2 and 3 Students led by The Lambs, while BSBD from both states and Chops waited offstage as the TF stage is only 10' deep but 20' wide. We were in full view of the audience and cheered, zaghareeted and occasionally chimed in with our own cymbals to show our unity, support and connection to our “younger”sisters. The Lambs led only, no Students, and The Lambs also balanced Moroccan baskets. They totaled 13 dancers and showcased a fast and a slow song.
Then the Students exited from the opposite side of the stage (cued by music change) while BSBD entered. The BlackLambs were still onstage, traveling in a circle going one way with arms up (for space onstage) as the BlackSheep from both states entered in and formed our circle to travel in the opposite direction (so we had concentric circles traveling in two directions). At some point, one Sheep then followed the Lambs, kind of like in a spiral dance, leading all following her after her into the direction needed for the Lambs to exit from the same side as The Students while the Sheep formed a chorus. This is how we maintained connection even while transitioning entire groups onstage and off. And why it’s so important to use both sides of the body in ATS, as in all dance forms, it simply gives your group more possibilities.
Now there were 11 BlackSheep onstage. Both HI & CA got to show off a bit in their own groups (each group wore slightly different costuming) during the first fast song, using one or two moves previously selected so as to be sure to both work them in and ensure no duplication, as well as to “save the best for last”. We listened for musical cues to know when the song was about halfway through to switch groups.
During our slow song, we mixed up sisters from both states. We assigned ourselves the slow groups ahead of time according to specialty: scimitar balancing, floorwork and standing takseem. We used cues in the music to tell us when it was time to switch groups as all of us BlackSheep can be stagehogs if allowed! Luckily for us, my fabulous DJ husband, Chuck, found a perfect 2 minute loop in our four-minute song so it only had to repeat one section once and it was seamless! We each then conveniently had about two minutes per group - perfect! YAY, Chuck!
For the last fast song we had in mind fancy combos and lots of layering to show off as with this long of a show we didn’t want to repeat ourselves over and over again. We also wanted to showcase our method of enjoying two small groups out at one time during the finale on wide stages and long shows like that, and 3 duos can be mesmerizing if all face the three ways we have available to us in the BSBD Format for a one-sided audience.
We used this type of skeletal choreography, which allowed us to ensure everyone had about the same time out, and so we could use moves and combos that built in intensity during the show (including The Lambs - they were not “allowed” to use a couple things The Sheep were, but they did other things we didn’t)..... So, not unlike the workshop description above, we assigned ourselves one “fancy” thing per group to remember to lead into when we stepped out. It worked really well!
Finally, The Sheep exited off the same side as everyone else, who by now had danced back across the front of the stage on the floor, essentially in a big oval (it’s a raised stage) to the side we started from, to the “support your sisters and stay connected” position. By then, the 4 Alumni / LambChops were on the steps waiting to go on and go on they did! They had practiced together and worked out some kinks and came up with a partly-choreographed number that was totally different, yet still BSBD, to top off the 27-dancer set. There was so much going on we simply could not not be connected!
The time flew, the people loved us, no one was bored, whether dancing or watching! The most common complements we get are, “We look so happy up there, we make everyone else happy, too!” and “So colorful! What gorgeous costumes, makeup and hair!”, “What variety you have! It’s hard to believe it’s not choreographed!” and the one we are getting to love even better: “Thank you SO much for playing finger cymbals! Hardly anyone does that anymore!”
I hope this answer helps. Since I wasn’t there and cannot say anything about the workshop you described, all I can surmise is that maybe the teacher was inexperienced - as when I first started teaching workshops, while studying under Carolena and with her blessings - she even sent me on my first one, in FL in the late 90s! - back then I was inexperienced, too. I didn’t know that ongoing classroom instruction may not always translate in the same manner as in workshops. So I did what we did in her classes, which was precisely what you described (one huge chorus with one group following only me for what seemed like forever)! I just hadn’t figured out all these great ideas on my own yet. Years of experience have helped and I still learn from each workshop, as I’m certain all good, caring teachers do. I have discovered many helpful ways to facilitate learning by utilizing the methods described in this article. They sort of come to me out of necessity, as it’s not only the students who feel like time has stopped during the type of workshop exercise you’ve described! =:-O
In closing, BSBD never gets bored or feels unconnected, as we’re always creating, dancing, teaching, studying - and since that never happens alone in ATS one is always connected to her sisters and/or brothers!
Yet, that is..... my move to another state 2,000 miles away has brought some feelings of un-connectedness lately and I know I really miss “My Grrrls” in CA, who all work so hard, never complain, always show up..... so unlike the general population of Maui who seem generally just unmotivated. Perhaps it’s lack of competition, lack of performance venues and lack of interest in general.
I know it’s not personal, as all the structured dance classes here have low attendance, and we have some of the top teachers in their fields here on Maui, including in the yoga field, whose classes may be slightly better attended but not to the degree one would think. Nude drum circles, fire dancers, club dancing, partyin’ at DJed parties and free-form Five Rhythm/Wave dance nights are by far the most popular styles of movement here. They are also very “singles scene,” so their popularity may be more due to the fact that it’s a great, easy way to meet people without having to go to all the hard work of learning a discipline.
It is becoming more difficult for me to keep connected the longer I have been in a new state. It is not my troupe that is losing a connection, but myself. New members are rising in the ranks in CA that were not personally trained by me now - (I’m a “grandma!”), and I look forward to dancing at Tribal Fusion Faire in Dec. 2006 with two Level 3 Students I have not had the pleasure of dancing with yet, and one Sheep that knows me so well, she actually reads my mind and I hers. (She’s better at it, though! I can almost “make up” a move or transition weirdly, and she still catches everything - it’s that bond we forge over years of dancing together and one reason why ATS is such an important contribution to the world of dance, IMO.)
I feel fortunate to have found an incredibly well-educated and inspirational new teacher, Sarala Dandekar, and am studying now three times weekly with her (Odissi Classical Dance from the Temples of Orissa, India). I have too many workshop bookings in 2007 to hold an ongoing class this coming year, and have traveling students who book private lessons, many days of study and/or Instructor Certification Trainings from around the world (after all, it’s not like pulling teeth to get someone to come to Paradise for a few days! ;-D). Lately my fastest-growing “market” has been from Taiwan, much to my delight.
I hope I have given you, all readers and teachers many new ideas for ways to keep the attention (a.k.a. connection) of your students in ATS workshops and ongoing classes while drilling. Please feel free to try them out yourself, and please also tell folks where you got the idea. I appreciate that, and I know you will be pleased with the results!
Happy Connecting!
With Aloha,
Kajira Djoumahna
Winner of 2 awards for Favorite Instructor (IAMED & Zaghareet!’s Golden Belly Awards), 2 awards for Favorite Event and Promoter for Tribal Fest (Zaghareet!’s Golden Belly Awards - thanks to all of you readers!) and some honorary awards for DVD content and outstanding achievement. Author of the Tribal Bible, 2 instructional DVDs, producer of Tribal Fest and Maui Intensives, global workshop teacher and director of BlackSheep BellyDance CA & HI. www.BlackSheepBellyDance.com |