planning an improv workshop

This morning it's supposed to snow, or as they put it, a 'wintry mix'! I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it doesn't so my outdoor plans for today stay on track. But whatever it's doing outside, at least I can start planning the workshop I'm offering at my home studio next month, on "SIMPLE SECRETS TO BELLY DANCE IMPROV".

Dancers want to know how to do solo improvisation, and seem almost afraid of it - especially with live music; yet it's so easy once you SEE the music patterns, and FEEL the music pulsing through your body. 

Our dancing is another manifestation of the sacred shapes, geometric patterns, and universal vibrations all around us.

Indian Line Art

Those are the two keys that really unlock improv for me. I've written so much about this, not only in my Dance Tips booklet but in several of my Zaghareet magazine articles (and even The Belly Dance Reader) that I'm always a little surprised when people still want me to explain or teach it. But I'm happy to do so!
As I wrote in my previous post, last month all my local classes focused on solo improvisation so the students would feel comfortable dancing at the Hafla we had just before Halloween. Each week we looked at a different strategy or trick to do improv. What I heard was that even though they all "knew" the concepts and had my booklets, and read about it, they liked being led through the concepts in class. I like it myself because then I can just dance, as me, and how I feel the music. 

This is probably the way the workshop will go, taking the concepts apart a bit at a time and doing a little "follow me"; and experimenting (as a group) with each other's ideas. We won't have time for much else, the workshop is only two hours, barely time to sample all the delicious improv flavors; just enough time to give everyone a little taste and help them discover these simple secrets! 

 Anthea / Kawakib
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