Which is right for you? Learn about types of Belly dancing Classes Long Island!

Sorry all it has been a crazy month and sometimes blogging has to take a side; this week’s…okay month’s topic is all about belly dancing classes Long Island! I recently added a whole new page just for the belly dancing classes I offer. If you haven’t yet, be sure to check it out HERE. I am also super proud of some of my students doing a duet together which you can check out on my youtube channel. While I was putting the classes page together I thought it would be a helpful idea to give a more thorough breakdown of some of the different types of belly dancing classes.

Weekly Classes

These are the most common form of classes that most people start with. They are great for entering the world of belly dance. To be honest, I really miss being in weekly classes and hope to be able to go back to them soon.  

Pros:

They are great for steady and consistent practice
Your teacher will usually have a development plan
You can learn skills you wouldn’t think of to explore or ask for in a private. (This has happened to me often)
Unconsciously learn about group performance dynamics
Have socialization and bonding with new people. ( I LOVE dancing with other people and I wish I got to do it more)

Downsides:

Less personalized instruction/development
Classes can be inconsistent
No control over what you learn
Sometimes other people’s behavior

Private Lessons

Usually the next step in the learning process is private lessons. For various reasons I was unable to continue to take weekly classes and private lessons have been and continue to be a huge part of my personal development.  These are extra helpful for serious hobbyists, aspiring pros, pros, people with scheduling issues or if you are stuck on a specific area

Pros:

Great for individualized instruction

You can reach specific goals at an accelerated rate

Direct guidance/wisdom

More flexible scheduling

Can focus on topics that you want to focus on (can also be a downside when you don’t know where to place your focus)

Downsides:

More expensive

Always the center of attention (to me it is sometimes nice to just be part of a class and absorb general atmosphere and corrections instead of always being in focus)

 

Private Group Classes:

These are a spinoff of private lessons. I will be doing a whole blog just on these in the future so I won’t go too much into them now but here is the basic run down:

Pros:

All of the benefit of privates with some of the ones of weekly classes (because it is a group of people)

Fun way to share an activity and bond with your friends

Downsides:

Can get tricky with all the friends’ schedules

Don’t meet new people

 

Workshops:

These are great! I love going to workshops when I can and you should defiantly try to take some every so often. I find them to be a great revitalizer of fresh energy and steam when I get into a dance slump.

Pros:

Networking/you get to make new friends

Diving deeply into a specific topic

Getting a fresh perspective on said topic

Studying with a teach who may not be local or not teach regular classes

Downsides:

Can be pricey

They vary in quality, type and style

Sometimes can be crowded or have a teacher who doesn’t care

 

There are also a few other tools for learning belly dance

 

Online/Long Distance Classes:

These are being very popular and I have seen them offered as privates, groups and pre-recorded. I use them frequently.

Pros:

Access to a teacher you don’t normally get to study with

Can learn in your own home

 

Cons:

To me the biggest and one most of note is that it is just not the same as being in the same room with someone and have the hands on experience but it is still very useful.

 

DVDs

I have a love hate relationship with these. I love to own them but I end up not using them as much as I should. I am still trying to figure out the best way for me to learn from this medium. (So if you have any tips or tricks please let me know!)

Pro:

Can choose the topic and instructor you want

Usually cheaper

Can go at your own pace and pause and repeat.

Cons:

Limited to dvd content and production quality

Can’t ask questions

No feedback

 

I do believe that the best learning involves a mix of all of the above. If you have questions or are unsure which might be right for your right now please feel free to reach out to me or comment with them (even if you aren’t local). If you are interested in classes with Kirah please make sure to check out her page HERE which is all about what she offers for belly dancing classes Long Island!