By Rachel “Rahil” Lee
Everyone reading this magazine probably already appreciates the importance of learning folk and folkloric dances. However, those of us who are teachers may find a greater challenge in instilling this same respect in student dancers. Over the years, I found myself returning to the question of where folk dance fits into my belly dance classes. As I have developed my values as a dancer and teacher, I also reflected upon my time working in secondary education. Through this reflection, I developed a curriculum that not only includes folkloric dance, but encourages students to become lifelong learners, fosters appreciation and respect for the cultures of origin, and creates dancers that are more skilled, more passionate, and more well-rounded.
Benefits to Students (and Our Dance Community)
Scaffolding is an essential concept for all teachers, whether your subject is high school biology or raqs sharqi. Through scaffolding, we provide strong foundations for our students that they can build upon with more complex skills. In general, we do this without much consideration: new dancers need posture and strength to correctly execute movements; they need to master the basic technique to be successful with combinations and choreographies; they need a strong understanding of movement and musical elements in order to express classical songs. In providing scaffolding to our students, it is also essential to consider what influences have shaped the dance as we perform it today. Because folk and social dances have provided some of these foundations of belly dance, they can help students quickly advance fundamental skills.
We often say “belly dance is for everyone” when we advertise our classes. While staged folklore can have complex patterns and technique, many of the “homestyle” and social roots of folklore are not meant to be a “spectator sport”. The basic steps and moves don’t require formal dance training or professional skills, rather they are meant for everyone to enjoy together. Students want something to show for their investment in classes (oftentimes immediately), so the accessibility of social and folk dances gives them that tangible sense of success. It also teaches them the joy of dancing together with their peers, whether practicing a more choreographed piece or improvising individually within a specific movement vocabulary. This can help them build confidence as individuals and build community through cooperation, which in turn improves student satisfaction and retention.
For those of us who are cultural guests to MENAHT dance, teaching folk dance styles is a way to show “due diligence”. As teachers, we lead by example when we acknowledge the origins and influences of the dance and connect it to real people. Even by giving a basic introduction to folk dance in our classes, we show the depth and variety of styles of dance in the region. In demonstrating the impact and influence of these dances on belly dance, we help students understand that dance doesn’t exist in a vacuum. We remove much of the “fantasy” element that is so pervasive in learning belly dance in the West when we connect the dance to cherished cultural traditions. By giving credit to those who have taught us these dances, we also encourage students to support and learn from dancers of origin.
Incorporating Social and Folk Dances Into Classes
First, consider your students’ experience level. For students who have been studying with me for less than a year, I offer a “survey style” series. I tend to start with raqs baladi because it has so much movement overlap with general belly dance. The moves are easier for them to understand because they’ve already learned many of them in the context of regular classes. To me, baladi is a gateway topic to get students thinking about what dance looks like by everyday people, what their lives are like, and the reality of dance as a part of culture. From there, I use Turkish Romani dance to illustrate that different styles within belly dance come about, in part, because of the social and cultural dances of different regions. I also use this opportunity to talk about the “g-word”, once again separating our western “renaissance faire fantasy” from the real experiences of marginalized people. I usually finish out the series with a class each for Khaleeji and Dabke. Once again, I use these styles as opportunities to discuss world events, show how many diverse styles of dance exist in the MENAHT region, and help students better understand vignettes that appear in belly dance shows.
Next, consider your students’ interests and upcoming projects. For those who are more experienced in technique, I use student fascination with props to my benefit. For those who want a chance to spin a stick around, I spend a month diving into Saiidi dance and raqs assaya. This is a great opportunity to introduce the Reda Troupe, teach some of their essential repertoire of steps, and get dancers thinking about the various lasting impacts of the national folkloric troupes. For those students who desperately want to balance props, I teach about Tunisian dance and get out the ballas jars.
Consider using a multimedia teaching method. I’ve added a recurring series to my teaching schedule that I call “Traditional Dance Tuesdays”, where we spend two months focused on a specific traditional dance style. These series are geared toward students who have strong technical foundations and culminate in a group choreography that we perform at a studio hafla. As part of this varied series, I include a presentation portion of the class in order to ensure that dancers can find these regions on a map. I show students examples of traditional clothing, and we discuss and listen to popular and traditional music from our region of focus. I share videos of professional dancers performing these styles in various settings, including as part of a belly dance show, and show videos of everyday people celebrating with these dance styles in their daily lives. It is also fun to order food from local restaurants and markets, or make snacks or drinks to share.
Final Thoughts
Remember, you’re the teacher. I have certainly experienced some resistance from students who “just want to dance” and aren’t that into the lecture setup, but my most common feedback is “I’m so glad you teach us the cultural stuff. I’d never learned that before.” Trust in your expertise as the teacher, and know that students are entrusting you to make the best decisions for their dance education. They often have no idea that there are different types of dance, or what will spark their interest until they are exposed to them. It is your responsibility to create ethical, well-rounded dancers who see the value in learning about cultures and from dancers from MENAHT countries.
Don’t be intimidated if you are not an expert at all folk dances. I’m certainly not. First off, take a class. Give back to some of the dancers from these cultures and learn from them. Share that knowledge in kind with your students, AND give those dancers credit. Add legitimacy to your teaching by exposing your students to the experts of different dance styles. Be honest with students when you only have a surface level knowledge about something. Teach them the basics if you feel confident. Students will appreciate your level of knowledge and the exposure.
This approach to teaching belly dance is not without its challenges. I have found myself constantly reevaluating my knowledge, questioning my teaching format and curriculum map, and striving to better understand the connections between folk dances and belly dance. I’ve sought out more information about culture, history, and music, which have made me a better dancer and teacher. I’ve invested in taking classes and workshops specifically to add folk styles to my repertoire so that I’m able to pass more information on to my students. I’ve also witnessed the incredible growth of my dance school, not only in numbers and retention of participants, but in each individual dancer. The level of enthusiasm and respect my students show for traditional dances continues to exceed my expectations.
Bio: Belly dance has been Rahil's constant companion for over half of her life (and the better half, she might add). While she's been dancing for over two decades, every day she approaches this art form with a fresh perspective and considers herself a lifelong student. Rahil has discovered that her passions for research and history, art and expression, teaching and mentorship, are all satisfied by her time spent with belly dance. She loves learning and growing as a dancer, and she is passionate about helping others learn and grow, too. She is the owner of KC Raqs World Dance Studio in Kansas City, where she teaches, performs, and hosts shows and events regularly. You can follow Rahil on Facebook (Middle Eastern Dance with Rahil), Instagram (rahil.dances), or check out her website: www.kc-raqs.com.
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