I've been working this week with a new instructional dance DVD, which I'll write more about once I've made my way to the end. I do want to take the opportunity, however, to air a minor pet peeve about some of these DVDs that I've found.
When you're in dance class, the norm is that you're standing behind the instructor and looking into a mirror. This means that you can see the instructor from both the front and back, as well as yourself from the front. (Assuming you're not in a workshop with 50 other students, in which case you can't see much of anything.) What this means is, when the instructor, say, steps to the right, you see her moving to the right in the mirror (and yourself moving right as well.)
Watching a DVD, however, often means the instructor is facing you. And when she says, "Step to the right" and moves to her right, she's also moving to your left. And, being accustomed to following movements in a mirror, it can get a little confusing.
Some instructors compensate by having themselves filmed standing in front of a mirror, providing the same effect as you would get in a class - seeing her from the back as well as her mirror image facing front, so when she moves to her right, it is also your right. A few instructors will provide their own mirror effect by moving to their left (and thus, your right) while saying, "Step to the right." Many, however, don't bother with such helpful touches (except perhaps to perform the move from several angles to give you a better look).
Now, I don't know if others are particularly bothered by this; maybe I'm just more directionally challenged than most. Like I said, it's a minor pet peeve, and I can do my own compensating when necessary. If an instructor on a DVD says "Lift your right hip" and I see the hip on the left side of my TV screen lift, then I'll just lift my left hip so I'm mirroring. Moves are generally repeated on each side, so it really doesn't matter, as long as I learn the basic mechanics of the move. I just have to make sure I don't get so accustomed to this that I forget which side is my right and which is my left ...
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Shimmying off to Somerset
Spent a few hours today at Rakkasah, the big bellydance festival on the East Coast. I usually go with a friend, but she had family issues to deal with, so I went by myself this time. The drive isn't that onerous; it takes me just about exactly the same amount of time to drive to Woodstock (an hour and 45 minutes) as it does to the "bellydance Woodstock" held every October in central N.J., although for some reason the N.J. drive is somewhat more tedious (OK, I am a bit "Hudson Valley-centric").
Rakkasah has been held here for just over a decade (and longer on the West Coast, where it started), but it felt like some of the "juice" has gone out of the event lately. Maybe it's the recession, or it's that people do more of their shopping online now, or because there's now an additional "Spring Caravan" held in May or June that's diluting attendance at the October event, but there were noticeably fewer people at the event than in the past - there were actually seats available to watch the performances!
I hope this isn't a sign of things to come - yes, it can be much more convenient (and cheaper) to buy your costumes, music, etc. online, but there's something to be said for mingling with your fellow dancers, and getting to examine merchandise up close and talk face-to-face with the sellers.
As for my own shopping, I kept myself reasonably in check - I looked longingly at all the tribal-Gothic-Victorian costumes and accessories, but since I would almost never have the opportunity to wear such a costume in performance, I really can't justify buying any of it. I did make one exception - I bought a hip belt from Geisha Moth, with the justification that it went with several costumes I already had, and needn't be reserved for one specific dance style. I passed up the Victorian-style chokers at a nearby table, though - You know, you can make these yourself. Yeah, yeah. No really - just go to Michael's to get the jewelry-making basics; you've got lace and velvet scraps at home, you can make one of these in a couple of days. We'll see. Maybe, just maybe, I'll find the inspiration to create my own unique piece. And if not, Spring Caravan is only seven months away ...
Rakkasah has been held here for just over a decade (and longer on the West Coast, where it started), but it felt like some of the "juice" has gone out of the event lately. Maybe it's the recession, or it's that people do more of their shopping online now, or because there's now an additional "Spring Caravan" held in May or June that's diluting attendance at the October event, but there were noticeably fewer people at the event than in the past - there were actually seats available to watch the performances!
I hope this isn't a sign of things to come - yes, it can be much more convenient (and cheaper) to buy your costumes, music, etc. online, but there's something to be said for mingling with your fellow dancers, and getting to examine merchandise up close and talk face-to-face with the sellers.
As for my own shopping, I kept myself reasonably in check - I looked longingly at all the tribal-Gothic-Victorian costumes and accessories, but since I would almost never have the opportunity to wear such a costume in performance, I really can't justify buying any of it. I did make one exception - I bought a hip belt from Geisha Moth, with the justification that it went with several costumes I already had, and needn't be reserved for one specific dance style. I passed up the Victorian-style chokers at a nearby table, though - You know, you can make these yourself. Yeah, yeah. No really - just go to Michael's to get the jewelry-making basics; you've got lace and velvet scraps at home, you can make one of these in a couple of days. We'll see. Maybe, just maybe, I'll find the inspiration to create my own unique piece. And if not, Spring Caravan is only seven months away ...
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