The Belly Dance Trainer Retreat
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Sandy Bottom Park
Hampton, VA
See
www.taaj.org for more info
What could be more exciting than a weekend of mini workshops with your favorite instructors in a relaxed, beautiful park setting where you can talk dance, share stories, go canoeing, and have "girl time?" That's what you are in for at the 2008 Belly Dance Trainer Retreat. You can hone your business skills, learn about dance, learn some new moves and network with likeminded people in a casual setting.
Your Instructors
Taaj
Kalaa has been dancing for over 20 years. Beginning as a young child and continuing through college, she trained, mostly under Barbara Effenberger (CA), in jazz and lyrical styles. Her award winning choreographies led her group to 7 State and National titles.
Her interest in Middle Eastern dance started in 2005. She began classes under Melinda Allen (OH) and fell in love immediately. Kalaa then moved to Virginia and found the world renowned Taaj Fi Qalbi. Under her tutelage, Kalaa has become the award winning, professional dancer and instructor that she is today. Her most recent awards include Winner of the Headliner category and the People’s Choice Award at the East Coast Belly Dance Classic 2007.
Samira has twenty-five years of training and performance experience in dance. A strong background in the structured world of classical ballet, combined with an innate dedication and focus, have led Samira to create an award-winning cabaret style that blends theatrical staging techniques with the essential emotional quality and unique musicality of Middle Eastern dance. In 2006, Samira’s direction and choreography of bellydance troupes led to top competition placements in three states.
Zuleika (zu-LAKE-uh) is an award-winning dancer who specializes in cabaret bellydance and Latin bellydance fusion. Zuleika is in the process of acquiring a national bellydance instructor certification and holds a Master’s degree in teaching. Sponsor of the East Coast Bellydance Classic (May 2008), Zuleika enjoys providing a venue for bellydancers to grow in the art form and to receive objective critiques. Her original inspiration to dance came from her Cuban heritage and from a love of diverse music styles.
Your Classes
"Centering and Warming Up" with Taaj
This workshop will show you movements that will both warm up the body and prepare the mind for work. It will give you strategies for how to center so that you have maximum focus and keep any negativity from your life or the class from interfering with your experience.
"Enhancing Artistry" with Taaj
This class is targeted to the intermediate dancer or instructor. It will show you how to pick apart areas of artistic weakness and give you ideas on what to do to strengthen them. If you'd like your performance to be used in class demonstration and get targeted feedback on how to improve, please contact Taaj for information on how to send a video recording in advance of the workshop.
"Stage Presence and Musicality" with Kalaa
In this class Kalaa will explore this often overlooked aspect of dance. Students will engage in discussion and demo’s of proper stage presence and energy exchange. Kalaa will also cover all of the aspects of musicality. Students will be expected to improv along with Kalaa. Participants will gain an understanding of the “power points” of the stage area, learn the importance of a balanced energy exchange between themselves and the audience, and learn the importance of musicality and ways to make the most of the music they are dancing to.
"The Complete Choreography Tool-Kit" by Samira
The choreography toolkit teaches participants to identify and maximize the 3 core elements of a choreographed routine. The class will explore this conceptual framework for choreography by using a prepared choreography sample to break out each choreographic element on a templated worksheet as well as engaging in group discussion of what creates a successful choreographic performance. Students will be able to identify the elements of the choreography toolkit and use the templated handouts to chart their own choreography according to toolkit elements. Additionally, it is expected that participants will improve their analytical and critiquing abilities of performance through the group discussion portion of the class.
"Primp Your Press Kit" by Zuleika
Has the phrase “make press kit” been on your to-do list…forever? Ever kicked yourself for not getting to it when you get a media call for the next day? Make today the day you invest in your future as a performer, and attend Zuleika’s “Primp your press kit” workshop.
Zuleika will drawn on principles from Taaj’s e-book “How to Position Yourself as the Obvious Expert and Double Your Income”. In the trusted environment of a BELLYDANCE TRAINER retreat, you’ll be able to show your press materials to Zuleika and other professional bellydancers for constructive critique. Eliminate busy backgrounds, confusing catch-phrases and highlight your potential as a performer.
Zuleika will help you hone in on your brand and implement it throughout your business cards, websites, flyers, press kits and other promotional materials.
Participants are suggested to e-mail or mail promotional materials for critique by the class to Zuleika ahead of time to 520 W. 21st St., Ste G2, Norfolk, VA 23517. If you wish to black out identifying information, you can, but this will limit the feedback you’ll receive from the other participants.
The Extras
In an effort to make this a relaxing, fun event for everyone, lunch is included in your workshop fee. Your instructors are camping at the site and will be available for discussions, dinner, or maybe some impromptu drumming and dancing. If you are outdoorsy, join us in camping at the site or perhaps a canoe ride. Tent cabins sleep 6 and only cost around $40, so bring friends and make your reservations with Sandy Bottom early! If you are camping, be sure to bring costume items to sell or swap. It's sure to be an unforgettable event. Don't miss out. Register today.
