When I started dancing, I was married. My mother-in-law was a source of inspiration to dance, as she told stories of her dancing days. When I divorced, I realized that a lot of my costume choices were made to please her, and I no longer feel the need to do that. She did not influence my movements or style, per se, as I soon found out that her stories were... mostly just that.

Actually, this is why I broke away from my first instructor. Teachers in my area are sparse, and at the time I knew of no one who was teaching cabaret style - in fact it seemed to be very frowned upon. So I ventured out on my own.

I'll readily admit I started teaching much too early, but there were no classes that really taught the approach to dance I enjoyed, so I created my own. Now that my students & troupe are starting to stand on their own, I have been finding ways to become a student again and work on my own dancing.

Awesome topic!

I think this is all part of the process we go through to become our own dancer and develop our own style. And it isn't just limited to what you learn from your long-term teacher. When taking a workshop you can often be met with movements you don't like and don't want to use. At the same time, if you've attended the workshop with a student of your own, she may pick up on a movement you don't like yourself and use it in her own solo work. That doesn't mean the instructor is wrong or that you are wrong or that your student is wrong. It's all a matter of personal taste.

I do teach movements I don't prefer to do myself in classes. I think it's important for each and every student to find what works for her. If it's a movement I don't use, I say, "I don't do this myself because I don't think it looks particularly flattering on me. However, many things in this dance are a matter of personal taste. If YOU like it (and it's not lewd or something...I don't teach that stuff unless I'm offering an example though), then USE it!" I've heard complaints from people here and there of teachers who only teach there own style. Of course, it's safe to assume this is going to happen to a degree. However, it's nice to be aware of that and make room for personal growth in students.

With costuming, however, it can all be based on body type (which I remember reading something about in the Belly Dance Book =oD). I did learn the hard way with costuming what looks good and what doesn't (and I have PROOF!). And I can admit that I am still learning. I look at some costumes I've had that people complimented me on and think, "huh? I know so and so liked it but..." This is in addition to the natural course of changing tastes. How many bands did you like 10 years ago that maybe you aren't so interested in now? Or movies? Or fashion statements?

i think that is how trends and general changes in fashion happen, when people have these things happen at the same time.
i'm only a baby dancer, but i already noticed myself changing tastes from tribal styles to cabaret. (i'm glad i took that cab class while i was in school, thank you Jennie!) i noticed some other people saying the same thing, folks who had been dancing for some time, had done tribal, and were just happening to be feeling cab. lately. not as if they didn't like tribal anymore, they were just in the mood for cab much more often.

What about choreos? I have done probably 8-10, but now find lack of desire to perform about half of them. Sometimes I wonder whether I am choosing songs because they seem easy to choreograph, then by the time I perform them a few times, I am sick of them. Well, with one song I kept the song but radically redid the choreography. And another song I find my love for it (and the choreo) have not dimmed. I wonder how to pick songs that will stand the test of time better. Or maybe this is inevitable?

Yes, I originally learned vintage oriental back in the 70's when it wasn't vintage, lol! Then did ATS for awhile, realized I really didn't vibe with it anymore and went back to cab.