What sets AMEDS apart from other Belly dance studios in Adelaide?
Each belly dance studio has something unique to offer, and AMEDS is no different. So what sets AMEDS apart, and why should you choose this studio rather than any other studio in this city?
Admittedly, I have only attended classes at one other school in Adelaide, so I cannot say what the other schools do or don’t do in their classes. However, I have attended all schools’ end of term haflas and shows, so I have seen what they teach and do. I have talked to different students who have attended different schools and I have talked with teachers about what they do in their classes.
1- What I can say for sure is that AMEDS probably is THE smallest belly dance studio in Adelaide. Which allows me to have very small groups, with a lot of feedback and attention to every single student in each and every class. This obviously is important for students to improve as much as possible, as fast as possible.
As a teacher, I am responsible for my students’ health and progress, so I want to avoid injuries from occurring. I also want my students to become the best dancers they can be, and this requires feedback, both praise and corrections. (The feedback I have got from students over the years is that I create a very safe and warm learning environment, that people are very comfortable with.)
2- As far as I have seen, most classes at other schools tend to be somewhere around 60 minutes, and the total term being 10 hours. I offer 90 minutes classes, totaling 12 hours for a term. I find that for me, it works well to have those extra 30 minutes in each class, because it gives ample time for technique drills, repetitions and dance exercises, in addition to working on a choreography. It gives the students an extra chance to absorb the information into their bodies, and helps them improve faster.
3- Only a few of the schools in Adelaide focus exclusively on Oriental dance. I think if you want to learn something, it is a good choice to go to whoever specialises in that particular field. AMEDS specialises in pure Oriental dance.
4- The impression I have from talking to students and teachers and seeing shows here in Adelaide is that the main focus in class is to learn a new choreography each term, even in the beginner classes. I agree that learning choreographies is important and fun. However, in my classes, the focus is mainly on technique and less so on choreography. For some people that might not be what they want, but for students who really want to learn to dance, they MUST learn the technique well. When they master the technique, they can begin to dance choreographies. I have no choreography in level 1, (absolute beginner), or in level 5, (advanced technique).
5-I have spent several years in Egypt, studying with the world’s most respected belly dance teachers. My knowledge is straight from the source, and is passed on to my students. This means that my students get a unique opportunity to get the information straight from the source, and learn the pure, authentic Egyptian dance in its original form.