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Workshops |
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Sara Shrapnell is available to teach workshops throughout the UK. She regularly teaches for Wiggle it and has taught at every Celebrating Dance festival so far. Below is a list of suggested topics, although workshops can be adjusted to suit the attendees. Bookings need to be made as early as possible--please contact Sara via email to check availability. |
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Workshops available--2008/9 Technique Introduction to Tribal style - Improvers - 1 or 2 hours. Learn the basic posture of Tribal dance, key moves and how to adapt basic moves to get the Tribal feel. (Can be linked to "Group Improvisation" - Below). Sara teaches a gentle blend of Tribal and Bellydance - introducing the feel and strength of Tribal while adjusting the style to suit Bellydancers. This means we use both sides of the body evenly, avoid deep back bends and smile--lots ! Group Improvisation - all levels - 1 or 2 hours. Using the groups favourite moves learn how to move like a flock without having to pre-plan or choreograph. Not only a hugely useful skill for dancers but also a relaxing and inspiring way to dance with others. This workshop can also be adapted to performance troupes and re-named "Don't panic" - aimed at helping groups gel together and understand how to dance together even when everything that can go wrong has gone wrong. Making sure the audience never suspect a thing--a must for every troupe ! Frame and Flow - all levels - 1 or 2 hours. What to do with your arms! A session of finger, hand, wrist, elbow, shoulder and arm exercises aimed at freeing the arms to flow with the music. How to use framing to lead the audiences eye to where the action is and what to do with them while they are framing. Layering - Improvers/Intermediates - 1 or 2 hours. Finding ways to make your favourite moves more interesting. By focusing on different parts of the body we can make even the most basic move look and feel so much more interesting. Improvers might select the hip rotation, while more advanced dancers might like to focus on the Vine step. Basic Veil - all levels - 1 or 2 hours. This very popular workshop covers choosing your veil, holding, framing and moving. Attendees should bring a selection of veils to share. More advanced dancers may chose to learn more about dancing with double veils. Stop right there ! - Improvers/Intermediates--1 or 2 hours. Continuing with the veil, experiment with each stage of the unwrapping process to see what moves work with each framing position. Learn to tuck and untuck at different points to enhance your costume or choreography, where to turn and where to hold the pose. This workshop is best done in a room with mirrors, and as well as veils, students would need to bring clothing with shoulder straps (bra/vest) and a waist band. Preparing for performance - Improvers/Intermediates - 2 hours. In the run up to a performance, most dancers find themselves with a variety of problems. This workshop aims to cover all the "what if"s and show how to use nerves to your advantage. It covers learning choreography or having the confidence to ad-lib, packing, and problem solving. Duets - Improvers/Intermediates - 2 hours. The advantages of Duets are too many to list, but dancing with a good friend can be one of the most rewarding ways of using your knowledge of Middle Eastern Dance. This workshop focuses on duets, but the techniques can be used for any group dance. It covers writing for a duet, learning your dance, framing each other, shifting the focus and the chance to "rough learn" a choreography that you can take away and improve. Dance on Glasses--Advanced - 1 1/2 or 2 hours. This very specialist dance is amazing to watch but very hard on the body to do, therefore this workshop is only available to advanced dancers with a good level of fitness (not suitable for those with bad backs or knee problems). The workshop starts with a short history lesson followed by detailed working on isolating the movements or changing where they are driven in order to keep them balanced. Later everyone will get the chance to go up on the glasses and try out their new skills. Small groups a necessity, and due to the strain on my body I can't teach or perform this topic at peak teaching times.--please request well in advance. Also - Stick dance, Sword, Costuming, Travelling moves, Character dances and one on one performance assessments. Choreographies Mine--Improvers/ Intermediates--2 hours Using cool combos that are drilled at speed learn the core of this choreography that can then be performed in a lesuirly and elegant way. Best done as a group dance or duet this number is modern Turkish pop meets showstopping staging. Afrahou Gannouth--Beginners/ Improvers--1--2 hours Full of emotion, this choreography is a great introduction to projecting feeling into your dance. Can be fully structured or we can explore different emotions by changing the directions of travel, angles of the body and arm positions. Ya Rayah - Beginners plus and Improvers - 1 or 2 hours. Aimed at dancers with a good grasp of the basic moves, this dance introduces links and combinations while being repetitive enough to be mastered in a couple of hours. Funky and upbeat. Le Rai C'est Chic - Beginners/Improvers/Intermediates - 2 hours. Two choreographies that can be learnt separately or taught to one group split by ability. The first is aimed at beginners, and can be taught to complete beginners in two hours or beginner plus level dancers in one. The second choreography is aimed at more improver/intermediate dancers to push combining and layering while keeping the timing for the group. Both choreographies look nice when performed separately or together. Ariftu Albi Lamin - Intermediates - 2 hours. A great choreography for co-operation and team work. While focusing on the moves, dancers will have to improve their timings to work in tight groups for this choreography. More suited to those who want to improve their technique and timing rather than have an energetic workout. Habibi Tal Alyea - Improver/Intermediates - 2 hours. A modern style choreography that is all about creating a character and portraying it to your audience. This workshop will work on increasing confidence and attitude in the dancer, while mixing moves in interesting combinations. Raks Musri - Beginner/Improver/Intermediates - 1 ˝ to 2 hours. As performed at Majma 2003. A classic, golden age choreography, which includes more musical interpretation and is a good start for dancers wishing to link different atmospheres. A 40-minute set reduced to 3 and a half minutes! It includes work on entrances, movement, Taqasim, hits and finishes. Suitable for all levels, where dancers can adapt the movements to fit their abilities. Other options Discussion groups - all levels - 1 ˝ to 2 hours Give your students the chance to talk to each other! A good facilitator can lead the groups through an interesting and thought provoking discussion while giving everyone a chance to have their voice heard and their opinions shared. Topics would depend on the group but could cover dancing for ourselves, conveying emotion to an audience, planning and building a character number and sex and sensuality - where we draw the line. Talks and lectures - Beginners/Improvers - 20 minutes to 1 hour Covering anything from an introduction to Belly dance in the UK through my experiences as a dancer and performer to the origins and use of props in our dance. Each talk would be tailored to the audience and could include demonstrations or audience participation as required. My "Styles of Bellydance" lecture is always popular, for which I can present either the most basic 10 styles or up to 40, depending on the level and interest of the students. This can be accompanied by video clips, or (as seen at Celebrating Dance 07) a group of dancers can be asked to dance in each style. Lots of fun and an enjoyable way to round off a hard day of workshops (up to 2 hours). Performance Mersin, the dance group founded by Sara Shrapnell and Emma Pyke regularly perform at a variety of events in the south of England, and can be hired to perform Middle Eastern Dance. Sara Shrapnell, is happy to perform at weddings, Haflahs and stage shows throughout the south of England. Her upbeat music and giving style of performance is much appreciated by both dance audiences and those for whom this is their first experience of our dance. Organisers can select almost any kind of performance from folkloric to funk, classical to cabaret, but her reputation is built on joyful Rai, upbeat drum and her amazing dance on glasses. Email Sara direct on : Sara@letsbellydance.co.uk |
