Targeted questions

I started to observe my students, I checked their knowledge with targeted questions about the movements, music and history of belly dancing. I observed that this made them excited and gave them confidence. 

I am just wondering after my conversation with my Adviser, I really need to do the same with myself... This is where the confidence is coming from. 

My targeted question is HOW? 

How have I learnt this and that..?

I have learnt everything from my experiences and this is targeting towards my mistakes. I never thought that I would be blessed because of my mistakes. It does sound strange.

The benefits of mistakes can provide better understanding and useful solutions.

I made a lot of mistakes in my past, but finally I found the best solution. In other words, due to my mistakes I gained confidence and became a professional dancer. 

This is a benefit of my mistakes. 

We must get over our mistakes and realise that it is our responsibility instead of blaming someone else.

Joseph T. Hallinan says that:

 "We learn so little from experience because we often blame the wrong cause." [1]

We need to get over blaming and when we observe our mistakes, only then are we able to gain a better insight into the things we do well and simultaneously we can improve in the things that we do poorly. 

To be a teacher means we need to be patient and supportive because learning is a long journey and there are many (blessed) mistakes along the way. 

So I am going to explore the mistakes I made which enabled me to become a MA student. 

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[1] Joseph T. Hallinan 2009 Why We Make Mistakes by Broadway 

back to the roots - Starting point

Firstly I’d like to explain why I choose this theme. I had a feeling that I needed to get back to the beginning...

What is the starting point? This is the same feeling as the first dance class, after the introduction and warm up we learn the first position and then we can move in any direction. So the starting point is the experiences from the past.

I think the basic question is why does someone want to learn dance?

Their past experiences have led them to the present (they are at the class) and it can drive us to the future...I guess

Let’s see what happens...

I remember when I ran my dance school in Budapest, Hungary where I had many young talented students. These ladies were excited about learning, loved challenges and worked hard on technique. Most of them wanted to be an expert. Their purpose was to be a winner at competitions, become known and to ‘conquer the world’.

When I came to the UK, I met many different types of women. They represented the older generations who have never danced before and whom required a different context of teaching. They just want to have fun, gain some knowledge and do something healthy.

Dancing has many benefits. Dancing amongst other things provides happiness, excellent physical exercise, raises the heart rate, and burns calories, is way to make friends, being a part of the community of dance and for many becomes a goal in life.

There are so many reasons for dancing but I looked for something else. I realised that whether consciously or not any type of woman wants to return back to the traditional roots, both professionals and amateurs alike. They want to get closer to the spirituality and the essence of femininity. They are tired of having to maintain their appearance from nail extensions and hair care and external things, and going beyond the health benefits of dancing and personal aims, they are looking for the feeling of just being confident women. It is not about expression but it is about harmony.

What is that confidence?

Joyce Meyer the best-selling author at New York Times says that:” I believe confident is all about being positive.[1]”

What does this mean?

This means that positive thoughts create a good feeling body and also the opposite would apply which is that a good feeling body promotes positive thoughts. Ester and Jerry Hicks say that “the good feeling body is a power basis for an ongoing good attitude”. [2]

Why do they need that confidence today?

Even if these women are a different type of woman today with different expectations they have in common a similar life situation. The world has changed over the centuries especially in Western societies. Many women are working hard and caring for their children, husband and home, so there is no time to be a woman. These women often behave like men. They need to be perfect in many situations and the stress as a result causes frustration in women’s lives. Due to their mundane jobs or studying they feel under pressure and this is the main reason why they want to relive their stress.

There is a very well-known saying from Satire X of the Roman poet written in the late 1st and early 2nd centuries AD:

"A sound mind in a sound body".

I believe that if someone realised that small and smart phrase, it could be the first step to a harmonious life and they could be on the way to take a first dance lesson.

Dance makes them newly born and in addition the movements of belly dancing provides them with a connection between the body, soul, mind and source of life. Cleansing chakras and enabling them to integrate that confidence into their personal life.

I am very excited now and I can not wait, the next steps…

This observation opened my mind and I started that journey with one question and now I have got many questions. I feel myself free, as if I can step into several different directions and I think there are many fields that are waiting to be explored.

Joyce Meyer. 2011. The confident woman devotional 365 daily devotions New York, USA: Faithwords Hachette Book Group, Inc.

Ester and Jerry Hicks 2008. Money and the Law of attraction Learning to attract Wealth, Health and happyness Padstow, Cornwall UK: TJ International

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