How many belly dance workshops are too many?
Karen sits down with Cindy and Carmita to discuss the ins and outs of live and virtual workshops.
We are also excited about going to Yaa Halla, Y’all in July and that the National Arab Orchestra is part of our annual “Give Belly Dance a Chance” (GBDAC) performance weekend in October.
During this episode of the Baby Boomer Belly Dancer, we talk about:
00:00 Let’s meet Cindy and Carmita
01:16 Workshops defined in the belly dance world
02:46 How Karen started her workshop journey and then teaching workshops
06:50 Cindy, the “Workshop Junkie”
08:39 Standard workshop weekend format and how it has changed with the shows
10:49 Carmita’s first workshop as a new belly dancer
12:03 The benefits of one instructor vs a variety of expert styles
13:11 When there were now too many workshops, how could they compete?
16:29 Navigating the smorgasbord – live and online workshops
22:11 Learning with different levels of students – live and virtually
26:58 Let’s talk about retention, investing in workshops, and focus
31:10 Perspectives of instructors vs sponsors
32:21 Self-identifying — years of experience and natural talent
35:40 The experience — assimilation, discipline, and intention
37:45 The spectrum of workshop experiences — what do you take away?
43:11 Headspace of a learner and how Project Band propels you
46:29 Upcoming live and virtual workshops
49:04 The additional benefits of the workshop experience
50:59 Finding depth and feeling moved
Guess how many live workshops Carmita has done compared to how many virtual ones throughout the world in the last four years — it’s more than just one ; )
With over 40 years in her chosen craft of belly dancing, Karavan Studio owner and professional belly dancer, Karen Barbee Adkisson, has been teaching students the art of belly dance techniques for more than 30 years and is dedicated to keeping live music performances as part of this artful cultural dance.
Join us as Karen’s inquisitive mind and unique perspective on a wide array of topics inspire, educate, and even entertain your sensibilities… because everything comes back to belly dance.
You can also subscribe to her YouTube channel or the Baby Boomer Belly Dancer podcast.