Technique Intensives
The Dark Side Dance Program
The Dark Side Dance Program is a series of intensive workshops designed to provide a comprehensive, multi-stage foundation for belly dancers of any style.
This dual pronged approach, with focus on both technique and musicality, aims to provide students with the ability to practice, create, and perform belly dance, with individuality, confidence and versatility.
The four stages of the Dark Side Dance Program encourage students to develop body awareness, control, and critical thinking as they develop technical and creative skills through drills, discussion, critique, and group exercises. The stages of the program correspond with the weekly classes taught by Audra at the studio, but are more comprehensive and more in depth.
The Program
Stage 1: Basic Black
Basic Black is open to those with about one year of belly dance experience in any style. This class focuses on fundamental belly dance concepts in a fun, supportive environment, including posture, muscle isolations, and movement vocabulary that will be developed and used throughout all technical levels.
Introductory musicality is presented with a focus on fundamental terms and ideas as they relate specifically to dance. Aspects of musicality are applied in drills and with basic finger cymbal patterns. Other areas of focus include the development of personal practice, goal-setting, working with dance blocks, finding inspiration, costuming, and developing critique skills.
This intensive is 24 hours, and is usually taught over 4 days.
Stage 2: Lavender
For those who have completed Basic Black. In Lavender, technical concepts are refined. In addition to new vocabulary and patterns, the speed of isolations, movements, and travel is increased. Layering of movements and isolations is introduced at this level.
Technique is also developed with the introduction of aspects such as pairing, wringing and projection, and the addition of fluidity and expression. A dialogue will be started on the development of combinations, leading up to choreographing, as well as further development of critique skills and personal practice.
This intensive is 36 hours, and is usually taught over 5 days.
Stage 3: Turquoise
For those who have completed Lavender. At this level, complex layering is developed in stationary and traveling drills with intricate foot and arm patterns.
Strict and dance drills, as well as combinations, are demonstrated and created, alone and with finger cymbals. Dancers will continue to refine pairing, wringing, and projection with fluidity and expression.
Musicality is further developed through examination of phrasing, dynamics, and representation of music.
This intensive is 70+ hours.
The Full Intensive is offered over 10 days every other year.
In between, a Mini Intensive over 5 days is offered.
Stage 4:
Pewter
The fourth stage of the Dark Side Dance Program In Pewter, drilling sessions with complex foot patterns and arm patterns are refined, delving into speed, complexity, subtlety, nuance, expression and creation. We will work with finger cymbals, shimmies, layering, creating combinations, musicality, and specialty projects as requested.
Dancers will develop combinations within specific parameters using the musical knowledge gained through the program and lead the class through their creations.
Critique skills are further developed as individual participants present excerpts of choreography.
This intensive will be offered as a retreat.
Upcoming Intensives
Stage 1: Basic Black
No intensives scheduled at this time.
Stage 2: Lavender
No intensives scheduled at this time.
Stage 3: Turquoise
No intensives scheduled at this time.