Volume 2: Structure
Do you worry about boring your audience,
but "scribble" when
you try to do more ?
Many dancers try to make their performance interesting by adding more "stuff": more moves, more layers, more complexity. All too often, that degenerates into a sloppy mish-mash of moves.
That's called scribbling, and it's a quick way to lose your audience's attention.
You see, the more you throw into that mish-mash, the harder it is for your audience to follow your train of thought. They can't keep up, so they start to lose interest.
You can tell they're getting bored, so you worry that you aren't "good enough". You throw in even more stuff. And they get even more overwhelmed.
Before long, you're frantically ploughing though every move you know. But you've already lost them.
So how do you break that cycle?
What most dancers don't realize is that interesting dancing doesn't need a lot of "stuff" - it needs structure.
In Volume 2 of the Improvisation Toolkit, you'll learn how to structure your belly dance improvisation using:
- Continuity
- Alternation Patterns
- Theme & Variation
- Compositional Skeletons
- Safety Riffs
These tools will help you create a logical framework for your dance, so it will make sense to your audience.
Making the Conceptual Practical
Concepts are no good to you if you can't draw on them while you improvise. So I'll include a wide variety of exercises to help you internalize these concepts. These will include:
- Sample Combinations
- Guided Exercises
- Journaling
- Video Analysis Exercises
- A Plug & Play Choreography
These are simple combinations that demonstrate the concepts. These only require advanced beginner technique, so dancers at any level can learn these ideas. More advanced dancers can use them first as a learning tool, and then as a base for more complex combinations that still make sense to the audience.
These allow you to practice improvising with these concepts in a safe, guided environment. These will be demonstrated first on-screen, then by voice-over, since you can't learn to improvise by following along with me.
To help you integrate these ideas into your own personal style.
These empower you to expand your own structural repertoire by observing how your favorite dancers organize their performances.
This will help you take these concepts out of the studio, and pratice them in the context of a performance.
Improvisation doesn't have to mean chaos.
With each structural concept you add to your toolbox, your dance will become more organized and make more sense to your audience.
And with plenty of guided, step-by-step practice, using these tools will soon become second nature, so you'll never have to scribble again.
Extra Goodies
You didn't think you were just getting a DVD, did you?
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Free Bonus Downloads:For a limited time, you can download alternative versions of some exercises. These will help keep you on your toes once the exercises on the DVD become too familiar. You'll find the download URL and access code printed on your DVD. |
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| Bonus Expression DVD (Premium package only)As I've spoken to dancers about their improvisation questions, I kept hearing that many of you have trouble staying expressive while you improvise. So I created this mini video for you with my favorite techniques for boosting confidence, staying connected to your audience, and making sure that your expressiveness shines through. With the purchase of the premium package, you get this program on a real, physical DVD that you can play in your DVD player, not a download. |
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Study Guide (Premium package only)Worth $25 This 23-page eBook is both a study guide and an "expansion pack". It includes exercises, tips and suggestions to help you get the most out of your DVD, as well as additional exercises to help you expand on what you've learned. |
Order Now
But Wait!!! Do you have Volume 1 yet???
Before you buy Volume 2, I strongly recommend that you work with Volume 1: Movement Recall. Movement recall is the foundation of improvisation, and it's an important prerequisite for the rest of the series. If you buy this volume first, you will learn some handy compositional principles. But without strong movement recall skills, that knowledge won't do much for your improvised dance.
| Basic Package | Premium Package | |
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Improvisation Toolkit Volume 2: Structure on DVD (Region-Free, choose NTSC or PAL format)
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Bonuses |
Bonus Downloads (Worth $15)
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Bonus Expression Video (DVD worth $15)  |
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Study Guide (worth $25) |
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| $29.95 | $34.95 | |
| NTSC Format (US, Canada, Japan) |
NTSC Format (US, Canada, Japan) |
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PAL Format |
PAL Format |
(You can also order volume 2 from Amazon or CreateSpace, but the premium package is only available directly through me.)
Shipping charges for one DVD:
US or Canada: $2
Mexico: $3
All other countries: $4
Notes for International Viewers
All my DVDs are region-free, so they'll play on any DVD player. However, you still won't be able to watch your DVD unless you buy the right format for your television.
NTSC is the standard format in the US, Canada, and Japan.
List of countries using NTSC
PAL is the standard format in most of Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.
List of countries using PAL
Be sure to check your country's standard before placing your order. I cannot exchange your DVD for another format once it has been opened.
While I did buy a few extra copies of the PAL-formatted DVDs during the pre-orders, I will not be keeping them in stock after that stock sells out. The PAL version will be available directly from the manufacturer after that.
Still Not Sure if The Toolkit is For You?
For the time being, I'm piloting a "break the shrink wrap" guarantee. If you work with Volume 2 of the Toolkit and don't feel that is has been of value to you, you can return it within 30 days for a full refund of the purchase price.
Not only that, I'll even refund the shipping charge you paid me (for orders sent to the US or Canada only).
And not only THAT, but the bonus DVD and downloads are yours to keep.
Why Do That?
Because I'm a video junkie myself. I know how disappointing it is to buy a video and then discover that it wasn't what you need. I'm hoping that this will catch on and become the industry standard.
Is There A Catch?
There sure is. This return offer only applies to those of you who:
- Order your DVD directly from me (rather than through Amazon or another retailer)
- Actually work with the DVD before the deadline and don't get any value from it
I have only your word to go on, so please be honest! If my return policy is abused, I won't be able to offer it in the future.
Why Isn't It No-Questions-Asked?
My money-back guarantee isn't just about the money. It is also there to help you get results sooner.
How many times have you bought a video you were really excited about, and then left it on the shelf unopened?
Under my return policy, you have to try the program in order to get the refund, and you have to do it within 30 days. If you don't actually try the exercises, you don't qualify.
Why do that? It gives you an incentive to get started right away. And the sooner you get started, the sooner you'll seee an improvement in your improv skills. Even more importantly, those quick results will help build the momentum to carry you through your improv journey.
The Fine Print:
In order to get your refund, you must:
- Contact me within 30 days of the date your video is postmarked to ask for a return authorization number
- Return the video to me at your own expense (costs about $2 if you send it 1st class), postmarked within 5 business days of the date I send you the return authorization.
- Include the authorization number in your return.
If you have any questions about the return guarantee, feel free to contact me.
This DVD features music from "Belly Dancing for Fortune and Fame" by The Mogador Band, courtesy of Stella Grey. Available on Amazon