Vision, Audition, Skills, Interpersonal Agreements, Basic Costs, Travel, Choreography

Vision

My vision for the Synergy Sirens dance company is a group of dancers committed to creativity through dance, incorporating bellydance technique and other dance forms. The Sirens are a group of professionals who serve as ambassadors for bellydance, expanding horizons, and challenging stereotypes. We are a group of people who treat each other with respect and kindness. We are dancers who explore group and individual performance, involving my choreography, your own choreography, and some improvisation. We are a group of dancers who express confidence and emotion through movement. We have fun together!

What matters for selection into the company is dance ability, commitment to continued learning, and interpersonal communication. Anyone is welcome, regardless of age, gender, race/ethnicity, body size, orientation, religion, or national origin.

Audition

Auditions will take place Sunday June 1 starting at 2pm, location TBA.

Please let me know ASAP if you plan to audition. I will then give you the application form. I must receive your application and essay by May 24 (email is fine).

Auditions require all of the following:

1. Completed application (See separate sheet)
2. Brief essay: What are your goals within bellydance, both short term and long term? What have been your greatest challenges and triumphs in bellydance? What are your hopes and fears about dancing with the Sirens? What would you like to learn?
3. Technique Demo: You will be led through a warmup and run-through for skills that are expected at this level (see “Dance Skills”).
4. Choreography: You will learn a new (short) choreography at the audition, and you will have to pick it up quickly and perform it in small groups.
5. 3 minute solo performance: Prepare a short piece of choreography highlighting your dance skills.

What happens after auditions:

Every dancer who auditions for the Sirens will received detailed feedback. If you are not admitted at this time, our assumption is that you are simply not ready yet, and I will tell you what skills to work on for the next round of auditions. It is also possible that dancers could be admitted as apprentices, learning choreography but not performing right away.

Dance Skills

Students best suited for auditioning will have already completed at least one year of level 2 or level 3 sessions with Sahira. The skills you should have mastered before auditioning are listed below. To be ready for the company, you need to exhibit strong execution with grace and stamina for all skills.

Dance Technique

• undulations, circles, and infinity shapes all directions with rib cage and hips
• clear accents with shoulders, rib cage, hips
• shapes and accents to plie and back to standing
• isolations: the ability to move parts of your torso independently, while framing well with your arms
• shoulder and hip shimmies, layered with undulations, circles, and infinities
• twisting shimmies, layered with slides and circles
• basic ¾ shimmies traveling, with grapevine and rocking step, with layered horizontal infinities
• push-off ¾ shimmies, both sides
• down ¾ shimmies (variation on Hagallah walk)
• chaine turns all the way across the floor, both directions
• paddle foot turns, at least three turns in a row, both directions
• exhibit consistently graceful posture
• have nice Arabic-style hands, strong and graceful arms
• eyes focused outward
• fluid transitions between movements
• dance style: display the differences between Sharqi, cabaret, and tribal styles
• exhibit confidence and a pleasant expression when performing
• pick up choreography quickly and retain it
• receive and understand feedback and corrections, and integrate them
• training in ballet, jazz, modern, ballroom, yoga, etc. is beneficial

Instruments/Props

• play zill rhythms cleanly: gallop, embellished gallop, straight 8ths, Beledi
• play zill rhythms while dancing, both torso movements and traveling steps
• exhibit graceful veil technique including overhead twirls, arm-wraps, overhead tosses, figure-eights, spins, and traveling

Commitment to the Dance

• commitment to continued learning in Raqs Sharqi, American (“cabaret”), tribal fusion, and folkloric styles
• commitment to regular practice
• commitment to learning multiple bellydance styles, including Egyptian-influenced, tribal, folkloric (Saidi, Turkish, etc.) and fusion (including African, Bollywood, hip-hop, modern, jazz, etc.)

Interpersonal Agreements

I’ve had some really interesting conversations with a few troupe directors about how their troupes function. What surprised me is how often interpersonal problems arise. It is my hope that we nurture and maintain a bond as a group, and all feel appreciated. To that end, these are some agreements about how we’ll treat each other.

• honesty, authenticity, and openness : I will be honest and open with you about my expectations and my goals with choreographies, performances, etc. I ask you to do the same.
• direct communication : If any issues arise, we will talk about them directly with whoever is involved. If you have a question or concern about the company, let me know ASAP so we can talk about it. I do not expect for any particular thing to happen, but sometimes, even with the best intentions, misunderstandings can occur. So let’s agree—in advance—to talk with each other!
• benefit of the doubt : If there ever are hurt feelings (gosh, I hope there aren’t!), let’s start with the assumption that it’s a misunderstanding. Let’s give the benefit of the doubt, and then check-in and find out what’s really going on.
• take care of yourself : Take care of your body, mind, and spirit. Know your limits, and ask for support whenever you need it.
• the role of feedback : When I provide feedback, it is with these goals: improving dance technique and synchronicity within the Sirens. I hope that all Sirens will receive feedback in this spirit. Whenever we share feedback with each other, it should be clear and sensory-based, so it is different from opinion. An opinion would be “That section sucked, it really dragged.” Feedback would be “This movement is repeated three times, then again on the other side. It would be more dynamic to add another move there.” We seek and appreciate feedback, because we are all here to grow and learn.
• receiving feedback : Feedback can be tricky, for the person saying it and for the person hearing it. I reiterate that my goal in providing feedback is to nurture your continued growth as a dancer. With that in mind I ask the following:
  • please listen to my words. Sometimes I give feedback and the recipient gives a quick reply, perhaps something self-deprecating, perhaps something dismissive. In any case, these replies suggest to me some combination of 1) the dancer doesn’t agree with the feedback, 2) the dancer doesn’t want to hear it, 3) the dancer is embarrassed, and 4) the dancer feels a blow to their self-worth. I certainly can’t get into your head, but I simply ask you to give yourself a moment to hear what I’m saying, and try to integrate the feedback
  • please listen to my words. Yes, that’s a repeat of the phrase, but this isn’t about listening, it’s about my words. None of my students suck, and I never intend my feedback to be seen as a thinly-veiled denigration of your dance abilities. I truly hope that everyone’s self-confidence continues to grow through this dance, so you know corrections and suggestions are about improving, not about how much you suck. You don’t suck! You rock!
  • ask for clarifications. If I’m not sufficiently clear, please ask me. And if my words lead to hurt feelings, please talk to me one-on-one after class or rehearsal. I do not mean to hurt any of you, but if my words have an outcome I didn’t intend, I want to know!
• mutual respect : We know that each of us has unique abilities and goals. Everyone deserves to be treated well and respected for their part in the Synergy Sirens.
• humility : There’s always more to learn! We’re grateful for our gifts and we are gracious with others.
• leadership : Sirens are seen as leaders, particularly with audiences and other Synergy RaD dancers. With this leadership comes responsibility for your impact. Be kind and professional with audiences and supportive of other dancers.

Basic Costs

Synergy Sirens are expected to participate in Level 3 classes to continue training and maintain consistency of style with Sahira. In addition, Sirens rehearsal costs depend upon studio rental and the number of dancers. We have 90-minute rehearsals every week that classes are in session, with additional rehearsals as needed for performances.

You will be responsible for some costume expenses, and any costume you buy you keep. If Sahira (Synergy RaD) buys costuming, props, musical instruments, equipment, etc. for your use, she retains ownership. If you leave the company, whatever Sahira bought shall be returned to her. We will talk about costuming together, and it is not my intention to require exorbitant spending on costumes.

Travel

Synergy Sirens will be asked to travel out of town (throughout the Midwest) to attend workshops and perform in shows. Each dancer is responsible for the costs of her travel (gas and tolls, food, and lodging, workshop fees, etc.) We will travel as a group, keeping costs as low as possible.

Choreography

All choreography created by Sahira Zedare remains hers. Pieces choreographed within Synergy RaD remain within Synergy RaD. Otherwise, an individual dancer’s solo choreography remains her own. If a dancer leaves the Sirens, she is not permitted to continue performing troupe choreography.