http://centralvalleybellydance.tribe.net/thread/dc340bce-ed70-4162-9715-1c0beea38193?format=rss Tribe.net. Local Connections http://CentralValleyBellyDance.tribe.net/thread/dc340bce-ed70-4162-9715-1c0beea38193#0afaaf9b-b6b8-46f7-84b0-a087f74b4b53 OK, I'll bite. Being my first post, here's some background on myself: I dance (mostly) at Andaloussia and sometimes Maalouf's, etc. I train with Mychelle Crown, whom I met about two years ago. I do not have a problem with Jodette personally since I don't know her on that level, only as a former student of 6-7 months. I care about accelerating my dance career, but not at the cost of slandering someone. Also, being a fledgling journalist, my ethics dictate that I only report the facts as I know them and would not sign my name to something I didn't know to be true. THAT being said... I left Jodette's after 6-7 months because I was tired of feeling like I was being used. My BF at the time, his mother was an expert seamstress (used to make bridal gowns, Renaissance costumes, etc.) and offered to make a belly dance costume for me if I paid for all of the materials. That was about an $800-$1K value in labor alone. I mentioned this to Jodette and she said that I couldn't get my own made because "it would upset the other girls". (HUH?) She said I could only buy costumes from her if I wanted to dance at her studio. I'm not down with that, I think that's limiting a dancer's self expression and controlling - especially since all of her costumes were too big for me. She insisted on selling me a costume with a bra band that was six inches too big for my rib cage. When I danced at Jodette's I wasn't aware of you (Kalila) doing the scheduling because every time I was scheduled I saw Jodette do it herself. Maybe things are different now, but when I was there in late 2006 and early 2007 she was scheduling all of the restaurants and parties. I'm not saying you're lying (because I like you and know you to be honest), but there was NO process for sending any dancer to a restaurant when I was there. I was in restaurants only two months after starting with her, that is the truth. I don't care how many hours a day you train during that time, NO beginning dancer is ready to work in a restaurant. Do a recital? Sure, maybe, why not? But to go inside a restaurant and perform an entire *quality* show and know how to comfortably work a crowd? No. No beginning bellydancer is ready for that. Period. I was not the only person she did this with. There were girls that started dancing there at the same time as me and maybe 3 months later were teaching other beginners. I don't know about Jodette tearing down fliers and doing other bad things, maybe that is or isn't true, but I know what I saw and heard in my time. She's not a bad person, but she's not a good businesswoman, Wed, 18 Feb 2009 19:26:13 GMT http://CentralValleyBellyDance.tribe.net/thread/dc340bce-ed70-4162-9715-1c0beea38193#0afaaf9b-b6b8-46f7-84b0-a087f74b4b53 Julianna 2009-02-18T19:26:13Z http://CentralValleyBellyDance.tribe.net/thread/dc340bce-ed70-4162-9715-1c0beea38193#c3f22259-8350-427d-982b-c85f82138320 Mina, I saw your troupe at Rakkasah last year, and I enjoyed it very much. You're a very vibrant dancer and great choreographer. There are so many rumors surrounding Jodette's studio. I do half the scheduling for restaurants there, and I don't know of any dancers we've ever sent out after two weeks. There's a process of classes, performance instruction, observation of other dancers, and feedback before any dancer goes out on her own to a restaurant. And after she goes there is continued monitoring and feedback. I really don't know where half this misinformation is coming from. I have no knowledge of Jodette taking down flyers, but I do have knowledge of another Sacramento belly dance teacher standing in our parking lot last week and handing out her cards to students as they came out of class. This isn't directed at you, Mina, but honestly the teachers around here who complain the loudest about Jodette are often the ones engaging in extremely unethical behavior themselves. I've been with Jodette for four years, and I've learned a lot from her. It took me almost three years to begin to understand her personality, but I'm so glad I stuck it out with her. Her knowledge of Middle Eastern dance and culture is extremely deep. I learn something new every time I have a conversation with her. She's a sharp businesswoman, but she is also extremely generous and kind. I would recommend her classes to anyone interested in getting a very authentic, traditional foundation in belly dance. Wed, 26 Nov 2008 05:18:09 GMT http://CentralValleyBellyDance.tribe.net/thread/dc340bce-ed70-4162-9715-1c0beea38193#c3f22259-8350-427d-982b-c85f82138320 Kalila 2008-11-26T05:18:09Z http://CentralValleyBellyDance.tribe.net/thread/dc340bce-ed70-4162-9715-1c0beea38193#d3aa661d-485d-4b04-bdcc-19f41a4bef53 Additionally... Egypt was ruled by the Ottoman Empire. It was the Egyptians who taught the Turks how to dance. How do we know this? Egypt is the oldest civilization on this planet. So, it is the Egyptians who danced the dance first and passed to the Turks. Wed, 27 Feb 2008 01:23:47 GMT http://CentralValleyBellyDance.tribe.net/thread/dc340bce-ed70-4162-9715-1c0beea38193#d3aa661d-485d-4b04-bdcc-19f41a4bef53 Sausan 2008-02-27T01:23:47Z http://CentralValleyBellyDance.tribe.net/thread/dc340bce-ed70-4162-9715-1c0beea38193#0262d1f5-34bb-4542-a2d1-25f1d784b200 Just curious.... Does she know who Soraya Helmi is? Wed, 27 Feb 2008 01:21:55 GMT http://CentralValleyBellyDance.tribe.net/thread/dc340bce-ed70-4162-9715-1c0beea38193#0262d1f5-34bb-4542-a2d1-25f1d784b200 Sausan 2008-02-27T01:21:55Z http://CentralValleyBellyDance.tribe.net/thread/dc340bce-ed70-4162-9715-1c0beea38193#8b8ffe2c-8791-4fe5-ac2c-5034686978dc Belly dance may have evolved, but it was taken from the Egyptians. This is a proven fact. We discovered it through Egyptian film from Taheyia Karioka, Samia Gamal, and all of the rest that came after them. This is the true style; no other style exists prior to this style. And if you know that there is one that existed prior to that, I would be interested in knowing what that is along with its proof. Looking forward to reading what it is. :-) Wed, 27 Feb 2008 01:21:12 GMT http://CentralValleyBellyDance.tribe.net/thread/dc340bce-ed70-4162-9715-1c0beea38193#8b8ffe2c-8791-4fe5-ac2c-5034686978dc Sausan 2008-02-27T01:21:12Z http://CentralValleyBellyDance.tribe.net/thread/dc340bce-ed70-4162-9715-1c0beea38193#85efe64b-2e8d-4f23-bfd6-79fbf1145b85 I respectfuly dissagree with Jodette teaching"The True Style" of bellydance.She teaches Classical Egyptian which is one of many styles to evolve in the midle-east.You also see Turkish and folkloric styles aswell. Tue, 26 Feb 2008 18:13:30 GMT http://CentralValleyBellyDance.tribe.net/thread/dc340bce-ed70-4162-9715-1c0beea38193#85efe64b-2e8d-4f23-bfd6-79fbf1145b85 Evie a.k.a. Evelyn 2008-02-26T18:13:30Z http://CentralValleyBellyDance.tribe.net/thread/dc340bce-ed70-4162-9715-1c0beea38193#6ab23394-317b-4672-bed4-781617d94c52 I have to say, after visiting Jodette's studio once last year, I determined her style was not for me. I respect her highly as a dancer and for the knowledge she brings, and perhaps maybe I'll go back to learn from her, but I did not feel like I belonged in her studio, so I will leave it at that. I now study with Mozelle in Stockton. I really like her classes, and they just work out better for me. Sun, 24 Feb 2008 10:49:04 GMT http://CentralValleyBellyDance.tribe.net/thread/dc340bce-ed70-4162-9715-1c0beea38193#6ab23394-317b-4672-bed4-781617d94c52 Songflower 2008-02-24T10:49:04Z http://CentralValleyBellyDance.tribe.net/thread/dc340bce-ed70-4162-9715-1c0beea38193#f7df0636-3c2c-4635-9252-19ec34265163 http://sacto.tribe.net/thread/61af078d-cf42-426f-825b-6b3754a939ed#5c6f9c7f-33f4-449e-a3c6-187d71a96f48 Go to this link and read Kalila's post. She describes Jodette to a "T". Much thanks to Kalila. Sun, 24 Feb 2008 09:01:04 GMT http://CentralValleyBellyDance.tribe.net/thread/dc340bce-ed70-4162-9715-1c0beea38193#f7df0636-3c2c-4635-9252-19ec34265163 Sausan 2008-02-24T09:01:04Z http://CentralValleyBellyDance.tribe.net/thread/dc340bce-ed70-4162-9715-1c0beea38193#a03ac884-2e49-40fb-bb6c-3d42a479c419 By the way....I continue to stay in touch with Jodette. She is a good friend of mine. I learned the only thing from her that no other teacher taught me, and that is the Egyptian Dance Code. It is what I teach in my classes. Sun, 24 Feb 2008 08:38:14 GMT http://CentralValleyBellyDance.tribe.net/thread/dc340bce-ed70-4162-9715-1c0beea38193#a03ac884-2e49-40fb-bb6c-3d42a479c419 Sausan 2008-02-24T08:38:14Z http://CentralValleyBellyDance.tribe.net/thread/dc340bce-ed70-4162-9715-1c0beea38193#c2ee16d0-f476-434a-a5bd-4d94902aef66 I was a student of Jodette back in 1974 through 1977. My question to Mina is, "Why say no?" What about her is "horrid"? If you have a beef with her that's one thing, but to tell others that she is horrid because of your personal experience is another. Jodette offers the true style of belly dance; the kind of dance that she only can bring to the students. She was born and brought up over there, has (had) one parent who is Egyptian, was taught by Egyptian gypsies, and has been a survivor in the USA when no one around her really understood her way of life and how she ultimately made a name for herself here in the United States. Jodette has her personality, but so do you and so do I. She brings with her a rare and wonderful glimpse of how life was/is like in Egypt. She is one of those rare teachers who actually and personally knew Taheyia Karioka, Samia Gamal, Na'eema Akef, Fareed Al Atrash, Adb El Halim Hafez, Mohamed Abd El Wahab, Faten Hamama, Yehyia Shaeen, and so many other great dancers and actors of Egyptian film. It's unfortunate, Mina, that you have had upsets with Jodette, but those are YOUR upsets and really should not be unloaded on a public forum. Jodette is not a theif, she does not make her students cry, and she has all of Sacramento to offer in the way of restaurants and other venues. To tell you the truth, Jodette will always be a better teacher than you or I or anyone else simply because she is from there and she knows more than anyone of us knows about this dance and the culture from which it was born. I say, yes, go and take from Jodette. Just know that she has a strong personality -- which is what makes her a survivor. And if she thinks you are good enough to dance in a restaurant after two weeks, consider yourself lucky. It took me one year. Sun, 24 Feb 2008 08:36:44 GMT http://CentralValleyBellyDance.tribe.net/thread/dc340bce-ed70-4162-9715-1c0beea38193#c2ee16d0-f476-434a-a5bd-4d94902aef66 Sausan 2008-02-24T08:36:44Z http://CentralValleyBellyDance.tribe.net/thread/dc340bce-ed70-4162-9715-1c0beea38193#95e8a6f6-35d2-485a-909f-b918a2b3a686 Just say no! For the love of god NO! Please no! I would totally warn you against taking classes w/ her, she's a horrid teacher, puts students out at restaurants that have only been dancing for two weeks. Takes down event flyers from shows I host in Sac and other dancers host in Sac to put her own class flyers up. I mean I could go on and on.. Just say no! Mina DDC Director DDF Committee Member Thu, 06 Sep 2007 18:26:45 GMT http://CentralValleyBellyDance.tribe.net/thread/dc340bce-ed70-4162-9715-1c0beea38193#95e8a6f6-35d2-485a-909f-b918a2b3a686 "Mina" 2007-09-06T18:26:45Z http://CentralValleyBellyDance.tribe.net/thread/dc340bce-ed70-4162-9715-1c0beea38193#17899719-77b7-4515-acdb-3491ad1fafcd Jodette has been teaching for many many years. She was born in Jorden and had taught many dancer. She is very old school. http://www.jodettes.com/ P.S. She was one of my mothers teachers. Wed, 23 May 2007 18:59:49 GMT http://CentralValleyBellyDance.tribe.net/thread/dc340bce-ed70-4162-9715-1c0beea38193#17899719-77b7-4515-acdb-3491ad1fafcd Sherry 2007-05-23T18:59:49Z http://CentralValleyBellyDance.tribe.net/thread/dc340bce-ed70-4162-9715-1c0beea38193#9b63a8e3-e477-4c5a-9105-9d3ffacc7609 I don't know anything, first hand, about this teacher. If you don't get any responses here, you might try asking in the Northern California Bellydance Tribe... and also head on over to Bhuz and see if anyone there has any info for you. Tue, 01 May 2007 20:03:27 GMT http://CentralValleyBellyDance.tribe.net/thread/dc340bce-ed70-4162-9715-1c0beea38193#9b63a8e3-e477-4c5a-9105-9d3ffacc7609 Joy 2007-05-01T20:03:27Z http://CentralValleyBellyDance.tribe.net/thread/dc340bce-ed70-4162-9715-1c0beea38193#483db66f-14d5-4413-b6ca-10cdb9f10527 Always passed it, never been in, just saw her website today and thought it looked awesome. Has anyone taken lessons with Jodette? How are the classes? Tue, 01 May 2007 06:12:39 GMT http://CentralValleyBellyDance.tribe.net/thread/dc340bce-ed70-4162-9715-1c0beea38193#483db66f-14d5-4413-b6ca-10cdb9f10527 Songflower 2007-05-01T06:12:39Z