Pennsic Comments

[durr al-jabal al-mukhfi <durr.al-jabal@iname.com>]

Poster: durr al-jabal al-mukhfi <durr.al-jabal@iname.com>

Ahlan wa sahlan!

I was very happy to see many of you at the War this year, and hope to next
year (inshallah!)

My thanks to those who shared their knowledge with others at the various
classes, and those who joined us in the evening haflas (where ever they
were!)  Thanks again to Esmeralda for chasing after folks for classes, and
to Jas for coordinating the drum and music segments.  Esmeralda and Zimra
will be working with Dame Alys on scheduling for next Pennsic, so get your
class requests in now!

I'm going to take a moment and mention some complaints and suggestions that
came my way this year;


First the complaints:

Some material offered as classes would have been more appropriate for a
modern, professional exotic dance seminar than for the Pennsic venue.  To
solve this we will have to create a list of criteria for classes to either
stay away from or boundries to stay within.  I'd like to see self-jurying
instead of some panel of judges to select the classes.

The Loud tents were impossible to teach anything inside (Road Noise and
heat where un-bearable.)  It should be made know that if prblems of this
sort occurr, to come see me and I will do what I can to get other
accommodations (this is how it all began, after all.)

Classes that asked for longer time slots were truncated.  (this is probably
caused by the lack of available time slots/class spaces.)

Multiple classes on the same topic caused a cancelation (and folks still
showed for the class anyway when the first class was rained out.)

The time frame for the symposia was too long (next year it will be on a two
hour plan.)

Some of the classes were nothing but commercials for the teachers products
and goods.  (Charging for handouts is one thing, and mentioning where the
tapes can be bought is another, but selling or pitching should not be part
of the class.)


Now, suggestions;

The basic drum class should be two hours long, with instruction in the
first hour, and practice in the second hour (this allows multiple
instructors to work in as schedules allow.)

The drum and music topics classes of two hours gave a nice range to work in
for the instructors.  This also left the late afternoon time for the
musicians to gather and jam before the evening.

Repeatable class times help people find what they want, and so the
scheduling for most of the classes could be blocked out

Since the drum classes have been starting at noon in the Oasis, that leaves
the morning free for topics.  I would like to suggest that the 10 to noon
block of time be set aside for culture topics, like Chengir's historys, or
Rayne's everyday life experiences, etc.

I'd also like to suggest that the dance classes be set up on the same type
of block schedule, i.e. 10 to noon, basic dance; noon to 2, culture; and 2
to 5, advanced dance topics.  (this causes a break in the heat of the day
for the dance types, if you didn't notice...)

The way classes are scheduled now (the one-hour time-slot) segregates the
participants and impeeds the development of synergy and communitee.  I wish
to eliminate these artificial barriers and allow the instructors to join
together and share with those who come for the entire range of subject
material to be presented.  (For the non-Mid-East cultures, say a Viking Day
in A&S 1, or viking topics always from 3 to 6 pm in A&S 2)


Two final thoughts (thank you Khavi and Zakyyah)

To be an Orluk Instructor is to share, not to teach.   Friends share.

There is more than one path up the mountain.  You don't have to be a snob.

salaam, durr (al-musta'rib)

end
================================================================
durr al-jabal al-mukhfi           mailto:durr.al-jabal@iname.com
<Baron Dur of Hidden Mountain>                    Member # 02933
al-musta'rib and Orluk Oasis Newsletter:
              http://www.lazerlink.com/~dwarph/al-musta'rib.html
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Wise men speak because they have something to say.
Fools speak because they have to say something.  Go figure...


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