8 Elements of Bellydance | Phase 1: Initiation | 20-27 september 2013

My 1st travel to Portland, 5 days of intensive 22th to 26th of September 2013. It was amazing! great memories and I knew my friend Rachel!
| Original suggestions (they might have changed now) at the time: |
8 Elements™ Usage Guidelines
While we have this moment we also wanted to share with you our usage guidelines the 8 Elements™ material and document of recognition you have received. (This is material from the FAQ but also wanted to share it directly as we hope that it addresses common post intensive questions).
The purpose of Initiation (and subsequent 8 Elements™ training) is to support students to integrate the material into their personal dance practices. We also realize that many students in this first stage of Initiation may already be established teachers and wishing to use the material learned in the Intensives in their own classroom settings. Technically, the 8 Elements™ is a trademarked and copyrighted concept that should not be used in a class description, workshop/class title or to advertise workshop material unless the teacher is certified through the 8 Elements™ teacher training program (phase 4) and has permission to do so in writing. Naturally, we encourage people to list the training in their bios. We request that it reads "Rachel Brice's 8 Elements™ Phase 1: Initiation Passed".
We recognize that exercises and concepts from the Intensives may be useful for teachers, and we encourage that substantial prior experience goes into their usage before usage in a classroom environment - thus the reason for multiple phases of 8 Elements™ Intensives before the teacher training begins. Ideally the 8 Elements™ may inspire a teacher to find her own approach beyond the material presented in the Intensives after it is integrated with her own experience.
Once a participant moves through the material as an artist, then as a guide in her informal, experimental groups with dance partners, then finally a as a student-teacher, she will know how to present the material in her own way. Presenting this material as a teacher before experiencing each of the stages could be premature and would serve neither the student or the material. The material in the intensives are compiled from years of dance and teaching experience and their effectiveness draws from this.
Overall, our intention is to encourage exploration of the foundational material in a way that will support the achievement of lasting excellence (which is the real goal of the whole 8 Elements™ program). Take your time. As Gary Kraftsow says, "don't learn it on Monday and teach it on Tuesday."