Many of you may know I enjoy leading workshops, primarily on different tools used in dance.  I’m a techie geek, a systems analyst by trade, and often find it easier to understand gadgets than people!  I also love the interaction of teaching, sharing, and learning myself.  This past week, the Harleyquin Workshop Class and Building area underwent significant upgrades!  I took all the notes, comments, observations and began on a process of streamlining to make the classes flow better, more enjoyable, and more engaging for everyone.

Long, long, long ago, while I was still a novice dancer, I wanted to create a simple script.  I was nearly convinced that paying another to create it was the best option.  Alas, a very dear friend said “you can dooo it”  (imitating the Water Boy movie voice).  And you know what I did?  I jumped in with both feet (I’m a Scorpio – that’s what I do) and began on a never ending quest of unraveling these magic little pieces of code to bring whatever is in my imagination alive.   Now, I sometimes teach on this topic and pass along what may be most helpful for Performers in their creations.  Still so much more to learn.

I’m a firm believer in “necessity is the mother of invention” and “find a way or make a way”, so that’s what I did.  I removed things, added things, created things, enhanced things, and even pulled out my multi-scene rezzers, not to mention hired a whole new “support team” (must see to believe).  The picture below is actually just a piece of the classroom area of the workshop platform – and before the upgrades.

I did begin questioning my own sanity on Saturday morning as I wrapped up the preparation for the choreography design system 2 class in the build area, and realized I had umm…a LOT of dances to work on plus research to do.

I do hope and believe that most attending enjoyed and learned something new from the class.  I learned new things too – thanks Que!  What else I realized though?  I totally stink at remembering to take attendance! 🙂  Always ways to make things better and more efficient, even if it’s a slide on the blackboard that says “The Questioning of Existence…all in attendance reply by {top secret}…ha 🙂

One moral that I take away from this?  Investing the time to do it right, and to complete it through to the end is a valuable use of time – whether it’s a workshop area, a workshop class, or creating a dance.  Creating some sort of structure, flow, also helps the creative process significantly and makes it less overwhelming and easier for the next time.

Dance will always be my primary focus, but for me, supporting others as they do me and teaching/learning also go hand in hand.

Ohhh….I just had a new thought….. (mumbles…it never ends…)

Always challenge yourself, in all things.  Amazing things are created outside your comfort zone.

~ Eva

Next workshop, contact EvaHarley to register:

Sat May 27th – 10 am SLT
SPOT ON SMOOTH DANCER – from getting started to recording your own sequences