THE ACTING FOR DANCERS & BRING YOUR BEST PROGRAMS ARE NOW CLOSED FOR REGISTRATION.
JOIN THE WAITLIST HERE TO BE ALERTED TO THE NEXT RUN OF AFD, STAGE PRESENCE PROGRAMS, AND BYB.
And please join us for the upcoming online showcases! Details will be posted on the home page GingerCity.com and sent to the GingerCity.com email list (join the GC email list here)
Get ready for three months of powerful training to enhance your dance performances through my new program, ACTING FOR DANCERS. It can be taken on its own or with my deeper coaching series, BRING YOUR BEST.
I'm not messing around with this series! Every year I change up my live offerings. This is one you will not want to miss.
Watch the video below for more on this program 🙂
ACTING FOR DANCERS 2021 will be comprised of four integrated programs.
Each one builds on the next, and you will have a suite of techniques to use by the end of the season!
By participating live, you will have a role in shaping these programs, and getting what you want to get from them.
Read through the information. If you want to discuss the series with me and whether it's a good fit for your needs, you can set up an appointment to connect with me.
ABOUT ACTING FOR DANCERS (AFD):
AFD is about sharing what I wish every dancer could have: the acting background I had when I started my career... specific to solo dance work. By the end of the AFD series, you'll have a full toolbox of acting techniques to apply to your dancing, with feedback recommendations specific to you that you can continue to develop, either on your own or in the Bring Your Best (BYB*6*) coaching program. All BYB*6* members will be in AFD too, so once you join AFD, you can talk to me about adding BYB. Both series will have a coaching component, but BYB has much more in-depth coaching than AFD.
WHY "ACTING FOR DANCERS"?
Dance movements by themselves are just physical exercise.
To go beyond your own body to truly reach an audience, acting skills can help get you there. That's the expression.
Many dancers work on the choreography and the technique first, without "acting it"...and then try to add breathing and feeling later. NOPE!!!
It's more effective to integrate acting and breathwork techniques into the dance movements, both for the success of the movements and the success of the performer. Actually, for the success of the whole performance.
You shouldn't settle for being just a dancer with movements, if you really want to move people.
IS THIS PROGRAM FOR YOU?
When you look at your videos, does your true feeling and love of the music come across, fully?
if you don't feel you have yet reached your potential as a performer,
if you are looking for some inspiration to spice up your dance during these weird times,
and you want to be fully respected in your talent as well as feeling safe enough to take risks that will pay off... then these brand-new LIVE programs may be just the thing for you.
If you are ready to commit to yourself, you WILL reap the benefits.
ACTING FOR DANCERS includes...
- mental and physical work to be fully present onstage from the beginning (not just after the audience warms up to you)
- online vs. in-person audience connection techniques (including how to work with the camera so you don't look like a shy robot)
- applied meditation for performance
- Breathwork for Performance
- character/persona exercises
- juicy, yummy sensory work
- soundtrack of classic and modern Arabic music (plus a few musical curveballs in the mix)
- Video sharing with custom app, in a protected platform where you get to know your fellow dancers, and share progress and support in a safe, motivating environment.
- Recorded video trainings, live meetings, and short personalized coaching of all members (you will be treated as a unique individual, and get feedback that is extremely specific to you, not just general feel-good tips).
- Deeper work for show preparation in my Bring Your Best *6* coaching series that flows seamlessly from AFD so you can apply the acting techniques to the music you will perform in the September showcase.
ACTING FOR DANCERS includes four workshop series spread out over 1-2 weeks each.
#1) SAFE SPACE ONSTAGE (early-mid June)
The strangeness of the Covid era has changed the definition of performance, and heightened the distinction between on and offstage in the digital age. In this program, we'll be addressing ways to feel safer "putting yourself out there"... whether it's in front of a camera (recording or for livestream) or in any in-person performance situation, no matter the setting. I'll be leading candid discussion of what it means to be "onstage" and how to deal with the obstacles that come up, so you can get into your "zone" reliably. Can you show up and perform even when stressed or preoccupied? This program will give you tools to do that.
- Meditation and mindfulness practice for "real-life" and onstage applications
- Visualizations and breathwork to create a feeling of protection and agency for yourself in performance
- Building confidence with the tricky transition from offstage to onstage
- Development of routines and practice to improve your focus for performance
- Accountability tools and buddies to develop practice habits together during the program... and after...
#2) SENSORY CELEBRATION FOR DANCERS (late June-early July)
Working with the five senses enhances our performances SO MUCH. It connects our physical experience, and memories of our experience, to our performance. And it connects our physical experience to the physical memories of audience members, enhancing our connection with them, and therefore making our work more relevant to them.
In this series, we'll use "method" and physical acting techniques to get in touch with the feelings we want to share... making our dance more meaningful to us and to our audiences.
- Work with objects (props) and environments that elicit sensory connection (we'll be making some fun videos here!)
- “Sense memory” - tapping into our physical memories and applying them even when the object is not present
- Musical connection - Application of sensory techniques and sense memory work to melody and rhythm for improvisation and choreography
#3) CHARACTER IN PERFORMANCE (mid-July)
Even if we are performing "as ourselves," we are stepping into a role the moment we go onstage (whether online in front of a camera, or in-person). And who says we have to stick to just one role over the course of one dance? It brings us freedom, to explore different characters, as in-built parts of ourselves or as personas quite different from how we usually present ourselves. This is one of the most fun workshops I ever developed in New York, and I'm excited to share it as a series online!
- Exploring the characters within our own personality and ways of being
- Different acting approaches to character-building
- Working with archetypes and famous figures
- Applying character work to musical moments in a piece
- Bonus: Inspiration from Ayurveda and other analysis methods to help identify your own constitutional and personality type: You can apply this in physicalizing characters in a way that is still balanced for your baseline body and personality
#4) ONSTAGE RELATIONSHIPS BUILT IN THE AIR (early-mid August)
What I mean by this is creating relationships even if you are dancing solo, to enhance how much the audience cares about your performance. (And those relationships don't need to be only with the audience, though that will be included in this program.) Eye contact with an audience can sometimes feel scary, but you have more options for confident eye gaze onstage than you may realize. It doesn't always have to be the audience members you are looking at! In some cases you will want to connect eye to eye with an audience member, but other times (or even for a whole performance), you can tap into imaginary relationships with imaginary characters in your narrative. It may sound funny, but if you have seen me perform, I use this technique in nearly every performance. This is a brand-new workshop that builds on the Character in Performance work.
- Learn how to create imaginary characters for your own character to interact with (I can't wait for the video clips on these!!!)
- Build that dialogue through your reactions, making this other "person" real for yourself in that moment
- Enlist audience members to be characters in your narrative, to make them feel more relevant to your performance.
- Learn to direct your eye gaze and place your imaginary friends (or enemies!) around your performance space (whether online or through a webcam)
PS: all of this is in your own head! You don't have to get anyone else up on stage for it to work. 🙂
We'll have live Zoom meet-and-greets to kick off the AFD series, so you can get to know fellow members and build comfort and camaraderie with each other. (There will be separate meet-and-greets for Bring Your Best.)
Then, FOR *EACH* WORKSHOP IN THE ACTING FOR DANCERS SERIES:
- 5-6 short video trainings and challenge exercises, with recommended short video submissions from you, to share your work on the exercises (shared video galleries for participants - this is going to be really creative and enjoyable!!!)
- Feedback from me on your videos and on everyone else's in the group - You can watch it all to learn from others too, all recorded for easy review
- Ongoing discussion in private club in the website discussion forum, accessible on any device
- Accountability and support buddies in "pod" groups
- Lifetime access to video trainings and PDF worksheets in the Ginger City membership site
ACTING FOR DANCERS - FAQs
Ask additional questions using the brand-new chatbot at lower right, or email to support@gingercity.com. I'll answer you and also keep adding FAQs on this page.
I understand! For AFD it is not an absolute requirement, but strongly recommended - you'll get a lot more out of the program if you do. Many people feel a little nervous at first, but remember, these are only viewable to you, me, and the others in this program. After the first time, and after you see others participating, you will likely get more comfortable with it! The custom app makes it easy to submit even if you are in a hurry, and you'll enjoy checking out everyone's videos in the gallery! The idea is for these to be short and sweet so you can get it up there fast, and get a little experimental with it!
I cannot recommend Ranya enough!
Before I met Ranya I felt like I wanted to speak but I had no voice. Through Ranya’s coaching methods she has taught me how to unlock my potential and become a really effective performer and artist. Now I feel like I can truly connect with myself, my audience and share my voice through my dance. Learning how to dance from my core, how to focus my attention and use of breath work through Ranya’s methods has really transformed my dance. I cannot recommend Ranya enough. If you truly want to invest in your dance and take it to another level, invest in Ranya, you won’t regret it!
The piece that I was working on with Ranya grew exponentially.
I was working up to a competition, and the piece that I was working on with Ranya, it grew exponentially. I was so proud of it. I went to the competition and I was in six categories and I placed first second or third out of five of the six. The breathwork is magic.
She really does listen, and actually engages you. And it encourages you to take risks.
She has really taken a lot of time in her personal education to learn about the mechanics in terms of how we move and how we breathe, and what's going even psychologically. She also has a really good appreciation for different body types and different abilities in the dance, and different sensibilities, and it makes a world of difference in her teaching and people's ability to learn and take in things. I also think it encourages people to take risk and chance in a way that they wouldn't [normally do]. "
With Ranya, if she doesn't understand she takes the time to understand. She really does listen, and actually engages you. And it encourages you to take risks. I tried out things I had never seen someone with my body type do, because Ranya was talking me through it.
I feel my dancing improved a lot in a short time.
I would just like to say how much I enjoyed working with Ranya on her initial coaching class. I am not a tech person but learned a lot about taping my routine.. submitting it to her for critique….video conference..etc. Don’t let any fears on the tech side stop you from signing up… If I can manage it anyone can! The one-on-one part of the coaching was excellent as was working in the group…The first time I met everyone online was a little nerve-wracking as I didn’t know what to expect, but as the course went on these sessions became a favorite part of the experience. I have no problems in highly recommending this course and feel my dancing improved a lot in a short time.
Ranya's coaching is genius!
I am largely self-taught and I was used to filming myself in order to analyse and improve my dancing, so I already had a lot of ideas about what might be better. But Ranya made me realize things I would never have seen by myself. Her comments are always spot on and at the same time always super encouraging. And she will not only tell you what kind of changes might improve your dance but also how to achieve them. Especially her expertise on stage presence and performance qualities is invaluable and makes her coaching format unique. I highly recommend her program to any dancer who wants to not only dance better but also feel better about their dance.
It was such a wonderful experience taking Ranya’s online coaching.
She is an excellent teacher with her pool of knowledge and patience….What I enjoyed was the fun dance learning communication across the globe and the stack of pointers that she gave to each student.
My dance has catapulted to a whole new level
“In my opinion, my dance has catapulted to a whole new level since the first Baladi Coaching session. I’ve felt the difference in my performances over the summer and also felt it contributed to very positive outcomes in my first solo competitions. People (including judges) have shared great feedback and those who know me more personally have commented that they almost didn’t recognize my dancing. One actually said, “Did magic fall into your head or something?” Now, I’ve also worked hard mentally during this time and listen to several audio books that were complimentary to improving mindset BUT my decision to do Ranya’s program WAS the catalyst for my new approach to dance, physically and mentally. She is extremely in-tune and insightful so she challenges you to step out of your comfort zone in a way that isn’t too much. It’s a little scary but you can see she believes in you and wants you to be your best you so your feel safe in your attempts. The group setting also offers you great insights. You get to observe others challenging themselves and can observe how it all can apply to you in some way. I don’t think I would’ve gotten as much from private sessions as I did from the group set-up. Highly recommend this class to anyone who wants to level up their dance!
READY TO GO DEEPER?
Consider taking it up a notch with the BRING YOUR BEST *6* performance coaching series. BYB will be completely integrated with AFD, as you work on a full piece that is informed by your acting work, ready for performance on camera or on a stage. BYB admission is by application/interview only, because the commitment factor in this series is important. After you sign up for Acting for Dancers, you can interview with me about BYB, and get your questions answered at the same time. After you are approved to join, you'll then be given a link to pay the difference for BYB.
Looking for a program that will get you further on the path to performance success?
Join AFD.
Looking for a real transformation in yourself as a performer, with guidance to make those bigger changes?
Join AFD+BYB.
Sign up for AFD by itself (includes 4 mini workshop series), or get AFD *completely included* when you sign up for BYB*6* (for 2021 only). Once accepted to join BYB, you'll get a link to pay the difference in cost; payment plans are available.
BRING YOUR BEST *6* PERFORMANCE COACHING PROGRAM
The unique Bring Your Best program combines the benefits of private coaching with the support of a group, with each member working on her or his own on a solo piece, for a planned live show, competition, or for personal development as a dancer. You learn from your own coaching, and you learn from witnessing the other dancers.
It's a powerful combination that has resulted in major breakthroughs for BYB participants.
You can work on your own choreography or a structured improvisation, in any style - traditional, modern, classic, experimental... You choose. Your art and your impact is the point.
I can help you to clarify the best way to reach your goals through the series, in choosing your performance piece.
BRING YOUR BEST participation is by interview only. Sign up for a meeting with me here to discuss joining the series. If you don't see a time that works for you, just reach out via the chatbot or email me at support@gingercity.com with BYB INTERVIEW in the subject heading.
Watch the video to hear about dancers' experiences in the coaching series
(from 2017-2018 members...the 2021 BYB program will be a similar format, but in the last three years we've improved the member experience even more: with private club for discussion, a new video submission app that makes it easier to get those videos in, "pod" groups for greater support and accountability, and an online showcase to close the series)
Whether you are dancing for fun, for competition, or for work, you want to do your personal best, to experience the thrill of being completely, perfectly in the zone, connected with the audience and with your own dance. And it would be nice if your friends and family and fellow dancers in the audience also noticed that you rose to the occasion, went way beyond what they'd seen you do before. Surprised them and knocked their socks off. You want it, and you know you deserve to feel great about what you are presenting too.
I've judged several competitions, and I find that the fear of judgment can cause performers to spontaneously lose their talent, as if it slinks away from view under the pressure of the moment.
We are judged on how we look, as dance performers, and also how we look at the audience, with eye contact or the lack thereof.
Nerves can affect us to the point where we lose connection with the audience and with the best parts of ourselves.
Impostor syndrome affects a lot of experienced dancers who don't realize how good they are.
Maybe you feel you'll never be enough, and so you don't give yourself permission to be enough.
When that happens, you also don't give your audience the permission to be enough. When we lift ourselves up, we lift them up too.
Perfectionism can get in your way. I like working with perfectionists because they, like me, have very high standards. They're serious about it, which I respect. It's possible to maintain those high standards in a way that puts yourself out there, protected, so that you feel less vulnerable, but still can share emotionally with the audience. If you haven't felt like this was possible before, it may be because it is not being taught.
We all feel a little extra stress when we need to get ready for a high-stakes performance.
There are lots of reasons to prepare in advance, with a goal-oriented and not last-minute-panicked approach. Coaching is a way to push yourself with deadlines, have accountability, with a supportive coach and a supportive group to report to. Maybe you have a great regular teacher who can coach you, which is an amazing asset. I know there are others who offer that kind of coaching support too.
This program is different from other coaching you may find. I developed this coaching method and format - the "coaching container" - from scratch, honed over a period of 25 years, to be something I would want to join myself. And I'm really picky! I don't take coaching from just anyone, because I don't want to make myself vulnerable and hopeful... and then in the end be not-helped, and my issues not-solved. I've been there with other kinds of coaching, and it doesn't feel good. A lot of dancers who come to me want to feel more empowered in taking coaching, don't want to feel judged and also don't want to be talked down to. I'm with you on that! Honestly, as a dancer I never found a program like my series, but now I get to experience the success of the whole group of dancers in it, in an environment that feels safe, as well as direct and honest. You shouldn't have to choose between feeling safe and getting honest, direct feedback. In my series, I strive to give members the best of both. From what previous BYB and Baladi Coaching Series members have told me, this program is one-of-a-kind, and every session gets better, because I incorporate feedback from members each time I run it anew.
My goal is to help performers transform in a way they haven't been able to before, and to see the opening for what they could be, even if they couldn't see it themselves before. And to get there.
Maybe you feel like you should be able to progress farther than you have. You feel like you should be farther along than you are. I'm quite confident Bring Your Best can get you there, and most likely well beyond where you were hoping to be. Maybe you didn't realize a solution was available, that you could really have a much stronger stage presence and clarity in your dancing. And no one knew how to lead you to it. So, you should join Bring Your Best if you want more than what any other dance teacher or dance coach has given you, to not waste any more time, and to bump yourself up a level or two or three, in a very short time frame.
In speaking with many people who have gone through my coaching series, they said they had not come across this approach before. It's an eclectic method I developed myself, over years of learning, performing, teaching...Trying to create the warmest, and safest place for dancers to transform themselves as performers, not only improving their dance technique.
In that eclectic mix of my background: community and professional acting and comedy work (going back to my childhood!), university degree in theater with acting and directing training, cross-cultural research in Arabic language, dance and music, a master's degree in cognitive psychology, meditation and yoga training, wisdom from Ayurvedic and Chinese traditions (in tailoring remedies for different bodies and personalities), time spent living in other countries, which gave me perspective and growth, and years of dance performance and coaching practice... This background helped me to develop a coaching method that is unique, and also that can work for a wide variety of dancers and personalities (but not necessarily for everyone - see below).
In short, what you might expect from typical dance coaching is learning how to place your arms or legs better, or "try smiling more"... But what I offer goes much, much deeper than that. I include technique feedback of course, but it's a holistic approach that connects the technique to your own development as a person, and as a performer.
This is coaching that will transform you. It gives oxygen to the best parts of yourself, and allows you to share them with the world in a way you always wished for but perhaps never believed fully that you could. You should join the program if you want to really BE your best and are willing to show up for it. You'll be guided with respect and support.
How do you want to transform your dance and yourself as a performer? We'll get you there!
WHO SHOULDN'T JOIN BRING YOUR BEST?
I have been able to help a really wide variety of people through Bring Your Best and my Baladi Coaching Series - a variety of levels of experience, ages, backgrounds, and genders. However, the coaching series may not be the best fit for everyone, based on previous experience. This is to make sure you will progress through the series and not feel frustrated, as well as being able to be there for the other dancers (at least for your pod members) which is a critical part of why the series is so successful. Remember, if you find BYB is not a good fit for you, you are still welcome to join AFD and start working with the type of approach we use in all my coaching series.
BYB is not for you at this point if:
1) ...If you can't or don't want to connect regularly with fellow members and with me in the online club, and be available to quickly respond (within 12-24 hours) to time-sensitive scheduling requests. Because there is some schedule coordination through forum messages as part of this series, to set up meet-and-greets and other live meetings with me and pod members, you will need to be reachable and responsive in setting up the meetings, as a courtesy to me and to other members. You can do this on any device, and there is even a new phone app we are starting to use for the forum. We show members how to set up email notifications for the program "club" in the membership site, so you can be alerted when there are messages to reply to. New for 2021: we will also have a more sophisticated calendar function set up by end of May to coordinate member schedules for meetings in a much easier way than we have in the past. But you will still need to be responsive and stay connected, if you join BYB.
2) ...If you can't or don't want to stay regular with video recording and submissions, or with giving at least short feedback to your pod members on their videos (generally 3 other people). In that case, private coaching would be a better option. Many previous participants have said that the greatest learning has come from observing and reflecting on fellow dancers' progress, so it's an important part of the process. Over several series, I have made improvements to the submission and discussion process to make the process more efficient for members, to get videos submitted fast and to be able to watch others' videos easily. (If you took BYB before, and didn't do the 2020-2021 BCS or PWP VIP, then you have not seen the new video gallery system yet, so ask me about it if you have questions.) It still does require ongoing commitment. If you know you are going to have a busy work week or a trip with family, you can let us know - that is not going to be a big problem. But missing many weeks or dropping out totally could leave your pod members stranded, which would not be fair to them, since that support is an important part of the group experience. If you find you have to miss a week here or there, that's ok - you can absolutely make an effort to reach out to your pod members before and after, to stay connected. This ongoing connection is the important thing.
3) ...If you want to sign up for several other online dance programs at the same time, and keep up with all of them. If you are a full-time dance student, this might work, but probably not. If you join Bring Your Best, what you gain from the series will help you with all your other dance pursuits going forwards, I can pretty much guarantee that. But only if you make it a priority. The more time you put into watching and learning from others' feedback, the more you will get out of it. There is some flexibility in watching others but the more you can be involved, the more you yourself will transform - it's amazing how this always happens in the series. Another thing to consider: This version of BYB with the AFD programs included is a once-in-a-career opportunity, as the BYB program changes every year (and the investment cost will almost certainly increase next year). So you will want to focus on it. It's also fairest to the other BYB participants if this is your primary online dance focus during this period of time.
4) ...If you are dealing with unprocessed trauma or severe social anxiety that keeps you from recording regular videos and sharing them within the container of our private group. There are people I absolutely love who have bravely come to the program with similar issues, and still learned and also contributed a lot. But I want to be honest: the structured timetable may just create too much pressure for someone with severe anxiety over videomaking. Trying to record videos on a schedule is probably not helpful, if it is genuinely traumatic for you (not just "temporarily stressful but still doable"). Instead, if you really want to work on your camera fears in a non-pressured way, I would recommend starting with Acting for Dancers to get a taste of this process within your own limits, or private coaching with me, *in addition* to your own path (of therapy or self-help) in working through these issues. I believe in you and know you can do it, but I also know that I am not credentialed to help with deeper issues, particularly within the timeframe of a group series (where you need to be accountable to other members too). I keep a very safe space for dancers who are ready to work through things in the group setting, if you are ready and can keep recording videos (even if you think they suck! that is not a problem 😀 Sometimes we have to "suck before we can succeed"!). I have had wonderful, sincere, and committed dancers in the series before who have made real progress in reducing their performance anxiety. In order to be fair to everyone who joins, however, you commit to recording your videos on schedule and staying active with short feedback to others. Honor yourself and the timetable you need, in working through these things, to be able to join us at some point in the future. I'm happy to speak with you more about this before you decide, if you have questions or concerns.
Not sure about your situation? You can definitely still schedule a meeting with me about the series to talk it out. I'll give you an honest assessment based on what you tell me and what I've experienced in previous series.
In the Bring Your Best program, you will receive:
- HONEST FEEDBACK that doesn’t traumatize you, because it’s delivered with respect for your capability to progress and reach your goals, as well as with a how-to that actually works, and that others in the group will be able to witness for you
- MINDSET AND PERFORMANCE TOOLS that are tailored to your needs, your level, and your personality
- A PROVEN METHOD FOR DE-STRESSING YOURSELF AND SUCCESSFULLY SHARING WITH THE AUDIENCE through breathwork and physical support, with advice tailored to your body and your personality
- THE SUPPORTIVE CONTAINER OF A PEER GROUP, curated for maximum feeling of safety and comfort, warm accountability, and the power of witnessing change in others and being witnessed in your progress
BYB is about you being fully in possession of the tools to stay calm and deliver, so you feel like you can tame the beast of your own performance.
It's about you channeling the transcendent performer inside of yourself, the one who takes the audience to another level.
It's about you being empowered and feeling empowered.
It's about you enjoying yourself and feeling confident that you brought it all.
BRING YOUR BEST by bringing it out of yourself and enveloping your audience with it.
I LOVED seeing other’s personalities and musicality come through their dance.
I really appreciated how positive Ranya’s critique was for myself and everyone else. Not once did I feel threatened or judged. She created a very safe and supportive atmosphere and I appreciate that she shared some of her own personal struggles and process. I also liked working an a small group for the conference sessions. At first I was intimidated to be critiqued in front of others, but as we got going I found it was helpful to see everyone else being critiqued too. Often the concepts and skills they were working on were applicable to me personally, and I was able to listen to and evaluate all the critique in a more objective way than when it was just my own feedback, if that makes sense. I LOVED seeing other’s personalities and musicality come through their dance. It was inspiring and made me that much more excited about my own creative process and interpretation.
This is a very different learning experience.
I feel grateful for Ranya's coaching series, and I am very happy that I have registered for this course. This is a very different learning experience. The discussion and supportive comments from fellow dancers are the most precious ones I have gotten from this course. Ranya encouraged everyone to give specific comments on each piece, and so I learned to appreciate every different style and every level of dance in this group.
I once fell in some certain styles of dance, but after this course, I broadened my perspectives on various styles. I start to think about how each dancer's personality shapes this dance, and I should not follow other's footprints but create my own. I was not confident in my own choreography and always wanted to try to add more steps in it, but neglected the power of presenting true emotions. In this course, I learned how to show my emotions (which is also my ultimate goal when taking this course), and so the dance will come out naturally.
The breathing technique and the imagery training (painting the room, creating characters, etc.) are also amazing. I've tried to implement these ideas in my different dance pieces and I do find they work very well. This course also helped my teaching, that now I can teach other than techniques and have students go deeper into the meaning of the dance.
ABOUT MY COACHING
You can read more about my coaching methods and how I’ve adapted them for online work here.
Do you believe you can make fast progress towards your performance goals? I do.
The results I've seen from dancers of all levels are inspiring. If you join us, you will make progress during the time of the series, period. It may be the type of progress you would expect..... and it may be something you didn’t even think about before. And it will probably surpass your expectations.
But if you have any doubts, you can speak to any of the dancers who have done my series previously. Reach out to one of them on Facebook, or I can send you their way. They can speak to what they experienced from their own participation, and what they saw in fellow participants over the course of the series.
HOW IT RUNS FOR THE 3-MONTH BRING YOUR BEST SERIES:
The schedule of events! Note: Acting for Dancers exercises will be coordinated with Bring Your Best in this run, so you'll be working on short chunks of your BYB piece and getting feedback for those in the Acting for Dancers feedback! I'm excited about integrating the shorter acting exercises with your work on the performance piece, so when you submit your longer performance videos for the feedback rounds, you will already have worked on those sections in smaller chunks as part of AFD. Video submissions will be using the GC video app, and posted in a gallery so you can share each other's progress and work. You may feel a little nervous at first about sharing videos this way (nearly everyone does!), but because of the supportive nature of the series, it usually gets easier after the first time!
BYB Rounds 1,2, and 3 pod meetings will be arranged in your small groups (pods), so you can decide together as a group on the best week, day and time for your meetings with me, to work with your life and travel schedules. These once-monthly live pod meetings are generally about 2-2.5 hours long, with 25-minute coaching and feedback slots for each person (if four people are being coached in a meeting), and discussion of obstacles and goals. Anyone from any pod can attend each meeting as a witness to the work, and be involved in sharing feedback. It's a powerful experience, and many dancers opt to join others' sessions too. If you have to miss a meeting for an emergency reason, you can do a makeup in another pod's meeting, to still get your coaching in. All sessions are recorded, so you can watch the coaching process for each other and review your own work.
It's a full schedule, but note that much of this can be done asynchronously, on your own time, or scheduled with your group members on a week that fits your schedules. We'll take into account members' timezones and travel schedules in setting the meeting times. And everyone can still stay connected in the AFD and BYB online "clubs" between meetings.
Participants in my coaching series have said that the series “add up to much more than the sum of its parts” …and I think you’ll agree!
SPECIAL TRAINING OFFERS
Add-ons for Acting for Dancers and Bring Your Best! series members:
Get a 25 percent discount coupon for use on any additional individual programs* you purchase during the AFD/BYB series: Map Your Music, Raise Your Stage Presence, Performance with Purpose, Baladi from the Ground Up, Egyptian Music Essentials programs... you pick! Get a recommendation from me via the chatbot or by email, for something you can use to enhance your skills for your particular piece. I'll send you the coupon code to use.
(*not for use on already discounted bundles)
SHOPPING CART ADDS FOR AFD
If you don't have it already, you can get Raise Your Stage Presence at a discounted rate (20% off)
And you can also get Breathwork for Performance at a reduced rate of $99 (spread out in 3 monthly payments of $33). After you purchase AFD, on the next screen you'll see an offer to add BFP. Breathwork for Performance is an integral part of my coaching method, so it's a natural pairing with the Bring Your Best coaching series. You will be absorbing and applying these concepts to accelerate your progress in the series. You can gradually absorb and integrate this work into your piece with plenty of reinforcement of these powerful practices. Calming your nerves, preparing to go out onstage, settling into yourself, connecting with your music, connecting with your space, connecting with your audience, self-acceptance and "uplift," letting go of self-doubt or feelings of judgment from others... ALL OF IT will be in there for you, with practice you can directly apply to your performance piece for the coaching series!
You’ll be surprised what you can accomplish in just a short time frame, when you are part of a committed group of dancers supporting each other!
These courses are for any dancer who is ready to excel towards more intelligent, confident, and exquisite performances.
Ranya Renee is a master instructor. Her wealth of knowledge is uncommon and she delivers her unique message in a variety of ways which make understanding the method abundantly clear. Ranya’s teaching involves dance movement, body mechanics, and musicality, but extends further to context, history, culture, theatre and comedy. She is extremely funny. The online meeting environment is safe and supportive and one can make friends for a lifetime. ...The Baladi Coaching, Bring Your Best! and Breathwork for Performance series were invaluable experiences for me. The challenges were many, as were the rewards. These courses are for any dancer who is ready to excel towards more intelligent, confident, and exquisite performances. Forever, thank-you, Ranya! I already miss you.
It was worth every penny.
I was a little bit hesitant going into it. Because at first when you look at it you think 'that's a good bit of money to invest into it." But really it was worth every penny. Because receiving that individualized attention, but also getting that community of your peers helping you as well- you don’t find that anywhere else. Sometimes workshops can turn into competitions, but there was never that feeling with [Ranya’s coaching series]. Ranya is very good about keeping everything very positive. Everyone wants to help you be your best.
Trying to decide if AFD or BYB would a good fit for you?
No problem! I'm happy to speak with you about it. Email support@gingercity.com or block out calendar slot for a call with me to discuss whether one or both of these programs would be a good fit for your needs.
Pay-in-full and installment plan options are available. A limited number of equity-based partial scholarships will be given (contact me at support@gingercity.com for details on applying - an initial interview is the way to begin- link to my calendar). This is the info about the scholarship fund.
After you join AFD, you'll be able to set up a meeting with me to interview for BYB, or get more info about it.
You don't need to join BYB right away, but if you know you want to, just let me know and I can send you the link to pay by payment plan or in full.
After you register for either program, you’ll also be given access to the online Coaching Prep videos and welcome materials, which will be on an easy-access login page. Then you can start prepping and getting excited about the series!!! I think you’re going to love them, and it will very likely change your life (not just your dance), both onstage and off.
Can't wait to work with you in these series! - Ranya
SIGN UP BELOW FOR ACTING FOR DANCERS!
A limited number of equity-based scholarships are available for AFD and BYB, for dancers from marginalized communities who are committed to the group project of AFD or AFD/BYB, and who have current financial constraints. Apply here, share the application (https://forms.gle/8Pypi6BDdqVkUMJ49), or consider a donation here. Funds raised through May 30 can be allocated for the June-Sept. programs.
Looking forward to having you in the program! - Ranya