#workshop review

Review of Usernames & Logins Activity

What did you think of the activity?

I thought the activity of Usernames & Logins was substantial for novice users learning about an important internet skill that they will continue to use. This activity can be used for anyone who lacks computer skills. The workshop does a nice job explaining how important it is for users to create strong passwords and how to avoid creating weak passwords like "123456" or "password1".

How could it be modified to meet the needs of a different audience?

This workshop activity could be modified for an younger audience, say around six to ten years old. By collaborating with schools, we can help teach the importance of why creating unique and strong usernames & passwords can help them avoid people online that want to steal their digital information.

Instead of having students sign up for a web service, they will practice learning their school issued username. They would be practicing with the reward typing username with pixel art. The students will use Google sheets that has pixel art already encoded in it, then they just need to paste their username into colum A. Students then practice typing their username into colum B. They will know they have typed it correctly if they see pixel appearing. If nothing happens, then students know they need to self-correct their answer.

What are some potential challenges of using this activity?

Some potential challenges of using the Usernames and Logins activity is users not understanding why logins and usernames have to be used on the internet. And, the dangers of hackers and scamers trying to steal their personal information if they use weak passwords for their accounts.

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Yan Fam Way workshop Review

A while ago, purely by accident I stumbled upon Melanie Leighton’s review of the workshop with Yan Palmer. I remember thinking that there was likely a very little chance for me to ever get to such workshop. I can’t even remember why I was thinking this way, but now looking back at the dates it was probably because we just recently moved to Australia from Canada with our 2 year old son and I was…

Like I picture-posted from my smartphone earlier today, this weekend, I attended the Nath Keo workshops here in HRM this weekend and I had a blast! 

Before the workshop was announced, I had never heard of Nath.  I still consider myself new-ish to raqs, so frankly there are lots of dancers that I'm not familiar with.  His website is a little mysterious, so after a bit more googling, I found his studio's website, which has a bit more biographical info about Nath.  It's pretty interesting and I won't copy/paste or paraphrase, you should just hit the link and read for yourself. 

Anyhow, there were 3 workshops (Sacred Centre Method, Dum Tekka, and Oriental Bliss) and a hafla.  I attended 2 and the show.  Saturday was the 2-hour Sacred Centre Method workshop.  Now, maybe I'm just thick, but I wasn't really sure what the workshop was about exactly after I read the description:

Learn the secrets of Nath Keo's revolutionary Sacred Centre Method. Combining elements of bellydance, cambodian classical and folk dances as well as other North African dance movements. This workshop is designed to suit dancers in any style, age and fitness level. Focus is on Balance, Grace, and Form. (no choreography. Can be designed to suit a 2, 3 or 4 hour workshop)

Sounded like fusion, sounded general, and the video that a Nath himself posted to the facebook page for the workshops that's titled as "Nath Keo & Sacred Centre Dance at MEDA 2011" didn't really clear anything up for me- it's a lovely bit of choreo and dancing and to me wasn't indicative of the workshop we actually did yesterday, though it does fit that description above (particularly the "Balance, Grace, and Form" part).  Really, what it came down to when I was registering was that I knew I wanted to attend 2 of the 3 sessions, and I wasn't interested in Dum Tekka (drum solo workshop), and knew that I wanted to go to Oriental Bliss.  So Sacred Centre workshop won by default.  And I'm really glad that it did- I think it was overall the most useful belly dance workshop I've taken yet.  After a warmup and some discussion of Nath's fusion work, we drilled, worked on spontaneous combos, floor work, and spinning/whirling.  Nath has a real knack for breaking down dance moves.  I feel that I've gained some real insight in shoulder shimmies, thigh, hip, and "stadium" shimmies (have you heard of stadium shimmies?  It's definitely the new hotness!), I think that Nath's instruction made something really "click" in my brain.  When the 2 hour point came, I felt a little bummed that it was already over, but I had to put some face time in at Samba practice (I've missed a few for work and holiday travelling) so away I went until the hafla later that evening. 

I won't talk extensively about the hafla, there was great dancing but I haven't taken any photos or videos or anything.  I saw local dancers I don't see too often, dancers I see more frequently, and a few faces that I didn't recognize at all.  Lots of great performances.  Here's a snapshot of my instructor, Elinor Crosby (Uberwench) in costume.  She did a great Tribal number.

Nath did two different numbers and there were really cool- he's such an intense shimmier that you can feel it in the floor while he performs!

Today was the Oriental Bliss workshop.  We were in a different room with a configuration that was a bit trying, but being the classy people we are we just coped with it rather than complain.  We adjusted where our "front" of the room was after the mid-workshop break and things were better.

From Nath's website, Oriental Bliss is:

Egyptian oriental style technique and phrasing. Learn to interpret egyptian music and dance, recognise patterns, and essential movements that characterises this dance style. (choreography optional for workshops 3 hours in length or more)

So a lot of that good stuff we worked on in the first workshop was followed through on in Oriental Bliss.  Nath explained the difference between belly dancing for stage (Oriental) vs. on the floor (Egyptian, AmCab, etc), a lot of which came down to toe-pointing, bigger arm gestures, stuff like that.  I think as a semi-retired recreational ballerina, my dance experience has basically set me up to very easily dance in Oriental style.  After a warmup and lecture, we worked on a choreography to "Zeina".  We picked up some good transitions and combos.  This workshop was pretty exhausting for me- 2 hours is a good chunk of time for me but by the end of the 3rd hour, I was a trainwreck.  I need to work on my dance stamina.  I really wish I had taken choreography notes in this class- I know one of the girls in the Belindance troupe took choreo notes, I wonder if I beg if she'll share them.  My penmanship is so poor and my notetaking skills are just so-so, and I never even thought to bring a notebook and pencil.