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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
We have taught Greek dancing to well over 1000 students at Figoura, and we welcome many questions from them too. We have collated below some of the most frequently asked questions which you may find useful, but if not, you are very welcome to get in touch. Before emailing us, why not take a glance at some of them below as they might be exactly the answer that you're looking for!
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Where are the classes based?Our dance classes are spread across 3 different studio locations in London. We have 2 central London studios (zone 1) and our third studio is in North London (zone 4). DAY OF THE WEEK: Monday - Adult Division DANCE STYLE: TRADITIONAL GREEK FOLK DANCE DANCE LEVEL: Beginners/Intermediade level LOCATION: North London - Palmers Green STUDIO LOCATION: Palmers Green United Reformed Church (Main Hall), Burford Gardens, London N13 4AL CLOSEST STATION: Palmers Green (overland) or Southgate (Picadilly line) DAY OF THE WEEK: Tuesday - Adult Division DANCE STYLE: TRADITIONAL GREEK FOLK DANCE DANCE LEVEL: Beginners/Intermediate level LOCATION: Central London - Mayfair STUDIO ADDRESS: Danceworks (Studio 11), 16 Balderton Street, (Opposite Selfridges Clock) London W1K 6TN CLOSEST STATION: Bond Street (Central line) DAY OF THE WEEK: Wednesday - Adult Division DANCE STYLE: TRADITIONAL GREEK FOLK DANCE DANCE LEVEL: Intermediate/Advanced level LOCATION: Central London - Kings Cross/Euston STUDIO LOCATION: The Place (Studio 3), 16 Flaxman Terrace, London WC1H 9AT CLOSEST STATION: Euston (Victoria or Northern line) or Kings Cross (Victoria, Northern, Hammersmith and City, Circle and Metropolitan line) DAY OF THE WEEK: Thursday - Adult Division DANCE STYLE: POPULAR GREEK DANCES (REMBETIKA & LAIKA) DANCE LEVEL: Beginners/Intermediate level LOCATION: Central London - Mayfair STUDIO ADDRESS: Danceworks (Studio 6), 16 Balderton Street, (Opposite Selfridges Clock) London W1K 6TN CLOSEST STATION: Bond Street (Central line)
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Can I join at any time in the year?Absolutely yes! Our course has been developed to run throughout the year, but the curriculum has been designed in such a way that you can join at any point throughout the year. So you don't have to wait till September to join Term 1. You can start either in the Spring (Term 2) tme or in the Summer (Term 3).
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I dont know what to expect, so can I come and try a class?"Of course you can! Just send us an email first to let us know that you want to try a class before commiting for the remaining term. We will check to make sure there is space in the class before confirming back to you. Spaces for drop in students are subject to space being available in the class. There is a small 'drop in' fee of £15.
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I have tried a class and I want to continue with the lessons, do I have to pay the drop in fee as well?"At the end of your drop in class, we give you the option to either pay the drop in fee or enrol for the term. You don't have to do both.
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Which dances will you be teaching this term?The only way you'll be sure which dances are being taught in that term is by attending the classes. Your dance instructor follows a teaching structure that allows him/her vary which dances are being taught for the term but still manages to keep each term different. One thing you can be sure of, is that classes will be varied with different styles and techniques for you to learn and continue your Greek dancing journey.
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Do you teach Zorba or Sirtaki?Yes, but only in the the class that covers Popular dances - Rembetika - Laika. It is not taught as part of the Traditional folk dance classes. Everyone has heard about the Zorba dance. It's an iconic dance made famous by the movie 'Zorba the Greek' but its not a traditional Greek dance. It was developed and choreographed for the purpose of the movie. So in the Traditional Greek dance classes we prefer to teach you the dances from which it was created so you wont be dissapointed by what we have to show you. If of course you only want to learn how to dance Zorba (or Sirtaki as it is also called), then we are more than happy to teach you that too, but it would need to be through private tuition or through one of our masterclasses or alternatively try out the Popular dances class held on Thursdays. Take a look at our private tuition or masterclass section of our website or the LAIKA-REMBETIKA class if this interests you.
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Do you teach Zeibekiko?Of course we do! It is one of our most popular dance requests, but we prefer to teach this as part of either a private class or a masterclass, or as part of our Popular dances class LAIKA-REMBETIKA where you can concentrate on learning to dance it properly with more time.
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What should I wear?We recommend wearing something appropriate. What does this mean? Well, we will be dancing, and at times it can get quite upbeat and energetic so any suitable dancewear, comfortable or loose clothing is good. Our instructors often wear sportswear and t-shirts. and we have a fabulous Figoura T-shirt you can purchase too for only £10. Why not add it to your shopping cart when booking for your lessons? You may want to consider a change of clothes as well. Footwear is really important too. If you take dancing seriously, then you may want to invest in dance footwear, but equally trainers or dance shoes suitable for the studio may be used as well. Please avoid high heels, boots or anything that will prohibit you and your ankle from dancing freely and of course anything that may damage the dance studio floors. For our Wednesday advance class students at The Place it is important that students comply with the strict studio footwear rules. Students can either wear: 1. Dance sneakers from either Bloch or Capezio. Figoura students also receive a special rate from Capezio. 2. A clean/fresh non marking pair of trainers for indoor use only or something else appropriate for indoor dance. No outdoor footwear 3. For female performing members only character footwear as this is the official performing shoe for Greek dancing for women.
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What should I bring with me to class?Think of going to Figoura abit like going to the gym. Afterall, it's also a great way to keep fit whilst learning something new. Here are some thing you may want to bring: 1. Change of clothing 2. Appropriate footwear 3. Bottle of water
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What day's do you teach?We teach our regular group classes Monday - Thursday, and teach Private classes from Thursday - Sunday. Monday we teach Traditional Greek Folk dances aimed at beginner/Intermediate level students. Tuesday we teach Traditional Greek Folk dances classes are aimed at beginners/Intermediate level students. Wednesday we teach Traditional Greek Folk dances classes are aimed at Intermediate/Advanced level students. Thursday we teach Popular Greek dances (Laika) and dances from the Rembetiko musical period. These classes are aimed at beginners/Intermediate level students. Our Masterclasses are also taught on weekends on various dates throughout the year, so you may want to look out for those!
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How much does it cost?All classes are £125 for the full enrolment this covers 10 weeks of tuition. A 'drop-in' class is £15 and covers you for just the visiting/trial class. For private tuition costs please visit the appropriate section of the website.
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I'm not a complete beginner, but I'm not an advanced dancer either. Which class should I join? "This is a common question, and it is really important that you you choose the right class for your dance level so that you have the best expereince at Figoura. 80% of students usually know straight away which class they should be in, but the remaing 20% are usually unsure as they have good dance experience, but are unsure if it is enough for the advanced class. The first step is to get in touch with us and speak to our lead dance instructor, as he will ask you a number of questions to get a feel about what you know and will help to better inform you about the class level based on your experience. We generally suggest that anyone who has been dancing for a number of years and has a good all round experience of Greek dances and can confidently pick up new moves and styles quickly to try the Intermediate/Advanced class, remembering that the class will have students with either equally good experience or have been dancing in performing groups for many years before. If your Greek dance knowledge only stretches as far as a few dances that you may have learnt at school growing up, then we would suggest the beginner/intermediate classes as they are a fantastic place to learn about the various Greek dancing styles and techniques and often a really fun place to start from with others who are either new to Greek dancing or have limited regional dance experience too.. Remember if you have any doubts, our lead instructor is always available and happy to help answer any further questions that you may have.
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I've enrolled, now what?"You are more or less done! Once you have enrolled, you'll be contacted a few days before the start of your course with your joining instructions. On the day of your course start, just turn up and we will talk you through the rest!
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I am interested in the Certification programme. What do I need to do?We suggest getting in touch with your dance instructor first if you have already started lessons. If you havent already started, then make sure you have read the details of the certification section, and send an email via the contact form expressing your interest.
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Where can I get a Figoura T-shirt from?That's an easy one! Just head over to the enrolment section and you will find the different sizes available to purchase which you can also add to your cart.
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Can I come and watch?We much prefer that you don't. The class is for dancing, and can be off putting to other students who are dancing to have someone watch them. If you have a special circumstance, then get in touch with your instructor.
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How can I make up for a missed class?Put bluntly, you can't. Once you have enrolled you must make every effort to attend the scheduled classes. We wouldnt set up a class just for you to accomodate any that you missed. If however you are a Monday class student and cannot make it, then there may be the possibility to attend the Tuesday class and vice versa. Please ask your dance instructor to m ake sure this would be possible as he'she will need to assess whether there is available space for you.
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I've been dancing in the beginners classes for some time, can I try an Advanced class?"We are very excited to hear from students that are eager to move up to the next level classes, so we strongly suggest you speak first with your dance instructor who will have a good idea of your dance ability by this point and advise you further.
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I noticed you have a performing group, how can I join?"We are really excited by our perforing group and all its achievements so far. In order to maintain it, we are selective in who we admit to the group. Not only do we look at an individuals dance abilities, but also like going to any new job, we want to ensure that you fit and are the right candidate for the group. We strongly recommend speaking to our lead dance instructor if you have an interest in joining.
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Do you teach private lessons?Yes! We teach private classes for all occasions. One-to-one Groups Wedding parties, Hen parties, Bachelor parties
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Do you take a break for half term?No, we don't do half terms. Our 10 weeks are usually all back to back. We have a Christmas break, Easter break and a long Summer break.
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Do you offer student discount or other concessionary rates?Unfortunately we dont offer student discount, but we. do offer promotional discounts throughout the year which you can take advantage of at the checkout. Simply use the promotional discount voucher (like the one shown below) that is circulating to take advantage of the offer that accompanies it.
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What is the GFDF?The GFDF stands for Greek Folk Dance Festival, and is an initiative from the Figoura School of Greek Dance aimed at dancers, dance enthusiasts and the general public who have an interest in Greek folk dancing, authentic Greek folk music and culture. The GFDF is all about bringing the music and dance ALIVE which is done by collaborating with authentic musicians from Greece as well as dance instructors and dance groups. The GFDF is the ultimate bigger picture briing everyone together as a community.
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Is the GFDF just for Figoura students?Definitely not! Everyone is invited! The GFDF is for everyone that loves Greek music, Greek dancing and the culture. We strongly encourage everyone to take part in it and learn more about what it is we are tyring to achieve through the festival. Participation is through tickets sales that grants entry to the festival, and tickets are for everyone including kids to purchase. The more people that come, the bigger the party and ultimately more people learing about Greek music, dance and culture.
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Are the lessons taught in English or Greek?Your instructor speaks both English and Greek, but classes are generally taught in English which we consider is the most suitable language to teach a class of multi lingual backgrounds. You will catch some Greek mixed in too, but the main teaching methods are carried out in English.
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