I was given the opportunity to teach an impro class and basic elements of Bollywood (mixed with modern dance movements) at the annual Nowhere Festival, which takes place under partly harsh conditions in the desert of Castejón de Monegros, in the South of Spain. This is a brief class decription under rather exotic circumstances.
Festivals like this one (similar to Burning Man, but smaller) offer attractions of all kinds, all at the same time. There are no walls or secluded places (except the shower at best). I taught this class with a friend of mine in a large tent, with an average temperature close to 50 degrees Celsius. It was fun doing it. Most participants picked the class without thinking much about it - mainly for the experience of having a good time together and less for getting to know Bollywood in a serious way. Being myself a participant of the festival, there was not much of a teacher/student relationship, more of an exchange of talents/experiences. I adjusted the class to the outer conditions - enormous heat, little sand tornados passing by, regular power cuts, an overheated, melting Ipod… and it was wonderful. I was thrown back to very immediate human interactions. Students brought in the same amount of focus and commitment like in regular class settings. What I perceived as most important is an intuitive, spontaneous interaction with the group, less abstract, mind based concepts of teaching. Later on at night I could see some of the group integrating Bollywood moves into their late night dance routine...