well...my classes actually increased when I added more GC content. im now 3 yrs into it so I can share my experiences if its any help....I started doing ATS predominantly and gees it was hard that first year, I didnt have a following nor a good class base to start with, the drop in dilemna meant a lot of people came once - sometimes 4 times then I never saw them again. Winter classes, man I remember going to the studio and no one turning up some weeks! I quickly learned to give a quick nudge to anyone showing potential into a second class which was more advanced than the basics....and I took on feedback from my mentors and peers and literally added a whole dimension with GC vocab creeping in.

I'll wager anyone that a series of combos being the pestle, hip offering, hip sway and circle step put a big smile on the girls who were coming - whereas the pivot bump....I love it but come on, its a challenging move and back then I didnt have the understanding of what I wanted in basics so they got it...gees and isnt that a great move to learn!

For the better part of a year I was a tribal soloist - Madonna will recall my sad little performance at her haffla in june....bit of a nigel but I wanted the girls to do improv so I didnt want to take them out til they were ready. and even though we officially "debuted" in brissy in august it was with the help of my tribal sisters who jumped buses/planes etc to come out on stage while my girls just followed. I guess for me I didnt have that burning urge to put them out before they're ready and that made it a bit easier? At the end of year 1 I could be confident in a pretty average performance with me leading most of the time, and maybe a change or two.

Year 2, all of a sudden the numbers started to grow for me - a big part thanks to ypages and an online presence, I'd picked up some real strengths in that some girls I used to learn dance with had leaped onto the blossom wagon so my performance troupe was boosted by some numbers, and I was able to relax more into just providing lots of drills/technique to get the other girls comfortable. That year we also started going out, getting our faces out there and getting comfortable with performing....taking workshops to get others into it, and weirdness we started getting that following I guess, where I was blessed to have some girls join me who'd been dancing in other locations and that added a whole strength to the performance group. I was also lucky to have one of my girls start teaching basics, then i skilled another up - which not only meant it wasnt all on my shoulders, it gave me the opportunity to sit down and put in place my basics vocab, an understanding of what I needed to see at basic level....and I had some interesting conversations with my dance friends about it but the fact was I was and am working full time, so didnt need to be at the front door in my opinion, it gave the girls something extra for their own dance goals and I got to play with the ones who were more dedicated.

Now three years and I cant believe the growth again - and part of it I guess is the general community is more aware of tribal now as a style, youtube and a good website that is regularly watered ( yeah Im online a lot so im onto it), and im really lucky to have girls that have been with me a good chunk of the way so theres a big knowledge base. However in saying that one of my newest recruits has been with us since July and OMG can she dance! But we've been happily going on our integrated (or as you say hybrid) fashion up until we went to Cairns, hung out with Paulette and had our dance turned around - to the point we're following that investment. And its opened up the opportunity to sit down with all the "old" troupe and set down expectations and understand what their goals are, to the point the "troupe" is changing this very month and OMG its both a relief and a bit scary.

so I guess in saying that....my experience was - to learn what I wanted in my students, and get clear about how to deliver that tuition, encourage the ones who showed potential but literally just take off that performance hat til they're ready - really it pays off in the end.

I've also been pretty blessed to have some good friendships develop with others around me who practice this style - yeah a bit of love goes to madonna's way there - as turning up at their events, feeling SO welcome, having the girls with me for the weekend its those sort of things that foster that troupe spirit as well as getting the students to see where this dance can take us. I imagine the sydney girls are pretty close too with all the jams etc that go on - I think it can take the isolation out and make people feel like this is that big worldly dance that we ALL can do.

I've always tried to encourage extra-curriculum activities too - doing a girls night in event, dvds to show tribal stuff at my house and occasional dinners, I guess once you've got your core....they'll hopefully be with you to the end? gees I only hope so but I'm learning too so I don't know everything!