Salimpour 500 Level Courses

Salimpour Teaching 1 and 2   •   Licensing   •  Advanced Studies

Salimpour Teaching 1 and 2

In Salimpour Teaching 1 and 2, dancers pursue Teaching Certification. Two types of teaching certification are available:  Salimpour Teaching 1 (formerly Suhaila Level 5) and Salimpour Teaching 2 (formerly Jamila Level 5).  For both Teaching 1 and Teaching 2, participants are guided by Suhaila through a 12 week online education course incorporating teaching skills, curriculum development, choreography, and more.

Teaching 1 and 2 certification is valid for 2 years. For the Teaching Certification to be extended or renewed an additional 2 years, participants must complete the following:

  • 50 CEC Hours (plus renewal fee).  L5 dancers are still required to attend regular workshops to maintain their technique and stay up to date on the latest additions to the program. Dancers are encouraged to attend higher level courses and workshops and to obtain feedback from Suhaila and other authorized instructors. In some ways, reaching Teaching Certification (L5) can be viewed as just the start. . . there is so much more to learn by participation in the program.
  • Conceptual or Project CECs.  Dancers may be given general or individual assignments. Assignments and projects are designed to promote the continual development of the Teaching Certification (L5) dancer.
  • Choreography.  Dancers must stay up-to-date on all required certification choreographies and receive approval from Suhaila Salimpour.
  • Teaching 1 and/or 2 certified dancers are required to complete Teaching Assistant (TA) Training as part of their CEC requirements to maintain certification.  Over a two year period, Teaching 1 and 2 certified dancers are required 1) to complete 25 hours of TA training at live workshops or 2) to train as TA Peer Leaders for students in the equivalent or two Institute courses (30 students).

Institute Teaching Assistants

Training TA Peer Leaders are assigned students from one or more courses.  For their assigned students, TAs:
  • learn to monitor student progress and grades.
  • learn to monitor classrooms for questions and answer questions.
  • learn to grade technique exams and check-ins during a workshop or course.
  • learn skills to run a workshop or course.
  • have access to Suhaila’s evaluations of student work throughout a workshop or course.
  • receive evaluation from Suhaila on the TA’s feedback (technical, choreography, etc.) given to students.
  • receive teaching mentorship from Suhaila.

Instruction Fees

To enroll in Teaching Assistant Training for a workshop or course, the fee is:

  • 200-400 Level:  $150 per semester or workshop.
  • 500 Level:  Included in the Teaching 1 and/or 2 testing course fee and valid for two years; for subsequence two year periods, the fee is included in the Teaching 1 and 2 certification renewal fees.

As part of their studies for or continuing education after Teaching certification, different dancers undergo varying pathways of study.  To acknowledge commendable work, the School, when applicable, bestows Concentrations of Study to licensed instructors.  Concentrations of Study are awarded by Suhaila Salimpour to recognize meritorious accomplishments  by licensed instructors’ in focused studies.  Examples are listed below. Advanced and Professional levels designations are assigned for further distinctive work in specified areas.
  • Improvisation Performance with Arabic Band
  • Personal Choreography Development
  • Folkloric Fusion Training
  • Choreography and Staging
Notes:  Completion of a course of study is not sufficient to be endowed with a Concentration of Study; a Concentration of Study is an official recognition awarded by Suhaila Salimpour.  Concentration of Study awards are not validation of a student’s ability to instruct in theses areas.
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Salimpour Teaching 1 and 2

Online Courses and Live Workshops

Learn more about training using online classes or live workshops. Certification available through online courses and testing.

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Prerequisites

To enroll in the Salimpour Teaching 1 online course, students must have current Performance 1 (S4) certification, current Intermediate 2 (J3) certification (or higher), and the School Director’s permission; they must also have successfully completed C406a Choreography Development and both Teaching Assistant Courses:  T308b TA Fundamentals and T408b TA Foundations.  To enroll in the Salimpour Teaching 2 online course, students must have current Teaching 1 (S5) certification, current Performance 2 (J4) certification, and the School Director’s permission.  For both Teaching 1 and Teaching 2, pre-course assignments are required to be submitted one week prior to the course start date.  See the course descriptions below for details.

Teaching Assistant Preparation

In preparation for Teaching 1 and Teaching 2, students take the following Teaching Assistant courses.  Successful completion of these courses also provides the student the skills required to serve as Teaching Assistants in specific live workshops and online education courses.

Curriculum

Salimpour Teaching 1: Projects Exam

Course T501e : 40 CECs

Click the Curriculum button for a link to the course details.

Curriculum
Curriculum

Salimpour Teaching 2: Projects Exam

Course T502e : 40 CECs

Click the Curriculum button for a link to the course details.

Curriculum

Licensed Instructor Preparation

After achieving either Teaching 1 (S5) or Teaching 2 (J5) certification, dancers are eligible to apply for for licensing of their local classes and master classes. Licensed instructors contract with the Salimpour School to provide CECs to their local students. Evaluation of potential licensed instructors is based on their performance in the following list of situations and courses.  Note that the School Director may require additional assignments for students to demonstrate their teaching skills including room management, student development, voice projection, and curriculum preparation.  For more information about the licensing program, contact the School’s Certification Coordinator.

  • Live apprenticeship with Suhaila Salimpour in workshops and classes.
  • Course T308b:  Teaching Assistant Training Fundamentals.
  • Course T408b:  Teaching Assistant Training Foundations.
  • Course T501b:  Salimpour Teaching 1 .
  • Course T502b:  Salimpour Teaching 2.

Certification Workshop Instructor Preparation

Certification Workshop Instructors train to teach specific workshops at which certification material is presented and certification testing is offered.  Such workshops have required content and structure and represent a high level of Salimpour technique ability and understanding.  To begin training to be a Certification Workshop Instructor, dancers must have current Teaching Certification (L5) in the applicable format, Teaching 1 or 2 (T501b or T502b).   With Suhaila’s permission, the training instructors first work with the Certification Coordinator to get information on the specific workshop and what is required.  General requirements are below. Demonstrate live (or by video) yourself teaching the following material.   This material is evaluated by Suhaila either in person or via video Skype privates. Additional instructions will be provided on a case-by-case basis.

  • Assigned teaching segments, lectures, introductory speeches and additional material required for specific workshop to be taught.
  • Dance movement breakdown as required for specific workshop.
  • Breakdown and instruction of choreography(s) required for specific workshop level.
  • Explanation and personal testimonial of recommended training tools used for specific workshop level.
  • Introduction and breakdown of all Jamila Format Step Vocabulary movements, including a full Fundamentals 2 (JL1) step review (40+ minutes) and a full Foundations 2 (JL2) step review (60+ minutes).

Teaching 1 and 2 certification is valid for 2 years. For the Teaching Certification to be extended or renewed an additional 2 years, participants must complete the following:

  • 50 CEC Hours (plus renewal fee).  L5 dancers are still required to attend regular workshops to maintain their technique and stay up to date on the latest additions to the program. Dancers are encouraged to attend higher level courses and workshops and to obtain feedback from Suhaila and other authorized instructors. In some ways, reaching Teaching Certification (L5) can be viewed as just the start. . . there is so much more to learn by participation in the program.
  • 25 TA Hours.  Teaching Certification (L5) dancers continue their TA hours, which typically means TA’ing one or two courses or workshops during a two year period to maintain their Teaching Certification (L5).
  • Conceptual or Project CECs.  Dancers may be given general or individual assignments. Assignments and projects are designed to promote the continual development of the Teaching Certification (L5) dancer.
  • Continuing Education Catalog.   Teaching 1 certified dancers are encouraged to continue their dance studies, studying with a wide variety of teachers to learn stylizations, props, different teaching methods, etc.  This catalog is submitted every two years as part of the Teaching 1 enrichment and continuing education CECs.  Maintain a written log of your training with other instructors, following the list below.  Your Catalog should include a minimum of 15 instruction hours as instructed below.  The 15 hours must be current (within the last two years).  These hours may include class with different belly dance instructors (non Salimpour School); stylization; and non-bellydance dance instruction.  The Catalog should be submitted in an organized manner in a single PDF document.  Number the pages and use a font size no smaller than 12.
    • Date(s) of training
    • Genre: (Examples: Belly dance, African, ballet, etc.)
    • Instructor name(s)
    • Venue/location
    • Duration of Training (number of hours)
    • Prop(s) Taught (if any) • Stylization Taught (if any)
    • Material Covered (provide detailed information on content)
    • List the key points you learned from the workshop/class

As part of their studies for or continuing education after Teaching certification, different dancers undergo varying pathways of study.  To acknowledge commendable work, the School, when applicable, bestows Concentrations of Study to licensed instructors.  Concentrations of Study are awarded by Suhaila Salimpour to recognize meritorious accomplishments  by licensed instructors’ in focused studies.  Examples are listed below. Advanced and Professional levels designations are assigned for further distinctive work in specified areas.
  • Improvisation Performance with Arabic Band 
  • Personal Choreography Development 
  • Folkloric Fusion Training 
  • Choreography and Staging
Notes:  Completion of a course of study is not sufficient to be endowed with a Concentration of Study; a Concentration of Study is an official recognition awarded by Suhaila Salimpour.  Concentration of Study awards are not validation of a student’s ability to instruct in theses areas.

Advanced Certification

With approval, Teaching 1 and 2 certified dancers can apprentice with Suhaila directly in several areas of study for additional certification.  Suhaila will create a personal path of study for the student and mentor them through the work.  This program takes several years.  Apprenticeship and advanced certification are available in the following categories:

  • Folkloric Fusion
  • Advanced Technique
  • Choreography Development
  • Performance
  • Performance to Live Music
  • Curriculum Development
  • Developing Dancers
  • Master Instructor