Style with Substance: Exploring Stylization Across Genres

2-3 hrs

For belly dancers: “Are you cabaret or tribal? Egyptian or Lebanese? AmCab or fusion?” What does it mean when we ask about what style a dancer does? We’ll answer that question and more in this exploratory workshop. Discover that any dance phrase can be “stylized” to match music, sentiment, and personalization. We’ll explore various dance eras, genres, and geographical stylizations to give you the tools you need to not only dance across styles, but also identify dance style without relying on costume or musical choice.

For dancers in general: From Broadway to ballroom, Kathak to classical ballet, Flamenco to freestyle, all dance forms have a “style,” but what does that mean and how can we embody those unique expressions? In this exploratory workshop, discover that any dance phrase can be “stylized” to match music, sentiment, and personalization. We’ll explore various dance eras, genres, and geographical stylizations to give you the tools you need to not only dance across styles, but also identify dance style without relying on costume or musical choice.

Jamila Salimpour Format: Dancing Legacy

3 hrs: Jamila format

Jamila Salimpour revolutionized how belly dance is taught and performed throughout the world. In this workshop, we’ll learn the basics of Jamila method, including basic step families and her “in the round” classroom circle format. We’ll also include time for discussion of Jamila’s research, influences, and legacy. Finger cymbals optional.

Old School Spin School

2-3 hrs: Suhaila or Jamila format

Spins can be an exciting element of any dance performance and are essential for belly dancers. In this workshop, we’ll turn it up by exploring spins from the Jamila Salimpour Format, creating versatile combinations for any performance, and refining your spin and turn technique. Each spin has its own cues and rhythms, and we’ll learn how to combine them for texture and effect. Finger cymbals optional.

Bringing Taqsim Back

2-4 hrs: Suhaila or Jamila format

We’re bringing taqsim back with a new school look and an old school vibe. We’ll work all the classically cool basics including head moves, figure 8s, and ooey gooey undulations, complete with finger cymbals. We’ll explore the sentiment and context of the taqsim using Arab classics and American-style rhythm and blues music, all while finding your personal and authentic expression of this internal and expressive part of the belly dance canon. Finger cymbals optional.

Debke Dance Party

2-3 hrs: Jamila format

Debke is an energetic, earthy, and exuberant line dance performed throughout Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian territories, and Iraq. While traditionally performed by men, everyone in these regions knows the fancy footwork of debke. When Suhaila worked in the Arab world, she found herself in and leading quite a few debke lines! After a centering movement warm-up, we’ll jump right in to form our debke line, building our steps and knowledge as we go. Finger cymbals optional.

Not So Basic Egyptian: Channeling the Greats

2-4 hrs: Jamila format

Jamila Salimpour used to say that her greatest dance teacher was Egyptian film star Tahia Karioka. While she didn’t learn from Tahia personally, she carefully observed and watched her dances in the Egyptian films of the 1940s and 1950s, as well as movements by the other great Egyptian dancers like Samia Gamal and Naima Akef…. And these became the Basic Egyptian step family. In this workshop, we’ll explore these important steps with an homage to these great dancers and the “Golden Era” of Egyptian cinema. Finger cymbals optional.

Greeting the Dance Floor: The Salaam Family of Steps

2-4 hrs: Jamila format

“Salaam” doesn’t just mean “peace,” but is a common greeting in the Arab world. In this workshop, we’ll meet and learn steps from the “Salaam Family” in Jamila Salimpour’s revolutionary belly dance format. These are all folkloric and “house-style” movements that Suhaila observed in the Middle East and in Middle Eastern communities in the late 1970s.  We’ll learn the steps with sentiments and stylizations, all with classic belly dance music. Finger cymbals optional.

Drum Solo Essentials: Structures and Motifs for all Stylizations

2-4 hrs: Suhaila or Jamila format

When Suhaila was working as a nightclub dancer, her approach to drum solos—integrating isolations, foot patterns, and full-body movement—changed how dancers today interpret and perform to them, no matter their stylization. In this workshop, we’ll explore classic drum solo rhythms, including popular riffs and themes. We’ll also dance to common structures and progressions so that you will be ready for any drum solo, recorded or with a live musician. Finger cymbals optional.

Shik Shak Sha’abi

2-4 hrs: Suhaila or Jamila format

When Suhaila was working in Arabic nightclubs, she performed with some of the great Shaabi singers of the time, including Ahmed Adawiya. In fact, she even has some Ghawazi heritage! Sha’abi, which means “popular” in Arabic, has certainly become a popular stylization in recent years. But while some trace this musical style back to the 1970s, it began even earlier than that! In this class, we’ll learn about the history and cultural context of this earthy style, and, of course, learn common and classic Sha’abi dance moves and steps. Finger cymbals optional.

Options:

– Stylization Exploration: In this 2 (3, or 4) hour class we will explore common Sha’abi dance moves and stylizations and apply them to short choreography segments.

– Full Choreography: In this 2 (3, or 4) hour class, you will learn a choreography comprised of common Sha’abi dance moves and stylizations.

80s Arab Pop Choreography: Classic, Campy, Cool

2-4 hrs

For a decade, Suhaila worked at the legendary Byblos nightclub in Los Angeles Byblos during its heyday, and she performed by contract in some of the top nightclubs and venues in the Arab world. There, she had the incredible opportunity to work with some of the great Arab pop stars of the 80s and 90s, including Amr Diab, Ragheb Alama, Ahmad Doughan, and so many more. In this workshop, we’ll apply a fresh and modern approach to a classic 1980s Arabic pop song while embodying and exploring the cultural and emotional sentiment of the song.

Options:

– Stylization Exploration: In this 2 (3, or 4) hour class we will explore belly dance moves and stylizations and apply them to short choreography segments.

– Full Choreography: In this 2 (3, or 4) hour class, students will learn a choreography to a classic 80s Arab pop song.

Tap Dancing, Suhaila-Style

2-4 hrs

One of Suhaila’s great loves is tap dancing, because of the rhythm, syncopation, and footwork. After debuting her tap-clave-chair dance as a teenager, she started teaching when she was 14. Suhaila also had the joy of working alongside Walter “Sundance” Freeman (Riverdance), and studied under Hinton Battle (The Wiz) and Michael Rooney (choreographer for music videos by Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Fatboy Slim, and Björk and for Dancing with the Stars). And her finger cymbal-tap-drum solo was a hit when she performed it while on contract in Lebanon! In this workshop, we’ll improvise patterns and phrases based on your vibe and the music Suhaila brings in that day. Finger cymbals optional.

Prerequisites: This is definitely not a class for beginners; students should have at least 1 serious year of tap dance experience.

SPONSORS: This class requires a floor specifically approved for tap shoes. And while this class is an option, it is NOT for beginning tappers.

Belly Dancers Anonymous: An Open Forum

2 hrs

“Hi, her name is Suhaila, and I’ve been a belly dancer for over 50 years.” Are you a belly dance addict, but you don’t want people to know that you belly dance? Perhaps, like me, you have Middle Eastern family members who disapprove of your hobby or career choice. Perhaps you don’t want coworkers to know for fear it will affect your business career. We might not be able to solve your situation in one discussion, but we can talk about our concerns in a positive, open, and supportive forum.

Dancing in the Middle East: Ask Me Anything

2 hrs

In the 1980s and 90s, I spent over 10 years working in the top nightclubs in the Arab world. The scene was much different then: it was vibrant, exciting, and I was right in the thick of it! Ask me anything about her time as a professional dancer in the Arab world, including working with live music, audiences, performing for royalty, developing her personal style, musical interpretation, emotional expression, and so much more.

SPONSORS: Sponsors should provide a microphone for Suhaila, a class monitor, index cards, and pens/pencils. Students can jot down their questions on index cards and hand them to the class monitor who will organize and and prioritize them for Suhaila.

Ask Me Anything with Suhaila Salimpour

2 hrs

Suhaila Salimpour has a lifetime of performance and teaching experience… and if you can imagine it, she’s probably seen it! In this casual discussion session, ask Suhaila anything about her career, performances, school, and more.

SPONSORS: Sponsors should provide a microphone for Suhaila, a class monitor, index cards, and pens/pencils. Students can jot down their questions on index cards and hand them to the class monitor who will organize and and prioritize them for Suhaila.

Translating Tarab: More Than Just Emotion

2 hrs

Tarab is an essential element of the performance of Arabic music, but recently the term has been overused and oversimplified. Tarab is more than just a choreography to an emotional song. It refers to an almost spiritual state of ecstasy, invoked by sublime live musical performance. In this workshop, we’ll discuss the importance of tarab in the Arab world, and how it applies to musicians, dancers, and the audience. Suhaila will also share her own stories of finding and experiencing tarab from her time working as a professional belly dancer in some of the world’s top Arabic nightclubs.

In, Out, and Around the Box: Responsible Fusion

2 hrs

Suhaila has based so much of my career on both being the belly dancer and breaking out of the belly dance box… and while she’s gotten in a lot of trouble for it, her fusion presentations have been a hit in the Arab world.

Most dancers know that to be responsible dancers, we must respect the culture from which our dance comes. We can call that “the Box.” In the Box we put our technique, musical studies, and cultural understanding. It takes years to fill out our Box, understand its contents, and decorate it with our own personal style. But what does it all mean, and how can we best develop our own belly dance box?

In this lecture/discussion, Suhaila will share examples from her own dance career including her tap dance-finger cymbal drum solo, her chair/veil choreography, and creating her theatrical production Sheherezade. Of course, we’ll have time for students to ask questions at the end.

SPONSORS: For this lecture, sponsors should provide a microphone for Suhaila, a person to act as a class monitor, index cards, and pens/pencils. Students can jot down their questions on index cards and hand them to the class monitor who will organize and and prioritize them for Suhaila.

Stereotypes, Roles, and Responsibility

2 hrs

The quintessential belly dancer is a well-styled young woman who looks great in a two-piece costume… and sometimes everything else from skill to musicality is optional. And in some areas, if you can’t pass as at least part Middle Eastern in appearance, you can be accused of cultural appropriation or worse. In this lecture, Suhaila will facilitate a discussion about what you can do if you don’t fit the stereotype (or even if you do), how to negotiate not being from Middle Eastern cultures, and how we can still dance responsibly and respectfully.

Make Sense of Your Music

2 hrs

Before you can start to make a dance, you must first understand its structure and progression. Throughout her career, Suhaila has created 100 choreographies using tried and true methods to visualize and conceptualize her musical choices. In this workshop Suhaila will explain her deceptively simple “Tally” approach, as well as how to doodle a song to create and commit to choreography. With these tools, you’ll be able to break through your blocks and create new dances with ease.

Belly Dance Gigs 101

2 hrs: Suhaila or Jamila format

Sometimes people forget that Suhaila has over 50 years of experience performing in a crazy number of places and in a wide range of venues… including on the set of HBO’s Max Headroom next to a live pig! Throughout her time as a performer, she’s gathered some amazing stories as well as valuable advice and tips for dancers living the gig life. In this lecture, she’ll share some of her most important lessons that will help you negotiate any performance situation.

The Lasting Legacy of the Jamila Salimpour Format

2 hrs: Jamila format

her mom was the first to create a comprehensive catalog of steps from across belly dance styles, including well-known moves like Basic Egyptian, Samiha, and Maya. I’ll share how her mom developed her groundbreaking format, key dancers who inspired and informed her process, and related stories that only the daughter of Jamila Salimpour can tell!

Project Your Voice

2-3 hrs

When Suhaila was working in Los Angeles, she had the opportunity to study with Roger Love, one of the best vocal coaches in the world. Through her work with him, she was able to develop her distinctive teaching voice and manage her energy during her 2-hour long nightclub performances. In this workshop, we explore using breath and our voice as tools to open up our creative voice, both literally and figuratively. We’ll unlock our physical selves, integrate the mind and body, and connect with the rich emotional life that we all carry within in us all the time. Using that energy, we’ll use that work to develop and project our movement and expression.

The Basics of Breath Control for Speaking and Teaching

2 hrs

When Suhaila was working in Los Angeles, she had the opportunity to study with Roger Love, one of the best vocal coaches in the world. Through her work with him, she was able to develop her distinctive teaching voice and manage her energy during her 2-hour long nightclub performances. Whether you’re a dance or fitness instructor, public speaker, or just need to develop your vocal stamina, this workshop will help you get in touch with your diaphragm, find your ideal vocal range, and develop a strong and powerful voice for all occasions. This is not a dance workshop. No dance experience required.

The Foot-Floor Connection

2 hrs

Suhaila’s mom enrolled her in ballet classes when she was a very young girl, and from there Suhaila studied modern, tap, and jazz dance, developing her foot strength, balance, and posture. A strong, supple foot-floor relationship is one of the most important technical elements in the dancer’s tool box. But if we’re working on other dance concepts, we can overlook it or take it for granted. In this workshop, we’ll explore this essential connection, using techniques from ballet, modern, and other movement traditions. You’ll discover a strong sense of balance and center on which to build the rest of your movement practice.

Dance From the Waist Up: Expanding Upper Body Awareness

2-3 hrs

One exercise Suhaila uses quite often is asking students to sit on the floor and “do” a choreography from the waist up. That is, only the upper body, arms, head, and finger cymbals. It’s a powerful tool that challenges the dancer, increases upper body awareness, and helps dancers trust their bodies. In this workshop, we’ll learn basic dance combinations and explore our upper body awareness, expression, and more.

Internalize to Amplify

2-4 hrs

When Suhaila lived in Los Angeles, she had the formative experience of studying acting with Sanford Meisner, one of the greatest acting coaches of his time. And through him, she learned that one of the greatest strengths you have is your personal emotional intent. Your perspective and emotions can—and should—inform both the movements you choose and how you do them. But sometimes it can be tricky to understand how others might perceive your intentions. In this workshop, we’ll focus on finding an emotional connection to our music (provided by Suhaila) and using our emotional intent to guide and amplify our movement and learn how our audiences might interpret our actions.

2-3 hrs

We’ll take basic dance phrases and stylize each of them for various times and genres.

Tell Your Story: Exploring Expressive Movement

2 hrs

A key element of all of her choreographies is storytelling through expressive movement. It’s more than just pantomime or gestures; it’s full-body expression. In this workshop, we’ll explore your stories through physicalization, as we exchange words for movement to give you powerful seeds for dance-making.

Soothing the Soul of the Disillusioned Belly Dancer

2 hrs

Are you frustrated with your dance? Does worry about cultural appropriation keep you up at night? Do you feel you aren’t growing as a dancer? Do you worry that you’ve turned your hobby into a business and that has taken the joy out of your art? After 50 years in this dance form, I’ve certainly felt frustrated too. And we could talk about these issues all day… but what if you could find the spark of joy in dance that you felt when you first started? In this workshop, we’ll explore basic body movement, focusing on the breath, centering yourself, and finding balance. You’ll feel rejuvenated, refreshed, and inspired, no matter where you are in your belly dance journey.

Stagistics: You Gotta Get on Stage Somehow

2-4 hrs

Throughout her career, Suhaila has danced on nearly every type of stage imaginable, from grand proscenium stages to crowded restaurants. And she had to enter on every one of them. To perform, you first have to get on the stage. Whether you enter with or without music, alone or with a group, down the center aisle, already posed on stage as the curtains open, level with the audience, or traveling down a staircase, your entrance is your first impression. Learn concrete strategies and guidelines that project confidence and set the stage for a successful performance. After a simple warm-up to find our center and balance, we’ll explore various entrance options for any situation, solo or ensemble.

Stagistics: Mapping Your Stage

2-3 hrs

Throughout her career, Suhaila has danced on nearly every type of stage imaginable, from grand proscenium stages to crowded restaurants. She’s had to navigate around waiters carrying hot plates of food, burning shisha pipes, and even a live pig on the set of HBO’s Max Headroom (1987). Wherever you perform, you’ll need to identify and define your performance area. In this workshop we’ll map out the stage space and outline a strategy for your upcoming performance, no matter where or what it is. We’ll also discuss and implement techniques for those times when you don’t get to see the stage until your actual performance.

Stagistics: Come into the Light

2-4 hrs

Throughout her career, Suhaila has worked in innumerable theaters of all sizes and types, as well as on movie and video shoots. Suhaila has worked with professional light specialists, directors, and videographers in Hollywood and all over the world. In this workshop, she’ll focus on the most important and basic information you need to know when performing on a theater stage. We’ll discuss and experiment with finding the light, cues for lighting and curtains, black outs, and more.

FOR SPONSORS: This workshop must be taught in an actual theater setting with a technician available to help with lighting and curtains. A sound technician is not required.

Stagistics: Turn Your Negative Space into a Positive with Veil

2-4 hrs

Most people don’t know that painting is one of Suhaila’s favorite hobbies. In visual arts, we often refer to negative space, that is, the space around and between the subjects. In dance, you are the subject, and as you move, you create negative space around you all the time. Those spaces have powerful energy and can sometimes overwhelm your performance. Using the belly dance veil as a prop, we’ll study and embrace negative space through improvisation and short combinations, so that you can own the entire stage.

SPONSORS: Students should bring a veil to class.

Stagistics: Entrances with the Suhaila Salimpour Grid

3-4 hrs

In her lifetime of performance, Suhaila has created a simple, yet powerful, system for entering and moving across the stage: the Grid. Using the Grid, we’ll explore powerful and proven methods for entering your stage, giving you essential constructs for your next performance, no matter what the stage space looks like. Make your next entrance confident, purposeful, and powerful!

Stagistics: Basic Stage Projection with the Suhaila Salimpour Grid

3-4 hrs

In her lifetime of performance, Suhaila has created a simple, yet powerful, system for entering and moving across the stage: the Grid. In this workshop, you’ll learn the basics of both sides of the Grid: audience and performance. In this experiential workshop, students will learn about the Grid through careful crafting of body placement, angles, gestures, and expressions. This workshop is open to anyone interested in performance and audience engagement, from dance to acting to public speaking. No dance experience is required.

Stagistics: Casting Your Audience: Projection with the Suhaila Salimpour Grid

2-3 hrs

In her lifetime of performance, Suhaila has created a simple, yet powerful, system for emotional projection and audience engagement: the Grid. But for new performers, it can be difficult to know where to look while you’re on stage. Imagine if you could choose who sits in the audience, so that you know exactly where and who to look at and when? By using the Grid, you can. In this workshop, we’ll explore emotional projection, anchoring your gaze, and giving you the confidence to connect with your audience and give a powerful and moving performance.

Stagistics: Crafting Choreography with the Grid

2-3 hrs

In her lifetime of performance, Suhaila has created a simple, yet powerful, system for using the stage and emotional projection: the Grid. In this workshop we will learn a simple dance phrase, then using the framework of the Grid, we’ll explore how our placement on the stage, body angles, and floor patterns affect the emotional expression and intention of the phrase.