Suhaila Unveiled - the Newsletter
April 1 , 2006  Suhaila Unveiled

1. Greetings
2. Editorial by Suhaila
3. Workshops
4. Workshop Testimonials
5. Booking
6. Article: Youthful Offering
7. Rashid's Old School Corner
8. NEW! Just Arrived...!
9. Sale
10. Highlighted Products
11. Classes
12. Special Events
13. Contact
14. Unsubscribe

NEW! Just Arrived...!

Suhaila Design Pants...
New Colors!!!

The favorite Suhaila Design Pant now available in colors ......!! Get the versatile drawstring pant in black, plum and olive

Available Now!

Buy Now

 

Now On DVD!!

Suhaila's Instructional and Performance videos now available in DVD. Eight new releases in the DVD Collection of previously enjoyed titles......

Instructional Buy Now

Performance Buy Now

NEW!!! REMIX CD......

The anticipated title now available!  Rich sound with infused beats and Arabic music overlay.  Great for classes, dancing or just pure listening pleasure.

Available Now!

Buy Now

NEW!!! Tranquil CD......

Soft, sensual and moody.  Get one of the three new cd titles recently added to the Suhaila Salimpour Music Collection...

Available Now!

Buy Now

NEW!!! REPERCUSSION CD......

Hot new release from Suhaila Productions. Designed with a variety of drum solos from 1 1/2 to 10 minutes in length.  High powered and dynamic.

Available Now!

Buy Now

Suhaila's Hippeze!!!

Neutral Toned Striped Hippeze
The first of Suhaila Designs Hippeze. Four new styles of the versatile, layerable hip wear.....

Available now!

Buy Now

Margaret Cho's Hip Wear!!!

One of a kind hip belts made by the hands of Margaret Cho. Don't miss out! Each design the one and only....!
Supplies Limited!
Buy Now

More Suhaila Design Pants...

The "Harem Girl" style Suhaila Design Pants.  Side slit, flare legged jazz pant with ankle drawstrings to give the option of a belled or pantaloon look.

Available now!
Buy Now

Sale

All Suhaila VHS on sale for....$9.95!


Suhaila Salimpour Instructional and Performance videos sale continues.......All titles only $9.95!

Instructional Buy Now

Performance Buy Now

Bal Anat "In the Beginning" CD

In celebration of the upcoming Bal Anat Tribal Karnival Performance in Santa Cruz on April 29th, the sounds of Bal Anat are on sale for one month only!

Regular Price: $20.00

Sale Price: $10.95
Buy Now

Give the gift of choice!  Gift Certificates available from $25-$100.

Buy Now

Highlighted Products

Suhaila Solo NOW AVAILABLE on DVD!!!

Enjoy an evening of a live solo performance bySuhaila......
Available now!
Buy Now

Sheherezade!!!

DVD now available

Experience the show that is revolutionizing the art of belly dance.   Suhaila Salimpour's Sheherezade......
Available now!
Buy Now

Bellydance Fitness Fusion is here!

Suhaila's newest fitness series, Bellydance Fitness Fusion. In this four DVD set Suhaila fuses Bellydance with Yoga, Pilates, Jazz, and also presents her signature Buns workout! Available individually, or buy the whole set and save!

Order yours here!

 

Classes


The Suhaila Salimpour
School of Dance
10082 San Pablo Ave.
El Cerrito, CA
(510) 527-2400

Suhaila Salimpour Format Belly Dance, Jamila Salimpour Format Belly Dance, Jazz, Ballet, Hip-Hop, Adults, teens and kids!

Classes offered Monday through Saturday

For complete class listing, visit our website for our new schedule
or call (510) 527-2400

The Salimpour Technique
taught by Rashid


Located at Studio Gracia
19 Heron (off of 8th St.)

San Francisco, CA
Between Folsom and Harrison St.
(415) 307-4782

Level 1/2 combination classes are offered on Wednesday from 6:00pm-7:30pm
$12.00 Drop-In (class cards available)

For complete information, contact Rashid at:

raksrashid@aol.com

(415) 621-0669    (415) 596-0990

Events       

Bal Anat Tribal Karnival Saturday, April 29, 2006


The Rio Theatre

1205 Soquel Ave

Santa Cruz, CA


A night of live performance with Bal Anat and Special Guest

Margaret Cho

Pre-Show Begins @ 6:00pm

Film Screening @ 7:00pm

Dance Performance @ 7:30pm

Tickets $25 ADV/$30 Door

Get Tickets Now!!!


Belly Dance Nights
at Montero's Café
A night of performance with dancers from the Suhaila Salimpour School of Dance
First Sunday of every month
6:00 pm
1106 Solano Ave., Albany, CA
(510) 524-1270
Sign up to dance!
Call (510) 527-2400,
email suhaila@suhaila.com
or speak to an instructor

Not a member?
If you received this newsletter from a friend, and you would like to sign up to receive it every month, visit www.suhailainternational.com

Welcome to Suhaila Unveiled, the official e-newsletter for Suhaila Salimpour, the Suhaila Salimpour School of Dance, and Suhaila Productions.

Greetings!

I can look back on this last month and see a full body of work.  From the solo show with an amazing 6 piece live Arabic band performing classical cabaret, to the Rakkasah performances being both the Tribal with Bal Anat on Saturday, and the Rock Fusion with the Suhaila Dance Company on Sunday.  I must say that being able to do a three generations dance with my mother and daughter was a highlight in my life.  I don’t think my make-up stayed on, but I was in heaven.  I want to thank all the Bal Anat and Suhaila Dance Company members for all their hard work and practice.  It was a wonderful show both days and you made this year yet another fabulous experience.

Just returning from a wonderful workshop weekend in Atlanta.  It had been over two decades since I had the opportunity to teach in Atlanta and it was nice to return with some of the same faces that I remember from the first workshop that Aegela and Alima produced.  Terzra was the sponsor for the weekend and her production was flawless and the weekend was wonderful.  Thank you Tezra.  And thank you to all the women whom supported the event and brought the great energy that was in the room.  And a special thank you to all the performers that made the show so fantastic and full of integrity. 

I would also like to congratulate the amazing women in the Washington DC workshop who passed the Level I Certification Test.  Welcome to the Certification family!  The workshop was positive, high energy and definately sweaty!  Also, thank you Marta and Kim of DC Tribal for putting on the event and taking special care of all the little details.  Not only did you take the workshop and certify, but you organized the entire event, including the special treat of the Saturday night hafla.  Thank you for the care you put in to make this workshop successful.

Now with the Level II Weeklong Workshop coming up I look forward to working with a group of dancers that are excited to train really hard. 

Editorial by Suhaila®

We were driving to my first show after having my daughter, Isabella, and all I played the whole way to the theater was Ozzy Osbourne.  The entire way in the car I felt sick to my stomach.  I was tired, had been up all night with a 4 month old baby (Isabella had just turned 4 months), and the thought of putting on a costume and performing was so far from my energetic ability at that point that all I really wanted was a nap.  Just a little nap to get me through my next breast-feeding cycle.  But instead I was on my way to Cowell Theater in San Francisco for a show called Diamonds Shells and Amber which featured myself, Fat Chance Belly Dance, and Mahea Uchiayam’s dance company.  I had planned this show in my early stages of pregnancy and thought that 4 months would give me plenty of time to bounce back since I would probably just undulate the baby out, it seemed that I would have no problem getting back on stage.

We arrived to the theater just in time for me to whip out my breast pump and begin one of a few pumping needs for the day.  The dressing rooms were nice and big so we all had enough space for our costumes and egos.  It was perfect.  I already missed Isabella since she stayed home with my mother and each time I thought of her my boobs would fill up so fast with milk that it got very painful after the first two hours.  How much can a girl pump?  So I just tried to stay focused on my goal and that was to dance for myself and the love of this art form.  This was a very hard show for me since I had barely enough time to heal from my C-section other than think of being in tip top shape.  I felt this pressure to please the audience and each time I felt that desire to be “liked” by my audience I felt less and less like dancing.  Oh why did I agree to do this show anyway?  And how will I ever stop pumping long enough to dance.

Read complete editorial...

Upcoming Workshops

Workshops

April 24-28, El Cerrito, CA

Level II Weeklong Workshop

**Must be Level I Certified

*Optional Level II Certification

Contact: Suhaila Productions, LLC (510) 526-4344, www.suhailainternational.com suhaila@suhaila.com

Register Online


July 15-16, Somerville, NJ

2-Day Workshop

Contact: Suhaila Productions, LLC (510) 526-4344, www.suhailainternational.com suhaila@suhaila.com

Register Online

2006 Workshops:

April 24-28, El Cerrito, CA

Level II Weeklong Workshop

Content: Suhaila Salimpour Technique

**Must be Level I Certified to attend

*Optional Level II Certification Testing April 28

Time: 9:30am - 3:30pm

Location: 10082 San Pablo Ave, El Cerrito, CA 94530

Contact: Suhaila Productions, LLC (510) 526-4344, suhaila@suhaila.com www.suhailainternational.com

Send Checks/MO to: PO Box 8612, Landscape Station, Berkeley, CA 94707

Register Online

April 30, Santa Cruz, CA

Master Class

Content: Suhaila Salimpour Technique and Folkloric Fusion

Time:      11:00-1:00pm Suhaila Salimpour Technique

              2:00-4:00pm Folkloric Fusion

Location: Dancenter Annex, 1550 41st Ave, Capitola, CA

Contact: Vashti (831) 621-1968 webmaster@bellydanceodyssey.com

Register Online

May 7, San Diego, CA                        

Master Class

Content: Suhaila Salimpour Technique

Time and Location: TBA     

Contact: Meleah meleahandco@cox.net

May 13, St Louis, MO

Master Class

*Taught By Tiffany Bisconer (Authorized Instructor from the Suhaila Salimpour School of Dance)

Content: Suhaila Salimpour Format
Time: TBA

Contact: Lois Marshall salwaabd@aol.com (314) 961-3790, (314) 956-9725

May 14 , Portland, OR

Master Class

*Taught By Tiffany Bisconer (Authorized Instructor from the Suhaila Salimpour School of Dance)

Content: Suhaila Salimpour Format
Time: 10:00am-1:00pm (Level I Format)

2:00pm-5:00pm (Level II Format)

Contact: Suhaila Productions, LLC (510) 526-4344, suhaila@suhaila.com www.suhailainternational.com

Send Checks/MO to: PO Box 8612, Landscape Station, Berkeley, CA 94707

June 3-5, Broxell, Belgium
3-day Workshop

Content: Suhaila Salimpour Technique

Date: Saturday, June 3, 2006 5 hours of teaching

         Sunday, June 4, 2006 5 hours of teaching             

         Monday, June 5, 2006 4 hours of teaching

Location: LLN

Contact: Leïla Bouguerra

lbouguerra@skynet.be

June 17-18, Paris, France

Content: Suhaila Salimpour Technique

Time & Location: TBA

Contact: Amana

amana@club.fr

June 22-July 2, Cairo, Egypt

Content: Suhaila Salimpour Technique

Time & Location: TBA
Contact: Raqia Hassan 2027482338, 20123292386, raqiahassan@hotmail.com

Register Online


July 15-16, Somerville, NJ

2-Day Workshop

Times: 10:00am - 4:00pm

Location: Indigo Ballroom, 17 Division St, Somerville, NJ

Contact: Suhaila Productions, LLC (510) 526-4344, suhaila@suhaila.com www.suhailainternational.com

Send Checks/MO to: PO Box 8612, Landscape Station, Berkeley, CA 94707

Register Online

August 2-6, Portland, OR

Tribal Quest NW-Workshop & Show

Content: Suhaila Salimpour Technique

Times: Friday, August 4th, 3:00-4:45pm

           Saturday, August 5th, 3:30-5:15pm

Location: TBA

Contact: Caravan Studio (503) 287-1794 www.gypsycaravan.us jen@gypsycaravan.us
Register Online

August 7-11, El Cerrito, CA

Weeklong Workshop

Content: Suhaila Salimpour Technique

*Optional Level I and II Certification Testing Aug 11

Time: 9:30am - 3:30pm

Location: 10082 San Pablo Ave, El Cerrito, CA 94530

Contact: Suhaila Productions, LLC (510) 526-4344, suhaila@suhaila.com www.suhailainternational.com

Send Checks/MO to: PO Box 8612, Landscape Station, Berkeley, CA 94707

Register Online

August 13, Seattle, WA

Master Class

*Taught By Tiffany Bisconer (Authorized Instructor from the Suhaila Salimpour School of Dance)

Content: Suhaila Salimpour Format
Time: 10:00am-1:00pm (Level I Format)

2:00pm-5:00pm (Level II Format)

Contact: Renee Drellishak (206) 568-1514 renee.drellishak@gmail.com

August 21-25, El Cerrito, CA

Level III Weeklong Workshop

Content: Suhaila Salimpour Technique

**Must be Level II Certified to attend

*Optional Level III Certification Testing Aug 25

Time: 9:30am - 3:30pm

Location: 10082 San Pablo Ave, El Cerrito, CA 94530

Contact: Suhaila Productions, LLC (510) 526-4344, suhaila@suhaila.com www.suhailainternational.com

Send Checks/MO to: PO Box 8612, Landscape Station, Berkeley, CA 94707

Register Online

August 26-27, Boston, MA              

Workshop/Performance

Content: Drum Solo Choreography, Suhaila's Layering Technique, Jamila Salimpour Format with Finger Cymbals

Time: Saturday          11:00am-4:00pm

          Sunday            10:30am-3:30pm

Location: Springstep, 98 George P. Hassett Dr., Medford, MA 02155

Contact: Za’Beth Robinson (978) 373-0601 zills@earthlink.net

More Info

September 8-10, Los Angeles, CA      

Level I 3-Day Workshop

*Optional Level I Certification Testing September 10, 2006

Location: TBA
Liason: Margaret Cho

Contact: Suhaila Productions, LLC (510) 526-4344, suhaila@suhaila.com www.suhailainternational.com Send Checks/MO to: PO Box 8612, Landscape Station, Berkeley, CA 94707

Register Online

September 16-17, Ann Arbor, MI             

2-Day Workshop

Location: TBC

Contact: Crystal Dunlap dunlapcrystal@hotmail.com 734-330-8976

September 17 , Portland, OR

Master Class

*Taught By Tiffany Bisconer or Kendra Katz (Authorized Instructor from the Suhaila Salimpour School of Dance)

Content: Suhaila Salimpour Format
Time: 10:00am-1:00pm (Level I Format)

2:00pm-5:00pm (Level II Format)

Contact: Suhaila Productions, LLC (510) 526-4344, suhaila@suhaila.com www.suhailainternational.com

Send Checks/MO to: PO Box 8612, Landscape Station, Berkeley, CA 94707

September 23-24 , Albuquerque, NM

Master Class

*Taught By Tiffany Bisconer (Authorized Instructor from the Suhaila Salimpour School of Dance)

Content: Suhaila Salimpour Format
Time: TBA

Contact: Amaya mamaya1@comcast.net   (505) 281-4492

September 25-29, El Cerrito, CA

Level II Weeklong Workshop

Content: Suhaila Salimpour Technique
**Must be Level I Certified to attend

*Optional Level II Certification Testing Sept 29

Time: 9:30am - 3:30pm

Location: 10082 San Pablo Ave, El Cerrito, CA 94530

Contact: Suhaila Productions, LLC (510) 526-4344, suhaila@suhaila.com www.suhailainternational.com

Send Checks/MO to: PO Box 8612, Landscape Station, Berkeley, CA 94707

Register Online

October 20-22, Munich, Germany

3-Day Workshop

Content: Suhaila Salimpour Technique, Drum Solo Chorography, Layering, Folkloric Fusion, Jamila Salimpour Format, Finger Cymbals

Time & Location: TBA

Contact: Monika 0049-8072-98477; Momo 0049-6162-915999, mobile 0160-640-8281, monika@werksper.de www.tanz-zentrum.de

October 27-29, Frankfurt, Germany

Content: Suhaila Salimpour Technique

Time & Location: TBA
Contact: Momo 0049-6162-915999

Nov 4-6, Hannover, Germany
Content: Friday: 6pm-9pm Folkloric Fusion/Tribal Style

Saturday: 10am-1pm Technique & Combinations

Saturday: 2pm-5pm Suhaila Layering Technique

Sunday: 11am-4pm Drum Solo Choreography
Contact: Sina Bremer sina.b@t-online.de

Nov 9-12 Toronto, Canada                    
4-Day Workshop

Content: TBA

Time: TBA

Performance: TBA

Location: TBA

Sponsor: Audra Simmons (800) 431-0418 audra@cleopatrasbazaar.com

More Info

Nov 18-19 Vancouver, Canada             
2-Day Workshop              

Content: Suhaila Salimpour Format

Time:    Saturday   9:30am - 2:30pm

                            * Including 1hr Catered lunch

            Sunday      9:30am - 2:30pm

                             * Including 1hr Catered lunch

Performance: Saturday November 18th

Performance/Workshop Location: The Scotiabank Dance Centre, 677 Davie St., Vancouver

Sponsor: Martina 604-241-4371 martina@bellyfringe.ca

More Info

Workshop Testimonials

Congratulations on Becoming Certified...

Level I

Robin Abel

Michelle Alexander

Jocelyn Botticelli

Alexandra Bourque-Snyder

Lisa Branscomb

Abigail Buracker

Busakorn Chantaravorameth

Erika Elliott

Dushara English

      Marilyn Ham

    Mary Henwood

       Valerie Hue

     Heidi Matchett

       Amy Nowag

      Stacy O'Neill

    Suzanne Onesti

   Driana Pearlman

    Kimberly Rupp

      Anjali Sivan

     Marta Vizueta

   Wendy Youssef

Attending this Workshop has been an inspiring life changing experience. Suhaila is a warm-hearted woman whose passion is the dance, and has become my inspiration. Through this experience, she has helped me internalize every moment, and has taken me to a new level of the dance. She and her staff are down to earth, and you can tell they all love their work. I can’t wait to take another workshop to further my dance knowledge and have a great time and meet new friends, who all share the same love. -Roselee Kislowski Bristow, VA

Bring Suhaila to your event!
Suhaila and the Suhaila Dance Company travel all over the country and the world performing and teaching workshops. For availability and booking information, contact Suhaila Productions at
(510) 526-4344 or email suhaila@suhaila.com
 

Gift of Youth

Tiffany Bisconer by Tiffany Bisconer

One of the most satisfying pieces of my dance life is the time I am able to spend teaching the kids belly dance class within the Suhaila Salimpour School of Dance.  In this role I am offered the chance to give back to this art form that has changed my life, by cultivating a younger generation of dancers.  I must say though, when Suhaila first brought up the idea of me being the one to teach the class, I was scared of the idea.  Knowing me, and my issues, she encouraged me believing that working with kids and watching them blossom would heal me and my jaded perspective on life and innocence.  Not wanting to teach Isabella herself so not to put herself in an instructor role with her daughter, was another motivating factor in having me teach the class.  Respecting her point of view as a mother, I felt honored to be in a position where I could be a teacher to Isabella, third generation dancer.  A huge part of my initial resistance came from my fear of being responsible for the dance lives of children.  I was frightened by the thought of not being able to be a good enough role model, that the children wouldn’t like me or feel safe with me and I wouldn’t know how to give a child the knowledge and experience they needed in order to grow to their full potential.  I felt like I was having an extreme overload of mothering fears before deciding to have a child, only in the scope of being responsible for many children all at once.  All the concerns of doing it right were eating at my confidence.  For me the mere thought of a child disliking me was so much more devastating than an adult not liking me!  Where adults have gathered biases, filters and, unfortunately, hang ups as baggage along the way, children stand innately genuine.  So, as I was somewhat quietly freaking out, we began the belly dance for kids classes.  I took my most graceful swan dive into the role hoping my feet would fit into the shoes that lay ahead of me.  Grateful for the opportunity, knowing I would do the best I could to grow into the role, my panic attacks subsided and I soon realized Suhaila again had seen past my fears and gave me the vision to see more potential in myself than I would’ve on my own if I had never been handed this responsibility.  Since my first day of class this has been one of the most rewarding experiences for me.

Read complete article...

Rashid's Old School Corner

                            

THE RENAISSANCE PLEASURE FAIRE the first interactive website

PART I

         While Haji Baba gave us the first televised connection to belly dancing in the bay area, the “Renaissance Faire” was the first interactive experience for many people looking for the exotic, Bedouin/gypsy experience we have been craving for in this culture since the early civil rights movement of the 1960’s.  My girlfriend at 16, my first exposure to belly dance said, “If you like what I can do you should see this troupe at the Faire.” Already with a background in Theater and a great interest Shakespeare it seemed like a shoe-in.  We went that first year (72) in our Elizabethan costumes.  I even made my own shoes.  That first performance changed everything for me as I sat there affixed on a hay bale….

                                    BAL ANAT

         The dancers assembled themselves on the stage in a crescent.  They stood quietly talking amongst themselves and laughing, anticipating their endeavor.  The costumes, alive with so much color, textures and details, they executed a dance of their own by simply attiring the members of the troupe.  The musicians positioned themselves to the right of the dancers.  Dressed alike in the white muslin typical of North Africa and turbans binding each head, they sat readied with instruments. All eyes focused on the company’s director who stood upstage, center in the line.  The hot pink ostrich plume on her head bounced gently as she nodded and the performance began.

           The woodwinds screeched the first cord as drummers bent forward over the earthen ware instruments, causing them to pulsate in unison.  The dancers ululated and began a clatter and clashing of brass cymbals and rattles and percussion.  The attention of a thousand people had been captured.

         The drums pounded, horns reverberated with an exotic resonance and the dancers banged and clattered.  The music increased in tempo and the excitement built.  At the apex the horns trilled, the drums rolled and a gong was struck.  Again the gong sounded and the horns droned a mesmerizing note.  A part was made in the line and a figure shrouded in black was led center stage.  Again, the gong.  The figure stood motionless for an eternity.  Suddenly as the last, the gong reverberated and the shroud dropped, revealing a masked woman.  Her brow furrowed, eyes wide with excitement, the mouth slightly open and breathless, she a figure in awe of the mysticism of life and creation.  Her curly black hair was entwined with ivy and cascaded down her back. Her neck and arms were bedecked with primitive talismans, bones, feathers and icons of the “Golden Age.”  She was bedecked in cowrie shells, her torso bare.  Her skirt fell the floor and was covered in shiny geometric designs.  With a gesture of benevolence to the audience she began her mime of nature, fecundancy and her role as the Great Earth Mother.  She stood in an attitude of blessing when finished and was silently covered again and led off the stage.  The audience released a long held breath.

         The tempo changed and accelerated as three women moved out of the line.  The dance,Turkish, the movements languid and staccato.  They spun across the floor and at times in place, turning themselves upside-down with ease.  The dresses they wore were made of sparkling metallic fabrics in aqua and rose, accented by stripes in their pantaloons.  Their heads in kerchiefs, their hips accented with fringe, silk scarves as they moved around the stage playing finger cymbals against each others hands.  One more spin, finishing with a drop to the knee, arms framing their heads which slid side to side with the beat.  Complete, they stood up and retreated to the line.

         As they backed up, another dancer moved forward.  The rhythm changed and she slid forward to the beat like a ripple of an ocean wave.  In her hands she held a saber.  She was dressed head to toe in the geometric fabric of the masked dancer.  Her girdle was cut to accent the geometric patterns on her dress.  A heavy silver bracelet adorned her ankle.  She moved to center and unsheathed the weapon which sparkled in the afternoon sun.  Placing it on her head, she maneuvered it into a balanced position and began to ripple across the stage like a snake.  The members of her company cheered her on with shouts and ululations.  Moving forward again, her pelvis began to shimmy as her torso continued to ungulate, the sword still upon her head.  She stopped long enough to remove it and tilting her head back she placed it on her chin. Once there she bowed her body backing an arch until her hair began to collect on the floor.  Holding the position just long enough to prove herself, she unfolded to the applause of the crowd. Her tattooed face smiled coquettishly and she again placed the word upon her head and began to spin.  Moving slowly at first she built up speed until suddenly stopping her motion to allow the saber to spin on the crown of her head.  Catching it with her hands, she backed into the line with a rolling pelvis, like a set of disjointed wagon wheels.  The audience cheered.

To be continued......

 

Suhaila Productions · P.O. Box 8612 · Landscape Station · Berkeley · CA · 94707
510.526.4344
suhaila@suhaila.com
www.suhailainternational.com

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