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

Greetings!

After returning home from Egypt I am still unpacking and full of the memories that fill my spirit from the trip.  Raqia Hassan’s “Ahlan Wa Sahlan” festival was brilliant and I still can’t believe that this woman pulled off a dance festival in Egypt “the mother land” with the freedom and creativity that sang of the spirit that is what the dance is suppose to bring to us all.  I would forget each day that I was in a bubble protected by her for this creative dance experience.  One must go… we all must go.  More on this subject with my editorials to come.  All I can say is save the date for next year July 27 – Aug. 3.  I am teaching again and looking forward to going back to join my dance family in Egypt. I would also like to thank my sponsor Leila for opening her heart for me and my family during our time in Belgium your warmth and dedication far exceeded our expectations, thank you, and another special thanks to my sponsor Amana in Paris for putting together a wonderful workshop and performance.  Thank you both for your excitement and trust in my vision for this dance form. My warmest gratitude to Momo Kadus because without his love, support and persistence none of this would've been possible.  Thank you Momo for arranging and encouraging my entire overseas tour. You are a true friend.

I have to say that missing the July 4th performance was the only downfall of our trip.  We were actually returning home that day and Isabella was very upset that she missed this dance opportunity.  I was very proud of all the students that participated in this performance and the pictures and video was something that made me proud.  Tiffany and Kendra did an amazing job at organizing and nurturing this show and the performers.  I feel so lucky to have such wonderful assistants to leave my studio and allow me the opportunity to travel, spread the format, and open up other areas of this art form while they hold down the fort for us all. 

With the months ahead filled with weeklong workshops, certification workshops, my one woman show, writing my biography,  and pre-production on my next video series I am also doing laundry and catching up on sleep.  I send my love to the Middle East and hope that through the arts we can all find some peace that will connect us in life and not war.

Editorial by Suhaila®

I knew this trip was going to be monumental from the second we boarded the plane. I was excited and ready for what awaited me in Europe, Canada and Egypt. It has been years since I have traveled to Europe or the Middle East and the last time I was there I was single and performing without a care in the world or as much value to my art as I do now. While waiting to board a voice I knew deeply came up behind me and cleared her throat as if to say, "look at me". As I turned around to witness the face that belonged to the voice it took me a moment to focus in on who it was. One of my first dance company members (who shall go unnamed) was on the same flight to Paris on her way to meet her fiancZ to get married. I was so excited to see her since the last time I saw her was at this last Rakkasah sitting front row center along with the other 3 girls that made up the first 4 Suhaila Dance Company members. I love seeing past dance company members since all the women that gave there dedication, love, and hours to this art through my vision have a very close place in my heart. The first 4 girls, of course, hold an even more special place in my heart since it represents new beginnings and challenges in my artistic life. To see this woman on my flight as I prepared to arrive in Europe to share my format, vision, and love for "Oriental Dance" was fulfilling and reassuring all at the same time. Actually we were both traveling for the same reason; love, sharing, and vision. As my daughter and I began to color together on our 10-hour journey, she stopped cold and turned to me. I looked back at her as a natural reaction and waited for her response. "Is there really a Santa Claus or is it just you and dad?" I stood still and silent knowing that this day would come, but not prepared for it at this very moment. I had spoken about Santa Claus being magic and that everyone in life needs magic. I had tried to instill her with the idea of having an unexplainable energy that can only create "magic" and hope. Not focusing on the actual idea of Santa Claus himself, but to believe in something and have the power to dream. So as I sat there thinking a little too much time passed and she relieved me of my pain and said "it is you and dad isn't it.. and I don't mind". Once again I was humbled by this child's ability to console me (the adult) and I brought up the idea of magic again. We hugged each other and as our bodies separated she said "and the Easter Bunny too?" I assured her that her gift quota would not decline due to the unveiling of the Wizard of Oz.

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Festival de Danse Encore

by Tiffany Bisconer

This past weekend Suhaila and I were invited to teach and perform as a part of Festival de Danse Encore. As I was sitting on the plane back home I was filled with so much inspiration from the event that I couldn't sit still for my 8 hour journey. For me this weekend signified a spoken dream coming true. Every since my first dance class in Suhaila's studio I have heard, believed and desired to see her dream of creating a format that was recognized by the "real" dance community for it's technical foundation and structure for true artistic and physical growth within the belly dancing community. This weekend I truly felt the acceptance and acknowledgement of years of development on Suhaila's part and as someone who has believed in her vision I felt a huge sense of accomplishment. Going into this event it was hard to know what to expect because we were taking a step outside of our chosen belly dance community. I wasn't sure if we would be understood artistically or if dancers outside of our community would understand the difficulty of our movements and the intricacies of the cultural aspects of the dance enough to appreciate us. Even though I had complete faith in where we stood technically within a belly dancing context, this was a new environment. All of these thoughts were racing through my head as I was in the dressing room trying to finish organizing myself for our performance at the opening night gala. It was the first time in a while that I felt so nervous before a show.

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Guest Writer                        

Taking Back My Honor Through Dance

Nefertiti is a professional belly dancer, teacher, instructor and performer on the east coast.   Her performances are energetic and mesmerizing.  She has been described as “the essence of belly dance as a performer.” Her passion for the dance transcends her multi-culture heritage of African, Native American and Mediterranean descent. 

Nefertiti has been dancing in this and other art forms for over 20 years.  She continues her education by working with numerous masters to perfect technique and interpretation of the art. She is a level 1 certified dancer and member of the Suhaila Salimpour School of Dance, LLC and artistic director of Damali Dance Company of Salisbury, Md. 

Nefertiti is currently teaching several eight week courses in Delaware and Maryland and donates her time to and talents to organizations that promote women causes.  Nefertiti is a hands on instructor, giving each student individual attention.  She seeks to encourage the beauty in all women that creates the mystique of the belly dancer.

The workshop with Suhalia was humbling.  When she said to check your egos at the door, I knew I was in for a real shocker.  Suhalia’s level 1 workshop is more intensive than any master workshop I have taken in my dance career.  I am drawn to her energy and her willingness to share her passion.  

There was a bond between the ladies that attended the workshop.  We studied together, danced and worried about just making it thru the warm-up. J  Suhalia not only pushed us as dancers but, also encouraged us to share our desires, frustrations and joys.  There were tears and laughter.   At one point, Tiffany spoke of the vision and how it holds the troupe together.  When Suhalia began to share her vision for the art, it became painfully clear I had failed as a teacher and troupe director. Yes, I had a vision, but I didn’t want to talk about it.   It was too painful, ugly, full of destruction and self-hatred.

My troupe, Damali Dance Company in MD were preparing for some large events and I was feeling estranged.  I understood after the workshop I had to trust that my troupe would love and not reject me.  I decided to take the lead and share my story with them.  I realized they could never understand my passion and my intensity to push them if I never shared why this dance is so important to me,in other words if I did not share my vision. That night I stood before them exposed and vulnerable.  I shared with them all my life, dreams, fears, expectations and pain.  They opened their arms and hearts to me as we cried and hugged each other. 

My torment began when I was 5 years old.  My innocence and honor were taken away.  My body belonged to someone else to use at his discretion.  I had no escape routes or people to whom I could turn.  I felt alone, ugly and shameful.

I kept his secret.  The shame was so overwhelming, death felt like a welcome sign of relief to escape the madness. I would lay there not thinking, feeling or seeing anything.  I would simply, for those few minutes, not exist.   My mind would wander and I would escape my torment by dancing in my mind.  Dancing became my life line to sanity and it literally saved my life. 

Neither drugs, alcohol nor sex were outlets for me to use to relieve the pain.  I would dance for hours sometimes until I would just collapse on the floor from exhaustion.  I wanted to dance away the ugliness and dirt that covered every inch of my body.   I wanted to change my identity; I wanted to be someone else.  I would suck in my cheeks and squint my eyes so I could alter my appearance.   I truly hated my self.  

As I matured into a young woman, wife and mother, I realized thru watching my children that all kids have a sense of wonder and amazement.  They played with trust and total innocence.  Was I ever like that?  I don’t remember being either trusting or innocent.  Why didn’t I fight, say no, tell someone or do something.  The conflicts of my mind were strong and played havoc on my life. 

I fought so desperately to be “normal”.  I was constantly fighting the demons that plagued my mind and spirit.  Fighting depression and anxiety was a daily battle for me.

As an adult I stopped dancing publicly.  I was constantly fighting with my self-esteem.  There were numerous things that prompted me to dance again.  One event I vividly remember was being at my sister-in –law’s party and watching this amazing dancer.  She was beautiful, graceful and energized.  As I danced with her I realized the passion I had for the dance had never, diminished but the spirit was weak.  I couldn’t find the conviction to put on a hip scarf.  To see my body move would bring back many painful memories.

A few years ago I was determined to no longer be a prisoner of my mind or let anyone or anything have control over me.  I started practicing every day.  I started looking at myself in the mirror, repeating my mantra, “I am a beautiful woman who deserves happiness and peace.”  Daily, I would repeat the phrase to erase the negative words from my mind.    It worked, I began to dance publicly at small halfa’s and events in my area.  Through dance I gained the confidence that made me a better woman, wife and mother.  I felt alive, worthy to enjoy life instead of just walking through life. 

Eight years have gone by and now I dance all over the east coast for small and large venues.  I am no longer a victim or a survivor.  I am a champion, plain and simple.

Now every time I step on to a stage or go into a studio, I reclaim a little bit of my honor that was taken away.   My everyday clothes are my costumes but when I dress for a show the person who takes the stage is the real me; the innocent, trusting and loving me.  The real joy inside come comes thru when I perform and teach.