From Tap Dancing to Responsible Fusion

Suhaila, 1978. Photo by Romaine Photography, San Francisco.

Suhaila performing her “chair drum” tap dancing routine at Ashkenaz in Berkeley, CA when she was 10, the same year she began teaching tap.

Last year, I wrote about my pop and locking work with Walter Freeman who went on to perform on Broadway for 10 years as an American tap dancer in Riverdance.  Walter and I attended many of the same tap classes when I was in high school.

But my introduction to tap began much earlier.  My mother enrolled me in ballet, jazz and tap when I was a toddler, probably around 2 or 3 years of age.  I continued tap dancing with regular lessons and training well into my late 20s.  When I moved to Los Angeles after high school, I was fortunate to study tap with Hinton Battle, who won his second of three Tony Awards for his role in The Tap Dance Kid.

When I was about 22 or 23, Mahmoud Reda visited California on a workshop tour.  In addition to his folkloric work, Mahmoud starred, choreographed and performed in several popular Egyptian movies; he was very much an Egyptian Gene Kelly or Fred Astaire.  One of my favorite memories of Mahmoud’s visit was attending a tap class together at the Debbie Reynolds Dance Studio in North Hollywood.

Later, when I performed in the Middle East, the club owners were thrilled when they found out I could tap dance and insisted that I perform.  Tap dancing was incredibly popular, especially from the classic Egyptian and Hollywood movies that featured grand dance and musical numbers.  And I actually had my tap shoes and drum sticks (from my “chair drum” performance) with me, as I had packed them in my suitcase.

Rather than featuring tap dancing as a completely different act, I wanted to incorporate it into my regular dance set.   I developed a duet with the drummer.  I would tap, then add finger cymbals, then the drummer and I would question and answer back and forth, and then we would wind up to a big finale.  The audiences loved the act.

Students have asked me why they thought my tap dancing fusion was so well received by Middle Eastern audiences.  I had well over two decades of experience in both belly dance and tap by the time I performed the fusion of the two in the Middle East.  I was a teacher of both with extensive performance experience in both.  I knew the music and rhythms for both the Middle Eastern and jazz genres.  It was a “responsible fusion”.  That responsibility included knowing and respecting the technique, music, and culture of both dance forms.

The Sanford Meisner Method and Belly Dance

After graduating high school, I moved from Northern California to Los Angeles.  In addition to being a regular “house” dancer at Byblos Night Club (6 nights a week), I also did some acting, modeling and music video choreographing.  I enjoyed pursuing these other activities as they were new and challenging, and I learned a lot about myself and the industry.  But dance was always my first love, and I knew my future would be in dance.

I sought out teachers and experiences that would develop me as a person and an artist.  I attended several acting classes, and I ended up at the Playhouse West run by Robert Carnegie.  I took weekly classes with Bob Carnegie and Sanford Meisner.  (To give you a time reference, Jeff Goldblum was one of the TAs under whom I studied, and Ashley Judd was a student.)  Meisner’s method really resonated with me as I could see its application to my dancing.

Classic belly dance we perform today (dated from Casino Opera days) is typically performed “in the moment” with a live audience and band.  There is an improvisation component as well as an ongoing, spontaneous interaction with the musicians and audience.  I wanted to make that experience even more honest and personal.  I showed up weekly for years to my Meisner method classes, and I did the work that was presented to me.  I watched and learned from the process of my fellow students.  Over time — by showing up, being present and doing the work — my dance was steadily evolving from what I was learning.

Although I was a regular and good student, I certainly wasn’t the super star of the group.  Every year, Bob Carnegie had a holiday party at his home, and only five students from the entire school were invited to attend.  I was shocked when I was invited as one of those students.  (Coincidentally, that party was held on my 21st birthday.) I believe my teachers were intrigued by my reasons for learning Meisner’s method and the application to my dance.

In Level 3 of my certification program, I introduce emotional intent; but when I first began teaching this work, I realized that many of my students were resisting any emotional work, and they didn’t know how to express their “real” and “honest” emotions in performance.  I went back and studied the Meisner work from an academic standpoint and analyzed the evolution of that work that had integrated organically into my personal dancing.  (The work integrated into my dancing over time without me trying or giving it conscious thought; I used the tools instinctively and organically without thinking about them. ) Using my extensive Meisner experience and decades of dance, I adjusted and developed exercises for my students.  I tailored the work specifically for dancers to give my students a more direct and efficient means of learning the work.  And these exercises are more applicable to our art form.

In Level 4 of my certification program, we begin to apply the work we introduce in Level 3.  The goal is a performer who is open and honest with their countenance and emotions, having a true connection to the audience and music – to have “moment to moment” honesty and expression with each note of the music.  You learn to be you on stage in an open and personally authentic way.  For some, the work can seem scary at first; you can feel vulnerable being so open on stage.  Some students find the work easy; but most students fall somewhere in between.

But this work is not about divulging deep dark secrets or exorcising demons.  It’s not therapy, and it’s not about self indulgence. Like any skill — you show up, you embrace the work, and you do the work; over time you develop the skill.  We handle the work professionally; you are given an exercise, you do the exercise, and once the exercise is over, it’s over — we move on to the next thing.  In my program, we work on this together; you aren’t alone.  We create a safe and positive environment with support and encouragement.  And what you learn adds so much value and meaning to your dance.

In the video below, I discuss a few of the influences in my dance, including the Sanford Meisner method.  This is an excerpt from a longer interview conducted by Christy of Eighth Wonder Studios, Calgary, in August 2012.  Click here to view the entire interview.

For those of you who want to study the background of the Sanford Meisner method, research the work of Constantin Stanislavski and Lee Strasborg.  You can also find a documentary about Sanford Meisner called “Sanford Meisner:  Theater’s Best Kept Secret” in seven parts on YouTube.  Here is a link to the first segment.

Suhaila’s Joumana Choreography: The Back Story

When I was thirteen, I wanted to take private dance lessons with Yuki, a well known jazz teacher in Castro Valley.  I begged Yuki to let me take classes.  Probably thinking I wasn’t all that motivated, she said she could make space for me at 7am on Saturday mornings.  So every Saturday, my mother would drive me to my jazz lessons, having to leave the house at 6am to make it in time for my 7am classes.

Taking with Yuki was a light bulb moment for me.  I was incredibly inspired by Yuki’s phrasing and movement quality, and I began seeing jazz a bit differently.  By this time, I already had ten years of jazz in my body and even more of belly dance, and the two dance forms had started fusing and melding naturally.  And I already noticed that this organic development was happening.  After taking with Yuki, I started playing a game:  “how do I bellyize this move?”

In 1980, when I was 14 years old, I choreographed to Joumana.  Every day after school over the course of about a week, I choreographed the piece in our living room (on a white shag room-sized rug), watching my reflection in the window.  This choreography really shows how belly dance and jazz were fusing in my dance.

Joumana, Hayati and Maharjan are three choreographic projects which represent my best collaborations with my mother, Jamila Salimpour.  We were at our most connected creatively for these pieces.  When my mother would mention a general concept or quality or mood, I was able to create it in dance; it was like a telepathic connection between us.  And it was for these projects that she completely trusted my instincts.  My training in ballet and jazz expanded my mother’s belly dance format exponentially, and she could see how the training was necessary to realize the ideas she had in her head that she, herself, was not capable of fulfulling.  Jamila never wanted to limit her students or me, so she was supportive of me taking the dance further and encouraged me to do so.

In 1980 my mother and Amina organized a dance show at the Margaret Jenkins Dance Studio in San Francisco, and that was where I first performed my choreography to Joumana. Then, in 1983, I auditioned for the San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival and was selected to perform as the first belly dancer included in this prestigious event.  The three related performances can be seen at the links below.

• 1980 Debut of Suhaila’s Choreography to Joumana (view here)
• 1983 Suhaila’s Joumana Audition, SF Ethnic Dance Festival (view here)
• 1983 Suhaila’s Joumana Performance, SF Ethnic Dance Festival (view here)

Suhaila’s Certification and Teaching Programs

Christy and Suhaila, Calgary, Oct 2012

In August 2012, Christy of Eighth Wonder Studios in Calgary interviewed me about my certification program, mentorship, stylization and more.  Many of her questions are ones that I’m asked regularly.  For those of you not familiar with my teaching and programs, I think this will give you a good overview; and for those of you already “ in the know”, you might learn something new.

At the end of the interview, I turn the interview right back around on Christy.  And, I think her perspective might be interesting for other students.  This interview is part of an ongoing series by Christy, the first of which was filmed in January 2011.

The Complete 2012 Interview (just over 30 minutes):  Click here

The Certification Program:  Excerpt from 2012 Interview:  Click here

Mentorship:  Excerpt from 2012 Interview:  Click here

A Student’s Perspective:  Excerpt from 2012 Interview:  Click here

Jamila Salimpour’s Finger Cymbal Method:  Click here

Stylization & Technique:  Click here

Early Influences:  Click here

Remembering John Compton

John Compton with Bal Anat, Early 1970s

I was greatly saddened to hear the news that John Compton passed away this week.  He had a long and prosperous belly dance career, and I want to share my story of how I first knew him.

John had seen Bal Anat  perform at the Renaissance Pleasure Faire and wanted so badly to study with my mother.  She taught in San Francisco, and John sought out her studio.  My mother’s classes were for women only, so she did not allow him in class.

I was quite young at the time, but I still remember John — with his long hair nearly reaching his waist — sitting outside the door of my mother’s class, listening to the music and whatever instruction he could hear.  I was struck by John’s persistence and commitment.  I was there the day my mother finally swung the door open and told him “Okay fine!  Get in!”,  thus allowing John to attend her class.

John was Jamila’s first male student, and the floodgates were then opened for more wonderful male dancers to study with my mother.  With Bal Anat, John first dressed as a Moroccan female impersonator and dancing girl; you can view his related performance in the Bal Anat documentary below (around 8:50).  Later, he performed as one of the tray dancers; if you look at the picture below with me and John, you’ll notice his belt buckle. Jamila gave him that belt buckle when John first starting performing, and as far as I know, it’s the only one he ever wore throughout his career.

I will always remember John from his beginning belly dance days, and I will remember him as that young man so fascinated with belly dance and so eager to learn everything he could.

Suhaila and John Compton, Bal Anat

Tribal Fest Interview with Kajira and Chuck

Kajira and Chuck are the co-producers of the extremely successful Tribal Fest that is held annually every May in Sebastopol, CA.  Tribal and tribal fusion comprise a very popular and growing segment within belly dance.  I am frequently asked about the Tribal Fest event.  So late this summer, I interviewed Kajira and Chuck to answer the most common questions and for more “behind the scenes” details about this event.

Kajira and Chuck are enthusiastic and approachable, and you can see how their personal vibe sets the overall vibe for Tribal Fest.  The interview gives you a good look at this motivated couple.  I think you’ll find the segments both informative and interesting, so I hope you spend some time watching and learning more.

How It All Began:  Kajira and Chuck discuss the beginnings of Tribal Fest, the vibe of the event, and its location in Sebastopol, California.

Not but Truth:  Kajira discusses her studies with the Salimpour formats as well as the rules of Tribal Fest: a sanctuary focused on love, acceptance, joy and creativity.

Instruction:  The couple discusses the variety of instruction available at the event.

Focus & Theme:  Kajira and Chuck discuss the “tribal, folkloric & alternative” focus of the event as well as the performance application process.

Long Range Vision:  The couple discusses their long range vision for Tribal Fest.

You can learn more about Kajira Djoumahna and Tribal Fest at her website www.blacksheepbellydance.com.  You can also find Kajira Djoumahna, Chuck Lehnhard and Tribal Fest on Facebook.

Batwanes Beek & Break Dancing

Many of you have already seen this video of dancers performing to a recorded version of “Batwanes Beek” sung by Warda al-Jazairia.  The young men are break dancing (a dance form which originated in the United States) on the Avenue des Champs-Elysees in Paris to this modern Arabic classic.

This performance worked because the presentation was honest.  It’s wonderful to see that the younger generation can appreciate the classics and that they can embody the sentiment with their own “truth”.  Although it can take effort, you can still be current but appropriately connect to and represent the classics with a fresh, but respectful, approach.

Suhaila

Warda al-Jazairia (1939-2012), the Algerian Rose

Warda al-Jazairia, August 2008

Our dance world has suffered a major loss with the recent passing of Warda Al-Jazaairia (1939-2012) this past May.  She was an amazingly gifted singer.  She worked with several of the great Arab composers, and many of her songs are considered modern classics.  I often danced to live versions of her songs throughout my years of dancing in the nightclubs (in the U.S. and the Middle East), and I have choreographed to her recorded work.

Warda’s life story and music catalog are readily available via the internet, and I strongly encourage you to research or revisit her contributions.  This incredibly talented woman contributed so much to Arabic music.  We are truly fortunate to live in an era where her contributions have been recorded and are now available for generations of dancers to hear, appreciate and learn.

Suhaila

Suhaila & Isabella performing a duet to “Nar El Ghera”, one of Warda’s modern classics

Freedom

Mikhail Baryshnikov & Suhaila Salimpour, May 2012

This May, I had the amazing opportunity to meet one of my greatest dance inspirations:  Mikhail Baryshnikov.  He is truly amazing; he vibrates with energy, and when he focuses on something. . .you can feel the intensity.

In 1974 while on tour with the Bolshoi Ballet, Baryshnikov defected from what was then the Soviet Union to Canada.  This received worldwide coverage and was huge news in the dance world.  I was about 9 at the time, and this life decision made by Baryshnikov somehow clicked a switch inside of me.

By watching Baryshnikov’s career and the choices he made in his dance form, he gave me permission to think outside the box of MY art form.  If you look up Baryshnikov’s career to date, you see that he has continually evolved throughout his career to grow as a dancer, to work with creative people, and to learn new things.  I felt like I was being given the freedom and permission to do what it was I needed to do dance-wise.

I probably wouldn’t have created my format without the influence of his career decisions.  I never gauged my success by the applause of my community. . but instead I performed each and every time as if Baryshnikov might be in the audience; it didn’t matter if it was a huge theater full or people or one table of people in a nightclub.  He inspired me to be the best dancer I could be. . .and to have the freedom to explore and evolve.

Suhaila

Announcing the “Enta Omri” Double Album

Suhaila Salimpour & Ziad Islambouli present
Enta (You Are) Volume 1     &    Omri (My Life) Volume 2
An intimate love letter telling the story of a lifelong love:  you are my life!

This double album includes my favorite classic compositions  based on my years of working in night clubs both in the U.S. and in the Middle East.  Ziad Islambouli composed these pieces specifically for me, imagining me dancing in his mind.  From our years of working together and performing these classic pieces, we share an intimate connection for this music that shines through in Ziad’s arrangements.  Ziad created modernized versions, but ones that maintain the same intent and sentiment as the originals.  Both Ziad and I have always felt that it is important to keep this era of music alive and valid, no matter what else might be currently popular.  A belly dancer should know her classics; and I believe it requires a significant amount of skill, experience and artistry to perform to these pieces responsibly.

Ziad and I have discussed producing these albums for years.  And suddenly, in the fall of 2011 it felt like a once-in-a-lifetime moment — everything in the universe seemed to align.  The right people were available at the right time with the right focus, so Ziad went to Lebanon to arrange and record the music.  Some of the musicians where people which whom I worked in the past and some were new.  But they all connected and bonded on such a deep level to bring our collective vision a reality.  Ziad would call from the recording studio in Lebanon so that I could hear something on which they were working.

Ziad was determined to maintain a strong bond to the originals, so the musicians went above and beyond in some cases.  For example, Ziad wanted a very specific sound and tone for the oud, so a sixty year oud was carried down from the mountains to use for the album.  For Laylet Hob, the very same model of guitar used by Omar Khorshid in the original was used for the album.  These small but significant elements really add to the overall depth of the music.

These albums are incredibly close to my heart, and I admit that it is hard to release them.  I feel like I am sharing an incredibly personal moment with the world.  So remember that as you listen or dance to them, you carry a piece of my heart.

Suhaila

To purchase double album CDs

To purchase album downloads