The Salimpour School offers a broad collection of free resources, available to anyone! We want to make sure that you have the tools you need to become an educated, well-rounded, and knowledgeable…

Sometimes we hear from students that they’re worried about keeping their certification current and earning their required continuing education credits (CECs).  There are many ways to earn CECs, both in person and…

Today, belly dance certification is everywhere. But when Suhaila began her program back in the 1990s, certification was a radical and controversial idea. Long time dancers in the field argued that belly…

Dance is a celebration of personal expression, freedom, and connection with others.  The Salimpour School is proud to welcome students from diverse backgrounds and experiences. We do not discriminate on the basis…

Building Community Through Shared Goals As the Salimpour School has grown and expanded over the years, little enclaves of students have popped up all around the world. These communities had first been…

The Salimpour School is celebrating 70 years of sharing the art of belly dance with the world. When Jamila Salimpour first started teaching in 1949, she had no idea she would become…

In the Beginning… of the 2000s Belly Dance Boom In 2003, belly dance in the United States was on the verge of an explosion of popularity. Since the 1980s, interest in the…