Thread: Teacher/dancer training with Prof. Dr. Hassan Khalil

When I heard that the February seminar with Mahmoud Reda was going to be cancelled I was crushed. And then, within a day or so, I found out about the Teacher training program directed by Dr. Hassan Khalil at ISOC, his studio in Cairo.

After reading about it on his website and after having several lovely email exchanges with Nurriya, his assistant, I took the plunge and signed up for the program, which is much more intensive than other programs I've seen. It consists of four modules (this has now been reduced to three) totalling 160 hours of instruction, with research reports, exams, show, etc., leading to the Certificate: Specialty Teacher for Oriental/Middle Eastern Dance and Folklore. This past February I completed two modules -- very intensive, just what I was looking for.

Well, I can't say enough about this program, it is absolutely fantastic! Dr. Khalil and Nurriya do their very best to ensure that we are all happy and well-fed as we undergo this rigorous program of studies. Dr. Khalil is a very demanding and very caring teacher, a veritable walking encyclopedia of Oriental Dance! I can't wait to return for Module III this coming November and Module IV in April, 2009.

I'll write more about my experiences later, but for now, do check out the website and, well, I can't recommend it highly enough!


Khalida

Thanks for the review! Sounds fun!

I haven't studied with Mahmoud before and had been looking forward to the February seminar with him for over six months before Safti emailed me to say that it (and other seminars) had been put on hold. I truly hope to take a class or seminar with him and Farida Fahmy at some point in the future.

It was an amazing coincidence that Dr. Hassan Khalil's seminars were also to be held in Cairo in February. So, off I went, alone, for my first visit to the land of Isis!

Because the program is directed towards developing teachers of MED, there was a great deal of historical and cultural information as well as dance and training technique. A typical day involved spending 8-10 hours at the ISOC centre. We had a lecture every day during which we took notes, and then our training in the studio expanded upon that teaching, i.e. after our lecture on Pharaonic Egypt, we learned a Pharaonic dance, complete with explanations of the various rhythms, moves, gestures, and more.

We learned a minimum of one choreo per day which was then filmed so that we could take our Cairo lessons home with us on DVD. One day we learned a 9 1/2 minute choreo! And this is where the expertise and the heart of the teacher become so important. As I mentioned in my above post Hassan is very demanding and gentle at the same time. No matter the critique, you *always* feel respected and supported by him.

The teacher training program at ISOC in Cairo is limited to nine students per session in order to maximize individual attention and your educational experience. Hassan is one of the living legends of Oriental Dance and has a lifetime of wisdom and lore to share. This is the opportunity of a lifetime and I'm so looking forward to continuing my dance journey at ISOC in November :)

Hassan's website: Prof. Dr. Hassan Khalil - ISOC - Cairo/Egypt



Khalida

This program that you're in sounds wonderful! I remember looking this up a couple of months ago. I'm glad you got the chance to get involved. Keep us posted!