Thread: Suhaila Cert. Manuals & Jamila Manuals

Can anyone tell me about what is included in the Suhaila certification manuals, and the Jamila format manuals?

And, could an advanced dancer read these manuals and easily translate them into movement?

Opinions?

Thanks!

I think they are intended to be a part of a course of movement.
Each instructor has different names for different moves which could pose a problem without the instructor there to translate.

Paula,
I was looking for my Level I Suhaila book but can't find it at the moment. I was going to give you an example of what is in the book as far as language so you could get an idea. However, I can tell you there is some ballet terminology, breakdown of the movements in Suhaila's warm up routine, basic dance movement and foot pattern explanations as well as hip movements and timings. It may not make total sense unless you plan on taking one of Suhaila's workshops. It is a great supplement tool for a workshop, as pre-reading for a workshop or studying for the certification test.

As for Jamila, I own "The Dance Orientale" which describes Jamila's movement format. Her book is structured more as a description of different "moves." For example - the Arabic series is explained: Arabic II, Arabic III, Arabic IV; the Twist step, Basic Egyptian, Shimmy Spin, etc.

Hope this helps?

Originally Posted by gotraqs

Can anyone tell me about what is included in the Suhaila certification manuals, and the Jamila format manuals?

And, could an advanced dancer read these manuals and easily translate them into movement?

Opinions?

Thanks!

If you start with Level one certification manual you should have no problem. It teaches the basic language of the movement. Mine is on order as we speak. But if you were to say order a level two or three manual you might have problems understanding it.

As Kendra stated in a workshop I took.
Level one teaches you the abc's
Level two teaches you how to form words
Level three how to write sentences
level four how to write a para graph
level five how to write a story....

Originally Posted by shahravar

I think they are intended to be a part of a course of movement.
Each instructor has different names for different moves which could pose a problem without the instructor there to translate.

In the Suhaila format all students and instructors speak the same language. So there should not be different names for different moves. That is why Suhaila developed the format. The only case this would occur is if a student is teaching the format and not following it. There are only Two or Three Certified Instructors in the Suhaila format Certified to teach it by Suhaila. Those Instructors are Andre, Tiffany, and Kendra... There are no other certified instructors for her format.

What does happen is students get certified at a certain level and they feel it authorizes them to teach the format and that is not the case....

I have Suhaila's Level 1 & 2 books, the content is all drills and exercises. An advanced dancer could definitely understand the moves even if she knows them by a different name since each move includes a description. This is especially true of the level 1 book, for example:
Pelvis Lock Back
Begin in home position.
Contract the lower back while releasing the lower abdominal.
Return to home position

In the level 2 book, though everything is described it'd be helpful to be familiar with Suhaila's terminology (or possibly with musical terms??) since she describes exercises where the feet are going at one speed and the hips another. You might want to get the Natural Journeys videos first if you don't plan on attending any of Suhaila's classes or workshops.

I have Jamila's "The Danse Orientale", to me it's written exactly the way a teacher would say it. I can give you an excerpt, here is the description of a basic egyptian, complete with typos:

"BASIC EGYPTIAN
Feet flat, bend your knees, the body leans back and arms are up and forward. With weight on the Left foot bring the Right foot forward on the ball of the foot and pivot the Right hip IN Counterclockwise (ct. 1). Take your foot off the ground and step shifting the weight to your Right foot (ct. 2) bring your left foot forward on the ball of the foot and pivot the Left hip IN Clockwise (ct. 3). Take your foot off the ground and step shifting the weight to your Left foot (ct. 4) bring your Right foot forward on the ball of the foot and pivot your Right hip IN counterclockwise (ct. 1) And repeat: Step one pivot with the Left, Step on the Left pivot with the Right, And step and lift, and step and lift. Step and pivot, step and pivot."

I love this book, it's one of my favorites.

I think you could understand them but having the video/dvd's certainly helps, (both the archive series and the fitness ones).

Originally Posted by Lucinia

In the Suhaila format all students and instructors speak the same language. So there should not be different names for different moves. That is why Suhaila developed the format. The only case this would occur is if a student is teaching the format and not following it. There are only Two or Three Certified Instructors in the Suhaila format Certified to teach it by Suhaila. Those Instructors are Andre, Tiffany, and Kendra... There are no other certified instructors for her format.

Not to nitpick, but there are no certified instructors. Tiffany and Kendra are not officially certified Level V yet, which is the teaching certification. They are authorized instructors, but they are still teaching under Suhaila's guidance.

Andre is not certified at all. He's Suhaila's husband and manager and is very involved in just about every aspect of the business, but he does not teach the format. He used to teach karate, but I don't think he's even doing that anymore.

It is interesting to me that still no one has completed level 5 yet. Does Suhaila have impossible demands on that level of student or is it extremely expensive? On her site it says TBA and shows no students who have reached level 4. It is discouraging (to me at least) in considering her certification to see that after so many years, I first looked into it about 4 years ago, that still no one has "made it". Does anyone know any explaination for this?

Hi Wildflower,

actually Sabriye Tekbilek and Gina Bruno have passed their Level IV exam--I believe they just have projects to finish up. There are now 6 others of us currently certified Level III with more poised to test in February.

A lot of things have changed at the studio in the last year. Testing criteria are more defined and testing in the higher levels is finally happening. The very first Level IV prep weeklong workshop is in 2 weeks! I think from here on out people will see faster progress through the levels.

It *is* difficult and to keep up with the training is not cheap, however, they are working to make certification more accessible with more prep workshops and with longer CEC periods (you now have 2 years to accrue CECs instead of 1). The level books are being revamped and there are a few other things in the works that I'm not sure are public yet so I won't share them, but they will also make it easier for the long-distance student to study and accrue CECs.

Not every person who certifies aspires to reach Level V, however, nor should they feel they have to. Level V is the place where you are able and authorized to teach everything in the format, and that's a big commitment. It's simply not necessary for a dancer looking to improve her performance skills or for a teacher who simply wants to infuse her own teaching with some of Suhaila's techniques. It is more appropriate for someone who is teaching full time, perhaps opening their own studio or school, and wants to make teaching Suhaila's format a focus of their teaching.