Thread: Question about "Coorespondence" Certification Programs

I have been looking into different certification programs an noticed just about every teacher has one.

I was reading about Keti Sharif's cert and she actually allows you to "do it at home" which was really appealing.

Has anyone completed any of these "bellydance coorespondence" certifications?

I completed my Suhaila Level 1 so I know and understand the concept of "certifications". Too bad she does not have a "do it at home" cert program. She mentioned that "eventually" that would happen but nothing yet.

Thanks

There was a post about certifications, not necessarily about correspondence though HERE

in case that doesn't work: http://www.bhuz.com/forum/belly-danc...-opinions.html

I personally would be weary of them. Unless it's just a partA: study at home component and part B is in person. It is important to have someone to look at and watch what you're doing so they can correct you. We as dancers/teachers should be able to feel it, do it, see it, and say it- know where it comes from, what it's doing, how it's doing what it is etc. We don't have to know every bone and muscle in the body but we need that awareness.

I have completed Keti's A-Z Original Technique program and Im working on the teacher training now. The A-Z program is done in person or correspondence. You take written and you also submit video demonstrations of the material.

Why I like A-Z is because it provides me with 26 cute combos to use to teach my future students. I've never been much for creating choreography quickly and so this program helps me solve that problem.

I think choosing a cert is very personal depending on what you want to accomplish. Does it fill your needs? Is it going to help you get to your goal?

I've been thinking about taking the Ansuya cert because I'm interested in learning more about her style, not because I think it would help me teach. Hadia's is great, if teaching is your goal. Suhaila's is good for technique.

Its important to look at certs as a tool for growth, instead of real proof of anything. Its like, Lawyers and Doctors pass board exams, but quality of care can still range greatly.

Thanks Anna.

Did you do the Keti cert in person? I see you are in the US so I assumed that you did the "mail a dvd" method.

Does the package price include the testing fee?

Thank you.

Hadia's Certification is AWESOME! Though you can't do it at home either!

Keti's certs I do through correspondense.

If you do it that way, you must have a video camera and be able to copy your assessments onto DVD.

Each section of the program requires an "assessment" fee. The costs depends on which program you are taking.

Check out her web page for more info...Keti Sharif's Official Dance Site - Egypt

I'm currently taking the certification course available on Taaj the belly dance trainer. I'm liking it a lot. Of course, if Suhaila ever gets to the point of "computerized at-home" certs, I'll go with that as well. I'm a "learn everything I can get my hands and eyes on" junkie!

I certainly hope to God Suhaila doesn't change her program to be a "correspondence" learn-at-home program! What I've heard her say is that she is going to offer more "study-at-home" PRACTICE aids for students, but if she ever makes the program a correspondence class, I'm out.

It is WAY too easy to "teach yourself" dance and do it completely wrong. We see that every day on Youtube.

I don't mean to single anyone out, but at the recent Suhaila Level 1 I attended, there was a participant who had obviously been practicing incorrectly. She was part of my original Level 1 class, and I was surprised to see that she either hadn't stuck with the program, or somehow managed to COMPLETELY misunderstand the technique and have it fall apart sometime in the last 3 years. (Thus reinforcing the importance of continuing ed!)

There aren't really THAT many instructors (reputable) who have certification programs. Suhaila and Piper have the oldest ones, I think. Gypsy Caravan has one, but that makes sense to me. I'm surprised Fat Chance doesn't have one. Ansuya's isn't anything other than a certificate of attendance. Hadia's programs require an audition tape, don't they? Or can you take the teacher training without auditioning?

It was my understanding that Keti's system allowed you (upon completion) to officially teach her A-Z format, or her Fitness formats. If that is important to you, and you want to teach that format, then you should look at her certification. Otherwise, look at what each certification option offers and decide if that's what you want from it.

Suhaila's program is VERY expensive, when you factor in continuing ed, and the cost of rising through the ranks. By nature of the cost it sort of "selects against" anything other than the most dedicated participant. Plus it's dang hard. Hadia's system isn't cheap either. But having taken several workshops with Hadia, I can definitely see the benefit of a more intense training program with her.

If you really want to learn Anusya's style, watch her performance videos and get her instructional dvds. She's a lovely person, and I enjoyed the workshop I had with her, but she taught straight from her DVD content.

Actually, Taaj's program will work well for me. Rather than "correspondence," I guess you'd have to call it more of a "have someone video tape you while you do this" sort of thing. If you've done your reading, research, practice, classes and performing (as I've been doing for nearly 6 years now) then you'll do well. Taaj critques each stage of the certification as you progress, adding her suggestions and items for further practice and research. This isn't a short-term process, either. I figure it's going to take me about a year to complete - and it's certainly not cheap! There's a lot of writing and self-critique going on as well. The whole point of her certification is not necessarily "what" to teach, but "how" to teach it. You can be the best dancer in the world, but if you can't convey what you know to others, then it makes sense that people are going to have a hard time learning from you.

I'm sure Suhaila's programs (and everyone else's mentioned here) are top-notch, but simply not available to everyone who'd like to participate. Taaj's program is the best alternative for me right now. As a matter of fact, the first two chapters are real eye-openers. I wish I'd read them earlier in my career just for general knowledge - not just for teaching bellydance, but teaching any subject.

Is Taaj's program complete? I thought about doing it, but at the time it seemed like it was only sort of half-finished. It sounded like a great resource.

Aziyade.... Fat Chance does have a certification program. The first level is "General Skills" and the next is "Teacher Training." I don't know if it goes beyond that, but both certs are being offered this November in Milwaukee through Trillium Tribal Dance. Studios can also qualify as "Sister Studios" if they teach exclusively FCBD material.

Kajira Djoumahna also has a certification program in two levels (so far) for her Blacksheep format of Tribal Improv. I certified level one last year. If you want to talk about that cert, let me know.

As for correspondence programs, that wouldn't be for me. I like the one-on-one with the teacher and being in the room with him/her. I'm currently making plans to go to CA for a Suhaila weeklong with optional certification in January since she won't be in our neck of the woods anytime soon.

Thanks Christina! I'm not a Tribal dancer, so I didn't know about all the options. One of these days, though ....

Hey -- Suhaila will be back in St. Louis next July (2009) for a level one and level two 4-day workshop. It's not "close" by any means, but it's closer to Chicago than California :) But I do think going to the "Mothership" would be very rewarding.