Thread: Tell me about Jamilla Salimpour

I noticed Suhaila has the entire Jamilla Salimpour archives on DVD for a really good price.

I'm a tribal dancer . . . . ITS mainly, but some fusion.

Would this benefit me? I've heard that her style "was" very much like what is now considered tribal. Is this so?

If you have seen the Jamilla Archive DVDs, please let me know what they are like and if you think they would be beneficial to me.

Thanks!

I really like them. The vid quality isn't great and they are DVD's from VHS of Suhaila teaching the Jamila style in the 80's. I can see a lot of the foundation ATS stylings in them which is interesting. I LOVE Suhaila's performances at the end of each tape.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJ6vJlM5B7w]YouTube - Jamila Salimpour Bellydancing History Legends Belly Dance[/ame]
at 6min 48 seconds you can see a snippet of one of her DVD's....It's the one with Suhaila in a leotard

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJ6vJlM5B7w&feature=PlayList&p=D49F55BD296 16ECE&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=26]YouTube - Jamila Salimpour Bellydancing History Legends Belly Dance[/ame]

My friend Aida was in her original troupe and very representative of Jamila's style, although this is done to Greek music.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywqSRPv4MCg]YouTube - Aida best belly dancer ever[/ame]

Somewhere this is a compilation of her orginal troupe performing at a festival but I can't find it.


Most people agree that she was the forerunner of tribal but her style was very different from the tribal we know today. It was based more on folkloric and caberet moves, then the pops and locks we see today.

Still a great resource from an historical point of view.

Its really good stuff...in the same vein..Habbi Rhu, somebody correct my spelling, please.

Here is the vintage Jamilla video Aida is at the very end!

Vintage Jamila

That last video is really neat. I have to say I'm really impressed with Jamilla's impressive head of hair.

Originally Posted by Amber_moon

Here is the vintage Jamilla video Aida is at the very end!

Vintage Jamila

That's a great video.

Originally Posted by Amber_moon

Here is the vintage Jamilla video Aida is at the very end!

Vintage Jamila

The famous DeeAnn, from Light Rain, is the voluptuous blond spinning in Jamila's class.

Those are my dance roots, Jamila's technique was and stil is the foundation of my dancing. Since those days I've studied Egyptian style and now perform American Cabaret and Egyptian style.

I was struck watching the clips of Bal Anat how much the dance has progressed since then. Being in Bal Anat must have been a really big deal in those days (I didn't live in the SF area, but traveled from Oregon for classes). They don't look that advanced to my eye now.

Aida was amazing, as always. Fun to watch the blast from the past.

I study with Suhaila and Jamila I am actually testing Jamila Level II certification this March, and I like to tell you that if you study all the combinations and add most patterns on those combos, you will not only have great choreographies but also variety of interesting moves and teaching will be more advanced and unique. Yes they may not look that complicated if you study just single move but they are made to combine them in a various ways.
All 4 DVDs are really really good, very unique in my opinion...if you can afford them you should get them and study them all...you can use them in your tribal.

Originally Posted by Amber_moon

Here is the vintage Jamilla video Aida is at the very end!

Vintage Jamila

Thanks Amber, I knew someone would find it.

The Legends of Bellydance that Amaya put out had a real nice narrative on Jamila as well.

Originally Posted by Zepora

I noticed Suhaila has the entire Jamilla Salimpour archives on DVD for a really good price.

I'm a tribal dancer . . . . ITS mainly, but some fusion.

Would this benefit me? I've heard that her style "was" very much like what is now considered tribal. Is this so?

If you have seen the Jamilla Archive DVDs, please let me know what they are like and if you think they would be beneficial to me.

Thanks!

My troupe is primarily ITS as well, and we use quite a bit of material from the Jamila Archive series. You will see the roots of a lot of steps you already know. I would definitely recommend them, especially while they are on sale!

Originally Posted by anala

Its really good stuff...in the same vein..Habbi Rhu, somebody correct my spelling, please.

..g.:

Hahbi'Ru

Welcome to the Hahbi 'Ru Web Site

I have all their vid's as well as Jamilla's and love them. I heart John, lol.

I was at Tambra's show when they had a Bal Anat reunion and surprised Jamila. Incredible just incredible to see!

Originally Posted by Zepora

I noticed Suhaila has the entire Jamilla Salimpour archives on DVD for a really good price.

I'm a tribal dancer . . . . ITS mainly, but some fusion.

Would this benefit me?

Yes. The 4 dvds are a very complete system of bellydance. My actual favorite is the 4th, folkloric moves, dvd. On it, Suhaila teaches some very cute and folksy traveling steps that I like to use when I'm dancing to more folky sounding music.

The dvds teach a move, you practice it for a while, and then usually there's a combination of several moves, with practice time following. The sound isn't great but it's not bad. Home studio quality video (not Industrial Light & Magic quality,) but very viewable and I think definitely worth the price.

Originally Posted by lylagus

I really like them. The vid quality isn't great and they are DVD's from VHS of Suhaila teaching the Jamila style in the 80's. I can see a lot of the foundation ATS stylings in them which is interesting. I LOVE Suhaila's performances at the end of each tape.

YouTube - Jamila Salimpour Bellydancing History Legends Belly Dance
at 6min 48 seconds you can see a snippet of one of her DVD's....It's the one with Suhaila in a leotard

thanks for posting! that was really interesting