Suhaila Salimpour Belly Dance 2704 Alcatraz Avenue Shawl-Anderson Dance Center, Berkeley, CA 94703

"When choosing a school or an instructor for guidance in education, the obvious choice would be the best in the business, right? It's like that for our other educational choices, why not dance too? And Salimpour School is just that.... the best in the biz... There is no other belly dance, institution online or in person, that has crafted, molded and built from beginning to "baked" the number of beautiful, quality dancers and performers this School has. Hands down! I know I am worth the investment to allow myself to be the best I can be!"

"Suhaila is incredible instructor, a master in her field. Each time I’m taking from her I am astonished by her wealth of knowledge. And when you think you've mastered something she is the only teacher in this dance form that can give you more tools to grow even more. I have been studying with the school for 12 years and now I feel even greater passion for belly dance then when I started the program. I believe it always comes down to the knowledge, pedagogy as well as personality of the instructor and Suhaila is incomparable when it comes to all that. She is inspirational, compassionate, here to motivate you and push you forward. We are truly happy to have such a master in the belly dance field!"

"In addition to the online Institute content ( which is so expansive and comprehensive), Suhaila is now teaching live and in-person in Berkeley, CA! Two classes a week, one aimed at beginners and one mixed level class, they are super fun and Suhaila meets you where you are - no pressure! Classes consist of a warm-up, technique drills, and a super fun combo to learn. A small drop-in fee per class makes this accessible and a great entry point to explore this beautiful dance from a person from the culture."

"Suhaila Salimpour is the person to study with if you want to learn Belly Dance. With her in person classes, she is warm and compassionate to students of all levels and abilities, and really cares about people learning. She supports everyone to grow, from beginners to professionals. I have grown incredibly as a dancer by studying with her. She also created an online institute with an incredible pedagogy that will walk you from the beginning of your dance journey, all the way to dancing professionally, if you desire (and want to put in the work). People come from all over the world to study with her in person... we are really fortunate to have her in the Bay Area, teaching weekly!"

"Hands down the best dance classes (not just belly dance classes). I have been studying with Suhaila for over 10 years and am constantly astounded at the amount of material that she provides her students. Students flock from all over the world (Chile, Belgium, Taiwan, ...) to study with her and it's clear why. In addition to actual dance technique, she provides the in-depth cultural competency, dance history, and humility that is necessary for all dancers. So, in addition to a great workout, dancers leave with new technical and cultural knowledge. I continue to take classes with her on a weekly basis and continue to learn so much."