Resources for Teachers?

Amanda (was Aziyade)

Well-known member
When you teach ballet, you have a huge source of material to help you put together class syllabi, help you learn to teach, etc.

When you teach bellydance, the resources are scarce. Can we list what teacher resources are available? (What I'd like to list are not SPECIFIC METHODS, like Fat Chance teacher training, but generalized teaching resources for Middle Eastern dance that apply to any style and method.)

I found the following:


BOOKS/PRINT RESOURCES


1. Taaj's book Beyond Bellydance Moves
Amazon.com: Belly Dance Beyond Moves, Combos, and Choreography 82 Lesson Plans, Games, and Exercises to Make Your Classes Fun, Productive and Profitable (9780557426720): Taaj: Books
This is a book full of exercises and games for your students, grouped by concept (dynamics, stage presence, level changes, etc.) I love this and consider it the best $25 I've ever spent on teacher training. Seriously -- spend the money. The exercises are completely customizable, with so many options, that you could teach for 5 years using nothing but the concepts in the book, and STILL not run out of material.

2. Kawakib's book Guide to Teaching Middle Eastern Dance is short but worth a look. Check it out here (at the bottom): Bellydance by Anthea: Kawakib's Dance Tips

3. Amaya Felice's Belly Dance: The Teacher's Book. This is the only book I've ever actually sent back to Amazon. The translation is a disaster and the only advice the book seems to offer is "teach basic moves first." Don't waste your money.
Amazon.com: Belly Dance: The Teacher's Book: Methodology, guidance and didactic resources (9781450507479): Amaya Felices, Maria Falces: Books

4. Not MEDance specific, but Creative Dance for all Ages was recommended to me. I haven't bought it yet. Amazon.com: Creative Dance for All Ages: A Conceptual Approach (9780883145326): Anne Green Gilbert, Helen P. Smith: Books



DISTANCE EDUCATION TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAMS

1. Shemiran Ibhrahim has a How To Teach Bellydance teacher training package available (and on sale now!) Belly Dance Teacher Training DVD - Resource for Belly Dance Teachers and Students
I ordered this, and although I haven't fully explored it, I think it's especially great for the first-time teacher. She also supplies you with a syllabus, student handouts, a full description of how to teach the movements, and a class breakdown of how much time should be spent on what. Teachers with some experience in the classroom may not find it as valuable, especially if you already have your syllabus, but I still learned from it, and I'm in the process of producing my own handouts and handbooks, based on what she provides here. The content is movement-based, Egyptian Cabaret style, but you could argue that what she describes here is the basic movement breakdown for all bellydance.

Shemiran also offers in person teacher training, and travels throughout the world to do the training.

2. Taaj also has The Belly Dance Trainer, a distance-education teacher training program:
The Belly Dance Trainer Certification Program- Syllabus
The syllabus looks really good and you can buy individual modules. This is now done entirely online. I'm very very pleased with the content on this one. There is no movement-based description, so it's applicable for both Tribal and Cabaret teachers. The content is entirely "how to teach" and how to structure a class, with sections on musicality, rhythmic training (and how to teach that to your students) and teaching choreography skills and improvisation skills.

3. Dolphina's online "training" program: Teacher Training | GoddessLife
I'm ONLY listing this to be thorough. I can't imagine what on earth she "teaches" and the fact that she's certifying anybody of anything is ridiculous, but here it is. She also offers in-person training. For the online "program" you send her $500 and make a phone call, and she sends you a certificate. Ridiculous.



IN-PERSON TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAMS


CANADA

1. Hadia's Teacher Training: Hadia's New Site
Comes HIGHLY recommended by everyone who has attended.

2. Yasmina Ramzy and Arabesque Dance offers a teacher training with optional certification: Arabesque Teacher Certification


EGYPT

1. Dr. Hassan Khalil has a teacher training program that comes highly recommended: Prof. Dr. Hassan Khalil - ISOC - Cairo/Egypt

2. Raqia Hassan has teacher training workshops in December. Winter Course

3. Keti Sharif does her teacher training course in Cairo. I'm not sure if this is just teaching the A-Z method, or training in general: Intensive Courses - A-Z Bellydance on the Red Sea, Egypt


GERMANY

Beata and Horacio Cifuentes have teacher training in Berlin: CATT Training Berlin Certified Academic Teachers Training Semester Dates 2010 Berlin


SWEDEN

Samasen offers training in Stockholm: Lärarutbildning | Layali Orientaliska Dansakademi


THAILAND

MysticalDance teacher training in Thailand: Welcome to Mystical Belly Dance


UK

1. JWAAD UK teacher training program: Teacher Training - JWAAD
Comes highly recommended.

2. Mia Serra's UK Teacher Training: Belly Dance Teacher Training - Get certified

3. Learn Bellydance UK site: learnbellydance.co.uk - Bellydance teacher training


USA

1. Goddess Dancing Teacher Training: Teacher Training
I don't know anything about this.

2. Dance for the Soul teacher training: Dance for the Soul Teacher Training with Stefanie Masters
I don't know anything about this.

3. Delilah's Instructor Training: Delilah's Belly Dance Retreats: January 2006: Two Belly Dance Retreats with Delilah! for Belly Dance Instructors & Beginning to Intermediate Students www.delilahs-belly-dance-retreat.com
I have taken workshops with Delilah, but not on teacher training.

4. Oreet's SharQui program: SharQui The Bellydance Workout
Based on watching the dvds, it looks like it's not a specific method or style, but it is designed as a fitness program. Good for teachers who want to try a "Belly Fitness" gig at a local gym.

5. Venus Bellydance teacher training: Venus -Bellydance Workshops

6. Riskallah Riyad has a teacher training course called Footprints: a Journey Toward Teaching Excellence. Details here: Teacher Training



OTHER

1. Sahra Saeeda's Journey Through Egypt isn't specifically teacher training, but it will give you the cultural and historical knowledge necessary to become a good Middle Eastern dance teacher: JtE

2. Fitness Training Organizations like ACE: Become an ACE-certified personal trainer and maintain your personal training certification with the American Council on Exercise. Also offering, Group Fitness Instructor, Lifestyle and Weight Management Consultant and Advanced Health and Fitness Spec and AFAA: Personal Trainer Certification, Group Exercise Certification and Aerobics Certification - AFAA offer group fitness training and certifications that can be helpful for dance teachers.

3. Yoga teachers training might be helpful.

what else? I'm going to add your suggestions to a blog post somewhere eventually.
 
Last edited:

Mosaic

Super Moderator
I have so wanted Shemiran Ibhrahim has a How To Teach Bellydance teacher training for ages, have been hoping I would find it 2nd hand somewhere. Off to check it out while on sale.

Excellent idea putting up a list:clap:. I haven't anything to add though.
~Mosaic

PS: Wanted to rep you, but got the message to spread it around,:( please consider yourself rep'd:D I have also made the thread a sticky!
 
Last edited:

gisela

Super Moderator
Last edited:

Darshiva

Moderator
I have so wanted Shemiran Ibhrahim has a How To Teach Bellydance teacher training for ages, have been hoping I would find it 2nd hand somewhere.

As someone who did the teacher training (& got the resources 2 years ago and STILL REFERENCES THEM, let me just say that it's highly unlikely that you'll find it secondhand.

Worth twice what she asks for it, to be honest.
 

Mosaic

Super Moderator
As someone who did the teacher training (& got the resources 2 years ago and STILL REFERENCES THEM, let me just say that it's highly unlikely that you'll find it secondhand.

Worth twice what she asks for it, to be honest.

I sort of guessed that it would be very difficult to find 2nd hand. I think it is a bit rich asking Aussies to pay USD$15 for postage though. I do think she should be asking Aussies to pay in Aussie dollars not US, Paypal stings you for the conversions and I think it is unfair for locals vendors to charge in foreign currencies. Just my little gripe:D
~Mosaic
 

Amanda (was Aziyade)

Well-known member
Glad you like it!! Keep the suggestions coming. I will keep editing the original list. Now I have the in-person training separated by country.
 

Farasha Hanem

New member
Nooooooooo! :'(

*pulls my hair* AHHHHH, I can't rep you, either! :( Here's hoping the chocolate cake rep works:



Thank you for posting this thread, Aziyade. Is it all right to post a link to this page on Facebook?

*groan* Even the chocolate cake rep didn't work. :(
 

Amanda (was Aziyade)

Well-known member
LOL- I'll take virtual cake :)

Post whereever you think it will be of benefit, but I'd prefer you post a link to THIS site, so we get the traffic.

!! :)
 

Farasha Hanem

New member
LOL- I'll take virtual cake :)

Post whereever you think it will be of benefit, but I'd prefer you post a link to THIS site, so we get the traffic.

!! :)

Yes, that's exactly what I wanted to do. I've been trying to get my dance sisters from my class (some of them being teachers themselves) to join this forum, and I'm hoping that posting links to threads here will encourage them to join! :D

Thank you for letting me post a link! ^^
 

LeylaLanty

New member
Great idea to make this list, Aziyade! Raqia Hassan's teacher course is given annually in Cairo, usually in December. For information about this year's event:
Winter Course
 
As someone who did the teacher training (& got the resources 2 years ago and STILL REFERENCES THEM, let me just say that it's highly unlikely that you'll find it secondhand.

Worth twice what she asks for it, to be honest.
Could you be a bit more specific as to why you find the course so valuable?
 

Darshiva

Moderator
I just noticed that Shemiran's Teacher Training is listed as correspondance-only, which isn't true. Most of her live teacher training is in Sydney, but she does travel around the world to do live teacher training too.
 

Darshiva

Moderator
Could you be a bit more specific as to why you find the course so valuable?


I'm so very sorry, I just now read what you said. But I guess since you've now met Shemiran you know for yourself what her training is like. But in case you want a quotable to add to your website, what I like about it is that it's comprehensive for a first-timer, definitely. I've gone away from her lesson plans in the years since I took her intensive, but I still reference my notes on occassion. Also, I would have no hesitation in doing yet another refresher course with her - she keeps her content fresh, updating it for new techniques as required. In fact, I think I like her teacher training more now than I did when I first did it.

I can, and do, highly recommend her training course to anyone interested in becoming a bellydance instructor. And if you can get to her refresher courses, so much the better.
 

Darshiva

Moderator
Nope, but she WAS at the teachers retreat last year, as a guest lecturer. Our world is small, but not THAT small. :)
 

Farasha Hanem

New member
I'm so very sorry, I just now read what you said. But I guess since you've now met Shemiran you know for yourself what her training is like. But in case you want a quotable to add to your website, what I like about it is that it's comprehensive for a first-timer, definitely. I've gone away from her lesson plans in the years since I took her intensive, but I still reference my notes on occassion. Also, I would have no hesitation in doing yet another refresher course with her - she keeps her content fresh, updating it for new techniques as required. In fact, I think I like her teacher training more now than I did when I first did it.

I can, and do, highly recommend her training course to anyone interested in becoming a bellydance instructor. And if you can get to her refresher courses, so much the better.

I need to go to Australia! :D

Anyone got a rowboat I can borrow? 8P
 
Top