#salimpour

I submitted my audition for Bal Anat in Fall of 2017, and said I could commit to 4 of the 7 world wide dates, all the American stops which were Ft.Lauderdale, Florida in April, El Cerito California in August (the MOTHER SHOW) , Atlanta, Georgia in September and finishing with Chicago, Illinois in November. I had come to the conclusion that I would love to be in a couple dances, but would be OK with just being in the back line of Bal Anat, there was NO WAY I would want to miss out on this epic piece of Bellydance History. I did not think I 'deserved'  to be in any particular dances, I admire and respect all my colleagues at the Salimpour School and knew Suhaila would do what would work best for the show. To my surprise I was cast in 4 dances!!

THE GAWAZI

 Here I am with my girl Lisa Price,  I absolutely LOVED becoming the sassy Gawazi Character, we open the show right after the Epic and emotional mother goddess and show the audience how to PARTAY! ISMAOUNI In this smouldering hot finger cymbal piece we wore "Turkish Run Throughs" style pant that is literally I piece of fabric that run through your legs, we ended up loving calling them the "golden diapers". Here's me and Janelle Rodriguez from Santa Cruz💜

POT DANCE 

The Pot Dance is a classic, it is the 'initiation' dance for many a new member of Bal Anat. Everyone makes their own pot and I love to see all the different shapes and sizes. "Pot dance" has a whole new meaning since leagalization happened here in Canada October 17th.  I only had to do pot dance in Florida, but was back up and brought my pot To Atlanta.  I had also been a Pot Dancer for my First Bal Anat in 2015  in California.

THE ALGERIAN  The Algerian is a Crowd favourite- we are the madams of Bal Anat and you are NOT getting a smile for free, they cost you extra. My Husband referred to this dance as: The boner killer ! LOL it was challenging to stay in character until the very end of the show!

I even had to do an emergency fill in for one of the tour stops as another cast member could not get the time off and had to quickly re-learn

SALLAM ALLAY 

Here's my and Ciana Boetus, a dynamite babe from Florida. She was too fun tooooo be partnered up with.

All this Variety in ONE SHOW- and on just ONE performer, so this is why when people ask me what style are you I just say " What style do you think I am?"- and let them decide whatever they are going to decide. In the Salimpour of dance we are trained to do it all <3I can never thank Sheila Enough for the opportunity to work along side her this year. She was too strong, considering her mother was SUPPOSED to be here to see the 50th anniversary show, but we all know she is smiling down on us, I hope we are making you Proud Jamila!! 

I was too moved by the energy of Bal Anat that I had to create a gift.... and that was to have my magical seamstress Celine Chaisson recreate a Banner, for us to tour With.The Original Banner was made by Jamila herself, and could not be toured with because it was becoming fragile. SO, I got Suhaila's permission to take that on.....and We were all amazed with the result....

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Hi, my name is Nawal Doucette, I am a student at the Salimpour School of Bellydance and  I teach yoga and belly dance in my community of Saint John, New Brunswick, East Coast Canada.

My first exposure to Suhaila was through her fitness fusion DVD set while is was pregnant. My sister gave me them.  I started the DVD's and enjoyed the feeling of getting stronger and tried to enrol in a class in Vancouver but the teacher turned me away saying I was too much of a risk to join class pregnant, I was  offended as I was quite physically fit and resolved that when I moved home I would take the first class I could find.

After I had My daughter we moved back home- to the east coast and that's when I really started dancing seriously.  I began taking classes in “Egyptian style”  (that was the ONLY OPTION)  when we moved back- I would drive 45 minutes each way to class- and within completing two 8 weeks sessions my teacher had me demoing the moves for the class, I was  invited me to join the troupe- it took only one performance to see : one of these things is not like the other”- and I thought “this is NOT what I thought belly dance was or what I wanted out of my experience.....

Living in a small place news gets around and  my friends had told their friends that I was teaching myself to belly dance .....and they wanted in on it. They hounded me to teach classes in the community – I didn’t feel qualified or ready but the community needed some fresh blood- so I began to teach.

My first class ran in a community centre, I thought maybe only a few people would show up- but 20 women came out on the first night!!  SO COOL, obviously the community needed fresh belly dance!  I was overwhelmed and wanted to better equip myself to manage the class room. A  yoga teacher training that would take the next year came up and I enrolled while doing as many belly dance DVD's as I could get my hands on.

I started to look if there was some sort of certification for belly dance, a training that could be comprehensive like my yoga training was to give me standardized content and teaching methodology. I researched the dancers I admired and looked in to who they had learned from and found ATS and went further back and  I found The Salimpour School Legacy.  This was THE place to go it seemed if one was truly serious about “belly dance” .

The school was in California. It was a big decision for me my daughter was almost 3 and this would be the longest I would be away from my family and first time traveling ALONE, all the way on the other side of the continent.

I weighed the pros and cons of travelling so far and paying so much. I decided to 'make it worth it' . The first workshop I attended was a Jamila Multi-Level (back when Jamila would spend the afternoon telling her juicy stories!!)

I could prepare and test for Jamila 1, Suhaila 1 and Jamila 2. I prepared EXACTLY like the list said. I did the drills, online classes, bought the choreography(ies). I became ready.  It came down to my gut feeling that I HAD TO GO!!  Financially it seemed to be the most well rounded program; history, musicality,and  super heavy on finger cymbals. I must admit;  I was in it for the Jamila Format, the Suhaila format was not my 'style'.(hahaha)

I arrived to find out it they hadn't planned to run a Suhaila Level 1 Test, but I needed it to test the Jamila 2.  Suhaila came in and said “we are going to get you everything you came to do”.  I had to have my level 1 test alone with Suhaila and her assistant calling commands and making notes!- I swear to this day that it made my period start early

Since my first visit to the Mothership I have returned many times. And every time it is intense.A full immersion. My dancing sharpens, my cymbals lighten, my mind clears and I feel so strong.

I have  learned that Suhaila format IS my style. If you are a bellydancer it's your style too. It’s the key to ALL the styles. And though the Jamila format came first, the Suhaila format breaks it down. It is  the building blocks of belly dance.  You can be ALL the styles.

The Salimpour School is centuries of   belly dance history, literature, research and women's experience and its just there.....at our finger tips! Timeless and tested technique and stylization.  

If you have been on the fence about it - hop on over.

This Blog Post is for the Salimpour Summer Of Love Contest 2017 

http://www.salimpourschool.com/why-salimpour-summer-of-love-contest/

New Post has been published on http://fitnessandhealthpros.com/weight-lose/weight-loss-stories-sormeh-salimpour-lost-100-pounds/

Weight Loss Stories – Sormeh Salimpour Lost 100 Pounds

Name: Sormeh Salimpour Age: 31 Family Status: Single Occupation: Self Employed (Creative Director at Sormeh Lifestyle) Location: Los Angeles, California Height: 5’4″ Starting Weight: 250 pounds Current Weight: 150 pounds

Sormeh’s Weight Loss Interview!

How much did you lose (pounds, inches, dress/pants size)? I lost 100 pounds!

When did you become unhappy with your weight (were you overweight as a child or did you gain weight as an adult)? I was always overweight, but when I was in college and after I graduated, my weight hit a new level.

What made you decide to lose weight? After my first heartbreak from a breakup, and a lifetime of always putting others before myself, I was finally ready to gain control of my life, health, and my happiness.

What were the most important changes you made to lose weight? Portion control and learning how to properly fuel my body is very important. Implementing exercise into my daily routine is also crucial for losing weight and keeping it off.

What was the most challenging thing you had to deal with during your weight loss journey? Learning how to say “no” and being okay with that.

How long did it take you to start to see results? It just took a few weeks to start seeing results. It seemed like the weight just flew off when I first got started on my journey.

How long did it take for you to reach your current weight? I have been on this journey for about 5-6 years. Slow and steady wins the race 🙂

Did you have any issues with loose skin after losing the weight? If so, how did you deal with it (surgery, etc)? Yes, I do have loose skin and I am actually hoping to set a date for skin removal surgery this year.

How long have you maintained your weight loss and what are the most important factors for keeping it off? Understanding that there are no quick fixes is extremely important. This is a minute-to-minute journey and it’s all about making it a true lifestyle change, not a just a temporary “diet”.

What keeps you motivated to continue your weight loss success? The key for me is to set small, short-term goals. Doing this really helps me stay realistic, positive and motivated.

How has your life changed now that you have lost weight? I love myself and I’m so proud of who I am and how hard I fought along the way to achieve success. I do my best to only allow others in my life who respect and love me just the same.

Do you have any advice for others who are trying to lose weight? Start out slow and start with small changes. Do not cut out entire food groups. Learn how to say “no” and treat yourself, but do it in moderation.

Sormeh’s Weight Loss Tips!

Weight Loss Tip #1: Set small, short-term goals.

Weight Loss Tip #2:

Move your body daily, even if it’s just a slow 20 minute walk.

Weight Loss Tip #3: Track your food intake to see how many calories you’re eating.

Weight Loss Tip #4: Treat yourself once in a while!

Weight Loss Tip #5: Stay positive and do not compare your journey to anyone else’s.

Sormeh’s Weight Loss Eating Plan!

What do you normally eat for breakfast? Kashi GoLean cereal with almond milk, or Van’s gluten-free waffles, or 2 eggs and a piece of Miltons toast, or a Svelte protein shake. I try to switch it up often.

What do you normally eat for lunch? Svelte protein shake, or a large salad with protein, or sushi, or a turkey sandwich.

What do you normally eat for dinner?

Svelte protein shake or some type of lean protein and veggies. Eating breakfast foods at night is a favorite of mine. I love Kodiak Cakes (healthy whole grain pancakes and waffles).

What do you normally eat for snacks? Nuts, raw veggies, KIND bars, string cheese, cottage cheese.

What type of nutritional supplements do you take? The only supplements I take are protein shakes.

Sormeh’s Weight Loss Workouts!

What do you do for weight training (exercises, workouts)? I see a certified personal trainer 3 times a week. Monday is weight training, Wednesday is kickboxing and Friday is circuit training. On the other days, I like to hike and take spin class.

What do you do for cardio training (exercises, workouts)? I really enjoy hiking, hill sprints, jump rope, and spin class for my cardio exercise.