Second-generation Middle Eastern American belly dancer Suhaila Salimpour is best known not only for creating the first certification program in belly dance in the world, but also for the global influence of her own game-changing format on belly dance performance and instruction. Just like her mother’s method, the Suhaila Salimpour Format has inspired thousands of dancers around the world to train harder, think deeper, and treat belly dance as a form worthy of dedicated and serious study. Suhaila’s work has been recognized by leaders in other dance forms for its depth and innovation, preserving the essence of belly dance while bringing it into the 21st century with grace and integrity.

When she was 14, Suhaila supported herself and her mother financially, teaching belly dance in cities across North America on the weekends. After Suhaila graduated high school in 1985, she moved to Los Angeles, where she performed in top Middle Eastern nightclubs in the evenings, and on television sets during the day. From there, Suhaila performed throughout the Arab world, in five-star hotels and prestigious live performance venues with the region’s most celebrated singers, like Amr Diab and Sabah.

In 1996, she created the Suhaila Dance Company. In 2000, she also revived her mother’s world-famous Bal Ana. Beginning the 1990s, she began and continues to produce her own recordings of classic Arabic compositions, audio teaching tools, and performance videos. Launched in 1998, her certification program became a worldwide sensation.

She choreographed and produced the full-length stage show Sheherezade in 2004. For this work, she was nominated for an Isadora Duncan award for solo performance in 2005. In 2008 Suhaila launched the first belly dance online class website. Then in early 2020, Suhaila launched the Suhaila Salimpour Institute of Online Education. The Institute is the first of its kind in dance education.

Today, Suhaila directs the global Salimpour School of Dance, keeping to her Middle Eastern heritage and culture. The Salimpour School program gives dancers the tools for excellence in their individual artistry and personal growth, and an opportunity to be part of a worldwide supportive community of dancers who share the same values and goals of being the best dancers they can be.

In fortunate addition to being highly sought after in the Denver community I can be seen performing live in Denver’s top establishments. I am thankful to have been invited in the past and current to teach and perform in various US states and abroad.

I continue to perfect my dance education by studying with great masters and composers of Afro-Arabian Dances worldwide. I constantly travel to improve my approach, stylization, technique and cultural aspects of the dances and the culture embedded deep within the foundations of the African diaspora. I am the Owner and creator of various online platforms that already have students, dancers and musicians from all over the world to enjoy.