Sausan Academy of Egyptian Dance

Currently taking a beginning belly dancing course with Sausan. She is very honest and stops you in your tracks if you aren’t doing something correctly. While that can be a tad embarrassing, it’s great for those willing to learn the correct movements for original belly dancing. If I had the funds and was living closer by, I would have continued her courses for a year to go on to a professional level. Great intro!!!

Sausan can take a a novice or experienced dancer and lead them to excellence as a classic Egyptian dancer. She encourages personal expression and the development of a unique style within the style of Egyptian dance /​raqs sharqi that she teaches. She is encouraging, smart, observant, articulate, and helpful.

I’m one class away from completing my first semester with Sausan. I’ve really enjoyed the past 12 weeks and will be back for the next level.
Sausan hosts her class in her restaurant. I will say beware of booking a class with a voucher (how I found her initially). The class was packed! It was oversold and the first few weeks were rather difficult due to lack of room. However, I knew 12 weeks was a long time and people would eventually drop out (they did). Once that happened the class was properly populated and much more pleasant.
Sausan is a very funny, warm teacher and has genuine passion for belly dancing (Egyptian). She not only teaches you authentic Egyptian belly dancing, but also introduces you to its history and those who have been major players in the arena. After an hour of dancing you occasionally watch videos to help you graps concepts. However, if the class wants to continue dancing you do!
I can’t wait to take level 2 in a few weeks! I plan on completing the whole year course. Once that is accomplished you have the option to join her dance troop. I’m not sure I’ll do that, but I am excited to see how I progress over the months. :)

I have been studying with Sausan and learning the Egyptian Dance Code for about 5 years now. I started knowing absolutely nothing about the dance and thinking — really? Me on a stage? Nah… Now I dance at Al Masri and around the Bay area. Go figure! She’s an awesome teacher, and she also encourages all of her students to have a the level of confidence needed to go out into the world and be an entertainer. Technically she gives you a great foundation to use to build your own style. None of her dancers end up being the same. Each maintains her own personality and has her own interpretation of the music. But with the foundation she provides you for learning to hear and interpret the music, you really are able to evolve and get into your own.
And to boot — you end up looking more Egyptian using her technique. It really does work.
I strongly recommend anyone looking to learn how to belly dance — especially Egyptian style — to take from Sausan. She’s the best!

It’s a great school. I saw the dancers — they all are different but look great!

I was referred to Sausan by my previous teacher in LA. One thing I really enjoyed from my former instructor was learning about the history and culture of raqs sharqi, and it seemed that Sausan would offer the same things. I looked at her website, stopped by the studio to speak with her, and decided to enroll in her beginner’s course.
From the few classes I attended, Sausan does give thorough instruction in the history and culture of raqs sharqi. One thing she focused on were the famous raqs sharqi performers such as Fifi Abdou, and we watched a few videos of their performances after our dancing instruction. She also emphasized some cultural differences between the US and Egypt which also get translated into how those from each country perform the dance. One thing I remember is that Egyptians tend to based a lot of movements from their chest, and that the women are a lot more expressive with their breasts in terms of body language. So it helped me, while going through the exercises, to remember this fact and express it through my own dancing.
The class I took was 90 minutes long, with one hour to dance and ½ hr to watching a video. When we would dance, she would explain some aspect of dancing, and we would try it out to music. She would then play songs so we can perform what we’ve learned (hip drops, arm movements, etc.), but we would mostly just follow along with her movements and try to keep up. I suppose like an aerobics class where at the end of the class you’re doing a workout routine, but the instructor didn’t build up the routine measure upon measure throughout the class, but instead started the routine and would announce the next step only moments beforehand.
Having studied at various dance schools in ballet, tap, etc. throughout the years, I’m more used to a more rigid class structure, such as warm-​ups, cool downs, etc. I don’t know if Sausan usually teaches the way I described, since my class only had one other person beside myself (it was a Saturday morning class) and I can see why a more structured class would be preferred if you’re teaching more students. And since I only took a few classes, I don’t know if the classes become more structured or not. So that was the only thing that I needed to get used to!
Unfortunately, I was unable to continue the course, and now Sausan’s moved even further out into the Richmond, so I’m still figuring out how, if I’m able, to complete the course. But even with the few classes I attended, I did develop a deeper appreciate for this wonderful art form.

I love Sausan, our instructor, & the Academy! Having started elsewhere for 2 years, I had to RELEARN everything I learned about belly dancing to follow the «Egyptian Dance Code,» which once you’ve spent the last half hour watching old Egyptian movies with real well-​known belly dancers, you realize IS the true art form.
Sausan has developed an entire curriculum that is easy to practice & learn. The weekly classes last a quarter of a year, & the cost includes audio CD’s! She is the best instructor, incredibly loving & nurturing, always encouraging no matter how slow you think are. Next thing you know a year has gone by & you are ready to graduate.
It’s great cardio workout as well. And there are post graduate classes. And how hard is once a week!!!
You can’t but help become serious dancers & eventually be encouraged after a year of weekly classes to perform in a restaurant! It’s your choice. But from day one, you feel confident & strong, in the a hot and sexy way… you are all WOMAN… down to the tips of your painted toenails! It’s incredibly empowering.
(5 stars)

Sausan’s classes are the most comprehensive and fun! She really is a master teacher who not only knows belly dance inside and out, but how to teach it! She’s a generous teacher who goes the extra mile to give quality instruction. You definitely get your money’s worth and more from her classes. I highly recommend the SAED to beginners or seasoned dancers! I had been dancing for years when I started and she was able to help me add that intangible beauty of Egyptian dance to my own dance.

Sausans Academy of Egyptian Dance is a must for anyone wishing to extend their bellydance skills or for the beginner just wishing to learn to bellydance. This is the place!!! Sausans program is a well-​thought program that really, really teaches one to use their entire body in this dance. You learn the basic movements in the beginning and then move on to very gorgeous movement when it is all placed with the music. This class is a joy! Sausan is like a genie out of a bottle!!! SAED is a dream!!! Highly, highly recommend!!!

Sausan Academy is a great blend of exacting technique and development of personal style. The cumulative/​comprehensive format builds upon previous classes and courses. Also, the class size allows learning through both personal instruction and participating/​watching others. Sausan intimately knows the dance/​tradition and teaches with contagious enthusiasm. Try it! madeleine w.