Sausan Academy of Egyptian Dance

Specialties

The Sausan Academy of Egyptian Dance specializes in teaching the Classic Egyptian Style of Belly Dance with a focus on the fundamental core movements known as the Egyptian Dance Code® (EDC®) which are comprised of the Egyptian cultural expression.

This one-​year study is taught academically and consists of four semesters or courses beginning with the Primary Course in which the movement of the upper body is learned; followed by the Secondary Course which focuses on the lower body in conjunction with the upper body.

The Tertiary Course focuses on the study of Classic Egyptian music and learning how to play finger cymbals, and the Applied Basic Principal Course takes all three previous courses into the study and performance of a single piece of Classic Egyptian music with the ultimate performance of it in a recital at Al-​Masri restaurant in San Francisco.

Post graduate classes are offered in the pursuance of study of Classic Egyptian music as well as Egyptian Pop music.

History

Established in 2000.

Sausan’s first love of dance was at the age of three with the study of Flamenco. She then went on to study Thai Classical dance from age five to 14. In 1972, Sausan turned her interests to belly dancing after hearing about her father’s travels to North Africa.

After studying, dancing, and performing all over the world for 28 years, in 2000, Sausan took the step into the demanding world of dance as an instructor. She began coaching private students in Egyptian dance technique using the Egyptian film industry’s famous dancers of the early Twentieth Century as the backbone of her curriculum.

In the interim, Sausan acquired the then Grapeleaf Restaurant and with the help of her partner, Dr. Hatem el Sayed, and opened Al-​Masri Restaurant featuring Egyptian cuisine and the graduates of the Sausan Academy of Egyptian Dance.

In 2003, Sausan opened as belly dance instructor to the public. She embraces the Golden Era of Egypt and teaches the Classic fundamental movements of the dance.

Meet the Business Owner

Sausan M.

Business Owner

Sausan’s interest in belly dancing had always lingered on the back burner after hearing about her father’s travels to North Africa and in 1972, she ventured into some local classes.

in 1980 she began dancing at the Bagdad on Broadway in San Francisco. The Greek Taverna on Columbus Street, the Marrakesch on O’Farrell Street, El Mansour on Clement Street, The Grapeleaf on Balboa Street, the Athena Taverna in Oakland, the Casablanca in South San Francisco are also on her repertoire list.

She has sponsored numerous belly dance workshops, produced several named belly dance functions, catered numerous events, and published and distributed a belly dance quarterly as well as an annual belly dance guide, both of which were distributed to over 2,000 Bay Area belly dance residents and over 25,000 belly dance residents worldwide. She has also traveled throughout the world, dancing in more countries than any other belly dancer in history (including the North and South Pole).