LEVEL CLASSIFICATION ACCORDING TO SAID EL AMIR & YASMIN AL GHAZALI

The level classification is intended to help learners assess their own abilities and skills correctly in the context of the dance world. It is intended to give an overview of what is taught in the respective course levels and what learners can expect from the content, but should also be able to implement in order to progress to the next level.

The classification is based on Said el Amir's more than 35 years of international teaching experience and the systemic teaching model ESsential Technique of Oriental DAnce (ESTODA) by Yasmin al Ghazli (1996) as well as inspirations from jazz dance, modern dance and contemporary ballet according to IWANSON.

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LEVEL 0 - BEGINNERS

• You have no previous knowledge of the chosen dance style

• You have little to no previous knowledge of the chosen dance style

• You would like to get to know this dance style

If most of these points apply to you, your level is most likely Beginners.

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LEVEL 1 - BEGINNERS WITH PREVIOUS KNOWLEDGE

• You have little previous knowledge of the chosen dance style

• You have been dancing for about ½ year or practicing less intensively

• You know the 3 spatial axes, the 4th dimension, time and the elementary movements according to the ESTODA system

• You are able to dance the elementary movements (vertical, horizontal, sagittal, seesaw, tilt, twist) cleanly in place
  You are able to hear the rhythm, keep it and walk to the beat
  You have mastered the simple steps of the dance style (e.g. basic step, alternating step, follow step, etc.)
  You are able to remember and perform initial, short dance combinations with basic arm positions

If most of these points apply to you, your level is most likely Beginners with previous knowledge.

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LEVEL 2 - GOOD STARTERS

• You have mastered the basic skills from Level 0 and 1
  You have been dancing for between ½ and 1 year or practise and train a little more frequently or have knowledge of other dance styles
  You are able to perform the 6 elementary movements in the pelvis and upper body cleanly in isolation in the square and in the room as well as with level changes
  You can recognize the first types of shimmy, e.g. simple bob shimmy, American basic (3/4 see-saw shimmy upwards)
  You are able to differentiate between the American Basic and Hagalla Basic moves and dance them slowly
  You can recognize and distinguish between different basic steps, such as the cross step or pas de bourrée
  You are able to perform your first simple turns, such as the 3-step turn and pivot turn
  You can hear the “one” in the rhythm and are able to adapt your movements to the rhythm in terms of time and quality
  You are able to remember and reproduce small dance combinations with simple changes of focus and direction as well as varying arm positions

If most of these points apply to you, your level is most likely Good Starters..

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LEVEL 3 - INTERMEDIATE

• You have a good and solid basis in your dance style
  You have been dancing for between 1 and 3 years and practise and train more or less regularly
  You remember various combinations of the elementary movements, know how they are put together and are able to perform them largely independently
  You are able to distinguish between dual combinations of elementary movements and perform them cleanly and in isolation. This includes forward, backward, upward and downward hip axis, small and medium pelvic circles, upward and downward waves, as well as simple accents such as hip drop and swing.
  You can recognize, differentiate and perform other types of shimmy, such as tilt and twist shimmy, as well as American basic and hagalla basic at medium speed independently
  You have a good repertoire of basic steps and vary with different turns, such as tip turn forwards and backwards, arabesque turn, etc.
  You recognize the first basic rhythms, can name them when you hear them and know how to count them
  You are able to independently remember and reproduce smaller dance combinations with changes of focus and direction, turns and varying arm positions

If most of these points apply to you, your level is most likely intermediate..

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LEVEL 4 - GOOD INTERMEDIATE

• You have a very good basic and advanced knowledge - including background and history - in your dance style

• You dance between 3 and 5 years and practise and train regularly or more frequently

• You are able to recognize double and triple combinations of elementary movements and know how they are composed in terms of quantity and time

• You are able to perform advanced double, triple and pseudo quadruple combinations cleanly and in isolation in place and varying the tempo with light steps. This includes e.g. Siwa step, Suheir-Saki step, body waves sagittal and horizontal up and down (so-called camel or body wave, etc.)

• You know more complicated types of shimmy, such as twist and tilt hagalla forwards, basic hagalla backwards and are able to perform them easily and fluently at medium speed

• You have a good repertoire of movements and can freely combine the movements you know, master flowing transitions and are able to improvise to music

• You are familiar with various basic rhythms, recognize them and know how they are counted and what is danced to them

• You are able to independently remember and reproduce longer dance combinations with challenging changes of focus and direction, different turns, arabesques and challenging variations in arm positions

• You have initial experience with dance accessories, such as veils, cymbals, canes or swords

If most of these points apply to you, your level is most likely Good Intermediate.

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LEVEL 5 - ADVANCED

• You have a wide-ranging knowledge of your dance style - including background and history, including cultural traditions
  You have been dancing for more than 4 years, train and practice regularly or more frequently and intensively
  You are able to recognize, analyse and independently put together complicated and higher combinations of elementary movements

• You are able to recognize and reproduce complicated triple and quadruple combinations, such as a medium, downward pelvic circle, diagonal loops, different types of leg swings, superimposed movements and superimposed shimmies, hagalla in different variations and fast tempo

• You are able to modify even complex turns, analyze them by watching and identify, compare and interpret different famous dancers

• You are able to develop your own first dance combinations and adapt them qualitatively to different pieces of music and assign them to the appropriate style

• You reproduce and interpret longer dance combinations with a wide variety of steps and movements as well as tempo and direction changes, level changes and a lot of use of space and focus

• You vary and fill dance combinations with your own expression

• You are able to define and differentiate rhythms in theory and practice

• You have advanced knowledge in the use of dance accessories

• You can describe, interpret, identify and develop different types of folklore in your dance style

• Your dance repertoire ranges from various dances of your dance style to complete dance routines including show construction

If most of these points apply to you, your level is most likely Advanced.

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LEVEL 6 - VERY ADVANCED

• You have extensive and intensive knowledge of your dance style, including background knowledge, traditions and cultural context, such as customs, rhythms, folklore, costume studies, etc.

• You have been dancing for several years, train and practise regularly and continue your education

• You are able to analyze, correct and recompose all movements according to the ESTODA system in order to be able to implement the movements for yourself

• You are able to perform demanding internal body movements and complicated leg swings, various side shifts without changing weight, independently and without having to think about it

• You are able to break down complex shimmy variations in all possible combinations into their individual movements in a simplified manner and check them, describe them, work them out and assess them qualitatively

• Complex, tempo-varying turns such as chaînés, pirouettes, arabesques, attidudes can be classified, worked out, optimized and spontaneously adapted to the music by you

• You demonstrate extensive knowledge of your dance style through expressive, improvised dancing to a wide variety of music

• You create dance combinations with different accessories and are able to improvise with them

• Your dance repertoire ranges from classical to modern and includes dances in a wide variety of moods and styles

If most of these points apply to you, your level is most likely Very Advanced.

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LEVEL 7 - SEMI PROFESSIONAL

• You have excellent and very sound knowledge of the background, traditions and cultural context, such as customs, traditions, rhythms, folklore, costume studies etc. in your dance style

• You have been dancing for many years and have acquired a great deal of extensive knowledge during this time

• You are able to intuitively observe, analyze and directly implement movements

• You master even the most complicated movements with ease and virtuosity and constantly optimize them based on your excellent, clean and isolated dance technique

• You recognize and interpret even complicated rhythms immediately and are able to dance them spontaneously and improvised

• You are able to pick up on the moods of the music and the audience immediately and interpret them with your personal expression and convey them to the outside world

• You have an enormously wide-ranging dance repertoire that you are constantly expanding and optimizing

• You are able to improvise to unfamiliar music with ease

• You independently and creatively develop new dances to different pieces of music

• You are at home in the world of your dance style, know the relevant scene and maintain contact with colleagues in the industry

If most of these points apply to you, your level is most likely Semi Professional.

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MASTER

• You have excellent and very sound knowledge of the background, traditions and cultural context, such as customs, traditions, rhythms, folklore, costume studies etc. in your dance style

• You have been dancing (and teaching) for many years and have acquired a great deal of extensive, well-founded knowledge during this time

• You are able to intuitively observe, analyze, directly implement and, if necessary, teach movements

• You master and create even the most complicated movements with ease and virtuosity and constantly optimize them based on your excellent, clean and isolated dance technique

• You recognize and interpret even the most complicated rhythms immediately and are able to dance them spontaneously and improvised and teach them if necessary

• You are able to pick up on the mood of the music and the audience immediately and interpret and convey it to the outside world with your personal expression

• You have an enormously wide-ranging dance repertoire, which you are constantly expanding and optimizing - also with repertoire from other dance styles

• You are able to improvise to unfamiliar music with ease

• You independently and creatively develop new dances to different pieces of music, including accessories if necessary

• You are at home in the world of your dance style, know the relevant scene and maintain contact with international colleagues in the industry

• You generate a large part of your livelihood through performances, lessons and/or shows

If most of these points apply to you, your level is most likely Master.

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