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 Tribal Belly Dance March 27, 2007 5:46 AM

I recently started taking Tribal Belly Dance lessons. It has been interesting to learn more about this American form of belly dance. From what I've been able to learn from my teacher, Tribal Belly Dance was started in San Francisco and can be traced back to the Fat Chance Belly Dance Troupe. Do any of you practice Tribal Belly Dance. It appeals to me much more than the cabaret form of dance does. It feels much like a spiritual practice and that really turns me on. Shannon N.  [ send green star]
 
Definition of Tribal Belly Dance from Wikipedia March 27, 2007 6:04 AM

Tribal Style Belly Dance or American Tribal Style Belly Dance (commonly known as ATS) is a recent movement in the USA that has addressed the feminist philosophy of empowerment of women through Middle Eastern belly dance. In defining Tribal Style Belly Dance and/or American Tribal Style Belly Dance, it is extremely important to note that Tribal Style is a larger category under which American Tribal Style (ATS) appears. ATS is a specific form of Tribal Style Belly Dance that is clearly defined and documented. "Tribal Style" can describe many other styles that are not necessarily ATS. The general category Tribal Style is accredited to Jamila Salimpour who fostered a fusion of folkloric dances styles from the Middle East and North Africa and began teaching what she knew and performing all over California and the West Coast. Utilizing traditional folkloric dance elements and costumes inspired by traditional and ethnographic traditions, she presented on stage through Bal Anat a colorful dance company which included musicians, singers and dancers to create a "souk" or almost circus feel. Taking what she herself had learned from native dancers from Morocco, Algeria, Turkey, Egypt, Syria and Lebanon who were dancing in the United States, she began to catalogue "belly dance movement" and began creating a basic repertoire terminology which is still the basis for Tribal Style and American Tribal Style repertoire. Tribal Style today represents everything from Folkloric inspired dances to a fusion of ancient dance techniques from North India, the Middle East and Africa. As a general category, Tribal Style covers many flavors of American Belly Dance both the folkloric inspired like Dalia Carella and fusion and cross over styles which explore modern, jazz, dance theatre, and hip hop with belly dance, as well as fusion with traditional classical ethnic dance forms like Bhangra, Bharata Natyam, Flamenco and now even Polynesian and West African Dance. Tribal Style dancers (like Raqs Sharqi dancers) often use finger cymbals, but the focus is on the group as opposed to emphasizing solo performance. Tribal Style does feature solos within the group as well as call-and-answer performance with another dancer (duets), or as a whole group. Often there is a chorus which provides a "drone" in the background while the featured pod is the focal point. Both the pod and the chorus are improvised in the moment. Staging for the pod and the chorus is also formalized within the ATS form to maximize dancer visibility on behalf of the audience and likewise maximizing group visibility of the leader. There are several American Tribal Style Belly Dance troupes in the United States. FatChanceBellyDance is one of the largest dance troupe companies, providing lessons, videos, music, costumes and more. The company was formed in 1987 by Carolena Nericcio. Their website provides another perspective on the history of American Tribal Style: Bellydance has many different names and many different styles from various regions. Here in the United States, the most popular style performed is the traditional Egyptian cabaret style known as Raks al Sharki or Oriental Dance. However, a new style has emerged, especially on the west coast, American Tribal Style Bellydance. It is an ethnic fusion style, influenced by Middle Eastern dance but inspired by American artistic sensibilities. It has nothing to do with representing a particular tribe, but it combines movement vocabularies and regional costuming to form one cohesive presentation. The "American" part of the label acknowledges that the dancers are continents away from the culture that created the dance form and are taking artistic license with it. ” — Rina Orellana Rall, Costuming The style is also characterized by costumes derived from many "folkloric" sources and is often composed of large tiered skirts or 10 meter/yard skirts, a short choli often with a plunging neckline, a visible bra decorated with coins and textiles, turbaned head, hip scarf with yarn tassles or fringe, and a heavy layering of oxidized silver jewelry. The jewelry commonly originates from Central Asia, from any number of nomadic tribes or empires (e.g. Kuchi, Turkoman, Rajasthan) and is often large and set with semi-precious stones or, when mass-produced, with glass. Dancers frequently "tattoo" their faces with kohl or kajal. Make-up is usually eye focused with heavy use of kajal.  [ send green star]
 
:) March 28, 2007 6:15 AM

I've been studying American Tribal Style and tribal bellydance for about five years and performing for a little over four years, first in a student troupe and for the last three years in a semi-professional troupe.  What I really love about ATS is the silent communication of the improvisation.  If it's done well, it almost seems like we're reading each others' minds.

Just a little addition to the history.  If you're speaking solely of American Tribal Style bellydance, then yes it started with Carolena Nericcio and Fat Chance Belly Dance.

However, if you are speaking of small-t tribal, i.e., all forms of tribal bellydance, the credit must go to Jamila Salimpour who trained Carolena's teacher Masha Archer.  Carolena took what she'd learned from Masha, mixed it with other dance forms and added an improvisation element to create ATS.  But all the bellydance elements came from the Jamila's format.  I believe in acknowledging teachers.

I've taken a workshop with Jamila and could see the originations of tribal in her format.  If you ever get a chance to study or take a workshop in the Jamila format with her or her daughter Suhaila, do it!
 [ send green star]
 
 March 28, 2007 6:48 AM

You must excuse my ignorance. My teacher was taught by Carolina... She didn't mention the teacher you mention. I agree, we must acknowledge and honor her!

I've only had one lesson so far!

Shannon

 [ send green star]
 
:) March 28, 2007 6:54 AM

Hey Shannon, I wasn't dissing you. I just wanted to share more info.  *flowersmile*  [ send green star]
 
 March 28, 2007 7:31 AM

Chats,

I didn't think you were dissing me! I am so excited to realize that YOU are also into Tribal Belly Dance and actually know something about it.

I have been wanting to talk to everyone I know about Tribal. It really calls out to my heart.

That first lesson was really hard and I am wondering if I'll ever be able to learn all of the moves.

My dream would be to one day be able to join a student troupe.....then later move up to a real troupe.

the problem is that I'm driving 2 hours away for the lessons.

Shannon

 [ send green star]
 
 August 28, 2007 6:37 PM

Hi, My name is Shawna and I'm new in this Group.  [ send green star]  [ accepted]
 
 August 28, 2007 6:46 PM

Hi Shawna,

Glad you joined the group.

*dancestar*

Hugs,

Shannon

 [ send green star]
 
 August 28, 2007 8:46 PM

Thanks, for the welcome Shannon N. I think that bellydancing would be fun to learn. It would also be good exercise.  [ send green star]  [ accepted]
 
 September 11, 2007 1:20 PM

Learning belly dance is not only fun, it is challenging.....

I hope you are able to find a local teacher.

Shannon

 [ send green star]
 
anonymous  April 28, 2008 2:02 PM

I've been Belly Dancing for 8 months, and then practicing Tribal once every two weeks in addition to Middle Eastern Styles, and i love it, though my teacher does remind us that she does'nt teach A.T.S, just fusion.

I really love the costumes, and i love the way we get to dance as one, nothing is more fantastic than when everyone gets the timming right, we are learning from our mistakes, and also learning the hundred different ways a move can be interpretated by each dancer when they are leading.

I also enjoy the way you learn to predict a change in move by a dancer you have danced with for sevearal months, and get to learn her various quirks, cues, and clues.

We have some dancers who always start off with their one favorite moves, which gives time for the group to warm up.

I would definately rank tribal as one of my favorite styles

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