Tribal bellydance

Tribal bellydance is a style of bellydance, which is formed in de seventies of the previous century in the United States.

Description
In the American Tribal Style women improvise in a group. The group is leaded by a (always changing) groupleader, who gives signs, so the dancers know which movement follows. Typical to tribal is that it is mostly danced in a 4/4 measure.
American Tribal Style is a concept of dance created by Carolena Nereccio of Fat Chance Bellydance. When crossing the borders of the ATS-concept, it is ordinary called Tribal Style. When integrating elements of other dancestyles, you make a fusion, which is called Tribal Fusion. Tribal Fusion is in contrast to Tribal Style often danced solo. Tribal Style is always in group. Tribal Fusion is mostly a choreography in contrast to the improvised Tribal Style.

Typical characteristics for ATS and TS are:
* agreed dance treads which are indicated by signs from the leader
* improvisation
* dancing in group (tribe)
* influences from: bellydance, Indian dance, flamenco (espacially the body attitude and floreos)
* costume: a haremtrousers made of 6 meter fabric, with a 9 meter wide skirt on top and a tribal-belt, a choli-top with a tribal bra on top, a turban on the head, lots of heavy etnical jewelry, tribal face tattoos (dots and a horizontal stripe on the chin)

Typical characteristics for Tribal Fusion:
* choreography
* solo or in a small group
* influences from: bellydance, ATS, flamenco, street dance, hiphop, breakdance, jazzdance, modern dance, burlesque,...
* costume: a trousers with a tribal belt on top, a tribal bra, hair with colorfull flowers, heavy jewelry and decorated with colored dreads, lots of etnical jewelry, heavy make-up

History

American Tribal Style
Tribal bellydance arose in California in the seventies. Jamila Salimpour was asked to perform on a renaissance fair with her bellydance group. Their costumes do needed to be in accordance with the theme of the renaissance fair. Jamila formed the bellydance group Bal Anat, which showed a mixture of different oriental dances with a 'tribal' costume. These costumes were made by themselves, based on old photos from National Geographic. This way they combined influences of costumes from Asia, Africa and the Middle East. A student of Jamila Jalimpour adopted the triballooks and the techniques from Jamila when she started to teach. This student was Masha Archer. Masha Archer was the bellydance teacher of Carolena Nereccio. Carolena Nereccio created an own style, which exists of a solid set of movements, which all get 'cues'. This made groupimprovisation possible. This way American Tribal Style (ATS) was born in the eighties. The style to improvise in a group became quickly popular and ATS started silently to conquer the world. Carolena is also the founder of Fat Chance Bellydance, her ATS-dancegroup.

Tribal Fusion
In the nineties a couple of people like Jill Parker from Ultra Gypsy and Rachel Brice from The Indigo started to combine the movements, looks and body attitudes from ATS with other dancing styles, so tribal fusion was born. Tribal fusion is at present as popular as ATS. Some famous names:

Tribal Style and American Tribal Style in the US
* Fat Chance Bellydance
* Devyani Dance Company
* Black Sheep Bellydance
* Gypsy Caravan

Europe
* Nea's tribe (D)
* Weiberwirbel (CH)
* Magnolia Secret (B)
* Tribal Mystica (NL)

Tribal Fusion United States
* The Indigo
* Rachel Brice
* Sharon Kihara
* Zoe Jakes
* Mardi Love
* Ariellah Aflalo
* Kami Liddle
* Ultra Gypsy
* Unmata
* Urban Tribal
* Kassar

Europe
* Magenta Motion (NL)
* Aveyanda Skye (NL)
* The Uzumé (NL)
* Maya (NL)
* Tjarda (NL)
* Perlatentia (D)

Links
www.the-uzume.com
www.faracha.nl
www.buikdans-tribal.startpagina.nl
www.maya-acid.com
www.readmyhips.com