Mystique: Awakening the Spirit of American Tribal Style Belly Dance
By Pamela Hall
The origin of belly dance is just as mysterious and exotic as the dance itself. There are no oral or written accounts of where or when the dance began, yet it has existed in various cultures and countries throughout recorded time. Even today belly dancers are still part of traditional celebrations expressing spiritual customs and rituals. The movements, music, costumes, history and politics surrounding the ancient dance has propelled it into the twenty-first century in an art form that is still a vibrant and evolving phenomenon.
Watching a belly dance performance can evoke an array of senses. If you ask a dancer, such as myself, what is belly dance? Our response would be it is a celebration of the power of women. Every movement of the dance is created to accentuate a woman’s body. The dance stimulates the feminine spirit through intricate body language and hand gestures. It’s both meditative and powerful; so much so, that psychotherapists have been known to include the dance as part of their treatment in order to enhance a patient’s self-esteem. I’ve been studying and performing belly dance for a number of years and can substantiate that dancing this art form can indeed help maintain a sense of self-worth in a turbulent existence.
When conjuring up images of belly dancers most people think of girls dressed in costumes assembled of chiffon and sequins, performing undulating movements to techno, Arabic music. A performer relegated to late night dinner shows, dancing in the dark and narrow aisles of Middle Eastern restaurants, and accepting monetary tips in a coin belt can often be someone’s first glimpse of a belly dancer. The culture surrounding the dance and the years of training it takes to perfect the movements are much more complex. Speaking from experience, it takes hours and hours of practice to create the muscle memory to perfect a shimmy or execute a series of belly rolls. When performing the dance, it becomes a reflection of your soul, as well as an expression of your personal creativity.
A few years ago my dance instructor, Irene Reinke, invited me to join a performance troupe she was creating. Irene has been teaching and dancing various forms of belly dance for over a decade. Inspired by the eclectic blend of traditional Egyptian, folkloric, Flamenco and Rajasthani dance influences, Irene now concentrates her training and teaching on what is called American Tribal Style (ATS) Belly Dance. She holds classes and workshops in West Chester and Narberth, PA.
ATS is tribal belly dance in its’ purest form. When our troupe performs ATS I’ve been told by audience members who are from countries such as Lebanon or Syria that our dance reminds them of the ones performed in the “old country.” ATS is actually an American invention created in the 1980s in San Francisco by Carolena Nerricio. The word ‘tribal’ is an expression of the duet, trio and quartet formations of the dancers. Typically there are no solo performances during an ATS set, but there is always a leader. Breaking away from traditional belly dance, ATS performances are not choreographed. The dance is performed in an improvisational style with the leader, who is the dancer positioned to the left of the stage, delivering head or hand cues signaling the other dancers to transition into different movements or combinations of steps. An ATS performance is described as art in the moment. No two ATS performances are ever alike.
Its fusion of exotic dance styles, costuming crafted of jewelry and materials from around the world and music derived from ancient and modern rhythms has propelled ATS onto the world’s stage. Carolena’s workshops have a year long waiting list of dancers. I had the privilege of attending her General Skills workshop last year in San Francisco and was amazed the first two dancers I met were from Siberia and the Netherlands. Carolena and her troupe, Fat Chance Belly Dance, have gained worldwide popularity.
Irene Reinke’s goal as a FatChanceBellydance certified ATS instructor and performer is to galvanize ATS as a familiar dance form in the Philadelphia region. There are already a few troupes performing and teaching ‘tribal style’ belly dance, but Irene is the only FatChanceBellydance certified Instructor of ATS teaching in the area and her troupe, Barajagala, are the only dancers performing ATS in its’ true form. Last year, Barajagala achieved the honor of Sister Studio Status with Carolena’s troupe, Fat Chance Belly Dance.
Barajagala will be performing an ATS show in Philadelphia on October 8, 2011, called “Mystique: Awakening the Spirit of American Tribal Style Belly Dance.” Irene Reinke along with Alicia Olivant Fisher and myself will be dancing three sets showcasing a variety of costumes, props and songs. We will be performing to both live and recorded music. The title of the show “Mystique” was derived from the essence of our style of dance which weaves an aura of magic around our audience. The goal of the show is to “Awaken the Spirit of American Tribal Style Belly Dance” within our community. Mystique will be performed onstage at the HeadHouse Restaurant located at 122 Lombard Street in Philadelphia, PA.
Pamela Hall is a freelance writer working in the Philadelphia area. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Journalism from West Virginia University. If you would like to contact Pam, she can be reached by email at pamelahall1234@yahoo.com and on Facebook.
