american tribal belly dance

Belly Dance: ATS vs ITS vs FUSION

February 10, 2010 by 4dancers

Have you ever been confused by the newer styles of belly dance? Let’s clear things up a bit, shall we? 4dancers contributor, Piper, is back again to sort things out by sharing information about some of the styles that are out there today. But first, some definitions:

ATS = American Tribal Style

ITS = Improvisational Tribal Style

Fusion = blend of various styles of dance

Now, let’s hear from Karen:

I teach/perform my own tribal fusion style of dance, but I came out of a class that originally was American Tribal Style. What exactly is ATS? Long story short, ATS is a modern style of belly dance that was created by Carolena Nericcio, who formed Fat Chance Belly Dance in 1987 in the San Franciso Bay area.

It needs to be said that this category of belly dance should be credited to Jamila Salimpour. She utulized her knowledge of traditional folkloric dance and belly dance by presenting the now infamous Bal Anat production. It showcased dances from Algeria, Morroco, Turkey, Egypt, Syria and Lebanon. Thus – tribal style belly dance was born.

From Fat Chance and Carolena, many troupes have descended and created their own style.

Some of todays tribal troupes who have roots within ATS have now become what is known as Improvisational Tribal Style. ATS & ITS tend to be strictly performed by 2 or more dancers – thus, a troupe.

Both are done with cues from the arms or hands, so both are presented in an improvisational style. And there is something to be said about watching either style of troupes perform – the energy that is shared by the troupe is like no other.

And now, for fusion. Now personally, fusion is my favorite. Fusion is brought about by individuals pulling in their own unique style. Usually, this style is based on the other forms of dance the performer has studied. Fusion can be influenced by hip hop, African, modern, ballet, as well as traditional belly dance. But the key is always to respect the dance.

As with any dancer, it took me a while to find my own voice within tribal fusion. I felt in the beginning ‘oh – if I’m tribal, then I can’t do ‘X’; but the more I understood what fusion really was, the more I found myself. I study Egyptian style now, as well as going back to ballet. I take workshops with some of the best dancers (at least I feel are the best) – famous as well as the unknowns – and I walk away with more knowledge every time. I’m constantly trying to improve, and will always do so.

Introducing…Karen Hersh

January 6, 2010 by 4dancers

In 2010 4dancers readers will hear from a range of guest contributors here and there, talking about different styles of dance, or just sharing thoughts about the dance world. Today I would like to introduce Karen Hersh, a teacher and performer in the American Tribal Belly Dance style. I’ve asked Karen to share some information about how she became involved in dance so that you can get to know her a little bit…

My name is Karen, but I dance under and answer to the name of Piper. I began dancing close to 20 yrs ago in California when I decided to get in shape. I signed up for a what I thought was a ‘ballet’ workout class but in reality, it was a ballet floor bar class that was taught by a woman who studied and performed in Russia.

After a few years of that, I moved back to the Chicago area and started taking modern dance classes in Oak Park and in Chicago, and eventually had the privilege to study for a few years under the direction of the dance company Deeply Rooted. While I loved dancing with Deeply Rooted, I felt I needed to leave and focus on my personal life (as I just moved in with my now husband Brian). After about a year being away from dance, he suggested I find something to do. And so I did: belly dance.

I took my first class at Belle Plaine studios with a woman named Taj. I had no idea that I was at the beginning of my tribal fusion dance career. After Taj, I moved onto taking American Tribal Style (ATS) with Gabrielle Deschaine in Berwyn/Forest Park. And the rest, they say, is history.

Since that little beginning with Taj, I’ve taken as many classes as possible to improve on my own unique style of tribal fusion. I’ve been blessed to have been invited to teach overseas in the UK at Tribal Ford in England, (which is a weekend long group of workshops held in the Ford Castle located in Northumberland, England), and then 2 different workshops in Dublin and Glasgow. I am currently teaching my style of tribal fusion at Pineapple Dance Studio in Forest Park.

American Tribal Belly Dance

July 30, 2009 by 4dancers

Belly dance is a form of movement that many women find liberating. One style that has gotten a lot of attention in recent years is a style called American Tribal Belly Dance. I wrote a bit about this dance form for an article which can be seen online at Her Circle E-Zine. Here is an excerpt from the piece:

“One of the first dance styles I photographed was American tribal belly dance. This form is largely improvisational and eclectic and it borrows elements from different dance styles, such as Flamenco and Egyptian belly dance, and blends them together in a beautiful, unique form. Interestingly, this dance style echoes the history of the United States in that it is both fairly new, and it is also a “melting pot” of styles, but with a distinct stamp of its own.”

Belly dance is just one of many dance styles that will be featured periodically on 4dancers. Check back often for updates and new posts. We aren’t just about one dance style–because there are so many to experience. Upcoming posts will look at everything from Irish Step Dance to Indian Dance.

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