Improv Tribal Style Belly Dance

Improv Tribal Style (ITS) bellydance is a group of dancers with tribal style bellydance traits composing choreography on the spot (i.e. improvising) through previously arranged cued moves. Solos are performed, but are generally supported in a group environment. Improv Tribal Style is a sub-group of Tribal Style bellydance. [Also known as: "Tribal Group Improv, American Improv Tribal, Group Improv Tribal".]

Although this style of modern fusion world dance is rooted in the United States, Improv Tribal Style has grown, and continues to grow, internationally and can be found in Australia, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Buenos Aires, Columbia, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Sweden, United Kingdom, Sweden and other countries. [http://tribalbellydance.tribe.net/thread/842709de-713e-45d2-a492-580ad1a4d395]

Characteristics

Three common characteristic pairs to help categorize the sub-types of Tribal Style bellydance can be seen as:

* Ensemble: Group / Solo [http://www.tribalbellydance.org/about.html]
* Execution: Improvisational Choreography (or "Improv") / Memorized Choreography (or "Choreo") [http://www.shira.net/chor-impr.htm]
* Styling: Traditional Tribal (see: Old School/Classic & ATS costuming [http://www.tribalbellydance.org/about.html] ) / Tribal Fusion (see: Tribal Fusion costuming [http://www.tribalbellydance.org/about.html] )

Tribal Style can be divided into sub-types depending on which characteristics are combined.

* "Improv Tribal Style" combines group improv and traditional Tribal style
* "Tribal Fusion Style" combines group, solo, improv, choreo and Tribal Fusion style
* "Tribal Choreo Style" combines group, solo, choreo and Tribal Fusion style

Family tree

*Belly Dance: A dance characterized by sinuous hip, abdominal and arm movements [http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/belly%20dance] ¹.
**Tribal Style Belly Dance: A genre of belly dance that is folkloric, magical/mythical [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Gebser#Ideas] and tribal in nature. Has a grounded, natural and simpler-times feel to it, inspired by Romany traditions [http://www.fcbd.com/html/history_rr.html] . Music and moves, in general, are loosely or closely based on Egyptian folkloric, North African/Middle Eastern, Spanish or Eastern Indian². Costuming includes a rich tapestry of ethnic jewelry, natural fibered cloth and decorations such as shisha mirrors, with earth-tones and jewel-tones preferred [http://www.heavyhips.net/faqs.htm] ; generally some sort of head-dressing, trousers under a tiered skirt or just trousers, a choli and/or ethnic coin bra are worn [http://www.tribalbellydance.org/about.html] . Body piercing, colorful dreadlocks, henna tattooing and permanent tattooing are favored but are not required³. Includes and transcends its predecessors, the 70's California Tribal Style,characterized by its obvious counter-culture response to club belly dancing [http://www.shira.net/styles.htm#Overview] ,and its daughter (which currently spans three decades - the 80's to the present) American Tribal Style, a very carefully stylized bellydance format rooted in improv group choreography, characterized by intense isolation of movement and gesture [http://www.tribalbellydance.org/about.html] with finger cymbal self-accompaniment, using a clearly defined group of moves and cues [http://www.heavyhips.net/faqs.htm] with a confident and upright, open posture². Stylistically contrasts with Rak Sharki/Cabaret/Egyptian Style belly dance. For a comprehensive exploration of Tribal Style belly dance, see: "The Tribal Bible" by Kajira Djoumahna. ( [http://books.google.com/books?as_isbn=0972848606 find this book] )
***IMPROV TRIBAL STYLE (also known as: "Tribal Group Improv, American Improv Tribal, Group Improv Tribal"): A group of dancers with tribal style belly dance traits composing choreography on the spot (i.e. improvising) through previously arranged cued moves. Can have solos, but generally supported in a group environment.
****"Examples of Improv Tribal Formats:" "American Tribal Style (ATS),BlackSheepBellyDance ATS Format (BSBD-ATS), Gypsy Caravan ATS Format (GC-ATS), ..."
****"A Cross-Section of Improv Tribal Style Groups:" "FatChanceBellyDance, BlackSheepBellyDance, Gypsy Caravan, Heavy Hips Tribal Belly Dance, Skin Deep / Katrina, The Kismet Tribe, Gypsy Trail Tribal Dance Co., n.o.madic, inFusion, ..."
***Tribal Fusion Style: A dancer or a group of dancers with predominantly tribal style belly dance traits using other dance disciplines to enhance the core style of Tribal Style belly dance. Improvisational choreography with cues is fundamental to the composition of Tribal Fusion choreography, but the final production is not necessarily fully improvised. Compositionally contrasts with Tribaret. Past Tribal workshop schedules help verify style used for fusion (See: Tribal Fest 7 [http://www.blacksheepbellydance.com/tf7/workshops-style.html] as an example.) Enhancements can conceivably include any of the following [http://www.tribalbellydance.org/about.html] :
**** Middle Eastern Folkloric
**** North African Folkloric
**** Spanish Folkloric
**** Eastern Indian Folkloric
**** Yoga Asanas
**** Cabaret/Egyptian/Rak Sharki
**** Hula/Polynesian Dance
**** Jazz
**** Tap
**** Ballet
**** Modern
**** Aerobic
**** Social
**** Contra
**** Square
**** Creative Movement
**** Goth
**** Hip Hop
**** Fire Dance
**** Music Box
**** Vaudeville
**** Burlesque
****"Examples of Tribal Fusion:" "Bhangra Tribal Fusion, Indian Tribal Fusion, African Tribal Fusion, Spanish or Flamenco Tribal Fusion, Bollywood Tribal Fusion, ..."
****"A Cross-Section of Tribal Fusion Individuals & Groups:" "Rachel Brice, Domba!, Frederique, Gypsy Noir, Hands of Kali, Heavy Hips Tribal Belly Dance, The Indigo, Zoe Jakes, Ultra Gypsy, Underbelly, Urban Tribal, Zafira, ..."
***Tribal Choreo Style: A dancer or group of dancers with Tribal Style Belly Dance traits composing belly dance through planning and arranging the movements, steps, and patterns of dancers. Dancers then practice and perform the set composition. (Group & Solo, Choreo, Traditional Tribal & Tribal Fusion)
****"Examples of Tribal Choreo Style:" "Combo-Based Tribal Style, East Coast Tribal Style, ..."
****"A Cross-Section of Choreo Style Groups:" "UNMATA (Combo Based Tribal), Sera and Solstice Dance Ensemble (East Coast Tribal), ..."

See also

* Section "United States" in article "Belly Dance", includes history of "Tribal Style Belly Dance"
* American Tribal Style Belly Dance

Other articles

* [http://www.gildedserpent.com/art39/CedarsArchives.htm Cedar's Photo Archives of California Tribal Style]
* [http://www.gildedserpent.com/articles14/BirthofBalAnat.htm "The Birth of Bal Anat and Other Adventures"]
* [http://www.gildedserpent.com/art39/ShelleyBus.htm "The Bou-Saada Bus"]
* [http://www.shira.net/styles.htm Shira's Dance Styles Used in the U.S.]
* [http://www.tribalbellydance.org/about.html Comprehensive article about Tribal Style Belly Dancing]
* [http://tribalbellydance.org/manyfaces/tutorial.html Visual Tutorial about Tribal Style Belly Dancing]
* [http://www.heavyhips.net/faqs.htm Heavy Hips Definitions of Tribal & ATS]
* [http://www.heavyhips.net/tribaldancerev.htm Comprehensive "Tribal Belly Dance Essay" by Heavy Hips Director, Palika]
* [http://www.heavyhips.net/choosingmindfuldance2007.htm "Choosing Mindful Dance" by Heavy Hips Director, Palika]
* [http://youtube.com/watch?v=gYKqH8xIaaw Improv Tribal Style Belly Dance Video (featuring Heavy Hips Tribal Belly Dance)]
* [http://www.blacksheepbellydance.com/writings/files/synergy2.html "Tribal Synergy 2: Paulette Rees-Denis & Kajira Djoumahna Discuss Its Power to Heal and Transform"]
* [http://www.blacksheepbellydance.com/writings/files/bluemoon.html Blue Moon's interview with Kajira Djoumahna]
* [http://www.blacksheepbellydance.com/writings/files/carolena.html An interview with Carolena Nericcio,director of FatChanceBellyDance]
* [http://www.blacksheepbellydance.com/writings/files/probio.html Jareeda Magazine's cover feature of Kajira Djoumahna]
* [http://www.blacksheepbellydance.com/writings/files/american.html An article covering the first American Tribal Festival & Celebration]
* [http://www.blacksheepbellydance.com/writings/files/rachelb.html An interview with Rachel Brice]
* [http://www.fcbd.com/press/ Various Published Articles featuring FatChanceBellyDance]
* [http://tribes.tribe.net/improvtribalstylebellydance Improv Tribal Style Belly Dance on Tribe.net]

References

#The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. 24 Aug. 2007. Dictionary.com .
#Nericcio, C. (March 2005). Tribal pura. "Jareeda", pp. 7–8.
#Coleman, T. (July 2007). Belly Dancers by the bay. "Skin & Ink", pp. 64–75.