Returning from my fourth Tribal Fest

Tribal Fest. It's like the (pardon the analogy) Mecca of tribal and fusion bellydance. It's where we go to learn from and watch the "stars", and it's where new stars are born and discovered.

And for a little less than a week, you can immerse yourself in this world of fantasy and individuality, if you go in with the right attitude.

It's easy to get wrapped up in the glitz and glitter and infinite searches for "fame." Frankly, there's a whole lot of ass-kissing and schmoozing that goes on at a festival like this one. So many people wanting to talk to the more famous dancers, to have their troupe noticed by the big names, and to get that latest hip (haha... punny!) pair of Melodia pants.

I've inadvertently been sucked into the materialism and external focus that is so prevalent at large gatherings such as this one. It's easy for me to feel like the odd one out, the outsider who isn't cool enough to hang with the popular kids... it's a complex I've had since elementary school... This sense of not being able to relate and feeling like I need to keep up with the Joneses of tribal belly dance leaves me feeling inadequate, inexperienced, and disconnected... not only from the "scene" but myself. It also doesn't help that I'm introverted and have a hard time feeling comfortable around large groups of people, particularly when I don't know most of them.

This year I made a conscious decision to make the most of my time at the fest, regardless of what happened. I think it worked!

I took time away from the fest when I needed to be isolated, and I spent a a leisurely amount of time getting ready for my performance on Friday night. When I got to the festival venue after finishing my hair and make up, I spent at least an hour and a half walking around with my earphones on, listening to Rush (of course!) and just centering myself. I had a few one-on-one conversations with vendors about music and dance and integrity, which also helped to boost my confidence a little bit more. I think that this time alone, in my own little world of music, helped me deliver (what I thought was) a solid performance that night.

I spent the remainder of the festival with my friends, spending time with people who I hadn't seen in months, sometimes years, and enjoying the warmth of the northern California sun. I spent money on things that I knew I would use, not just because they were the "cool new things".

If you look past all the shiny things on the vendors' tables and find a sense of peace within yourself and your abilities as a dancer and as a human being, chances are you'll be less likely to be sucked into the vortex of activity at such a large festival as Tribal Fest. Everyone has a different festival experience, and it's up to you to choose how you approach and spend your time. This year, I feel like I chose very wisely.

The Trouble with Tribal (Fusion) - Part 2

Videos! Duh, I should have thought of that, but, I didn't. That's ok. There are enough here for a post!


Folkloric Tribal

Based on pre-ATS belly dance, particularly American Cabaret, Hahbi'Ru performs a kind of "Folkloric Tribal."


American Tribal Style

FatChanceBellyDance. Our dance mommas.

• At the Ansuya Performance Salon


• From the mid-1990s.


• "Who We Are" from the mid-1990s

BlackSheepBellyDance at Tribal Fest 2007.


Cabaret
Disclaimer: "Cabaret" is a very broad term, and there are subtypes of cabaret, just as there are subtypes of tribal. Here are some of my favorite cabaret performances on YouTube, but this list is absolutely by no means exhaustive.

Aziza. Aziza performs American/Egyptian cabaret.

Shems (Performing to Oum Kalthoum's "Lissa Fakir"). And performing a rockin' drum solo.

Jillina. If you can ignore the pink snake costume, you can see she's really amazing.

Sadie, drum solo.

Aubre.

Suhaila Salimpour. Suhaila isn't really classifiable. She does it all. This piece blends locking with a classic cabaret drum solo.


Improvisational Tribal Style: Still using a system of movements and cues, these groups have developed a unique dance vocabulary with ATS as its base.

Unmata performing their high-energy improv.

n.o.madic tribal in 2007.

Kallisti Tribal.


Tribal Fusion (Various)
Rachel Brice at Tribal Fest in 2006.

Zafira at Tribal Fest 2007 (troupe).

Ariellah. She blends tribal, cabaret, and gothic stylings, but her core is tribal.

Zoe Jakes of the Indigo at Tribal Fest 2007.

Asharah.

Romka (duet from DC).

Urban Tribal Dance Company (they verge on just being dance fusion).

Ultra Gypsy in 2001.


Bellydance Fusion (Not Necessarily Tribal)

Mira Betz fuses the dignity of tribal with the grace of classic cabaret. Putting her in a category is very difficult - and I think that's what makes her one of my favorites.

Anasma. Theatrical fusion.

Hip Hop fusion by Raqs Arabi, directed by Crystal Silmi.

Sera and Solstice at Night of 1000 Goddesses, September 2007. They also perform tribal fusion.

Tempest. An icon of the Gothic Bellydance genre.

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In addition to these videos, Shems has an excellent article on her website on the different styles of bellydance with YouTube playlists for each. I encourage you to check it out.

The Trouble with Tribal (Fusion)

I think tribal belly dance is going through a bit of a crisis right now. The problem? So many new dancers and so little definition of tribal's identity. With the explosion of soloists dressing up like The Indigo and posting videos of themselves on YouTube, I feel like these dancers don't know where their roots lie. With so many dancers out there without the resources or instructors to learn American Tribal Style (ATS)--the root of "tribal fusion bellydance"--I see the misconceptions and innocent ignorance going global. Dancers without access to ATS classes will call themselves "tribal fusion" and yet despite their costuming, they dance like oriental/cabaret dancers. It's like watching a hip hop performance by a dancer in a ballet tutu... and calling herself a ballerina.

After seeing video upon video, I think I've figured out what makes a dance "tribal". Of course sometimes the line isn't so distinct, and it doesn't always have to be... but I believe that a dancer should know the implications of what she calls her dance.

As I made the journey into becoming a tribal-inspired bellydancer, I tried to identify the core characteristics of tribal bellydance. These elements, when integrated with other dance forms, make that integration a form of "tribal fusion bellydance." Without those core elements, the dance can't be called "tribal fusion bellydance" but rather "fusion bellydance". And, for the record, there's nothing wrong with fusion bellydance as long as its performed well. Just don't call fusion bellydance "tribal".

Why even narrow these characteristics down? Why do I care?

I think I care because I like to know the roots of what I perform. Boiling down a dance to its bare essence helps me figure out whether I'm staying true to a dance form or style. I want to perform tribal fusion bellydance; therefore, I need to find out what defines "tribal bellydance".

Everyone has their opinion of what makes a fusion "tribal", but here are the core elements I believe should be part of a tribal fusion performance, and note how none of it has to do with the costuming:

• Arms and hands: floreos (ATS-style), high elbows, and strong ATS (flamenco-inspired) arms.
  


• Upper body posture: A lifted chest, using the muscles in the upper back. A relaxed upper body is more casual, less stylized, and, frankly, more oriental/cabaret.


• Use of classic American Tribal Style steps, integrated into a routine and not just thrown in to fulfill the "tribal" requirement.


• Open facial expression. True ATS dancers smile. Tribal fusion doesn't require a frown.
  
  
• A sense of grounding into the floor. Tribal is inherently earthy.
  

Note that "locking", "popping", and "ticking" are not mentioned. These are breakdance/hip hop movements that many tribal fusion dancers have integrated into their performances. These robotic and staccato movements are not essentially tribal, nor are they essentially belly dance. I have seen many cabaret and oriental dancers integrate these movements into their performances, and yet they still remain essentially cabaret because they lacked the other above mentioned characteristics. Popping, locking, ticking, and strobing are part of the "fusion" of "tribal fusion bellydance." I'm surprised at how many people I encounter who believe that these are essential to tribal style bellydance.

This also goes for the recent "vintage" trend that is so hot right now (and when done tastefully, can be stunning!). Neo-Victorian/Edwardian/Roaring 20s/burlesque-inspired costuming does not make a dancer "tribal fusion." As beautiful as the costuming may be, it, in and of itself, is not essentially tribal.

A costume does not make a dancer tribal. If a costume made a dancer "cabaret", then Carolena Nericcio's performance in San Francisco Beledi would be cabaret... and when you see this performance, it's SO tribal. (I wish I could find a screen capture online, but I'm not finding one.)

There are a few things that I feel like should be left out of a "tribal fusion bellydance" performance because I feel that they are contrary to the essence of American Tribal Style. These, of course, are only my personal opinions:

• Cabaret facial expressions


• Lifting the hair with the hands


• Suggestive movements such as wide hip circles a la Dina.


• Wild shoulder shimmies. ATS dancers do perform shoulder shimmies, yet they are subtle and "quiet".

Lastly, I believe that anyone who calls themselves a "tribal fusion bellydancer" absolutely MUST have studied with authentic American Tribal Style instructors. In this, I would expect anyone who calls themselves "tribal fusion" would be able to dance with others who know American Tribal Style and perform a decent group improvisation. If you've never studied American Tribal Style, what are you doing calling yourself tribal fusion?