Upcoming shows in Gainesville

For you dancing ladies in Gainesville, there are some great shows on the horizon. 

Manic Menagerie Presents: Gypsy Rebels: This is the second show to be performed by the local vaudeville troupe the Manic Menagerie. This month’s theme is “gypsy rebels” and will feature three belly dancers: local tribal dancer Kiteera, local cabaret dancer Amaya and Tallahassee tribal dancer Nadira. 

• Location: The Jam
• Date: August 3
• Time: 8 p.m. 

 

Satchel’s Shakedown August: Join local dancers of many styles at Satchel’s Pizza. This monthly show showcases the students of the Shambling Shimmies School of Belly Dance and friends. 

• Location: Satchel’s Pizza, Lightnin’ Salvage 
• Date: August 27
• Time: 7:30 p.m. 

 

Explaining tribal style

I wish I made money for every time I have had to explain what tribal style is. In all honesty though, I don’t do a very good job; it’s a new, evolving and complicated style. 

Luckily I found this wonderful website that does a pretty decent job.

I’d like to add and modify the definitions slightly, as this article was originally written nearly a decade ago. 

Old School Tribal: In my experience, this is best redefined as gypsy style. While tribal style has its roots in this older style, it is not an outdated style. You can still see gypsy style performed at renaissance faire. This style is performed to live music, with the dancers being musically proficient as well. Internationally acclaimed dancer Zoe Jakes spent her early years dancing in renaissance faire shows. 

 

Tribal Group Improv (TGI): I think this is best redefined as improvisational tribal style (ITS). In my experience in dance, any group improvisational tribal is defined as such, unless it is the trademarked American Tribal Style. 

Tribal Fusion: The definition in this article for tribal fusion is very loose. This is understandable. This article was written when tribal fusion was first appearing on the scene. To me, tribal fusion three important elements: moves, improvisation and costuming.

• Tribal fusion is a style that takes its foundation of moves from group styles like ATS, and fuse them with smaller elements of other dance styles. 
• I believe for something to be defined as tribal fusion, it should be improvisational. Observe dancers like Rachel Brice. While I believe tribal fusion can be choreographed, it is best done improvisational.  
• Tribal fusion costuming is earthy. The style uses dark colors, heavy makeup and ethnic-inspired stylings. 

A NOTE ON FUSION: I believe fusing is a delicate process, and can only be defined by a dancer. An experienced and educated dancer who fuses only does so if they understand the elements they are using. I believe a dancer who fuses defines their fusion based on the origin of their movements. A fusion inspired heavily by ballet would be called ballet fusion (observe dancers like Illan Rivere). Zoe Jakes is the ultimate queen of this (see this fusion of Japenese kabuki).

Tribaret: I feel as though tribaret has become a legitimate fusion. However, I prefer the name glam tribal to describe the fusion of tribal and cabaret styles.  

East Coast Tribal: I feel that this style would be more appropriately named choreographed tribal. 

Combo-based Tribal: I’m not entirely sure what this is, but I think this style may have died off. 

Urban Tribal: Urban tribal is the fusion of hip-hop, modern and tribal fusion belly dance. It is often characterized by performance to modern music. 

Alternative Tribal: This is no longer a commonly used term; the dancers previously defined as alternative tribal now fall under the umbrella of tribal fusion. 

What would you like to add? 

Transitioning between styles

I’m a tribal dancer; that’s how I identify best. However, I only call myself a tribal dancer because that’s what I love; not because I only dance tribal style.

Last year I began exploring belly dance outside of tribal. It started with a very intimidating workshop with Luna of Cairo, and I was thrown out of my tribal nest.

Here are the hardest things I’ve found about transitioning between modern Egyptian and Tribal style.

1. Posture: Tribal style is characterized by bent knees, elevated chest and high elbows. Modern Egyptian on the other hand is straight legs, “boobs over toes and elbows down.

2. Legs: Knees are together and legs are straight in modern Egyptian; an almost illegal form in Tribal style.

3. Feet: Tribal style is almost always flat footed, while modern Egyptian is frequently danced on your toes in relevé.

4. Arms: The arms in modern Egyptian are soft and delicate; tribal style however uses strong arms inspired by flamenco dance.

5. Costume malfunction: As a tribal dancer I’m used to always wearing pants; Egyptian costumes are not that dancer friendly. Most Egyptian costumes have one or two side slits that require delicate maneuvering. You don’t want to step the wrong way and have your dance become a different type of show.

6. Egyptian Music: Egyptian music is in Egyptian. I don’t speak Egyptian. I feel like that speaks for itself.

7. Arm undulations: Arm undulations is a move in tribal style commonly used in slow songs. Such a move does not exist in Egyptian; this is something I fail to remember.

8. Camel vs. camel: There is a move called a camel in Egyptian, and a move called a camel walk in American Tribal Style. I always seem to confuse the two.

9. Smile: Egyptian dancers tend to flash giant smiles during their audience interaction. In American Tribal Style it is encouraged to keep a closed mouth smile. I am good at neither of theses smiles.

10. Authenticity: Tribal style is very new, and very American. Egyptian, on the other hand, has centuries of background and history. You need to know your history if you are to perform Egyptian dance; otherwise the authenticity police will get you.

Are you a dancer who switches between styles? What are your largest difficulties.

Studio Spotlight: Shambling Shimmies School of Belly Dance

From Left to Right: Karen “Amaya”, Jules, Heather, Rachel “Omega” and Inna. 

There are not many places to study belly dance in Gainesville. When I started studying, I had a lot of trouble navigating the different teachers and styles.

So here I am, trying to build a guide of teachers for beginners in Gainesville. 

Shambling Shimmies School of Belly Dance was founded in 2010 by Heather and Jules. While the studio initially taught only tribal and tribal fusion styles of belly dance, it has expanded over the past three years. In 2012 Inna joined the studio’s as an American Tribal Style (Fat Chance Belly Dance format) teacher. In 2013 Rachel “Omega” joined studio to teacher Egyptian style, and Karen “Amaya” joined the studio to teach yoga. 

The studio currently is offering four classes appropriate for beginners: Beginning Belly Dance Sampler on Mondays, Tribal Belly Dance (Shambling Shimmies Style ITS) on Tuesdays, Belly Dance Bootcamp on Thursdays and Belly Dance Party Jam also on Thursdays. Beginners may also join choreography classes (except for the last two weeks of each session, which are reserved for rehearsals). To see when all of the classes are offered visit the studio’s calendar.

There will soon be a few changes to the class schedule you should be warned of. Omega’s last Egyptian class, during which they will be covering veil technique, will be on July 17. Inna’s last ATS class will be on July 25. However the ATS class is currently only open to students with prior ATS experience.

Looking to the future, there will be two new classes offered. There will be an Intro to Tribal class on Fridays starting soon. A new interesting class to look out for will be American Vintage on Wednesdays, starting on the July 24. This class will focus on the American Cabaret stylizations made popular in the 1960s and 1970s. 

If you’d like a preview of the styles of dance covered in Shambling Shimmies’ classes, drop by Satchel’s at 7:30 p.m. on the last Tuesday of every month for a show in Lightnin’ Salvage. 

For more information visit the studio’s website.

 

 

Costuming: Makers Fest & June Satchel’s Shakedown

In the past week I’ve performed at two shows. I performed at Makers Fest on Saturday, and the June Satchel’s Shakedown on Tuesday. Both of the costumes I will be featuring today were guided by other dancers in their creation. Both costumes were for group performances.

Makers Fest

I performed with Najmah Nour and Yerania Valencia. The choreography, “Hypatia’s Veil” was written by Najmah.

Photos courtesy of Yerania Valencia.

We meant for the costuming to be simple. All black underneath, with a veil that matched our fans draped on top, a la Ancient Greece. The main aim; do not distract from the fans.

For my costume:

• Top: I wore a tribal bra I made myself with black brocade fabric and bronze colored chains.
• Bottoms: I wore black flare yoga pants (three weeks after my order I’m still waiting on my dance flares to come in the mail).
• Everything else: I wore veil borrowed from Yerania. She purchased the veil here.

June Satchel’s Shakedown

While I don’t yet have photos of my costume for my tribal solo from Tuesday night, this was my costume for the group piece I was in. I performed with Omega’s Egyptian Style and Technique class. We performed a Sha’abi choreography by Omega.

As for the costume.

• Top: We wore hooded wrap top.s We bought our tops from L. Rose Designs, my fabric was purple metalskin. Underneath the tops we wore black sports bras.
• Bottoms: We wore black flare dance pants.
• Everything else: We wore our hair in two braids, fabric flowers pinned to the left side, silver bangles and silver hoops. We also wore coin scarfs (mine is not pictured as I managed to take it off after the finale).
• Makeup: We followed this lovely YouTube tutorial 

What’s your favorite costume you wore recently?

June Satchel’s Shakedown

There are not many belly Dance shows in Gainesville. Satchel’s Shakedown is one of the few, and it has endured for years.

Satchel’s Shakedown is a monthly show that occurs on the last Tuesday of every month. The show is put on by the Shambling Shimmies School of Belly Dance and is held in the back of the restaurant in Lightnin’ Salvage.

The show at Satchel’s is very casual; where else in town can you eat pizza and watch belly dancing?

The performers range from student to professional. While the show is primarily a showcase for the students of Shambling Shimmies (improvisational tribal, American Tribal Style and modern Egyptian), the show also features guest dancers.

What to expect at this month’s show?

American Tribal Style, Fusion, Improvisational Tribal, Greek, Sha’abi and more!

Come see the show this Tuesday, June 25, at 7:30 p.m.

Peace,

Kali

Here are some photos from last month’s show courtesy of Yerania Valencia.

The Future

Feature photo: The 2013 Shimmy Mob held on May 11. That’s me on the bottom right! Photo courtesy of Allen Finley

I am pleased to finally be writing this first post.

The Saved by the Belly blog (name credit to Joseph Burleson) has been an idea that has been floating around my brain for the past few months. I have wanted a way to both showcase the belly dance scene in Gainesville, Fla. as well as document my own journey as a dancer. This blog is an opportunity that has been provided to me through the Multimedia Writing course I am currently taking at the University of Florida.

This week we hit the ground running.

This blog will document everything belly dance happening in Gainesville through the eyes of a growing dancer. I hope to showcase all studios, teachers, performers, shows and upcoming events in Gainesville.

Looking forward to the near future we’ll be looking at the June Satchel’s Shakedown and the Shambling Shimmies School of Belly Dance. I hope you can join me.

For more information about me, check out my fresh and new About Me page.

If you have any ideas or suggestions for posts, please let me know.

Peace,

Kali

Here’s some Kathak for the road