Often we do not realize the power that can happen of one little simple thing and the affect it has in our lives. For me I can attest that the one little power for me is dance. Since 2013, I have undergone a amazing transformation. Starting out in a cocoon and emerging into a beautiful, fluttering butterfly. Verbal & Mental abuse eats at your core; chips away at your self- worth, lowering your confidence, sinking and not able to swim. 2013 was the year I changed that and left the life I had known and determined to find something better and live the life I desperately needed and wanted to have.
I am amazed of what I have gone through over the course of the last few years and how far I have come. It is all because of this wonderful power of dance and Gypsy Caravan Style Belly Dance. This dance literally saved my life, my spirit and was always the one and only constant good thing in my life. Working through the pain, hurt and mistrust dancing it all out through my emotions. At times, I sobbed and cried through my dancing and other times I screamed and yelled. This dance made me confident, secure, empowered and beautiful. Being part of a community, pack, group made me feel strong and confident and ready to move forward!
People often discount the true power of dance. I will tell you; I am living proof of what the power of dance can do for a person! If it was not for this dance; I can honestly say I would not be sitting here giving you a brief glimpse of my story. Dance is a meditative and wonderful healing component. All my emotions came out when I was mentally and physically exhausted. Dance carried me; my sister of this dance carried me through every battle, every scare, every insecurity and every scar that was left behind. Today is a new day! I changed my page and changed my story!
I have accomplished things that were only dreams; that are now quickly turning into a reality meeting amazing women. It has taught me how to be courageous, strong, beautiful, hopeful, independent, passionate, loving and the best version of me. I am truly thankful and in awe for all the opportunities, support and love! Dance is in my blood, heart and soul. It is my happy place. The one place where I can be totally and completely me. I am moving on and forward and I cannot tell you how excited I am to see where I will be at the end of my path and my journey! Just by changing my story! Love to you all! Your beautiful and strong women!!
Where am I going in my dance? This was just one of the many entries in my journal and I’m sharing some here for you!! As I look back it is amazing to see where I have ended up and where I am headed! I must say, there has certainly never been a dull moment!
I am moving forward and up with momentum, passion and courage! Grabbing a hold of the reins and saying let’s go! Never looking back. This year I am continuing my dance education, so many good things! Sharing my passion and learning with others! It’s so amazing! Continuing to build a community through my classes and Caravan Project workshops and troupe which is growing!
Being open and honest with my heart open wide and encouraging my dance sisters, students, and friends that they can do whatever their heart desires and being the best that they can!
My passion and giving is my driving force! Building and creating a safe and open, fun loving community! Making my dreams come true!
Over the past few days these words have been at the forefront of my mind. These 3 words have been firing up in my soul. My body and mind have been telling me this is my year to Connect, Create, Celebrate. These are not only my words but, my actions for the year! I am so deeply excited! Connecting with my desires, dreams and intentions. Connecting my body and mind through meditation, dancing and eating healthy; fueling my body. Connecting with my students and sister of dance.
I am creating a plan for my dancing, business and life. Creating movement, creating new opportunities, creating, dreams, desires and creating plans to achieve.
Connecting with my body & mind & soul. Connecting through meditation and relaxation fueling my body, mind and soul! Connecting through the movement of Dance giving joy and piece wishing myself. Connecting with the community, my students through the movements and joy of the dance and music.
Lastly, CELEBRATE! Celebrate my accomplishments no mater how big or small. Celebrate the person and woman I have become. Celebrating my gifts and the characteristics that make me who I am! Celebrating with my family and friends, Celebrating through dance and moving with all of you awesome and wonderful woman!!!
This really makes me excited!! Stay tuned I want to share and connect with you!!! I willl be having a workshop for you! Connect, Create & Celebrate! More information will be coming soon!!
As we close the last page of 2916, what word or words are resonating with you? I would love to hear from you!
I am pleased and honored to announce that I am now officially able to bring you Gypay Caravan Tribal Belly Dance®!
I have been working with Paulette Rees-Denis and I am certified in Collective Soul level 1 in which I completed this summer. It was such an amazing experience! Following immediately, I continued my training and became certified in her Gypsy Caravan Teacher Training Level 1!!
I am really excited to be offering this as I am the only one in Ohio that is certified to bring this specific style to you! I’ve worked really hard and I’m passionate about what I do and I want to give my current students and future students the best of the best classes/instruction and knowledge!
So what is Gypsy Caravan Tribal Belly Dance®?
GCTB is considered fusion that incorporates modern dance styles with middle eastern dance. It is intended to be danced with duets, trios or more it is never intended to be danced alone. GCTB is intended to connect and move with other women. We have a set vocabulary of movement that is done by verbal and non verbal cues! It is fun and physically rewarding in which it consists of earthy sensous movement that is made for women’s bodies. So not only is it fun but it feels good!
Pictured below is Najla with a few of her students Jipse’ Sol’ student troupe at their last performance in Columbus, Ohio:
I offer group classes which currently meet Monday Nights at 8 pm at Dance Magic Studio and Saturday mornings at 10 am at Dance Magic!
Start your New Year right! Join me in class have fun in a warm, friendly and supportive environment! 6 week session $60.00 or 4 week session for $40.00. I also offer a drop in rate of $12.00. What are you waiting for? No more excuses come have fun and do something for yourself! Your Worth it!
Tribal Style Belly Dance has many faces today and it can be quite daunting to figure it all out. We have ATS, Tribal, Tribal Fusion and we can even break it down further by Tribal Goth or even Tribal Steam Punk. As the dance grows the different teachings and formats even emerge which can make it even more confusing. We find ourselves asking ok so were did the base of all of this start? This is what we are going to cover today. So grab a cup of coffee and enjoy immersing yourself in the richness of Tribal Belly Dance!
ATS also Known as AMERICAN TRIBAL STYLE: American Tribal Style started its creation in the mid 1980’s by Carolena Nericcio who started this style and is the founder. Carolena incorporated movements that were inspired by the folkloric dances of not only the Middle East, but India. It is rich in textiles of not only fabric but, jewelry that can be found in North Africa and India.
ATS is improvisational which means nothing is choreographed. This is done by using very natural dance movements and cues that allow the other dancers to follow the leader. ATS is always a group it is never done solo a group is most generally perceived as 3 or more. The cues are what allows the dancers to communicate with each other without talking! How cool is that! Being in the moment is definitely needed and you must be aware at all times. Eventually Carolena’s group became known as FatChance Belly Dance that started in San Francisco and is now known worldwide. So with this said, all and any movements come from Carolena only. ATS is very specific on how you hold your arms and placement of movement and is also right sided. Which means that you dance on the right side only the left hip is often left out. American Tribal Style is not an old dance; it is new hence American. American tribal style is new with an old look and feel. The cues and formations are what make American Tribal Belly Dance the leader is always to the left and the other dancers are to the right so that they can always see the leader and watch as she cues for the next movement.
Carolena started dancing in 1974 with Masha Archer and the San Francisco Classic Dance Troupe. This was a blend of classical Egyptian as well as folkloric. The group broke up and that is when Carolena started teaching on her own. How did the group get coined “FatChance”? This came about when one of the Carolena’s friends played upon the question that we often get about getting a private show. The answer would be:”Fat Chance for a private show.” Fat Chance Belly Dance is known worldwide today and is trademarked and a style that will stay for many years to come. This is what we know as American Tribal Style today, but there where others before FatChance Belly Dance such as Jamilah Salimpour and Masha Archer. Jamilah Salimpour and Morocco. Morocco was the one who named it American Tribal based on a fusion more Westernized and not based on one folkloric style. Jamilah Salimpour was the originator of this style along beside her troupe Bal Anat. Her approach was more fusion and was often found dancing at Ren Faires. She did not tie herself to just one style but, wanted to show others that there were many styles.
Tribal Style Bellydance: Tribal Belly Dance this is were it becomes tricky. First of all most of the Tribal dancers began dancing with Jamilah Salimpour, Masha Archer and Carolena. They all eventually branched out a created tribal belly dance but their own style. Tribal Belly Dance is a collection of ATS along with other forms. Tribal is more of a general term and quite alot can fall from it. Tribal is more relaxed and can very more of a anything goes. Tribal is a fusion of ATS but, it is not considered fusion. Tribal belly Dance still does go by some cues and may have some formations it is more about the look and feel. Tribal Style stems from ATS and alot of the Tribal Dancers such as Paulette Rees Denis started with ATS before coming up with her own style of Tribal Belly Dance known as Gypsy Caravan Style. The movement and vocabulary may be similar to ATS but in tribal you will see that it is different it comes about on technique and execution along with posture and placement being different as well as using both the right and left hip in tribal. If you take a ATS class and then a tribal class you will find it somewhat confusing as to the movements are similar but cues and posturing and even names are different. This can be very challenging to say the least. Music is different too. In tribal all different rhythms and timings are used such as very slow, slow medium, fast and very fast. In regards to Fat Chance they use slow or fast. In ATS it is very apparent that there are movement for fast music and slow music only which means you can not do a fast movement to a slow piece or vice versa. In Tribal the movement is based on the rt hymn and timing of music. Also know in FatChance Belly Dance the use of zills are a must as you will see in the video below.
Tribal Fusion: Tribal fusion can be choreographed or improv or have a mix of both. Tribal fusion can be done as a group or soloist. Tribal fusion is the most modern form very westernized. Tribal fusion came from ATS and Tribal Belly Dancers. Rachel Brice a tribal fusion dancer started out with Jamilah Salimpour and Carolena before coming up with her own format and style. It can involve Cabaret and American Night club dancing with other influences in the mix such as Indian, Flamanco and African Fusion as well as modern day dances. This is where hip hop falls into place as well as steam-punk and Gothic because it is fused with belly dance so its a fusion a collection of more then one dance form. Tribal fusion is general and a catch all this is why it becomes tricky and is not as defined.
Out of all of these you now have East Coast Tribal, Urban Tribal, Triberet, Combo based Tribal and Alternative Belly Dance or Alternative Tribal. Wow is your head spinning yet? I am not going to talk about any of these the 3 major important ones are up above. To make a long story short without ATS Fat Chance Belly Dance, Gypsy Caravan Tribal Style and Tribal Fusion would not be around. ATS is the root of all of these styles. You will see below how each one is very different and I hope you now have a better understanding of Tribal Belly Dance.
Often we do not realize the power that can happen of one little simple thing and the affect it has in our lives. For me I can attest that the one little power for me is dance. Since 2013, I have undergone a amazing transformation. Starting out in a cocoon and emerging into a beautiful, fluttering butterfly. Verbal & Mental abuse eats at your core; chips away at your self- worth, lowering your confidence, sinking and not able to swim. 2013 was the year I changed that and left the life I had known and determined to find something better and live the life I desperately needed and wanted to have. 
