What is Belly Dance?

Belly dance is a modern dance form performed for the stage, community use or personal use inspired by ancient secular, religious, classical, and folkloric dance forms of the Middle Eastern, Central Asian, North African, and Indian peoples. The word belly dance is the English equivalent to "la danse du ventre", a French term used by colonialist points of view to describe the undulating, and often rhythmically complex pelvic and lower trunk movements by women of the aforementioned cultures. Dance anthropologists and scholars concur that this dance form was originally a dance of birth, finding its origins in the earliest humans settling in the fertile crescent of the current Middle East. The early primitive dances developed into complex rites of power, fertility and communion with Nature and Goddess which were deeply imbedded in the practice of Goddess Religion and the structure of social organization for thousands and thousands of years in multitudes of cultures. The dance itself over time has been affected by politial, social, material and environmental forces again and again accompanying it on a tremendous journey through prestige, shame, divinity and profanity. Variations of a belly dance have been found in cultures all over the world and amazingly it still retains its powerful appeal to women of all ages, cultures and means whether or not it is socially taboo or not. Today it is practiced by many different people for many different reasons and has been influenced and shaped by current political, social, and religious forces to offer us a dance as spiritual practice whose empowerment, strength and community for women is returning with unprecedented force. There are many different styles of Belly Dance performed today.

Do I have to have a dance background to take these classes?

No, A classical (ballet) background may be helpful. However Heavy Hips offers a supportive and disciplined approach to Middle Eastern inspired dance which makes it attainable for all. In a safe and positive learning environment you will learn to use your body safely, efficiently and correctly and gain a basic dance discipline that will serve you in any dance or movement study. Level 1 is truly an entry level course.

Isn't this dance only for young and thin women?

No, this dance offers physical strength, mental discipline, spiritual inspiration and community for all of us; young, old, rich, poor, large, small, gay or straight, pink to black. My classes strive to be inclusive of everyone.

Is this a dance of sexual display?

I am not teaching striptease or erotic dance, nor is dance inspired by the cultures of the Middle East, N.Africa, India or Central Asia, essentially a wiggling and gyrating movement for the purpose of a titillating sexual display. The meaning of all dance is incredibly complex taking into account its context, origins, the need, wants and histories of those dancing and those watching the dance, and the political, social and religious forces which background their existence. Its a terrible stereotype that belly dance has been reduced in both perception and unfortunately sometimes in practice to simplistic erotic dance by women for the pleasure of men. Sensual this movement is yes, but powerfully so as an in reclaiming the wisdom, strength and creative power of birth and the ability to nurture and bring forth life in all its meanings. I teach movement that allows women to define what is strong and beautiful or sensual by their own criteria. This is dance as a spiritual practice using mental and corporal discipline to interpret an ancient movement into a relevant contemporary practice for women.

What is Tribal Style Belly Dance?

Tribal Belly Dance is a Western style of Belly Dance derived/fused primarily from the dance/troupe style of Jamila Salimpour in the 70's. This style of dance fuses various folkoric and contemporary dance movements of multiple countries from the MIddle East, as well as a mix of music, often preferring acoustic instruments, authentic tribal songs or tribal sounding songs, but now in the past few years incorporating alot of the world trance and world beat music. This dance style also prefers group choreography but includes solo work with props, like swords, trays, pots, goblets, canes etc. Dances include inspiration from Moroccan, Tunisian, Egyptian, Turkish, East Indian, and Arabian folkloric and modern dance and is more often than not danced from a flat footed position. My first teacher Rossah and her troupe "Hand of Fatima" performed Tribal Style Belly Dance. Group dances in this style are choreographed and not improvised on the spot and zill work is usually a staple of these dancers. The costuming for this style leans towards using tribal cultural influences, preferring natural fibers, rich earth toned colours, lots of black, lots of layering - sometimes more body coverage, and traditional silver jewelry from India ,Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, N.Africa and the Arabian penisula. Tribal Style may also still be used (erroneously I believe) to describe folkloric and ethnographic dance from the aforementioned cultures, which would be correctly identified as Traditional Folkloric or Ethnographic Dance. I think Hahbi Ru, the new Bal Anaat and Ahwah! are wonderful examples of dance that fuses folkoric dance and modern belly dance styles, aka Tribal Style Belly Dance. Heavy Hips, Gypsy Caravan, In Fusion, Awalim, Kafira, and Domba also perform in this style.

What is American Tribal Style?

ATS or American Tribal Style is a western innovation, highly stylized form of belly dance where the dancers improvise their unified group movement sequences utilizing a leader and follower positions and unspoken physical cues. There is no set choreography per se, anything can and does happen. The leader can change the movement at any time and the focus is on the relationships between the dancers, their interpretation of the music and what they want to create together. In order for this leading and following to be successful and appear seamless, a group must have a set repertory of movements and cues which they have all strongly internalized in the same manner. Stylistically, ATS favors and open uplifted torso, hand floreos, flamenco and ballet arm accompaniments to sublte and specific hip and foot movements. Choreography is rarely used, improvisation is the backbone of ATS and while solos may be a part of a set, group dances are the norm. Costuming consists of a fusion of folkloric elements, again favoring natural fibers and rich earth toned colors. Elements include most noticably the backless choli and full skirt over pantaloons, hipscarfs, tassels, coins, cowrie shells and ethnic jewelry from the Middle East, N.Africa and Central Asia. Music tends to be folkloric but can also include contemporary world fusion. Caroleena Nericcio of Fat Chance Belly Dance has been the initial creative force behind ATS defining this style more specifically from the Salimpour inspired Tribal Style. The nomenclature "American" is a loving and respectful gestures on the part of dancers in the US to acknowledge that these styles of dance and dress are "born" and influenced by Western values and cultures and are not authentically representative of the Middle East, N.Africa, India or Central Asia, but rather are inspired by dance and music of those cultures and regions. The mothership of this form is Fat Chance Belly Dance, inspiring Heavy Hips, Devyani, Gypsy Caravan, In Fusion and Black Sheep Belly Dance all who incorporate ATS in their performances.

What is Tribal Fusion or Ethno Fusion Belly Dance? Urban Tribal?

I think these new terms are attempting to describe the exploratory and creative fusion that is taking place primarily in California, but in other states as well, which are dance forms fusing Modern, Theatrical, Jazz, Hip Hop,Bhangra movements and ATS stylings with contemporary belly dance and folkloric dance movements. This type of movement would most certainly not be classified as Middle Eastern Dance, nor strict ATS, but does retain the influence of movement from classical belly dance. Dances are choreographed for the group or soloist. Music for these dance styles is often fusion as well incorporating trance, world fusion, electronica, and jazz with arabic, north african or east indian musical elements. Dress for these dance styles can be just about anything as the style is so free and open. Good examples of this form would be Urban Tribal Dance Co., Ultra Gypsy, Desert Sin, Rachel Brice and Indigo, The Devs, Elena Lentini of NY and the majority of Tribal Style Dance Groups offer Tribal Fusion numbers.

What is World Belly Dance?

This is my term currently to categorize a group of dancers who are exploring the connections and fusions of Belly Dance with traditional ethnic dance forms such as Flamenco, Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Bhangra, and Central Asian dance. Dalia Carella of New York, comes to mind and does the entire Hindi Cinema dance culture which fuses Belly Dance and Bharatanatyam and Jazz. Devyani, Colleen, and perhaps Rina Rall's belly dance styles also Unmata, Boom Boom Bollywood, Atash Maya choose to mix traditional ethnic dances with modern belly dance. I often choreograph movements with Flamenco arm patterns, Bharatanatyam poses and mudras or Central Asian arm patterns. This is a new trend as many contemporary belly dancers are drawn to explore these older traditional dances and their disciplined forms and practice, realizing the connections between cultures of nomadic peoples and the ever constant patterns of colonialism, migration and cross cultural pollination.

What is Cabaret, Classical, Modern and Egyptian Belly Dance?

This is the classical belly dance that has evolved primarily from the performance traditions of Egypt, Turkey and other metropolitan centers of the Middle East. It is a highly stylilzed dance form, expressive, lyrical and choreographed to the beautiful full sound of orchestrated Arabic music. The professional cabaret dance itself is usually performed solo and showcases different rhythms throughout one piece of music including an improvisational section. For example the dancer has an entrance, a veil dance, a slow taxeem, a drum solo and then a finale all in one piece of music. For a second set she may do a more folkloric style piece, like a cane dance, a turkish 9/8, or perhaps with a balancing prop. The costumes are very elaborate and showy, lots of sequence, glittery, sheer fabrics, beads, very sexy and most often danced in high heels. It is a contemporary form as well in that it developed from the big band, and early theatre era in metropolitan areas with a significant foreign population along with locals. But its roots lie in the folkloric and ethnographic styles of village life century upon century. Belly Dance in the home and non professional settings for weddings, seasonal celebrations, national and even religious holidays is danced by all of the women, not just professional dancers. Grandmothers, sisters, mothers and daughters can all wrap a scarf around their hips and shimmy their pelvis and shoulders, supported and loved by their circle of family and friends. This is the dance that exists from the earliest beginnings of human society where all women were the manifest present of Goddess on Earth. All of the fusion and western styles of belly dance owe their inspirations from this lineage as well. Suhaila Salimpour, Dehlilah, Susanna Del Vecchio, Nana Candelaria, Shareen El Safy, Sahra Kent, Cassandra, and Aziza are excellent examples of Modern and Classical style Belly Dance. See the following websites which have excellent information on the origins of belly dance; joyofbellydancing.com, bdancer.com, shira.net, bellydance.org.

I've danced with other teachers before, why do I have to begin at Basics Level One?

Heavy Hips is committed to raising the technical standard of movement typically referred to as belly dance. The format is methodically organized with technique and repertory for 4 levels of study. Until you learn the physics and nomenclature of Level One you cannot be successful in Level Two and so on. Don't worry, I am serving you and am happy to advance you to the level that is right for you to attain success.

How long will it take for me to advance to Basics Level Two and so on?

Most folks take the Level One class an average of 4 times, which is about an 8 month investment. It is very important to internalize the technique and repertoire of Level One before adding more. You don't want the stress and challenge of expanding until you've successfully imbibed the fundamentals, it would be like trying to juggle six balls before you're consistent with juggling three. Level Two is where the strong foundation for precision technique is established - I have students that study here between 1 year to 3 plus years. Level Two can keep those folks who just want to have fun and dance with a circle of women completely satisfied without a need to push harder. Entrance into Level Three rarely occurs before 2 years of consistent weekly technique classes of Level One and Level Two. In general folks who study at Level Three and Level Four are pursuing a serious discipline of dance technique and repertoire who rarely miss classes and dance consistently twice a week. The study of dance should not be about ego or competitiveness and in fact can be incredibly healing and freeing when one lets go into the mentality of " I'm just learning - I'm a beginner". That freedom to feel worthy and be a beginner is very rare in our culture.

I started at Level One with someone and they advanced to Level Two before me, why?

We all learn differently and at different paces. That does not make someone fundamentally superior to someone else. Remember you are here for you and you want to be working in the level that that you can attain rousing success! Your entrance to the next community of dance is contingent on mastery of the technique and movement repertoire of each level, never by random chance or arbitrary choice. There is no gain for me in holding you back. Please read the Heavy Hips policy page where the protocols for advancement are clearly explained.

How long will it take until I'm ready to perform?

This also will be different for everyone, however as a general rule of thumb, you can show your family and close friends what you can do at any time you feel comfortable. Formal performance readiness occurs sometime around the 2 year mark of consistent weekly practice with a qualified teacher and with your teachers encouragement that you are ready for public performance. Historically I've invited anyone who's been in my Level Two class for a minimum of 1 year to dance in a local low brow parade following myself or a principal dancer in a Level One Repertoire improv moving down Pacific Garden Mall. This is usually the first time "out" publicly for any of the dancers and while a little scary is a very safe and fun environment where there is no pressure to "perform" on stage. Student salons or student nights are also opportunities for teachers and their students to share with family and friends the skills and accomplishments of our various level classes. In general I support the presentation of a dancer on a professional level somewhere around the 3-4 year mark of consistent study with multiple master teachers and long term training with an accomplished instructor.

I only want to dance, why do I have to learn drum rhythms too?

Drum rhythms are an essential and integral part of the history of belly dance recent, ancient and prehistoric. If you don't understand the rhythms and general rhythm theory, you won't understand the dance. These rhythms come from the daily life of people as do our dances, its like our heartbeats; vital and indispensable. Furthermore you will not be able to communicate with the musicians and there is nothing comparable to dancing with live music to bring home the importance of being in the now. You don't need to become a professional or even amateur level drummer, we teach dancers the rhythms by singing them as well as playing them and basic rhythm theory/intro to zills class is the prerequisite to advance to Level Two.

Can women be professional drummers?

Absolutely and they should pursue it with enthusiasm if they so desire. There is much historical precedence for women drummers and percussionists all over the world in many cultures and I strongly encourage women to drum. If you are interested in pursuing drumming please read Layne Redmonds book, "When the Drummers Were Women".

Can men do belly dance?

Yes, absolutely and men have their own dances as well all over the Middle East, N.AFrica, Central Asia and India. However all teachers may not have their classes or troupes open to men. I currently offer a "woman only space", because most of the other teachers in Santa Cruz offer classes to both men and women. If you are a man in Santa Cruz who wants to study belly dance, please contact me and I can refer you.

Is this dance safe?

Dance is an aerobic exercise that demands physical stamina, muscle control and strength, and cardio vascular health. Any health issue internal or external is the responsibility of the student and her doctor. However, the culture of Heavy Hips Tribal Belly Dance will certainly change your inner world of mind, body, spirit forever, and so yes this dance may be dangerous to low self esteem, poor body image, sluggish spiritual practice, unopened minds, or unintegrated body, minds and souls!