This is going to be the first post about my "10 things I love about ..." series. I decided to write down the things that I love doing and point out the most special. Why 10? Seemed like a nice number. Probably there can be many more, like 20, or 30 things for some. But lets stick to the top 10!
So here we go! Tribal Fusion. It is a dance style where east and meets with modern and traditions, masculine and feminine, limits and limitless. Tribal referres to tribal bellydance style that was created in USA in 60s. And fusion means that you can fuse any other dance style into it. You can read more about it if you use google! or search some famous dancers on youtube (like Rachel Brice, Zoe Jakes, Mardi Love, Mira Betz, Unmata would be a good start). The dance style has existed less than 20 years, so its really new. And sometimes if somebody asks, try to explain the dance style and then add: "I don`t know what it is, but its really cool"! Here is a small documentary film created by Manca Pavli, "What is Tribal Bellydance"
I am not going to talk about what is tribal fusion in my opinion or what does it mean to me. Instead I am going to list some things a love about it!
1. Freedom.
It gives me freedom to choose. To choose the theme, music, story, costume, make up. When I used to dance Egyptian cabaret bellydance, I usually picked arab music and really pretty sparkly bellydance costume. And there is nothing wrong with it! It is perfectly fine and I still love cabaret costumes and those fabulous dancers. But when I started dancing tribal fusion, a whole new world opened up to me. I can choose whatever music I like: arab, electronical, balkan, dubsteb, instrumental, pop song and so on. I can wear sparkly things and rhinestones and next day i can wear shorts and paint half of my face black. For example. I haven`t done it, but hey, its an idea!
2. F for fusion.
Fusion in tribal fusion means that you can fuse different dance styles into your style. Some often fused dance styles are: classical indian dances, contemporary, hip-hop. If you see a performance you never know what to expect. There are dancers who have danced ballet since they were 2 years old and the way they use it to fuse tribal fusion is breathtaking. And next performer can fuse tribal fusion with charleston and next one with breakdance. And this is what makes this dance style very interesting to watch and dance.
3. I still know nothing.
I have danced bellydance 10 years, and tribal fusion 5 years from it. And there is still so much to learn! I love going to the studio and start exploring. And I like drilling technique that i already know and find out that I didn`t know anything about it. I love taking classes and workshops from other dancers to find out stuff that I didn`t know before.
4. Community
Since the dance style is not very new, our dance community is not very big. And everybody seems to know everybody, which makes us a one big family! Squeeeeee!
5. Technique
Tribal fusion, like any other dance style is based on technique. And we, tribal fusion dancers shure like to drill our technique to perfection. At least I do:). There are some periods when I don`t drill my technique that much, like all that 3 weeks of summer here if we are lucky. But even a short period of time can affect your technique. And not in a good way.
Liquid arms, waves, and ooey gooey hips. Sharp locks and hits and pops. Tribal fusion has a big variety of different movements. I know that bellydance might not be as popular as hip-hop or dancehall or contemporary, but all those styles have hip figure of eights or arm waves and many more that also bellydance have. So actually all those dance styles and many more have so much in common with bellydance. Sometimes I feel like I have so big advantage in my hip-hop class, since we tribal fusion dancers drill so heavily all our technique.
6. Teachers and mentors
Since every tribal fusion dancer has her/his own unique style, Im lucky to have so many amazing teachers and mentors in my dance life. And all of them have influenced my style and my life as a dancer in a different way. I am going to name a few who I can truly call my biggest influences.
Mira Betz has teached me how to find myself as a dancer. How to find my unique style and how to be a better performer.
Zoe Jakes was THE dancer thanks to who I found tribal fusion and fell in love with it. Thanks to her I love drilling and work hard to be better every day.
7. Confidence
I wasn`t a popular girl in highschool. I always wanted attention and wanted to be seen, but never wasn`t really confident about myself. But I guess dancing in a bra in front of a group of people shure can help lift your confidence! Now, after dancing more than 10 years and after many performances here and abroad, I can say I AM AWESOME! I am confident, beautiful and I know what I want!
8. Costumes and make up
As I`ve said before - I am a woman and i like stuff! Pretty stuff! Excpensive stuff! Tribal fusion has given me opportunity to have more of that:D. Antique assuit, antique jewelry, pretty skirts and belts and bras. Give me more! And, all of your costumes don`t have to cost much! In my latest choreo I wore just shorts and bra and a some ribbons around my arm and leg. Yay!
And you can just go crazy with your make up. Usually I do really dark eyes and add a lot of glitter! ohh do I hear envy my dear non bellydance readers?
9. Travelling
Thanks to dancing I have been able to travel so much! Going to dance festivals or teaching has taken me to USA, UK, France, Spain, Italy and many other places in Europe. And travelling I love indeed!
10. Friends
Most of my closest friends right now are also dancers. But thats totally understandable since my life is dancing. Besides my dear Estonian friends, I have met so many awesome people abroad which Im really thankful for. You make my life amazing!
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