Tribalista - About

About

WHAT IS TRIBALISTA?

Tribalista is the business of Fiona MacPherson and has been created to permit both the teaching and performance of Tribal Style Bellydance & Tribal Fusion.

Level 1 classes are strictly based on the BlackSheep BellyDance format created by Kajira Djoumahna of BlackSheep BellyDance, Maui & California USA. Fiona is currently the FIRST & ONLY certified Level 1 teacher of this format and is in the process on gaining her certification for teaching Level 2.

There are several performance troupes within Tribalista.

"Tribalista Chickitas" are a fluid group created (as required) to allow those who are new to performance and will only generally perform at Student events (minimum Level 1 Students).

"Tribalista Sistas" are the Advanced Students - the troupe formerly known as "Tribal Shimmy" - who perform regularly at various events.

"Tribalista Fuse-itas" is a proposed performance troupe for students who take Tribal Fusion choreography classes with Tribalista. This style is a fusion of Tribal Style Bellydance that is blended with other modern dance influences (Hip Hop, Funk, Bollywood, Gypsy, Jazz etc) and is set within unique choreographies.

HISTORY:

Tribalista has been 're-born' in Mid 2006 from a pre-existing student troupe known as 'Tribal Shimmy'. This troupe was formed in 2005 and was sponsored by local Canberra Bellydance School 'Shimmy Bellydance'. Fiona had taught and danced with Shimmy for a number of years and finally decided in 2006 that it was time to move out on her own. Fiona is most grateful for the time she has spent with Shimmy and honours the co-directors, Min & Kirsten for the many great years of dance she shared with them. She give thanks to them for nurturing her while building upon her performance and teaching skills and also for their encouragement to pursue her love of Tribal Bellydance.

AMERICAN TRIBAL STYLE BELLYDANCE - BlackSheep BellyDance Format

This format (and much of this text) has been created by Kajira Djoumahna of Blacksheep Bellydance in Maui, Hawaii USA and Fiona MacPherson has been certified (circa August 2005) by her to teach in this format. It is a fusion of dance styles incorporating bellydance with Indian, Gypsy, African and Flamenco movement. The performance style is structurally improvised and has been specifically developed to permit group performance.

Rooted in the modern fusion style of American Tribal Style Bellydance created by Carolena Nericcio of San Francisco's FatChance BellyDance (FCBD), Kajira studied with Carolena for over eight years before creating her own format in this style. As with the style developed by FCBD, it adheres to the premise that this style is built upon SYNCHRONIZED, SPONTANEOUS GROUP IMPROVISATIONAL CHOREOGRAPHY. Other differences include demeanour, posture, costuming and musical choices.

American Tribal Style (ATS) favors the joyous celebration of strength, mystery and power. Since we are always dancing with at least one other dancer, this style is also characterized by much more interaction between dancers than in other group styles that rely on choreography, and less interaction with members of the audience than in traditional or solo forms.
Because of these fundamental differences, the Tribal Style excels in the development of self confidence, strength, camaraderie, awareness of self and others and being in the moment.

About ATS : A short synopsis by Fiona MacPherson (circa Feb 2006)

American Tribal Style Bellydance is a modern fusion form of bellydance that also incoporates stylistic elements of other ethnic dance styles including (but certainly not limited to) Flamenco and Asiatic Indian dance forms. Created in San Francisco by Carolena Nericcio of FatChance BellyDance in the late 1980's, it is a form of structured improvisational dance in that the dancers 'make up' the flow of movements as they go.

The appointed lead dancer leads the group of dancers through various movements using visual and sometime verbal cues. It has been ingeniously 'purpose built' to highlight the beauty, strength, skill & individuality of each dancer while working collectively within an encouraging group of sister dancers.

Appearing to be older than it is through the use of ethnic costuming elements borrowed from many different cultures it also is just as diverse in its accompanying music style selections, using everything from traditional Middle Eastern to modern global-fusion electronica.

The Evolution of ATS to 'Tribal Style Bellydance' - an opinion (circa May 2006)

The more commonly used terminology now is simply 'Tribal Style Bellydance', dropping the American. This has developed due to some confusion within the community when using the references of American and Tribal together. The usage of the term 'American Tribal' often leads to questions regarding whether it incorporates elements of the Indigenous Native American culture.

This change in terminology also perhaps alludes to the spread of the danceform beyond the American continent and that it is continuously evolving to become such a diverse and broadly orientated dance form influenced by so many. Although we honour its origins and adhere to the basic tenet of ATS in its structure as a danceform based on Group orientated structured improvisational dance.