Thread: ATS...as group (troupe) therapy?

I am considering giving over a good deal of time to learning ATS in my troupe meetings for a time. We seem to have lost a bit of that lovin feelin...and need a way to draw the muse down for a big french kiss. Has anyone used ATS in thier troupes for a trust/team building excersize? What has been your experience if yes?

I have trained in ATS, but never for a trust/team building exercise. Do you intend to perform ATS as a troupe or just learn it because you think it'll bind you closer together? Also, are you trained in ATS, or will you all be learning together?

All learning together. Some are already better schooled in this than others, (not me) and will be leading/teaching until we get more confident as a group. Most of us have been performing together for 4 years now. I wouldnt mind performing this as yet another fruit in our basket, but I dont see it as becoming our primary focus. ( I loves my bugle beads...)

I feel that to do ATS properly and have the full enjoyment that can be had (and there's a lot of fun in doing ATS), one should be interested in doing ATS for its on sake, and excited by the idea of dancing group improv and really enjoy the entire philosophy and esthetic. Part of what I feel makes the bonding in a troupe is a shared "spark." I am not so sure whether using it as a trust building exercise is the greatest idea, unless everybody already has the shared "Hey, that's what inspires me as a dancer." Now, if everybody has the same vision of what they'd like to do - then, yeah, sounds like a grand idea! And, it takes pretty competent leadership, in addition to everybody's commitment, to get the improv to a stage where it really clicks - in my first-hand-experience dabbling in leading a group, when one has to make up things on the fly, and sometimes reverse them, it could be counter-productive for the stated goal.

And, while I can't really say that nicely, somehow, it feels that this is an attempt to make ATS into something that it is not. Of course, I feel everybody should really be excited by and want to do lots of ATS ;-)

I understand your concern. When we had a qualified ATS instructor come to our troupe and give a workshop...and it did create a lot of excitement with most of us (some of us wouldnt get excited if their panties were on fire) We can all see the potential for lots of fun as well as a bonding that just doesnt happen without group improv. ATS just seems to be so good for developing the group dynamic.

Okay so I am a little dense but what is ATS?

No denseness detected...American Tribal Style. An offshoot from Jamilla Shalimpour (70s) who influenced Carolina of Fat Chance Belly Dance (90s) who begot Rachel Brice (2000) who begot tribal fusion solo work and other assorted oddities. It is a shared language of improvisational group dance. Dancers in Ireland can dance with dancers in the U.S...or anywhere. as a group and look good doing it!

Originally Posted by anala

No denseness detected...American Tribal Style. An offshoot from Jamilla Shalimpour (70s) who influenced Carolina of Fat Chance Belly Dance (90s) who begot Rachel Brice (2000) who begot tribal fusion solo work and other assorted oddities. It is a shared language of improvisational group dance. Dancers in Ireland can dance with dancers in the U.S...or anywhere. as a group and look good doing it!

Actually, that's not exactly what I learned: Rachel Brice studied cabaret long before tribal. Then, she became a dancer in Jill Parker's Ultragypsy, the first tribal fusion troupe for a while, before working on her solo career. While Jill was with FCBD, it can be misleading to characterize Rachel Brice as an ATS-offspring without adding a bit more information. (Please forgive me for piping in so peskily, but this is all close to my heart - no personal attack or anything meant, really!!!)

It gets my pantaloons in a bunch when people say "I dance ATS" when they really do some kinda Rachel-Brice-inspired fusion, and don't even know that ATS is group improv, hot button of mine ;-)

It's actually really cool to see old pictures, of Carolena dancing with the troupe of her teacher, Jamila-trained Marsha Archer. They're somewhere on the Gilded Serpent.

The ultimate website is Fat Chance Belly Dance - American Tribal Style ;-) (Carolena Nericcio is my hero.)

Sorry..no offense taken..I am not a prickly sort, so none of you ever need worry on that account. My allergies are kicking my ass...so I forgot a couple of begots in there...but yes...RB is miles removed from ATS at this point I just wanted to show the begots, as they are so interesting as part of our shared history. Pantaloons in a bunch...why, how uncomfortable must that be?

I always thought I needed therapy AFTER being in my tribal group. Ha!

good one!!! *Ba bing**taps high hat with wire wisk*

It's just that when I did it once...actually twice...it was just sooo much damn fun! And the women who were total strangers had an instant bond...

Good on you then. I'm sure you'll enjoy it. Hey learning a new form of dance is always fun!

Other ideas for revitalizing the relationships among the group and creating more of a bond:

• Choose a common goal to work toward, such as preparing to perform in a competition.
• Go on a road trip together, such as performing as a group at Cairo Carnival.
• Book a "spa night" at a local salon with massages, facials, manicures, salt scrubs, pedicures.
• Have a sewing party where the group comes together to make new costume pieces.
• Have a video party. Watch some of your own performances, plus some of famous dancers you admire.

Have a sewing party where the group comes together to make new costume pieces.
Have a video party. Watch some of your own performances, plus some of famous dancers you admire

Great ideas...and those we can afford!

Well, I'd say if one adds the idea of a potluck, a bottle of wine and a bit of chocolate, then a video party and a stitch'n'***** capture the very essence of ATS ;-)

I think, rather than labeling it ATS you could do a follow the leader type exercise. HOWEVER I don't know if it'll bond people together more; it might make some timid people more nervous and shy...not really sure. I vote for bonding oversomething outside of the studio. You could do it at one of your local restaurants or just at home in someone's living room...Getting to know each other, laughing about stories, sharing some good snacks and booze, etc. These are the moments I feel I've bonded most with my dancemates, and that bond is what creates a good troupe dynamic

I think that ATS is a great thing for troupes to learn if you already lean toward tribal or fusion. I love performing ATS and I love learning ATS from qualified instructors, because you always know that you are learning moves and combinations that have been well-considered and experimented with so all of the kinks are already ironed out for use in improv.
You might find that it is therapeutic for your troupe, but I'm not sure if it will help spark creative energy for other types of bellydance, especially choreography in other styles. The vocabulary of ATS is purposefully very limited and stylized to maximize its effectiveness for group improvisation, and those limitations are very helpful at streamlining the style. However, it might be... well... limiting in a creative way as well.
Perhaps I just don't understand what it is that you are looking for-- maybe just nonverbal communication (certainly present in ATS) holds some promise for your troupe, in which case I think you should go for it!
You might also experiment with other methods of group improv. Especially if you don't intend to make this into a performance style, but something you do for fun, a more relaxed and playful modality might be more effective. I once took a workshop with Zafira Dance Co. where they had small groups play out specific dynamics-- for example, in pairs, one person was trying to convice the other to give them something, while the other resisted... You might try to think of scenarios or emotions to play with, put on appropriate music, and just dance. Don't worry about doing the same exact moves, but try to compliment each other. It's a lot of fun! It doesn't translate very well to stage, but it sounds like it would be a great way to brainstorm elements that you could later adapt into choreography.
Good luck!

The Zafira workshop sounds great.
In my troupe Aywah! (the best troupe you've never heard of), we did a number of different Middle Eastern and Balkin dances that used multiple dancers and improv. We would mirror each other in Turkish or playfully trade off a solo with the other dancers encouraging or "knocking" the soloist offstage (sort of like a friendly smackdown!) as well as having partner dances. Working as a team like this did really make us into a little unit. The sewing sessions worked towards this end too.
But if everyone all fired up to learn ATS, it is a great way to find that dance "partner" in a group and feel like you are all working towards one goal.

I agree with the above, and will add:

If it is the group improvisational aspect--releasing the ego and trusting someone else's instincts and artistic choices in the moment--you can do that with whatever style you are dancing now. It need not be ATS. Just a thought.

I agree, though, that if magic and bonding is what you crave, then ATS isn't really a tool for that. It is a full-time discipline and something where if you want to perform it, you will need to be practicing it all the time. Unlike a choreography that you can run through at home, group improv is something that everyone needs to be fully present and committed to at all times to make it come together.

May I add to the other excellent bonding suggestions that Shira had: volunteering together! Spend a day building a house for Habitat for Humanity! Spend a weekend morning making pancakes at a soup kitchen. Dance at a hospital for sick children! There are lots of ways to get that spark back, and dancing another style for a little while isn't the best way I can think of!

i do think that having a guest instructor come in and teach a different style, for a one of workshops, might be a great "this is us" activity for a troupe.. ?

Well..we have had a guest instructors in, and it was a great ATS troupe! What I keep hearing over and over is that one can not "dabble" in ATS, it must be a full time comittment. I am not sure I would agree with that statement. If the troupes expectations are too high, I might, but this would be on the most basic of levels.

i think one can dablle in just about anything. depends on your expectations. over the years i dabled in painting, embroidery, singing, ballet, even poetry.

can i do any of it even a little bit decently?
hell no! i stink at all of those, majorly, but i've had fun trying, and no body got hurt in the process... that's what hobby's are

so your troupe could have some ATS as its "hobby"... will it be any good, probably not, but who cares? as long as you realise your limitations (a.i. dont start performint it etc).

i cant believe all students of ATS "really commit" to it, i bet to many it's also just a dance class, once a week, like oriental bellydance is to others... so why couldnt your troupe have some sessions and enjoy it

i think if what you are looking for is troupe therapy, myself i'd prefer the other activities listed here though,... video nights, spa-day, etc

Originally Posted by anala

Well..we have had a guest instructors in, and it was a great ATS troupe! What I keep hearing over and over is that one can not "dabble" in ATS, it must be a full time comittment. I am not sure I would agree with that statement. If the troupes expectations are too high, I might, but this would be on the most basic of levels.

I think this is a really interesting idea! One of the things I love about ATS is how I'm able to follow another person's decisions, connect directly with their movement. ATS is certainly a difficult dance form though, I agree with the others that just like any other form, it takes years of study and commitment to perfect.

Yeah, I agree with Artemisia. If you are just doing ATS for fun, you can totally dabble in it. However, it's not going to look polished if and when you decide to perform unless you put a lot of time into practicing it. I think a lot of people think that ATS is too easy to take seriously/not a good performance style/not enjoyable to watch because they have never seen a troupe that really takes the time and energy to get their improv "tight" and performance-ready. You should expect to get results consistent with what you put into it, just like anything else-- the only difference being, with solo stuff or group choreography, you can usually go home and practice on your own time to improve, and that's really hard to do with ATS (or other group improv styles).
Honestly, I love watching both great ATS and "bad" ATS as long as the situation is appropriate. I love watching students perform ATS at low-key events, for example, even if they are not super polished. I don't love it quite as much when I see pro troupes stumbling through the moves, staring at the leader and missing each other's cues, but even in that sort of situation I can appreciate their effort because group improv (imo) is HARD!!

Chiming back in:
dabbling for personal, private fun and connection, sure.
dabbling and then performing it, not so much.

dabbling and then performing it, not so much.

We be bad...but we aint that bad (or good!)