Thread: ATS & ITS: what's the diff???

Okay, so this weekend I heard a description comparing ATS to ITS (American Tribal Style to Improvisational Tribal Style). Okay, *real* ATS *is* improv. So is the difference that ITS can be done as a soloist?

Help me, Bhuzzers!

Deborah

Caveat- although I have taken a class or 2, I do not DO ATS or ITS. I am just a humble program editor.

By my understanding, ATS is supposed to stick closer to the original Fat Chance vocabulary and styling, ITS is a branch that recognizes ATS as it's roots, but may incorporate other elements as well. For soloists, we generally list folks as tribal style and drop the I/A, but I couldn't tell you why.

AFAIK, ATS is used to describe the Fat Chance style, ITS refers to the other forms of tribal group improv, which may be FCBD offspring or not. In both ATS and ITS, a good dancer can perform as a soloist if it is necessary. Last year, I saw Mimi Fontana do a fantastic ATS solo - she was a teacher at Folktours, and was there all by herself. Since teachers there dance in the show, she did a great performance that maintained the look and feel of ATS beautifully, she just happened to be alone.

And, for example: FCBD = ATS. Black Sheep Belly Dance, who have their own system of group improv, but have some of their roots in FCBD = ITS.

I was taught that the difference is that ATS is codified, cued improv, and it is grounded in a set of particular stylistic elements (usually FCBD-style costuming, ME or Silk Road music, often playing finger cymbals or using traditional belly dance props, etc.). ITS applies the ATS posture and movement vocabulary in whatever way the muse directs the dancer(s). It could be improvised or not, by a soloist or a troupe. It could be the fusion of doing cane-style moves with an umbrella to French vaudeville music while dressed like a zombie, if someone felt that was an artistic message worth presenting. Because ATS evolved from the concept of representing a "lost tribe," it has a lot of what the GP would recognize as "ethnic flavor" (even if it isn't always ethnically consistent flavor). ITS isn't bound by those constraints and can fuse in whatever disparate elements the dancer chooses.

For those who have a bit of extra time and are curious what Carolena Nericcio herself has to say on this potentially confusing issue, here is a link to some fabulous information: Fat Chance Belly Dance Carolena Nericcio

Originally Posted by steffib

For those who have a bit of extra time and are curious what Carolena Nericcio herself has to say on this potentially confusing issue, here is a link to some fabulous information: Fat Chance Belly Dance Carolena Nericcio

Thanks, steffib! Will check it out.

Oh, and thanks to everyone who has responded! (or do I use "that" instead of "who," since no one is named specifically . . . )

Deborah

Originally Posted by Lara L

Caveat- although I have taken a class or 2, I do not DO ATS or ITS. I am just a humble program editor.

By my understanding, ATS is supposed to stick closer to the original Fat Chance vocabulary and styling, ITS is a branch that recognizes ATS as it's roots, but may incorporate other elements as well. For soloists, we generally list folks as tribal style and drop the I/A, but I couldn't tell you why.

Yes, Lara - that's pretty much it! Both ATS and ITS are group improvisational forms of the dance, but ATS refers to the FCBD style as developed by Carolena Nericcio - using their moves, cues and formations. [There have been some developments in this over recent months to include new moves devised by individual troupes, but as I understand it these should still fit the FatChance aesthetic).

ITS is still group improvisation, but has moved away from the FatChance base - it may incorporate other stylings (such as some of the African/more folkloric aspects of Gypsy Caravan improv) and more steps developed by troupes themselves. It may well also incorporate - as do Black Sheep and Gypsy Caravan - leading from both left and right (IN ATS the leader usually positions herself ant front left of the formation as moves are led on the right side of the body).

As far as solos go, it wouldn't be usual for a dancer to take the stage alone, although sometimes this is unavoidable, and the moves she uses then may well be ATS/ITS moves - although there's much debate about whether this is then truly ATS/ITS as the group element is missing. Some troupes do however use solos within a group context - for example using a chorus line to support solo dancers taking centre stage for a short time.

Hope that all makes sense!