Thread: Tribal Family Tree...

I am writing an article about Tribal style for a German magazine.

Kind of a "help for the style-confused".
As part of this I am drawing a family tree to show where influences came from and where they went to.

Now what I need are some names of ATS groups that came out of Caroleena's school and still do "old school" ATS.

And is it safe to say that Tribal Fusion is a product of the SF Bay Area as well? (which of course spread around the world later...)

I might have more questions as I am writing.
And I will post a picture of the family tree for your corrections or inputs later on.

Thanks in advance

MEISSOUN

I haven't seem them lately, but Gypsy Caravan has always been "old-school" tribal. Also Tribalation! Both of these groups are in Oregon. http://www.gypsycaravan.us and http://www.sabinedance.com/abouttribalation.html

Do you have access to a copy of the Tribal Bible? That would be a good starting point. Also, you might ask this on Tribe. Many more tribal dancers hang out over there and it has an ATS, FCBD, and general tribal group.

Who is defined as "old school" seems to be a point of contention in the tribal world right now. Some argue that it is anyone doing group improvised choreography while others claim that it has to be the FCBD style to be authentic ATS. FCBD and Megha's Devyani are the only ones I can think of who inarguably fit into the latter definition.

...click on Jamila Salimpour (Suhaila's mom) for additional/more historical perspective of tribal...Especially the history of BAL ANAT from the 60's & 70's

Originally Posted by meissoun

I am writing an article about Tribal style for a German magazine.

Kind of a "help for the style-confused".
As part of this I am drawing a family tree to show where influences came from and where they went to.

Now what I need are some names of ATS groups that came out of Caroleena's school and still do "old school" ATS.

And is it safe to say that Tribal Fusion is a product of the SF Bay Area as well? (which of course spread around the world later...)

I might have more questions as I am writing.
And I will post a picture of the family tree for your corrections or inputs later on.

Thanks in advance

MEISSOUN

Kajira and Black Sheep would you say they count as "old style"?
And you could go back to Bal Anat...
Yes Tribal Bible is indeed what it says.

Meissoun, my dear lady I would be very grateful if your article might be submitted not just to a German magazine...any chance to the UK one which I'm editor of??? pretty please Sounds interesting

In the beginning was Maya Archer, who begat Jamila Salimpoor, who begat Carolena Nerechio, who begat Fat Chance BellyDance, who begat Gypsy Caravan.

All roads lead there. Actually, I'm not too sure about the Maya Archer, Jamila S, who came first. And Maya may have been Carolena's teacher. Other than, I think it's safe to say that all the other derivatives of tribal came from there, including tribal fusion as practiced by the Indigo, of Rachel Brice fame. Rachel openly acknowledges Carolena as a teacher and a mentor, as well as Suhaila Salimpoor.

Other fusionists who started out as ATS are Jill Parker, Ultra Gypsy and Heather Stants Urban Tribal (I might have her last name wrong), both direct their own companies and have been quite influential, Melodia (of the pants) originally designed them while dancing with Heather and Urban Tribal.

I second the recomendation of the Tribal Bible, has a lot of the early history in it.

When it comes to who Carolena learned from (Masha Archer) and how she developed Fat Chance's signature style, it is safest to go back to the source: www.fcbd.com - the "About" section has an excellent article by Rina Rall.

Originally Posted by kina

In the beginning was Maya Archer, who begat Jamila Salimpoor, who begat Carolena Nerechio, who begat Fat Chance BellyDance, who begat Gypsy Caravan.

who begat me! Lucinia ,r:; who is still deciding if she wants to start her own tribal group......

Originally Posted by kina

In the beginning was Maya Archer, who begat Jamila Salimpoor, who begat Carolena Nerechio, who begat Fat Chance BellyDance, who begat Gypsy Caravan.

I believe it was slightly different: Jamila Salimpour taught Masha Archer, who in turn taught Carolena Nericcio.

From what I understand, the Tribal Fusion movement was largely influenced by former Fat Chance dancer Jill Parker (Ultragypsy) - to a much larger degree than is commonly acknowledged. And, Rachel Brice (after starting out in oriental) took classes and joined the troupe of Jill Parker for a while. If one watches the old Fat Chance tapes, FC (and in particular Jill) do what is now often consisdered the Rachel-Brice-signature laybacks. And, as I understand, a lot of the elements now used in fusion costuming, e.g. the yarn fringe belts over pants, was very early on seen on Ultragypsy.

Originally Posted by steffib

From what I understand, the Tribal Fusion movement was largely influenced by former Fat Chance dancer Jill Parker (Ultragypsy) - to a much larger degree than is commonly acknowledged. And, Rachel Brice (after starting out in oriental) took classes and joined the troupe of Jill Parker for a while. If one watches the old Fat Chance tapes, FC (and in particular Jill) do what is now often consisdered the Rachel-Brice-signature laybacks. And, as I understand, a lot of the elements now used in fusion costuming, e.g. the yarn fringe belts over pants, was very early on seen on Ultragypsy.

Yes, that is what I have heard about Jill Parker as well. She broke away from Fat Chance to pursue an alternative version of tribal. Apparently, she really shocked the dance community at Rakkassah the year after she decided to go solo when she came out in her more revealing costume. That was very pre-Kama Sutra and Kaya and Sadie! A lot of ATS dancers were offended and felt that she was insulting Carolena by developing her own style.

My dance teacher was familiar with Jill Parker because she taught a workshop in Chicago where my teacher learned tribal dance several years ago. She wasn't familiar with Rachel Brice at all. When we showed her a BDSS video, her reaction was, "What's the big deal? She looks like Jill Parker."

Thanks for all the infos and tips. Yes of course, Jill Parker!
Is it safe to say that she is the main initiator of Tribal Fusion?
Also, would you agree that the first style to fuse with gothic was first fused with "normal" bellydance (be it American / Egyptian / Turkish style) and only later with Tribal fusion?

Somehow I got the impression, that it's quite easy to trace the roots of ATS - Jamila>Marsha>Caroleena but then it starts to get a bit con-fusing....

Thanks for any further ideas.

I have the Tribal Bible, I just wonder if I will find the time to read it in the next 2 weeks.

Oh and as for an English translation: Let me ask the editor of Bastet magazine if she's fine with it (normally she has a rule that an article can not be published elsewhere for 2 years).

MEISSOUN

Originally Posted by meissoun

Thanks for all the infos and tips. Yes of course, Jill Parker!
Is it safe to say that she is the main initiator of Tribal Fusion?
Also, would you agree that the first style to fuse with gothic was first fused with "normal" bellydance (be it American / Egyptian / Turkish style) and only later with Tribal fusion?

Somehow I got the impression, that it's quite easy to trace the roots of ATS - Jamila>Marsha>Caroleena but then it starts to get a bit con-fusing....

Thanks for any further ideas.

I have the Tribal Bible, I just wonder if I will find the time to read it in the next 2 weeks.

Oh and as for an English translation: Let me ask the editor of Bastet magazine if she's fine with it (normally she has a rule that an article can not be published elsewhere for 2 years).

MEISSOUN

Hi Meissoun,

Stephanie Barto was with Fat Chance and then moved to Chicago and started Read My Hips, an ATS troupe whose early membership included Heather Stants of Urban Tribal (which was ATS to start with.)

Megha Gavin studied with Fat Chance and then moved to New Orleans and started n.o.madic Tribal, and then moved again and started Devyani, both ATS troupes.

Quinn Donovan studied with Fat CHance and danced in Third Tribe and upon her move to Bend, OR, formed Gypsy Fire (another ATS troupe).

And last on my list (though certainly not last in this category--I'm sure there are many more dancers and troupes to be named) Adriene Rice, a former FCBD member moved to Seattle and formed Troupe Hipnotica.

Oh, yes and yes to your first two questions.

That's a nice synopsis, is there more to add now? Would love an infographic on this... "Tribal Tree"

Originally Posted by ReneeD

Hi Meissoun,

Stephanie Barto was with Fat Chance and then moved to Chicago and started Read My Hips, an ATS troupe whose early membership included Heather Stants of Urban Tribal (which was ATS to start with.)

Megha Gavin studied with Fat Chance and then moved to New Orleans and started n.o.madic Tribal, and then moved again and started Devyani, both ATS troupes.

Quinn Donovan studied with Fat CHance and danced in Third Tribe and upon her move to Bend, OR, formed Gypsy Fire (another ATS troupe).

And last on my list (though certainly not last in this category--I'm sure there are many more dancers and troupes to be named) Adriene Rice, a former FCBD member moved to Seattle and formed Troupe Hipnotica.

Oh, yes and yes to your first two questions.

Originally Posted by meissoun

Also, would you agree that the first style to fuse with gothic was first fused with "normal" bellydance (be it American / Egyptian / Turkish style) and only later with Tribal fusion?

The gothic subculture is a lot older then people realize. I was informed once by Tempest that gothic bellydance and tribal fusion bellydance developed concurrently (as opposed to developing out of TF) so of course originally it would have been more traditional styles since Tribal Fusion either didn't exist yet or was relatively unknown.

A dancer in NZ I know, who is also a Goth, was doing Gothic-inspired BD performances at Goth events from about 1998 I think. She had no idea she was participating in some kind of world movement at the time - like Tempest, she was just doing one thing she loved in a way that worked well with another thing she loved that was a key element of her life.