Tribal Fusion

So after my last post I thought I'd introduce you to Tribal Fusion bellydance, which is a contemporary style that evolved from Tribal and is similar aesthetically but much more open. There are no rules in Tribal Fusion - it can be performed solo or in a troupe and there's more room to experiment with music, which makes for some incredible dancing but admittedly some really awful stuff as well. For this post, however, I'll focus on the dancers I love who perfom in this style, and there's none better than the divine ladies from San Francisco troupe The Indigo.  Here are some clips of them performing at Tribal Fest 9, which is exactly what it sounds like. I've included a solo by Rachel Brice who is an incredibly beautiful dancer (pictured) with an astounding mastery of the slinky, serpentine movements that define this style, and two clips of the three girls of The Indigo, Rachel, Zoe Jakes and Mardi Love, performing together in choreographed pieces. If you think you're not really into bellydancing, watch these videos and tell me you still feel the same way.

The Indigo

In both a personal and an artistic sense I am very inspired by bellydance at the moment. The drums, the zills, the movements, the costumes; I love everything about it.  And of course, the women who do it professionally are some of the most exquisite creatures you will ever lay eyes on, as you will see if you scroll down a bit. The dance also has it's roots in Gypsy culture, with its bare feet and bellies, lavish jewellery, feisty matriarchs and loose morals. How can one resist? I share with you here some images of the women responsible for my obsession with bellydance, the incomparable Rachel Brice and Zoe Jakes of The Indigo (click on images for enlargements). Enjoy.