The Dance
Oriental Dance/ Raqs Sharqi/ Belly Dance / Egyptian Belly dance
Oriental dance is an umbrella term that encompasses many different dance styles believed to originate from Egypt, as well as from North Africa and the Middle East. The form of oriental dance most commonly referred to in the West is a modernized, theatrical adaptation of Eastern dances, more widely known as belly dance. The dance combines soft and sharp movements and can be elegant, powerful, and emotionally expressive. In Sweden, when we speak of oriental dance, we often think of belly dance from Egypt, but oriental dance includes both more traditional and modern dances from many parts of the Middle East and North Africa.
Oriental dance / belly dance can often be divided into modern styles in which the dancer uses various props, including veils, Isis wings, or fan veils. It can also be divided into more folkloric styles, for example dances performed with finger cymbals (Arabic: sagat) or with a cane.
What is central to oriental dance is Arabic music and its great variety of emotions and rhythms.
Fusion Belly Dance
Fusion Belly Dance (also known as Tribal Fusion Belly Dance) is a dance style that uses Fat Chance Belly Dance Style® and oriental dance as its foundation, while incorporating elements from other dance forms. The style is considered to have been created by Jill Parker (a student of Carolena Nericcio) in the 1990s, but the dancer who undoubtedly brought it to wider recognition was Rachel Brice. With a strong focus on isolation technique and a desire to create art beyond traditional boundaries, the style is innovative and experimental, as it allows dancers to blend almost any movement style with the core technique. Common influences include modern dance, hip hop, locking and popping, and Indian dance (both classical and Bollywood). Elnaz enjoys combining strong isolation technique with soft, flowing movements to create a dance that is dynamic and fluid—always with the intention of reflecting and honoring the music she dances to.
Fat Chance Belly Dance Style®
Fat Chance Belly Dance Style® (formerly American Tribal Style® Belly Dance / ATS®) is a powerful dance form based on Jamila Salimpour’s movement vocabulary, with influences from classical Indian dance and flamenco.
The costumes are composed of a blend of elements from various cultures, for example from Northern India, Afghanistan, and North Africa. With large skirts, belts adorned with camel tassels, cholis, and bindis, both the dance and the costuming convey a sense of history and authenticity. In reality, however, FCBD Style® is one of the newest belly dance styles, having emerged on the U.S. West Coast in the 1980s. Its creator, Carolena Nericcio, was seeking a space in which she could celebrate women and challenge the way women were often portrayed within belly dance styles in the United States during the 1980s. The name Fat Chance Belly Dance originated when she was asked whether she could offer private dances, to which she replied, “Fat chance!”
FCBD Style® is a group dance form in which dancers improvise together using specific formations and a system of silent cues. The result is an exciting and dynamic dance style in which every performance is unique.