Tribal Belly Dance

Tribal Belly Dance is a beautiful dance art that any woman can learn as a performance art and/or a personal practice for her own fitness and well being. It increases both strength and flexibility in the body, and can be a meditative practice for reconnecting with self and shifting or letting go of stress and tensions.

I am teaching Tribal Belly Dance in Nelson because I’m passionate about this dance that has brought so much into my life – increased strength and flexibility in my body, but also more confidence in myself and enjoyment of my own feminine nature. I have a practice I can play with alone for myself, and I can dance with any other Tribal Belly Dancers spontaneously whenever we are together. I find it hard to express in words how deep the bonds can go when you take the risk of performing together, putting yourself out there, not knowing exactly what will happen, but being able to trust that your sisters are there in support!

Dressing up, choosing your groups look and costuming, jewellery and music is all part of the fun. After the 10 weeks of classes, I hope that everyone will be inspired to create their own costumes and we will have a get together to work on them. When I started Belly Dancing many years ago, I never wanted to perform as I found the style of dance and costume a little too provocative for me to feel comfortable. However the Tribal Belly Dance style is much more dignified and gracious, more powerful I think, even though we still get to shimmy and shake our wonderful womanly hips! We also learn a moving meditation that connects us to all the women we dance with, and when I perform I like to start with this – it immediately takes me to a calm and centred place where I think of all the other women around the globe who dance this tradition and I feel wonderfully supported. 

Tribal Belly Dance was influenced by traditional belly dance/cabaret, flamenco dance and Indian dances in it’s creation by Carolena Nerricio some 20 years ago, and continues to evolve as new groups make the dance their own. Carolena is the director of Fat Chance Belly Dance, and continues to inspire and teach American Tribal Style Belly Dance today. 

Watch the Fat Chance Belly Dance “Who we are” video Here

Please do come and try Tribal Belly Dance in Nelson, and become part of a growing movement that celebrates our feminine power and beauty. Contact me to register Here