Skye
One dead bird Two suspects Not a regular ritual
Blessed By An Oyster Catcher
I'm studying to be a yoga teacher
and love to dance
AMERICAN TRIBAL STYLE(ATS) An original American creation. It draws on the dances and costumes of a variety of cultures but is it's own unique entity. The look of the costumes and movement is ethnic and has a rather historical feel, as if it is an old traditional form. The music is usually ethnic and often quite hypnotic, although many of the pieces are modern, and sometimes includes contemporary techno / trance music. ATS draws upon the classical and folk dances of the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia including Egypt, Persia, Morocco, India and Afghanistan for it's movement and costume inspirations.
American Tribal Style includes both choreographed and improvisational dance. It includes the additional technique of group improvisation where one dancer initiates a move and the rest of the troupe follows her. Often the lead can change from dancer to dancer as the song progresses. This interactiveness is one of the hallmarks of ATS. Another important feature is the uniformity of movement in the group and the connection that occurs when the dancers create the dance in unison. Both that connection and the unified movement contribute to the dance's hypnotic effect.
Heather Shoopman
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Morgana - ATS
Each American Tribal Style troupe has their own unique style - it is an evolving art form that draws on the personalities and preferences of each unique group.
"Indigo Girls"
WHAT IS RAQS SHARQI?
There are different, strongly held opinions about this question in Europe and Egypt. Here are some brief facts about the issue.
Raqs Sharqi is an Arabic term meaning ‘Eastern Dance’. The term has been in use for at least a century but is of unknown age. It refers to a dance form originating in Egypt and usually means a dance performed in public by women. Historical evidence shows that in Egypt dance performance was an important aspect of celebratory occasions from the earliest times.
Suraya Hilal -Raqs Sharqi
Foreigners have been intrigued by public female dancing in Egypt from antiquity onward, and have commented on it in various ways and in different periods ever since. From the late 19th century onward, cultural colonialism, the growing ease of international travel, the development of recording technologies, and new forms of entertainment gradually encouraged different interpretations of Egyptian dance to become widespread abroad also. Some were later reimported into Egypt and absorbed. Many versions exist currently in Europe, Australia, the USA and elsewhere, as well as Egypt, (where the dance of course had continued to flourish). Some aim to be rooted firmly in Egyptian traditions alone, while others have incorporated influences from abroad - from other Middle Eastern countries and the West. The term ‘Raqs Sharqi’ is now used widely by many people involved in performing and teaching these dances. In order to distinguish clearly between them, it is probably best to state exactly to which ‘school’ they belong. A fruitful debate about this issue is likely to continue.
Which dance form does the Raqs Sharqi Society teach?
A very distinctive form of Raqs Sharqi that has a well-analysed and coherent movement language firmly rooted in Egypt. It involves an integrated use of the body, and respects the conventions of Egyptian musical traditions. It is taught as a theatre performance art after the work of Suraya Hilal (see ‘Contemporary Performance Art’ below). Artistic excellence and a commitment to enhancing both the status of the dance and the way it is perceived are core elements of this approach.
Me, favourite dancers and teachers of ATS, and Raqs Sharqi.
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