American Tribal Bellydance Parade

[anandaconda]

Hello! Camp Gypsies, Tramps, & Thieves is throwing an ATS parade on Friday starting at 6:30. With six lovely bellydancers in our camp, we're sort of our own parade, but we'd LOVE to have others join us!

If you're not familiar with American Tribal Style Bellydance, it's an improvised style of dance that uses visual cues to communicate what happens next. And anything can happen! Carolena Nericcio created the format, which combines movements from India, the Middle East, Africa, Spain, and other world dance traditions.

We're looking for dancers of any skill level (if you've never done ATS before, we're offering a class just beforehand), musicians, enthusiastic audience participants, art car entourages, and even camps who'd like to be infested by bellydancers on our trek across the playa. Interested?

[Savannah]

I've never done ATS, but would love to take the class, and I hope you register your location w/ Playa Info @ Center Camp, or post the camp address & class start time here.

[anandaconda]

Excellent!! I found bellydance (and ATS by extension) sort of by accident, and it has brought me so much joy over the years.

I had so much fun a few years ago at the Tango'd Up in Blues camp, surely because I love dancing so much. It was a treat to hear different types of music and learn different styles; I thought I could return the favor this year.

The class is at 5 on Friday, just before the parade, though I'm willing to throw down some dance anytime.

We've submitted a theme camp application, and I hope to be able to post our location in a few weeks, but if that doesn't work out for whatever reason, I'll definitely register at Playa Info.

We're bringing a 20' aerial rig too, which should have some sort of flag (hopefully with frilly knickers) hoisted atop, and a whole enclave of yurts scattered around it. I know I'm going to be looking for those knickers to find my way home!

[anandaconda]

Also? Aziza Nawal will be teaching an Art of Bellydance class on Wednesday at 4!

Here's her description--

The art of belly dance, aka Raks Sharqi or Middle Eastern Dance, has its roots in the ancient eastern world and has continued to thrive not only in its birthplace but in the west and beyond. Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves is proud to have multi-award winning performer Aziza Nawal of Awalim on staff to lead you through the fundamentals of Middle Eastern Dance. This class will contain stretching, movement, technique and combinations. New to this dance? You will be assisted by members of Banat Almeh. Advanced dancers? Aziza has some exercises for you as well! The last part of the class will be an improv jam session so you can work out your moves! Then if you still want more Aziza Nawal will lead a relaxing cool down to ground and center you before you are on your way.

[Tasha1London]

Hello, this sounds brillaint and I would love to join in if possible.
I am studing tribal fusion at the moment and have attended a couple of ATS workshops.
The class before hand sounds like a great idea.
Please keep me posted. This will be my first time to Burning Man so I have no idea howw things work or the layout... I decided justy to go with the flow!
Can't wait!
Tasha

[anandaconda]

Yay, Tasha!! I would LOVE to dance out on the playa with you. Pack your zills!

Are you in London? Where are you studying tribal fusion? My primary teacher in Atlanta, Zi'ah Ali of Awalim Dance Company, took a tour of England & Scotland a few years ago, teaching all over the place, including Tribal Vibe North and South.

I'll post here if our camp gets placement, otherwise, I'll register us at Playa Info at Center Camp. You can stop by there to get our camp address once you hit the playa. Please do stop by anytime!

Love & zaghareets,
Christy Anandaconda

[Solito]

I can't speak for the rest of my camp - but as a member of The Hookah Lounge I'd love to have you over. Fjord (the camp organizer) and I are both fire spinners - plus he'll be having Middle Eastern Music going the whole week. I'm bringing tons of Classical Indian music, and I'll be playing dumbek all week... and the camp is a dome pitched over blankets with hanging lamps... Will try to find you guys (just added ya to my book) so I can march and play dumbek. Sounds like you guys have a great camp - look for the Japanese Kimono clothes and silver dumbek. Ciao chicos! les espero lo mejor quemada!

[anandaconda]

Ah, Solito! That's music to our ears!! We will make your camp a stop on our parade, and relish having another dumbek around!! I love classical Indian music.

Espanol? Entiendo mucho, pero hablo un poqito.

[Solito]

ta bien pues! Pareces q por lo menos tienes un poco de practica... Cuando nos vemos por la playa te hago un ensayito k? Hasta pronto!

[KittayGirl]

How fun. I just started taking beginner classes in SF at Fat Chance Belly Dance....I'm totally in =).

[Solito]

Hookah Lounge is one camp from the corner of A and 4:30 this year. Come and wake me up anytime for a parade... Excited to see some ATS. I'm used to restaurant belly dance, and playing for the dancers' drills. Would be nice to get into some meandering format like a parade.

[anandaconda]

Solito-- We will make your camp a stop on our parade! Can't wait to meet you and check out the Hookah Lounge. My husband is fluent in Spanish, so he'll definitely take you on. I . . . tend to pop out with completely off-the-wall phrases when he least expects it. Like when we were moving our dining room table, and I busted out, "La mesa se como mis pantalones!"

And KittayGirl, you're quite luck to study from the source! I worked with Carolena and Megha for about a week and a half earlier this year, and they are adorable together. I live in Atlanta, so Devyani's Birmingham studios are nearby (I'm hoping to head there in September to study with Colleena Shakti). We would love to have you!

Sadly, Gypsies, Tramps, & Thieves did not get placement. We're bummed, but undaunted. The planning we did to submit our application was beneficial work, and we will still be offering all of the tarot, yoga, dance, aerial, henna, harquus, bandana-making, and face painting festivities we've planned. We will still be boasting a Cordon Bleu-trained chef who will show you everything you need to know about sharp knives and playa spice-making.

Just stop by Playa Info to get our final location. Look for the 20' aerial tripod rig set in a nest of shiny yurts. The rig may have raggle-taggle gypsy bedsheet walls on 3 sides to protect our aerialists from full sun.