Oriental Dance, Belly Dance - Saffron Tribe

“It is true that there is no Middle Eastern country where you can see the American Tribal dance or that exact costume. But, there are many countries where you can see elements of it.

If we look at the Middle Eastern dances and their history as a magnificent tree, we can see the proper place of American Tribal Bellydance. The roots of the tree are the ancient sacred and secular dances of North Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia and the Near East. Dance is a living, breathing, evolving art and the life of these dances rose up through the trunk of this mighty tree. The trunk was influenced, scarred and shaped by wars, religions, persecutions, the oppression of women, the slave trade, the Silk Road, the shifting boundaries of countries, social revolutions, fashions, the migrations of Roma, life and passage of time. All these variables converged in the trunk of our tree and majestic branches sprouted from the top. These branches are the dances one can see from each of the countries represented in the roots. But the boundaries of the tree expanded to England, the United States, Europe and now there are branches in South America, Australia, Mexico and Japan. These branches continue to blossom fragrantly…..”Elizabeth Artemis Mourat

“Tribal style dance can be mistaken for a look, but it’s an intuitive method of communication. It’s the sharing of leadership. It’s a trust you place in your fellow dancers and they in you, that you will support their lead and they will support you taking over the lead. That stronger dancers will not let you fail. It is feeling so connected to all the dancers you are dancing with, that, in addition to spotting subtle cues, you can anticipate their next move. It is a true flow of energy between dancers, music and each other’s minds.” Kathy Stahlman, TribalTalk, Vol.2, 02/98.