oh, Tribal Fusion...

First off, pardon me for being a little frank in what I'm about to say here...

I just wrote my thesis on American Tribal Style and how it compares to Cabaret, or nightclub style, and how both of these forms of belly dance are no more "authentic" than the other, because they are both equally augmentations of older dances.

That being said, I think one of the reasons I'm burnt on the "Tribal Fusion" style of dance is that it really doesn't seem to have much of a consciousness about itself. It's essentially just a new version of Cabaret, but with cooler costumes and music. It continues the pattern of the exotification of classic Middle Eastern women's dance movements. It also continues to emphasize the solo performer over the group and because of this the star dancing girls are almost always skinny, mainstream pretty women in tight skimpy outfits. I realize that there is a great deal of strength in some of the originators of the fusion form, but I don't get that from a lot of the new generation of dancers.

The beauty of tribal was intended to be the connection between dancers and the communal feeling of a pre-colonial women's dance. It is also highly inclusive of women of all ages, abilities, and looks. You do not have to be a gorgeous super-athlete dancer to do American Tribal, but you do to perform Tribal Fusion. Fusion has merely taken some of the stylings of ATS and dragged it back into the post-colonial style nightclub, once again becoming a dance to titillate the male viewer. Titalation is generally fine with me, but things have a context- a hidden social meaning. I'm not digging the hidden social meanings of Tribal Fusion.

What set me off on this tirade was acutally this video:



The music is a (well done) rip-off of Beats Antique, and the dancer an okay imitator of Zoe Jakes, but the video includes requisite tit shots and come hither stares. It just illustrated the path Tribal Fusion has gone down. And it's really not for me.

(Sorry Rachel Brice- I still love you!)