{"id":1816,"date":"2010-08-17T17:54:04","date_gmt":"2010-08-18T00:54:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.gildedserpent.com\/cms\/?p=1816"},"modified":"2010-09-04T14:21:21","modified_gmt":"2010-09-04T21:21:21","slug":"davina-reviews-tribal-videos-today","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.gildedserpent.com\/cms\/2010\/08\/17\/davina-reviews-tribal-videos-today\/","title":{"rendered":"Tribal Videos Today"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"2<\/p>\n

Tribal Fusions, Volume 2 from Bellydance Superstars
\nTales of Desire from Hollywood Music<\/h2>\n

Review by Davina<\/a>
\nposted August 17, 2010<\/span><\/h3>\n

Inspired by my recent experiences at Tribal Fest<\/a> 10 <\/span>in May, I pulled a pair of Tribal videos off my shelf to share.\u00a0 The world of Tribal dance has produced some of the most innovative, creative and artistic performances on the dance stage today.\u00a0 Inspired by hip urban clothing, modern contemporary dance music and moves pulled from the clubs, Tribal today is fresh and exciting. These elements are grafted onto classic belly dance moves, and I adore the myriad of new directions that Tribal performers are exploring.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The new Tribal is an art form infused with it\u2019s own sense of mystery. The latest trends are sultry and sophisticated, a dance of dichotomies, pairing the supple and the severe, slow flow with quick staccato, playfulness and intensity.\u00a0 When performed by a master, the Tribal style is compelling, thought provoking, and inspiring. Experienced dancers, regardless of their own personal style, can appreciate the skills.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s my belief, that as dancers, it\u2019s good to keep up with what\u2019s happening within the greater dance community, even if it doesn\u2019t suit our taste or style.\u00a0 It\u2019s especially important for dance instructors to recognize who the industry leaders are.\u00a0 It doesn\u2019t matter if it\u2019s Egyptian Raks Sharki or Flamenco\/Gypsy\/Zambra Mora or in this case, Tribal Fusion–knowing who is the current cr\u00e8me-de-la-cr\u00e8me will give you a stronger knowledge base from which to teach your students.\u00a0 Investing in one or two high-quality professionally made Tribal DVDs will add breadth to a dancers video collection. <\/p>\n

When it comes to DVDs, I look for products that are well-produced and yet are about the cost of an admission ticket for a quality show.\u00a0 I want a selection of well crafted dances, with well recorded music and costuming that support excellent choreography and high levels of execution.\u00a0 More than anything, I look for quality content, (with at least three performances) that I want to watch again and share with friends. If there are three outstanding performances – I recommend that my friends buy it!\u00a0\u00a0 To this end, I would like to share two excellent Tribal-themed performance DVDs. Tribal Fusions, Volume 2<\/span> and Tales of Desire<\/span>.<\/p>\n

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\"BDSS<\/p>\n

Tribal Fusions,\u00a0 Volume 2<\/p>\n

from Bellydance Superstars\u2013 68 minutes<\/strong><\/p>\n

Not as good as Tribal Fusions, Vol 1<\/strong> \u2013 but still quite enjoyable, this DVD has a few stand-out performances that make this video well worth the price (under $20).\u00a0\u00a0 This production captures the most cutting-edge Vaudvillian style that is currently sweeping through the world of Tribal dance.\u00a0 This trend walks the line between Belly dance and Burlesque, acting as a bridge between the two worlds.\u00a0 There\u2019s an apparent vintage kitsch to the clothing styles that are a little bit Goth, a little bit \u201820s French, a little Moulin Rouge, a little Steam Punk. It\u2019s lace and lace-up boots, a tad naughty, grungy, and always viewed through sepia toned goggles.\u00a0 This is the <\/em><\/strong>style of the moment in Tribal dance, and will certainly give way to experimentation in other directions, but for now, my inner Victorian costumer loves the richly diverse and complexly layered allusions to the past.\u00a0 This style is especially embodied within the performances of Zoe Jakes, Moira Chappell <\/span>and Elizabeth Strong<\/span>.\u00a0 Like all BDSS productions, this video features exceptional dancers, well produced music and professional DVD quality.\u00a0 If you are only going to buy one Tribal video this year, you should consider this one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
\"Sonia<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"Kami\"<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"Sherri\"<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"Mira\"<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

Sonia & Colleen<\/strong>
\nMy personal favorite performance on this DVD is Sonia & Colleen\u2019s amazing duet. This is a fascinating piece that pairs the classic Belly dance movement vocabulary with the Tribal, clearly illustrating through juxtaposition that tribal is rooted in traditional Belly dance movement vocabulary.\u00a0 Seeing these two lovely performers dancing together, yet embracing their individual stylistic point of view, clearly illustrates that the real difference between Belly dance and Tribal dance is the superficial \u201cstyling\u201d layer, the shape of the arm, the characteristic attitude of the hand, the intensity of a vibration as well as choice in costume, make-up, and music.\u00a0 This piece is brilliantly conceived and performed by two masters of their craft.\u00a0<\/p>\n

I think anyone who says, \u201cTribal isn\u2019t Belly Dance\u201d needs to see this performance for a head-to-head comparison. <\/p>\n

Fat Chance Bellydance<\/strong>
\nIt\u2019s been an age since I\u2019ve seen such a compelling ATS*<\/a> performance! However, on this video there are two dances performed by the original innovators, reminding us of why this technique was so universally admired when it first hit the scene nearly two decades ago.\u00a0 Their exceptional control of each combination is exquisitely executed within the context of simpatico call-and-repeat improvisation, the Fat Chance signature technique.<\/p>\n

Kami Liddle<\/strong>
\nWith all the mega-watt talent on this video, choosing one soloist to mention by name was daunting.\u00a0 But I was struck by the contrast between Kami\u2019s two pieces.\u00a0\u00a0 In her first piece, her choreography demonstrates her extreme musicality with strong supple arms and controlled sinuous torso work.\u00a0 The music, costuming and movement combined to create a graceful and elegant dance piece. This contrasted with her second piece that featured all the staccato energy and sharp isolations and contractions that are the hallmark of tribal.\u00a0 Between Kami’s two pieces, the viewer gains an appreciation of her power, control and versatility.<\/p>\n

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\"TalesTales of Desire<\/p>\n

Hollywood Music \u2013 57 minutes – Filmed on Sat. Dec. 6, 2008 at the Beyond the Stars Theater in Glendale, CA. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Unfortunately, this video was a bit hit and miss for me.\u00a0 There are some stellar performances with some fusions that just didn\u2019t work (for my taste).\u00a0 The video is well shot, with a really high production value; good lighting ensured that you could see the dancer, and the sound was excellent. There were three cameras filming, and frankly, the top camera angle is not one that I prefer because it simply\u00a0 is not an angle from which Belly dance is generally viewed.\u00a0 Simply put, details of the dance movement are lost from this eagle-eye vantage.\u00a0 However, I do like a production with multiple camera angles, so I really appreciate the mixing of front and side views, close up and distant.<\/p>\n

The performances in this video covered a great deal of fusion territory, but unlike other videos, the performances are more varied and eclectic in their fusions. There\u2019s a dash of jazz worked into Aubre<\/span> and Lumina Bellydance Company<\/span>\u2019s piece \u201cFosse Fusion\u201d and a taste of Tunisian hip work in Unmata<\/span>\u2019s piece \u201cFlaco 81\u201d.\u00a0 There is more than a mere dollop of interpretive dance in Damage Control Dance Company<\/span>\u2019s \u201cThe Hunt\u201d and a blast of warm Caribbean attitude fused with Saudi style in Troupe Nekyia<\/span>\u2019s number entitled \u201cKalypso\u201d.<\/p>\n

While I\u2019ve enjoyed performances by many of the performers on this DVD in the past, I found this production was a bit uneven. A few performances left me wondering why those acts were selected, and perhaps a little more conscious editing could have produced a better overall product.\u00a0 However, if you think about it, in almost every dance show there are always one or two performances that might not be your cup of tea.\u00a0 As an aside – I had seen a promo for this video and was dissapointed to find out that Princess Farhana<\/a> – one of my personal favorites – is appearing on Volume 2!\u00a0 <\/p>\n

Overall, I recommend this DVD, especially if you are looking for a wide variety of fusion acts.\u00a0 My three personal favorites were:<\/p>\n

Sherri\/Cherchez la Femme: \u201cThe Alchemy of Salvation\u201d <\/strong>She is beautiful, with a supple, flexible body topped with an amazing headdress. I found her costume to be completely over-the-top: it was dripping with metal and chain richly layered over her yoga enhanced physique and model-worthy face. Her style seems infused with the techniques of pioneer Tribal dance artist, Rachael Brice<\/span> with an intimate knowledge of yoga. From her dramatic opening on the floor of the stage, I simply couldn\u2019t stop looking at her until her performance ended.\u00a0 In this piece, she found that perfect balance between the slink and the staccato.\u00a0 <\/p>\n

Mira Betz: \u201cNot Without\u201d\u00a0 <\/strong>This is a gorgeous retro-inspired performance that achieves something I look for in top dancers–a total design package.\u00a0 Mira\u2019s music choice, movement technique, and costume style all come together brilliantly to create a unified performance experience, evoking 1920s France.\u00a0 Her style is informed by superb isolation technique with graceful transitions and smooth flowing arms. There was a simple quiet elegance about this piece that makes it compelling to watch and happy to own this DVD.<\/p>\n

Elizabeth Strong: \u201cAfghani Song\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0 A bit more classically inspired than other pieces on this video, Elizabeth opens her dance with a lovely quiet moment of traditional storytelling. She\u2019s a girl, preening in front of her mirror and dreamily applying her makeup.\u00a0 Throughout the dance, she integrates traditional Persian moves with Tribal belly dance. Her movement vocabulary combined with her simple rose-colored costume and acoustic music create a lovely ambiance and a refreshing break from the heavy synthetic beats featured throughout the rest of the program.\u00a0 Even though this is a DVD, I was totally sucked into the moment, writing a narrative in my mind of the young girl dancing with joy of being in love.\u00a0 Fantastic!<\/p>\n

These two videos present a melange of diverse Tribal flavors.\u00a0 They are both high-quality professionally shot productions that offer the viewer a wide variety of styles, tastes and techniques. They both capture the essence of what\u2019s happening in the world of Tribal today.\u00a0 Either or both would make a great addition a library in need of a taste of Tribal.<\/p>\n

<\/a>*ATS= American Tribal Style<\/h6>\n

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\nCheck the "Letters to the Editor<\/a>" for other possible viewpoints!<\/p>\n

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