Tripping the bright fantastic

1:50pm Wednesday 28th June 2006

You wouldn't expect your arms to ache after belly dancing.

They will, however, if you're part of the growing number of women taking up American Tribal Style bellydancing, a new variation on the ancient dance form which is starting to take off in the UK.

"Sometimes you feel a bit fed up but when you come here you go out with a smile on your face and you don’t have to be stick thin to do this."

Teresa Rose

Traditional Turkish and Egyptian style bellydancing has been around for centuries and has been practiced by women as a form of exercise for years.

This new style, known as ATS, was only formed in 1987 in America and has just begun to be taught here.

Sitara Svanva is among those educating women in the ways of American Tribal Style and has recently started weekly lessons at Fitness First in Southend.

Even to a complete novice the difference between the bellydancing most people are familiar with and the newer American Tribal Style is obvious.

Sitara explains: "There's a difference in music, a difference in the costume style.

"Bellydancing is quite free and they interpret the music and once they become more confident in their moves they can improvise.

"American Tribal Style has a set structure of moves. Once you've learnt the whole repertoire of moves the ladies will be confident enough to lead the group, they will all know the moves but they don't know what order the leader is going to do them in.

"As a result there is a real feeling of community and togetherness between the dancers. They get to know and read each other as they dance as a group and close new friendships are formed between fellow dancers."

The style of dance is much more rigid and doesn't involve so much wiggling of the hips, some say it has a rather hypnotic rhythm to it.

Dancer Jasmin has certainly noticed this, she has been bellydancing for two and a half years and decided to join Sitara's class to learn the new style.

She says: "Tribal is very controlled, it's like meditation and yoga - it's very therapeutic.

"It's a cross over from bellydancing, it's very good for the body and very good for the mind as you're having to concentrate."

The structured moves do mean there's a lot more to think about including how to hold your arms in front of you and your posture.

During the hour long class you're bound to feel tummy and arm muscles working overtime to ensure you're making the right moves.

"If you are looking to get fit and toned whilst learning something new, then this could be for you," says Sitara.

"It's generating interest by women of all ages and from all different walks of life."

Plus there's an added bonus that all the ladies agree on - if nothing else it will make you smile.

"It's as good as a dose of sunshine," says class member Teresa Rose, 57, from Pitsea, who comes with her daughter Nicola Buckle, 31, from Chelmsford.

"Sometimes you feel a bit fed up but when you come here you go out with a smile on your face and you don't have to be stick thin to do this."

Shella Chalmers, 32, from Southend, who has been dancing for three years, agrees and says: "It's such good fun. You can have a naff day at work and come to the class and it's like a big party.

It's such a good atmosphere, it's an excuse to glam yourself up and have a good time for an hour."

Teresa and Nicola have been enjoying bellydancing as a hobby for the past three years before deciding to have a go at the American Tribal Style.

Nicola says: "We've liked the look of it and I think it's fantastic. It's different, it's not so flowing, it's slower and it's moody, it's definitely the next thing on our list to learn."

Shella has this advice for them: "It was completely alien to me when I first started.

It's a case of practice, practice, practice. It takes about 12 weeks and then your body gets used to doing things it's not used to doing."

There are so many different dance styles being practiced that there's no danger of your feet getting tired, as Sitara found out when she first discovered bellydancing.

"It was just a case of we'll have a look at that and I just got totally immersed.

"There are all these different variations of style and I thought I could so enjoy the journey it was going to take me on and do something that's been carried on for many, many centuries.

"There's a whole variety of things that you learn about and never get bored."

The American Tribal Style bellydance classes takes place at Southend Fitness First, Victoria Avenue on Wednesdays at 9pm, non members are welcome.

For more information visit www.sitaradance.co.uk or telephone 07968 476204.

Joining the swirling mass

Tracksuit bottoms don't really make you want to wiggle your hips, so slipping into a colourful flowing skirt I felt more the bellydancer and less the treadmill junky.

A class of ladies in a range of mesmerizing colours and gushing skirts were watching Sitara as she showed us the first of four moves which, by the end of the class, we would be putting together in a small routine.

Keeping our arms raised in front of us we practiced moving our hands and turning the palms to face outside and then inside.

While keeping our arms in the air we travelled forward dipping our hips up and down and then tried swaying them diagonally before learning how to turn while flicking our hips with our arms in the air.

Putting all the moves together with some rhythmic music filling the studio certainly makes you want to swirl round.

By the end I've perfected four moves and have an aching stomach and arms.

Laughing the next day might be a bit sore, but at least I know I've had fun toning up.

Bakground to belly dancing

Bellydancing is known in the Middle East and Turkey as Oriental Dance.

Initially Oriental Dance was performed by women for other women as a celebration of femininity.

The movement of the hips and abdomen were supposed to signify the fertility of life and the bare feet represent the connection with the earth.

Women danced for each other and for physical fitness and also preparation for childbirth.

Nowadays, bellydancers are hired to dance for the new bride at weddings in some Middle Eastern countries to bring good luck and fertility to the new relationship and to teach the bride about her femininity.

The use of coin belts may relate to a custom followed by young Algerian girls who, at the age of 12, would leave their homes to raise money for their wedding dowries.

They would work as dancers and would be paid with coins which they would then sew into their costumes. Today the coin belts are worn to emphasise the movement of the hips.

EDITOR'S CHOICE