Memphis Raqs is
a bellydance company that specializes in tribal fusion
bellydance. We are the only tribal fusion bellydance
company in Memphis, Tennessee!
The word
raqs (pronounced rocks) is an Arabic term that
roughly translates to
dance. The traditional term for the dance
Americans have come to known as "bellydance" is
Raqs
Sharqi, which means Dance of the East.
Memphis Raqs combines elements of traditional Middle
Eastern, North African, and Asian dance with a modern,
urban American flair.
Follow the links below for more
information:
The dance which we have come to know as “bellydance” has gone through many transitions over its history, both in its name and stylings. Throughout history, Middle Eastern cultures held sacred the concept of fertility, a value shared by many agricultural societies even today.
Every facet of life was in some way directed towards promoting the fruitfulness of their farmland, their family, and their way of life, from the functions of their deities to the songs they sang and even to the dances they shared. As the human embodiment of fertility and life, women danced together to celebrate the joy of any occasion, from weddings to childbirth rituals.
Bellydance has come a long way from its ancient folk roots, however. What we see today is the product of a long evolution of crowd-pleasing and stage shows.
Bellydance came to the United States in 1893 at the Great Columbia Exposition in Chicago, where the growing American fascination with the ‘exotics’ of the East led entertainers to ‘spice up’ the Egyptian style dancing with bright, flashy costumes and flirty movements.
This “belly dancing” hit the American cabaret nightclub scene with even more burlesque-style costumes and dance stylizations. Meanwhile, in the Middle East, some of these Americanized costumes were adopted (including high heels) into the ever-growing (but more proper) entertainment industry there. The style re-adapted in the Middle East is what you mostly see today, called “classical Egyptian cabaret,” though each region of the Middle East has its own stylizations of the dance.
Detailed information
regarding the history of bellydance can be found at
IAMED website
Bellydance is a
constantly changing art form, evolving with all the same fads and
trends that shape our culture. Every individual that dances adds her
own unique variations, therefore influencing the dance form with her
own spirit. There are more styles of bellydances documented today
than there is room to describe it in words!
Shira's website
details several of the different regional 'cabaret' or 'traditional'
styles, but since Memphis Raqs is a tribal bellydance company, here
is a short insight as to what 'tribal bellydance' refers to:
American Tribal Style (ATS) was a rebirth of the traditional fom of bellydance in the 1960s in the San Francisco Bay area. Jamila Salimpour is credited with sparking this rebirth. The dance troupe Salimpour directed,Bal Anat, fused elements of traditional dances from around the Middle East and North Africa into an original style of bellydance.
Later, one of
her students, Masha Archer, would push the evolution a little further by taking the dance out of the restaurant and nightclub scene, making the Salimpour stylizations more uniform, and adding her original artistic costuming elements that, like the dancing, fused elements from around the world. It was not until Carolena Nericcio that American Tribal Style as we know it today came together completely. Nericcio, founder of FatChance Bellydance, took elements from both Salimpour and Archer and put them together.
The tribal style format came from Jamila:
"...the chorus, the set up of the half moon chorus and the dancers coming out individually to do a small two or three minute routine and then going back into the chorus."26
They follow Jamila's style of using heavy costuming but Masha's style of having the same fusion look for everyone. Carolena impresses to her students the same demanding stage presence and personality in public that Masha and Jamila taught. She also carries over the intensity of the dancers' encouragement of each other with zhagareets (the vocal ululation) during a performance. A direct linkage to Masha is the posture, keeping the chest lifted and graceful, and maintaining a sense of integrity.*
ATS takes its inspiration from traditional dances around the world, mostly North African, Middle eastern, India, Central Asia, and even Latin America. ATS reflects the folk element of dancing for oneself and the entertainment of the sisters in your troupe, rather than solely on entertaining an audience. Much of ATS is improvisational, or made up on the spot in the joy of the moment.
“It has nothing to do with representing a particular tribe, but it combines movement vocabularies and regional costuming to form one cohesive presentation. The "American" part of the label acknowledges that the dancers are continents away from the culture that created the dance form and are taking artistic license with it. Yet they still must acknowledge, respect and honor the roots.1 The look of American Tribal Style seems authentic because of its resemblance to various gypsy tribes throughout North Africa, the Middle East, and India. Often, Arabs comment that the style reminds them of 'home'. However, the costumes are not authentic but give the feeling of home."*
*These quotes are taken from “A History of American Tribal Style Bellydance” by Rina Orellana Rall of FatChance BellyDance. The article in its entirety can be found on the
FCBD website
Bellydance
Superstars Tribal Troupe
Tribal Fusion Bellydance is the collective term used to categorize any bellydance that draws from the ATS stylizations but does not adhere to the group improvisational nature of Nericcio’s ATS. Fusion dancers have no rules – any form of dancing or costuming is fair game as long as the roots of bellydance movements, costuming and concepts are at its core. Tribal fusion takes its inspiration from dances of our ancient sisters, but adds pieces of the dancer’s individuality as a modern dancer.
I created Memphis Raqs in 2006 with the goal
of promoting the joy of tribal style bellydance
in the Midsouth. By carrying on the dance
traditions of those who walked before us, I hope
to not only further my own dancing skills and
knowledge, but to help other women discover the
enjoyment and passion that this dance has
brought to my life and the lives of so many
others around the world throughout the ages.
I
started dancing young, taking classical jazz,
tap and ballet through elementary and middle
school. I moved on to hip hop and modern dance
in high school, and when I started college, I
found a flyer for a bellydance class and had to
check it out. I took classes from Juli Downum
(formerly with Dandasha of Chattanooga,
currently with Urban Tribal of San Diego) for
some 3 odd years and began teaching as an
assistant to Juli. I continue my training
as often as possible, having taken workshops
with Mira Betz, Rachel Brice, Zoe Jakes, Megha,
Jillina, Rachel Lazarus-Soto, Jill Parker, Frank
Farinaro, Amy Sigil and Heather Stants.
Nicci
I began bellydancing in early 2006 as a way to
exercise and learn something new and eclectic.
Over the years, I’ve discovered that tribal
style bellydance is more than just exercise.
It’s a creative and beautiful dance that pushes
the boundaries of your physical and mental
abilities.
Whether practicing, writing a choreography or
improvising, what I love most about tribal style
bellydance are the unique bonds created with
other tribal dancers. You will be
surprised by how much this worldly dance can
enrich your life.
I started taking bellydancing classes to lose
weight and stay fit but found so much more.
It has given me a boost in self confidence and a
new sense of womanhood. I have found
bellydancing to be a great hobby that helps you
forget about everything else going on in your
life and think about nothing but using isolated
body movements.
My
background in dance started when I as very
young, taking ballet, jazz and tap. I took
my first bellydancing class at a festival in
Memphis as a freshmen in high school and fell
absolutely in love with this style of dance!
It wasn't until my sophomore year in college
that I was able to pursue the style more fully
when I saw Memphis Raqs perform at the U of
Memphis, and I was completely hooked! I
started taking classes immediately and have not
looked back since! I have loved dancing
with Memphis Raqs and the friendships I have
made with these ladies!
