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Belly Dance: a blending of traditional styles
gives an old art new appeal
gives an old art new appeal
| Belly dance enthusiast and instructor Tracey Vibert |
In the spring of 1994 Tracey Vibert was sewing a friend's wedding dress. Her friend was
shifting and moving in front of the full length mirror as Tracey worked on the fittings.
When Tracey asked what she was doing, her friend told her she was practicing moves
from the evening belly dance class she attended at a local school.
At that time Tracey’s image of belly dance came from old movies and I dream of
Jeannie re-runs from childhood, but as an adult who still loved dance and dress- up, she
was intrigued. That fall she found a class at Glebe Collegiate in Ottawa and was hooked.
“I have always loved to dance,” Tracey says. “Belly dancing lets me dance without needing
a partner, which is a very freeing concept. In ballroom, you work with a different dynamic,
you connect with someone to tell a story, or go on a journey, and both dancers play an
important role. Belly dance lets me go on my own journey and helps me grow in my own
personal strength, both emotionally and physically.”
Within three years Tracey had crossed over from student to teacher. Teaching what she
terms Canadian Belly dance.
“Belly dance can be found in so many cultures that each place has its own variations on it.
Raks Sharki is the classic Egyptian cabaret style dance that many see in restaurants. We
also see Turkish influenced dance with its more flashy, sexier style, or even the Lebanese
Debke seen at weddings and parties.”
shifting and moving in front of the full length mirror as Tracey worked on the fittings.
When Tracey asked what she was doing, her friend told her she was practicing moves
from the evening belly dance class she attended at a local school.
At that time Tracey’s image of belly dance came from old movies and I dream of
Jeannie re-runs from childhood, but as an adult who still loved dance and dress- up, she
was intrigued. That fall she found a class at Glebe Collegiate in Ottawa and was hooked.
“I have always loved to dance,” Tracey says. “Belly dancing lets me dance without needing
a partner, which is a very freeing concept. In ballroom, you work with a different dynamic,
you connect with someone to tell a story, or go on a journey, and both dancers play an
important role. Belly dance lets me go on my own journey and helps me grow in my own
personal strength, both emotionally and physically.”
Within three years Tracey had crossed over from student to teacher. Teaching what she
terms Canadian Belly dance.
“Belly dance can be found in so many cultures that each place has its own variations on it.
Raks Sharki is the classic Egyptian cabaret style dance that many see in restaurants. We
also see Turkish influenced dance with its more flashy, sexier style, or even the Lebanese
Debke seen at weddings and parties.”
“With so many varied sources of fabulous movements and combinations, it felt right to term what I teach as Canadian Belly
Dance, in order to show respect to the various sources and my own homogenization of these movements. I also re-direct
students to those teachers who are specialists in specific styles and cultural reference points so that students understand
where these movements come from. But I myself love so many of them, that I like to mix it up - while trying to be clear with those I
work with that I am mixing it up and having fun, not following one path.”
Dance, in order to show respect to the various sources and my own homogenization of these movements. I also re-direct
students to those teachers who are specialists in specific styles and cultural reference points so that students understand
where these movements come from. But I myself love so many of them, that I like to mix it up - while trying to be clear with those I
work with that I am mixing it up and having fun, not following one path.”
So what should you expect in one of her classes?
In the beginner class, it can be like learning to walk again," says Tracey. "I focus a lot on posture, and protection of the lower
back throughout the movements and form. I teach a few different movements each class, repeating them each week, and
adding new ones as the class progresses.”
“I try to do a head to toe workout, alternating between hip/lower body based work, then upper body/arms based work. For the
second half of the class, we play with veils. I show the basic moves and lead through a few combinations, again adding to them
each week.”
“I also provide about five minutes of play time, something that my first teacher did for us when I was learning. It gives a few
minutes for each student to assimilate the movements into their body by working on them on their own. I check on each student
during this time as well to answer questions and tweak things.”
“Towards the end of the session, I also teach a short choreography to help the students feel like they can put the moves into a
dance.”
While similar in structure to a beginners class, members of an intermediate class can expect a bit more open ended work.
“I work on more complicated combinations along with the more advanced moves. I also introduce more props, depending on
the class interest and size. Zills come into play (these are finger cymbals). Sticks, double veils, floor work and other more
intricate work, adds to the challenge and fun of the more intermediate and advanced classes. While I also teach choreography
at this level, more time is spent with improvising as well, so the dancers gain knowledge of how to simply dance.”
Beyond the joy of the movements and the sense of adventure at trying something new, belly dance certainly has a fitness
component.
“It is a bit of everything,” Tracey says. “There is strength built up in the positions required: the arms are held up strongly, the abs
are used, the thighs, the back, all of it being weight bearing and controlled. Flexibility comes from the isolation of body parts,
moving the hips separately from the upper body, the arms independently from the hands, the co-ordination and synchronization
of the movements. And the aerobic benefits come in the form of shimmies, and repetitive traveling moves.”
Is belly dance for everyone?
“Yes and no,” she says. “If you are a dancer at heart, you'll love it. It is for all body shapes and sizes due to the low impact and
core conscious nature of the movements. If you are an athlete at heart, it may not touch your soul quite the same way.”
Tracey sees the biggest misconception about belly dance to be associating it with strip tease or exotic dance.
“Belly dancing is a dance done at weddings and family gatherings - it is feminine, sensual, creates a positive body image, and
is a powerful female energy dance. The essence of the idealized dancer,” says Tracey, “is of an artist, an athlete, and a beautiful
woman who shares her joy of life by dancing for and with those around her.”
In the beginner class, it can be like learning to walk again," says Tracey. "I focus a lot on posture, and protection of the lower
back throughout the movements and form. I teach a few different movements each class, repeating them each week, and
adding new ones as the class progresses.”
“I try to do a head to toe workout, alternating between hip/lower body based work, then upper body/arms based work. For the
second half of the class, we play with veils. I show the basic moves and lead through a few combinations, again adding to them
each week.”
“I also provide about five minutes of play time, something that my first teacher did for us when I was learning. It gives a few
minutes for each student to assimilate the movements into their body by working on them on their own. I check on each student
during this time as well to answer questions and tweak things.”
“Towards the end of the session, I also teach a short choreography to help the students feel like they can put the moves into a
dance.”
While similar in structure to a beginners class, members of an intermediate class can expect a bit more open ended work.
“I work on more complicated combinations along with the more advanced moves. I also introduce more props, depending on
the class interest and size. Zills come into play (these are finger cymbals). Sticks, double veils, floor work and other more
intricate work, adds to the challenge and fun of the more intermediate and advanced classes. While I also teach choreography
at this level, more time is spent with improvising as well, so the dancers gain knowledge of how to simply dance.”
Beyond the joy of the movements and the sense of adventure at trying something new, belly dance certainly has a fitness
component.
“It is a bit of everything,” Tracey says. “There is strength built up in the positions required: the arms are held up strongly, the abs
are used, the thighs, the back, all of it being weight bearing and controlled. Flexibility comes from the isolation of body parts,
moving the hips separately from the upper body, the arms independently from the hands, the co-ordination and synchronization
of the movements. And the aerobic benefits come in the form of shimmies, and repetitive traveling moves.”
Is belly dance for everyone?
“Yes and no,” she says. “If you are a dancer at heart, you'll love it. It is for all body shapes and sizes due to the low impact and
core conscious nature of the movements. If you are an athlete at heart, it may not touch your soul quite the same way.”
Tracey sees the biggest misconception about belly dance to be associating it with strip tease or exotic dance.
“Belly dancing is a dance done at weddings and family gatherings - it is feminine, sensual, creates a positive body image, and
is a powerful female energy dance. The essence of the idealized dancer,” says Tracey, “is of an artist, an athlete, and a beautiful
woman who shares her joy of life by dancing for and with those around her.”
| You can contact Tracey Vibert at tracey@tav-creations.com or visit her website |