Thousands of years before there were push-up bras, red lipstick and high heels, there was belly dancing. But belly dancing is about more than just sensual movement and flirtatious expression. In fact, it originally was a dance performed in the Middle East for women by women; a distinctly female mode of self-expression and celebration.

A recent movement in the U.S. called American Tribal Style Belly Dance, or ATS, represents everything from folklore-inspired dances to the fusion of ancient dance techniques from North India, the Middle East, and Africa. Created in the early 1990s by Carolena Nericcio, founder of FatChanceBellydance in San Francisco, ATS has a format consisting of a vocabulary of steps that are designed to be performed improvisationally.

The music can be folkloric or modern, and the costume is heavily layered, evoking traditions of any or all of its fusion of cultural influences. Tribal Style belly dance is a modern and Western phenomenon. It takes the movements of Middle Eastern dance and combines them with movements, posture and aesthetics of other ethnic dance forms, such as North African dance, Flamenco and Classical Indian dance. It also has a unique costuming style using rich and heavy textiles, tribal jewelry, metal adornments and many layers of clothing. The costuming does not aim to reproduce any given genuine tribal group but instead conforms to Western notions of ethnic fantasy using a range of different elements from many areas to create an overall cohesive and unusual look.

Multicultural trends that have shaped Western and U.S. belly dance are still at work. Ever evolving, this versatile dance keeps absorbing a blend of influences; modern fashion, film and television imagery, the world of rock and hip hop, underground subcultures, and many other contemporary influences. The umbrella term used to describe these hybrid forms of belly dance is "belly dance fusion", including "tribal fusion". One of the newest belly dance fusion trends is gothic belly dance that incorporates many belly dance styles and motifs and seeks to express the darkness of the unknown that has inspired the music, philosophies, and lifestyles of the Goth subculture.

I had the opportunity to gain insight on this exotic form of dance from two dancers who are Lakewood residents at their practice location under a large oak tree in Lakewood Park. Judyth Thurman (Shiva) tells me that she first fell in love with Belly Dance after taking a class through the Lakewood Board of Recreation. Instructor Paula Holland invited her to attend Troupe Benazir's Friday night classes, and as such, became a performing member of the troupe. She began performing with the Troupe at events and lectures all over Northeast Ohio. Paula's Troupe Benazir is the Cleveland branch of world-renowed Habeeba's Danse Orientale of Columbus. As a soloist, she has performed at restaurants and private parties. Ever evolving, Shiva, also studies with Soraya, Souhail Kaspar, Blue Lotus Tribe, and engages instructors at workshops throughout the country.

Shelba Scanlon (Habari) began her belly-dancing career in 2002, studying with the cabaret troupe, Troupe Benazir, the Cleveland branch of world-renowned Habeeba's Danse Orientale of Columbus. She used her marketing resources to expand the reach of Troupe Benazir, through print, Internet, and interpersonal outreach. As a performing member of the troupe, audiences delighted at her engaging improvisational style. She has gone on to study with renown instructors such as Soraya, Souhail Kaspar, Karim Nagi, Sonya, and Belly Queen. She continues to seek out and explore new styles and forms of belly dance, and is excited to engage audiences with this ever-evolving art form. Habari is an accomplished instructor and continues to teach private classes throughout the Greater Cleveland area. Together the women have collaborated to create the Tribal belly dance Troupe, Sirens. Sirens have performed at the Lakewood Band shelter for Walk and Roll this summer and also at Omega Cuts Salon for the first two Lakewood Artwalks, with rave reviews. Sirens will appear once again at the Lakewood ArtWalk on Saturday, October 11 at 5pm and 7pm at Omega Cuts Salon. Additionally, Shiva and Habari have the distinct honor of performing at the Queen of the Damned Ball in New Orleans, Louisiana on Halloween Night. This is not just any ordinary Halloween Party, this is author Anne Rice’s party of the year. Every year in the U.S. more fusion and personal styles are added into Belly Dance; from ballet, Urban Tribal, Techno Tribal, Afrocuban Tribal, World Fusion, Popping Fusions, Hip Hop Fusions, Jazz, contemporary, Indian, Asian gymnastics, fire dancing, stilt walking, hoop twirling and the reintroduction of burlesque type movements. With dancers seeking out education in more than one dance form in order to incorporate something new into their Belly Dance choreographies, it has become one of the most diverse dance forms within the U.S. to date. Students interested in pursuing this form of dance can go to Troupe Benazir at http://www.myspace.com/troupebenazir or consult Lakewood Recreation for times and locations.