Dance the Story of Your Spirit
Tribal Fusion Bellydance & Shows
with TerraTrixx
I am TerraTrixx
I am a versatile dancer and have been studying dance since 2000. I travel not only around the Czech Republic and Europe for my education, but I also regularly fly to Broadway in New York.
I have been trained in a wide range of styles, which have given me a versatile technique and movement knowledge. These include, among others:
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ballet (Prague State Conservatory, Broadway Dance Center)
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Latin American dances (competitive 8 years, TS Maestro) street styles (BDS Academy, Broadway Dance Center, Street Fusion Video by Yemi AD)
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high-heels (intensive and private lessons led by Gabi Vengri; Broadway Dance Center)
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Bollywood (5 years of professional performances with choreographer Dance Sandeep)
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Tribal Fusion Bellydance (Jayanti, Kira Lebedeva, Rachel Brice, Zoe Jakes, Shahrzad, performances, competitions...)
I have been teaching Tribal Fusion Bellydance at the Naplno studio since September 2024. I also create my own choreographies.
What is Tribal Fusion Bellydance?
Modern history
Tribal Fusion Bellydance is a modern style of belly dance that originated in the United States in the late 1990s as a fusion of various dance and cultural influences. It evolved from the original American Tribal Style® (ATS®) – now known as the FatChanceBellyDance® Style (FCBD® Style) – which combined elements of folkloric belly dance with influences from flamenco, Indian classical and folkloric dance, and North African dances. Unlike ATS, which is danced primarily in groups according to a predetermined improvisational structure, Tribal Fusion is more individual – dancers have greater freedom in movement, choreography, and personal expression.
The pioneer and international icon of this style is Rachel Brice, who brought inspiration from yoga, street dance, gothic aesthetics, as well as techniques such as popping, locking and isolation from hip hop. Tribal Fusion is characterized by precise body control, smooth and sharp isolations, dramatic postures and a distinctive visual style - often including ethnic jewelry, tattoos, decorative headpieces and extravagant costumes combining traditional and modern elements.
In addition to Rachel Brice, other prominent figures have also contributed to the development and popularization of Tribal Fusion, such as:
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Jill Parker – considered the "mother of Tribal Fusion", was a founding member of Ultra Gypsy, the first group to combine ATS with other styles, thus laying the foundation for Fusion.
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Mardi Love – known for her unique style, aesthetics, and major influence on the visual appearance of Fusion costumes.
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Zoe Jakes – member of The Indigo and founder of the group Beats Antique, who brought elements of electro, world music and experimental performance to Fusion.
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Sharon Kihara - Known for her avant-garde aesthetic, technical precision, and deep connection between dance and personal expression, she is considered one of the most experienced and respected artists in the genre.
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and many others who enriched the style with new directions, energies and approaches.
Today, there are many sub-styles of Tribal Fusion – such as Dark Fusion, Urban Tribal, Vaudeville Fusion, ITS or Contemporary Fusion – and the dance community is constantly pushing the boundaries of this art form. Tribal Fusion is not just a dance style, but a vibrant community that connects art, spirituality, body strength and creativity. It is a movement language that is constantly evolving and growing with its creators.
The Roots and Golden Era of American Cabaret
The Golden Era of American Cabaret Bellydance (1950s–1970s)
In the 1950s, the so-called American Cabaret Bellydance (sometimes also called Vintage Oriental or American Restaurant Style) developed in the USA. This style originated when women from the Middle East, Turkey, Greece or Armenia began to move to the United States – often the wives of immigrants who danced in their communities and restaurants. This created a dance style that was based on Egyptian and Turkish raqs, but was also influenced by Western show business – burlesque, jazz, cabaret and Hollywood ideas about “Oriental” culture. The dancers performed in oriental restaurants and clubs. Typical were bright costumes (bedleh) with sequins, cymbals (zills), veils and a strong musical dramaturgy: it began with a dramatic entrance, followed by a dance with cymbals, a drum solo and often a dance with a saber or veil. This style was very performative and to some extent exoticized for Western audiences.
Notable figures and the "tribal" alternative
Already at this time, dancers appeared who wanted to distinguish themselves from the glitzy cabaret and return to more "traditional" or ritualistic forms of dance. One of the most prominent was Jamila Salimpour, who began to systematically study authentic folkloric dances of the Middle East, North Africa and India. Jamila also created her own system of notation and teaching movements – the Salimpour Format – which her daughter Suhaila Salimpour later developed into an elaborate technical method combining raqs sharqi, ballet and fitness.
In the late 1960s, Jamila founded the group Bal Anat, which performed at California Renaissance Fairs and performed stylized ritual dances inspired by Berber, Turkish and Moroccan traditions. Performances with snakes, sabers, saucepans on the head or sticks also appeared here. The costumes were ethnic, layered, often handmade from recycled jewelry and fabrics – an aesthetic that became the inspiration for the future American Tribal Style® (ATS®) and later Tribal Fusion.
How does all this connect to Tribal Fusion?
Two main branches were already forming in the 1950s–1970s:
American Cabaret Bellydance – attractive to the audience, flashy, with show business influences
Ethnographic and alternative approach – through Jamila Salimpour and the Bal Anat group
At the turn of the 1980s and 1990s, American Tribal Style® (ATS®), now known as FCBD® Style, emerged in California, which is based on these alternative influences. Its founder, Carolena Nericcio, danced with Jamila Salimpour and was strongly influenced by the aesthetics and philosophy of Bal Anat. ATS was distinguished from the beginning by its structure – it was a group improvised dance with clearly given signals, dominant female energy and collective expression.
In the 90s, dancers began to appear who wanted to move ATS further – more towards personal expression, contemporary dance and other influences (hip hop, electronic music, buto, flamenco, yoga, etc.). Thus was born Tribal Fusion Bellydance – a style that is still rooted in ATS, but gives space to individual style, choreography and technique.
