Have a question that isn’t answered here? Email me at info@jaiyana.com.

Is belly dance family-friendly?

Yes, absolutely. Belly dance is a social dance with a rich history. It is suitable for all audiences. Children especially love it! For more information, read Shira’s article Oriental Dance: A Dance for the Whole Family.

Is that a real sword?

I often dance with a sword — it is a beautiful and powerful prop, and audiences love seeing me balance it on my hip, head, and even my chin! Yes, it is a real sword. It is made especially for dance, however, and is unlikely to injure anybody.

Are you Middle Eastern / Greek / Arabic / Romany?

No, at least not that I’m aware of.  My ancestry is mostly northern European. But I do enjoy the food, music, and dancing of various Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cultures. Belly dance is a wonderful medium to learn about cultures you may not otherwise be exposed to.

Do men belly dance? Do you teach men?

Of course. Belly dance comes from a culture in which men, women, and children all dance. There are many well-known male dancers in North America, including Jim Boz, Zorba, Sharif, and many others.

I encourage men to study belly dance, and to attend my classes.

What should I wear to class? Do I have to buy anything?

Please wear clothing that shows your movement and posture. You do not have to show your belly! Yoga pants and a tank top are perfect. Please, no baggy t-shirts! A scarf to tie around your hips is nice for showing isolations, but you don’t have to go out and buy a coin belt if you don’t want to.

We may use instrument-quality finger cymbals in class. I will have them available for purchase.

I’m too old / inflexible / fat to dance! I’m worried I’ll make a fool of myself.

I hear people saying this a lot, but it’s a worry without basis in fact. I know a lot of bellydancers of various ages, sizes, and ability levels, but I have yet to meet a single person — old, young, large- or small-bodied, flexible or not — who looks foolish while bellydancing with good posture and focused intent.

Bellydance is proud and strong, and celebrates the bodies we have rather than some unattainable “ideal.” If you can walk, you can dance. And if you can’t walk, you can dance with your hands, shoulders, head, and face! Bellydance is first and foremost a way to be present in and accepting of the body you have right now.

Is tribal bellydance authentic?

Improvisational Tribal Style belly dance (and its more specific format, American Tribal Style) are authentically American modern fusion dance forms. ATS began in California late in the 20th century. The vocabulary is inspired by movement from different countries around the world, much like the rest of the North American experience.

What’s the story on ITS vs. ATS?

ITS stands for Improvisational Tribal Style. ATS stands for American Tribal Style. Both dance forms refer to synchronized group improvisation between dancers, where the focus is on a group of dancers rather than a soloist. When dancers create new moves within their group, we call that ITS. ITS allows for creativity and for different troupes to develop their own systems of cuing and transitioning — their own dialects.

ATS refers to a specific movement vocabulary, pioneered by Carolena Nericcio of Fat Chance Belly Dance. When dancers are skilled in the ATS vocabulary and cues, they can all dance together even on their first meeting with little opportunity for confusion — they are all speaking the same dialect of the tribal language.

You may hear other non-Fat Chance formats referred to as ATS. In 2007, Carolena expressed a desire that dancers find another name for tribal style that does not use the Fat Chance format. Out of respect for her wishes, I use the more generic term ITS.