Fat Chance Belly Dance®
"American Tribal Style® Belly Dance (ATS®) is a modern style of dance
created by FatChanceBellyDance® director, Carolena
Nericcio.
In 1974, Carolena began dancing with Masha Archer and the San Francisco
Classic Dance Troupe. Masha’s style was an eclectic blend of classic Egyptian,
Folkloric, and any other influence that she found enticing. Masha, a trained
painter and sculptor, taught her dancers to create art through dance. In 1987,
after the SF Classic Dance Troupe disbanded, Carolena began teaching in a small
studio in the Noe Valley Ministry. Her only goal was to teach people to dance so
she could have dance partners.
Being young and tattooed, Carolena attracted other young people living
alternative lifestyles. The Modern Primitives movement was also underway.
Tattoos and primitive styles of body adornment were the vogue. Carolena and her
students performed at tattoo shows and conventions and became well known in the
City by the Bay.
When the need for a name for the dance troupe arose, a friend suggested the
playful rhyme FatChanceBellyDance, based on the silly question dancers often get
from onlookers who think that beautiful, feminine belly dance is merely an
exotic entertainment for their personal pleasure. In other words, the answer is,
“Fat chance you can have a private show.”
As Carolena and FatChanceBellyDance® expanded horizons they received a mixed
response. Some people loved the new style; others abhorred its departure from
tradition. Finally, the style was named “American Tribal Style® Belly Dance,” a
name that distanced ATS® from classical beledi styles. The word “American” made
it clear that ATS® was distinctly an American invention, not a traditional dance
style. “Tribal Style” described the dancers working together as a group with a
“tribal” look.
Back at the studio, a system was evolving. Because of the casual nature of
FCBD®’s performance opportunities, the dance was largely improvisational. There
simply wasn’t a way, or a need, to choreograph because the dance space often
changed at the last minute, and the dancers had to perform without rehearsal or
any information about the performance space.
Duets, trios, and quartets worked in set formations. If the stage was
two-sided, or if the dance space was in the round, the dancers could flip the
lead by facing the opposite direction. In other words, as long as the dancers
stayed in formation, the group could face any direction and the lead could
change, depending on the audience’s location. Carolena developed cues for each
step or combination, usually an arm or head movement that could easily be seen.
She found that because all steps began with a gesture to the right, dancers
tended to angle to the left. This angle allowed following dancers to clearly see
the lead dancer."
Quote taken directly from FCBD.COM
Link to Sister Studio Status
created by FatChanceBellyDance® director, Carolena
Nericcio.
In 1974, Carolena began dancing with Masha Archer and the San Francisco
Classic Dance Troupe. Masha’s style was an eclectic blend of classic Egyptian,
Folkloric, and any other influence that she found enticing. Masha, a trained
painter and sculptor, taught her dancers to create art through dance. In 1987,
after the SF Classic Dance Troupe disbanded, Carolena began teaching in a small
studio in the Noe Valley Ministry. Her only goal was to teach people to dance so
she could have dance partners.
Being young and tattooed, Carolena attracted other young people living
alternative lifestyles. The Modern Primitives movement was also underway.
Tattoos and primitive styles of body adornment were the vogue. Carolena and her
students performed at tattoo shows and conventions and became well known in the
City by the Bay.
When the need for a name for the dance troupe arose, a friend suggested the
playful rhyme FatChanceBellyDance, based on the silly question dancers often get
from onlookers who think that beautiful, feminine belly dance is merely an
exotic entertainment for their personal pleasure. In other words, the answer is,
“Fat chance you can have a private show.”
As Carolena and FatChanceBellyDance® expanded horizons they received a mixed
response. Some people loved the new style; others abhorred its departure from
tradition. Finally, the style was named “American Tribal Style® Belly Dance,” a
name that distanced ATS® from classical beledi styles. The word “American” made
it clear that ATS® was distinctly an American invention, not a traditional dance
style. “Tribal Style” described the dancers working together as a group with a
“tribal” look.
Back at the studio, a system was evolving. Because of the casual nature of
FCBD®’s performance opportunities, the dance was largely improvisational. There
simply wasn’t a way, or a need, to choreograph because the dance space often
changed at the last minute, and the dancers had to perform without rehearsal or
any information about the performance space.
Duets, trios, and quartets worked in set formations. If the stage was
two-sided, or if the dance space was in the round, the dancers could flip the
lead by facing the opposite direction. In other words, as long as the dancers
stayed in formation, the group could face any direction and the lead could
change, depending on the audience’s location. Carolena developed cues for each
step or combination, usually an arm or head movement that could easily be seen.
She found that because all steps began with a gesture to the right, dancers
tended to angle to the left. This angle allowed following dancers to clearly see
the lead dancer."
Quote taken directly from FCBD.COM
Link to Sister Studio Status