Welcome to the information site of the Tribal Fusion Certification
Program of the Berne Bellydance School TAKSIM.
Easter 2009 marks the beginning of a new era in the Tribal Fusion dance instruction in Switzerland: in cooperation with world-famous dancers and instructors, Moria Chappell, Sharon Kihara, Mardi Love and Heather Stants, the Berne Bellydance School TAKSIM is now offering a 12-months Level-I Certification Course for dancers (TTCC), that comprises 13 weekends with a total of 135 hours of intensive instruction, including a number of short ad-hoc tests in writing, two intermediate and one final practical exams, a 3-day Summer Bootcamp as well as many extra hours of practice and self-study.
Why a Tribal Fusion Certification?
When Amira opened the Berne Bellydance School TAKSIM three years ago, one of her credo’s had been to constantly working on new ideas and concepts to share with the bellydance community in Switzerland and beyond and to improve quality in dance instruction and performance at all levels. The idea to introduce a Dancers’ Certification Course in Tribal Fusion Bellydance in April 2009 – to our knowledge the first of its kind in the world - was born out of this logic.
Following the introduction of Tribal Fusion Bellydance in Europe by members of the American dance company Bellydance Superstars some five years ago, in Switzerland, too, more and more young women had fallen in love with this new dance art that turned out to become a new form of lifestyle for many.
An unsatisfactory situation
Ever since, the trend to follow the likes of Rachel Brice, Sharon Kihara, Mardi Love, Moria Chappell and others to learn the new dance has been continuing unabated. Yet, in Switzerland as elsewhere the possibilities for in-depth trainings in Tribal Fusion Bellydance were still limited. As a result, the high demand for adequate Tribal Fusion dance training has led to a situation whereby an increasing number of traditional belly dancers and others have been trying to fill this vacuum. Many of them, however, had no other background than having attended a few workshops or instructed themselves via dvd’s and the internet. With neither possessing the necessary theoretical foundations nor the technical and artistic know-how, they launched themselves into the teaching of Tribal Fusion bellydance – with very often unsatisfactory or even unhealthy results for their students.
Amira’s observations of the Swiss "Tribal Scene“ had made her realize very soon that, unlike in cabaret-style bellydancing, there were huge deficits in the way Tribal Fusion was presented on stage and taught in class: a lack of adequate or wrong warm-up’s and cool-down’s; unhealthy movements and postures; bad body alignments and poor muscle isolation skills; neither fidelity to music, nor sufficient audio sensibility, nor enough knowledge of basic rhythms, leave alone their adequate translation into movement; insufficient or total ignorance of “hand percussion“ (zills) and, last but not least, no sense of “authenticity“, resulting in all sorts of fake fusions such as dancers performing a normal bellydance routine in a tribal costume, etc.
Striving for quality education
To overcome these and other deficits and knowing that “there are no fixed rules, but there is a frame that must be respected“(Farida Fahmy), Amira developed the idea of a structured, progressive and comprehensive Tribal Fusion dance training that should not only encompass in-depth knowledge of body conditioning and body awareness, dance techniques, choreographies, rhythms, use of props, costuming, make-up and the like, but also lead to a certification that would demonstrate a higher level of knowledge and experience as a Tribal Fusion dancer. To this end, Amira partnered with some of the finest and most accomplished Tribal Fusion dancers in the World who shared the same values and objectives. While the certification training will be done by different teachers with different backgrounds, it all will relate to the overarching theme and contribute to creating a unique opportunity for the students to immerse themselves in the multi-faceted culture and execution of modern tribal fusion bellydance.
Committed to excellence
With its Tribal Fusion Certification Program, the Berne Bellydance School TAKSIM walks on new grounds. For the students, it provides an opportunity to receive a well-founded dance training as well as technical skills that enable them to reach their individual goals thereby developing them to established and skilled Tribal Fusion Dancers. To this end and by partnering with some of the most accomplished Tribal Fusion dancers and instructors of our times, the Berne Bellydance School TAKSIM has been committing itself to providing the certification students with the highest standards in Tribal Fusion dance education that is available today.
Following the successful completion of the Taksim Tribal Certification Course (TTCC), the student receives a Level-1 Tribal Fusion Dancer Certification (TFDC), issued by the Berne Bellydance School TAKSIM and certified by its designers and instructors, Moria Chappell, Sharon Kihara, Mardi Love and Heather Stants.
It recognizes that the certified has met a rigorous standard of experience and expertise in Tribal Fusion Dance and has demonstrated her knowledge in theory and practice through a thourough 12-months training course and a final examination of dance competency thereby achieving a level of distinction among her peers.
The way forward
The incentive for offering the certification program is to establish an advanced level for studies in Fusion Dance for the purposes of performing and, eventually, in a second phase teaching. Designed as a 12-months program, the aim is to give students an opportunity to study at a higher level and be recognized for such work.
Those students who have completed the Level-I Course are invited to maintain an on-going relationship with the program director, Ms Amira B. Hofacker-Armirail, the Berne Bellydance School TAKSIM (BBS) and members of the TAKSIM DANCE COMPANY. They may perform with the Company and, in individual cases, be asked to teach at the BBS.
Furthermore, the successful TFDC holders are entitled – without prior audition - to join the envisaged 15-months Level II Certification Course for Professional Tribal Fusion Dancers and Instructors as from Fall 2010. Details pertaining to this Course will be published later this year.
What does the Taksim Tribal Fusion Certification do for you?
It certifies
- that by choosing a structured format and a professional learning
environment, you have invested in your personal development as a
Tribal Fusion dancer to achieve a higher level of quality in this new
dance form;
- that you understand how to define Tribal Bellydance and Fusion;
- that you are in the position to recognize, respect and uphold the
artistic value and diversity of Tribal Fusion Dance forms;
- that you have acquired in-depth knowledge about the foundations of
Tribal Fusion and movement;
- that you have received a professional and guided training essential
for a Tribal Fusion dancer to prevent injury;
- that you have build a sound knowledge base on Tribal Dance and
methodology also with regard to the use of props;
- that you have received a maximum of technique training so that you
are able to further develop your own skills and an own genuine
performance style that encompasses clarity and elegance in
expression;
- that you have developed not only a good stage presence and an
understanding for stage dynamics and
- that you have received the necessary tools to carry the high
standards of Tribal Fusion Dance on stage, but also
- that you have learned how to increase and professionalize your
dance portfolio;
The Instructors
Moria Chappell
travels worldwide performing and teaching the beautiful art of tribal fusion bellydance. Popular teacher and acclaimed performer, Moria is heralded as an innovator in costume design, stage make-up, and choreography. Her style, both feminine and fierce, commands an intensity and precision that epitomizes tribal fusion isolation and individualism. Beginning her dance career in Atlanta, GA in 2001 with Awalim Dance Company, Moria moved to San Francisco in 2005 to study with and later join The Suhaila Dance School, The Suhaila Dance Company, and Bal Anat, from which she learned the extreme muscle control and isolation fundamental to her current style. Later that same year she joined The Bellydance Superstars and began her world travels.
Sharon Kihara
is a seasoned performer, inspirational teacher and exotic personality. She is known the world over for her avant-garde artistry, as well as for her skillful, graceful and powerful technique. She comes from a strong background in western dance, beginning with Ballet and continuing to perform with college Modern and Jazz dance companies throughout the nineties. In the mid-nineties, when she switched over from bellydance to Tribal Style, a life-long love affair had taken its course. In early 2004, Sharon joined the Bellydance Superstars and has been touring internationally full-time ever since. Sharon enjoys fusing the healing arts with the performing arts, and more than anything loves bearing witness to the beautiful, transcendental changes that occur in the lives of those who embark on the journey that is Tribal Fusion Style—it is no less than magic.
Mardi Love
is assistant director, choreographer, and part time costumier for San Francisco-based dance company The Indigo. Mardi began dancing in San Diego with Heather Stants, and was a founding member of Urban Tribal Dance Company. She relocated to the Bay Area where she connected with the likes of Rachel Brice, Michelle Campbell, Sharon Kihara and Zoe. These days she dances with Rachel Brice and Zoe of The Indigo and the Le Serpent Rouge revue and, at times, turns out with the Bellydance Superstars. Mardi's work reflects her eye for detail and her affection for the strange and old fashioned. According to many, she has influenced tribal fusion style like no one else... from costuming to choreography down to the movements.
Heather Stants
is a lifelong artist and dancer with a degree in photography and fine arts. Her career in tribal fusion dance began over twelve years ago when she became the assistant director of Read My Hips in Chicago, Illinois. In 1999 Heather moved to San Diego, California and launched the Southern California tribal movement through her classes and the formation of Urban Tribal Dance Company. Heather's diverse movement and arts background feeds her creativity and her groundbreaking approach to choreography. Urban Tribal Dance Company is known for it's contemporary approach to belly dance, a pared down costume emphasizing body movements over ornamentation athleticism and the use of the dance form as a means of personal expression and interpretation.
The Core Curriculum in a nutshell
- Fundamentals of Movement I + II
- Fusion Fundamentals, ATS and Suhaila Salimpour
Method
- Tribal Fusion Fundamentals
- Body Conditioning
- Improvisation and Isolation
- Props Technique
- Creativity and Cues
- Rhythms, Zills & Drum I + II
- Combos and Choreos
- Layerings I + II
- Travelling Steps and Level Changes
- Classical ballet basics for Tribal Fusion
- Floor work I + II
- Costuming + Make-up
- Stage conditioning
Easter 2009 marks the beginning of a new era in the Tribal Fusion dance instruction in Switzerland: in cooperation with world-famous dancers and instructors, Moria Chappell, Sharon Kihara, Mardi Love and Heather Stants, the Berne Bellydance School TAKSIM is now offering a 12-months Level-I Certification Course for dancers (TTCC), that comprises 13 weekends with a total of 135 hours of intensive instruction, including a number of short ad-hoc tests in writing, two intermediate and one final practical exams, a 3-day Summer Bootcamp as well as many extra hours of practice and self-study.
Why a Tribal Fusion Certification?
When Amira opened the Berne Bellydance School TAKSIM three years ago, one of her credo’s had been to constantly working on new ideas and concepts to share with the bellydance community in Switzerland and beyond and to improve quality in dance instruction and performance at all levels. The idea to introduce a Dancers’ Certification Course in Tribal Fusion Bellydance in April 2009 – to our knowledge the first of its kind in the world - was born out of this logic.
Following the introduction of Tribal Fusion Bellydance in Europe by members of the American dance company Bellydance Superstars some five years ago, in Switzerland, too, more and more young women had fallen in love with this new dance art that turned out to become a new form of lifestyle for many.
An unsatisfactory situation
Ever since, the trend to follow the likes of Rachel Brice, Sharon Kihara, Mardi Love, Moria Chappell and others to learn the new dance has been continuing unabated. Yet, in Switzerland as elsewhere the possibilities for in-depth trainings in Tribal Fusion Bellydance were still limited. As a result, the high demand for adequate Tribal Fusion dance training has led to a situation whereby an increasing number of traditional belly dancers and others have been trying to fill this vacuum. Many of them, however, had no other background than having attended a few workshops or instructed themselves via dvd’s and the internet. With neither possessing the necessary theoretical foundations nor the technical and artistic know-how, they launched themselves into the teaching of Tribal Fusion bellydance – with very often unsatisfactory or even unhealthy results for their students.
Amira’s observations of the Swiss "Tribal Scene“ had made her realize very soon that, unlike in cabaret-style bellydancing, there were huge deficits in the way Tribal Fusion was presented on stage and taught in class: a lack of adequate or wrong warm-up’s and cool-down’s; unhealthy movements and postures; bad body alignments and poor muscle isolation skills; neither fidelity to music, nor sufficient audio sensibility, nor enough knowledge of basic rhythms, leave alone their adequate translation into movement; insufficient or total ignorance of “hand percussion“ (zills) and, last but not least, no sense of “authenticity“, resulting in all sorts of fake fusions such as dancers performing a normal bellydance routine in a tribal costume, etc.
Striving for quality education
To overcome these and other deficits and knowing that “there are no fixed rules, but there is a frame that must be respected“(Farida Fahmy), Amira developed the idea of a structured, progressive and comprehensive Tribal Fusion dance training that should not only encompass in-depth knowledge of body conditioning and body awareness, dance techniques, choreographies, rhythms, use of props, costuming, make-up and the like, but also lead to a certification that would demonstrate a higher level of knowledge and experience as a Tribal Fusion dancer. To this end, Amira partnered with some of the finest and most accomplished Tribal Fusion dancers in the World who shared the same values and objectives. While the certification training will be done by different teachers with different backgrounds, it all will relate to the overarching theme and contribute to creating a unique opportunity for the students to immerse themselves in the multi-faceted culture and execution of modern tribal fusion bellydance.
Committed to excellence
With its Tribal Fusion Certification Program, the Berne Bellydance School TAKSIM walks on new grounds. For the students, it provides an opportunity to receive a well-founded dance training as well as technical skills that enable them to reach their individual goals thereby developing them to established and skilled Tribal Fusion Dancers. To this end and by partnering with some of the most accomplished Tribal Fusion dancers and instructors of our times, the Berne Bellydance School TAKSIM has been committing itself to providing the certification students with the highest standards in Tribal Fusion dance education that is available today.
Following the successful completion of the Taksim Tribal Certification Course (TTCC), the student receives a Level-1 Tribal Fusion Dancer Certification (TFDC), issued by the Berne Bellydance School TAKSIM and certified by its designers and instructors, Moria Chappell, Sharon Kihara, Mardi Love and Heather Stants.
It recognizes that the certified has met a rigorous standard of experience and expertise in Tribal Fusion Dance and has demonstrated her knowledge in theory and practice through a thourough 12-months training course and a final examination of dance competency thereby achieving a level of distinction among her peers.
The way forward
The incentive for offering the certification program is to establish an advanced level for studies in Fusion Dance for the purposes of performing and, eventually, in a second phase teaching. Designed as a 12-months program, the aim is to give students an opportunity to study at a higher level and be recognized for such work.
Those students who have completed the Level-I Course are invited to maintain an on-going relationship with the program director, Ms Amira B. Hofacker-Armirail, the Berne Bellydance School TAKSIM (BBS) and members of the TAKSIM DANCE COMPANY. They may perform with the Company and, in individual cases, be asked to teach at the BBS.
Furthermore, the successful TFDC holders are entitled – without prior audition - to join the envisaged 15-months Level II Certification Course for Professional Tribal Fusion Dancers and Instructors as from Fall 2010. Details pertaining to this Course will be published later this year.
What does the Taksim Tribal Fusion Certification do for you?
It certifies
- that by choosing a structured format and a professional learning
environment, you have invested in your personal development as a
Tribal Fusion dancer to achieve a higher level of quality in this new
dance form;
- that you understand how to define Tribal Bellydance and Fusion;
- that you are in the position to recognize, respect and uphold the
artistic value and diversity of Tribal Fusion Dance forms;
- that you have acquired in-depth knowledge about the foundations of
Tribal Fusion and movement;
- that you have received a professional and guided training essential
for a Tribal Fusion dancer to prevent injury;
- that you have build a sound knowledge base on Tribal Dance and
methodology also with regard to the use of props;
- that you have received a maximum of technique training so that you
are able to further develop your own skills and an own genuine
performance style that encompasses clarity and elegance in
expression;
- that you have developed not only a good stage presence and an
understanding for stage dynamics and
- that you have received the necessary tools to carry the high
standards of Tribal Fusion Dance on stage, but also
- that you have learned how to increase and professionalize your
dance portfolio;
The Instructors
Moria Chappell
travels worldwide performing and teaching the beautiful art of tribal fusion bellydance. Popular teacher and acclaimed performer, Moria is heralded as an innovator in costume design, stage make-up, and choreography. Her style, both feminine and fierce, commands an intensity and precision that epitomizes tribal fusion isolation and individualism. Beginning her dance career in Atlanta, GA in 2001 with Awalim Dance Company, Moria moved to San Francisco in 2005 to study with and later join The Suhaila Dance School, The Suhaila Dance Company, and Bal Anat, from which she learned the extreme muscle control and isolation fundamental to her current style. Later that same year she joined The Bellydance Superstars and began her world travels.
Sharon Kihara
is a seasoned performer, inspirational teacher and exotic personality. She is known the world over for her avant-garde artistry, as well as for her skillful, graceful and powerful technique. She comes from a strong background in western dance, beginning with Ballet and continuing to perform with college Modern and Jazz dance companies throughout the nineties. In the mid-nineties, when she switched over from bellydance to Tribal Style, a life-long love affair had taken its course. In early 2004, Sharon joined the Bellydance Superstars and has been touring internationally full-time ever since. Sharon enjoys fusing the healing arts with the performing arts, and more than anything loves bearing witness to the beautiful, transcendental changes that occur in the lives of those who embark on the journey that is Tribal Fusion Style—it is no less than magic.
Mardi Love
is assistant director, choreographer, and part time costumier for San Francisco-based dance company The Indigo. Mardi began dancing in San Diego with Heather Stants, and was a founding member of Urban Tribal Dance Company. She relocated to the Bay Area where she connected with the likes of Rachel Brice, Michelle Campbell, Sharon Kihara and Zoe. These days she dances with Rachel Brice and Zoe of The Indigo and the Le Serpent Rouge revue and, at times, turns out with the Bellydance Superstars. Mardi's work reflects her eye for detail and her affection for the strange and old fashioned. According to many, she has influenced tribal fusion style like no one else... from costuming to choreography down to the movements.
Heather Stants
is a lifelong artist and dancer with a degree in photography and fine arts. Her career in tribal fusion dance began over twelve years ago when she became the assistant director of Read My Hips in Chicago, Illinois. In 1999 Heather moved to San Diego, California and launched the Southern California tribal movement through her classes and the formation of Urban Tribal Dance Company. Heather's diverse movement and arts background feeds her creativity and her groundbreaking approach to choreography. Urban Tribal Dance Company is known for it's contemporary approach to belly dance, a pared down costume emphasizing body movements over ornamentation athleticism and the use of the dance form as a means of personal expression and interpretation.
The Core Curriculum in a nutshell
- Fundamentals of Movement I + II
- Fusion Fundamentals, ATS and Suhaila Salimpour
Method
- Tribal Fusion Fundamentals
- Body Conditioning
- Improvisation and Isolation
- Props Technique
- Creativity and Cues
- Rhythms, Zills & Drum I + II
- Combos and Choreos
- Layerings I + II
- Travelling Steps and Level Changes
- Classical ballet basics for Tribal Fusion
- Floor work I + II
- Costuming + Make-up
- Stage conditioning