CHRISTINEFCBD® Teacher & FatChanceBellyDance® Sister Studio.
My first taste of bellydancing was in 2001 during a holiday to Egypt where I took lessons with the hotel's belly dancer in the air-conditioned lounge to escape the 45 degree heat. Back home I found a cabaret class locally (I had no idea what tribal was in those days), much as it was fun exercise I never felt the urge to perform. By chance I found a FCBD® video on youtube, I didn't realise the dance was improvised or understand how the 'magic' happened but I knew straight away ATS® was for me. I am so lucky to have learnt from the best ATS® teachers in the world and danced with so many amazing, inspiring people. We say ATS® is like Marmite; you either love it or hate it. If you love it, be prepared for it to take over your purse/wallet, wardrobes and your life. Even as ATS® teachers we are continually learning, trying to perfect the moves and striving to acheive 'flow' (or dancing in the divine sub-concious as Carolena says). To be able to pass this knowledge on to my own students whilst seeing them grow in confidence and ability is so rewarding. We are extremely proud of our student troupe Nartakah, each of them has been chosen not only for their dance skills but also for their sense of fun and commitment to ATS®; it's an absolute joy for us to perform alongside them as Akula Nartakah. Bellydancing has broadened my horizons and brought the most wonderful people into my life, not least of all my very talented dance partner, costumier and friend Maxine. Our next big milestone is travelling to Seattle, USA in March 2012 for Cues & Tattoos to take workshops with Carolena learning the new moves on FCBD® DVD 9. We are also taking workshops with Mimi Fontana of Manhattan Tribal & Colette Todorov of Scarlet Thistle. We then have 2 performance slots at C & T on Saturday 31st March, one of which will be as Akula Tribal. For the 2nd slot we will be dancing with Troupe InternATSional; a group of friends & fellow FCBD® Sister/Brother Studios!...
ATS® Training & Certification
GS & Tribal Pura ~ October 2008 with Carolena Nericcio and Megha Gavin, in Glastonbury, UK.
FCBD®Teacher ~TT1 24th-27th August 2009 with Carolena in Pori, Finland.
FCBD® Sister Studio ~1st September 2009.
TT2 ~ 22nd-29th November 2010 with Carolena, FCBD® Studios in San Francisco, USA.
GS Day 4 (Floorwork) ~ 24th November 2010 with Carolena.
Private classes with Wendy Allen, Kristine Adams & Sandi Ball of FCBD®.
Devi Mamek workshops ~ Leige, Belgium 21st-23rd April 2011.
Wendy Allen Workshops ~ Tiverton, Devon 22nd July 2011.
MAXINEFCBD® Teacher & FatChanceBellyDance® Sister Studio.
After seeing bellydancing on holiday in 1998 I decided I wanted to learn how to do it myself and eventually found a cabaret class near where I lived and was instantly addicted. Although I progressed to performing cabaret professionally, I have always had a passion for ATS®. My first real taste was whilst travelling in North Africa and in the Sahara Desert during a winter, many many years ago. I witnessed some Bedouin/Berber tribeswomen just dancing around the fire together with what seemed like an energy that was effortless and flowing and with great connection to each other. Such an extremely powerful and strong image that has always stayed with me and this is the spirit and essence that ATS® captures - a group of women dancing with and for each other whilst having fun. It took a long while to find a teacher in the UK who taught the original FCBD® format and so it wasn't until a few of years ago that I was lucky enough to find and begin studying with two very special teachers, Deana & Sarah of Tribe of Kismet. Deana our lovely wonderful friend eventually went on to form Tribal Unity with whom I am delighted to have performed as a member and then gradually performing more and more with Christine as Akula! I have been blessed in being able to study and dance with some very accomplished and wonderful teachers (most recently in San Francisco having attended their classes and had private lessons with some the fabulous FCBD® ladies) and dancers along the way and would like to thank them all for enriching my life - you know who you all are. I now feel very honoured, privileged and thrilled to be able to pass on and share my knowledge with other like-minded people watching them grow and become empowered. Together with my fabulous and wonderful dance partner and friend, Christine, we are so very proud to be able to present Akula Tribal Bellydance to you and I am also extremely proud of our wonderful student troupe Nartakah. Christine and I now dance together as Akula Tribal or with our troupe, as Akula Nartakah.
ATS® Training & Certification
GS & Tribal Pura ~ October 2008 with Carolena Nericcio and Megha Gavin, in Glastonbury, UK.
FCBD®Teacher ~ TT1 24th-27th August 2009 with Carolena in Pori, Finland.
FCBD® Sister Studio ~ 1st September 2009.
TT2 ~ 22nd-29th November 2010 with Carolena, FCBD® Studios in San Francisco, USA.
GS Day 4 (Floorwork) ~ 24th November 2010 with Carolena.
Private classes with Wendy Allen, Kristine Adams & Sandi Ball of FCBD®.
Devi Mamek workshops ~ Leige, Belgium 21st-23rd April 2011.
Wendy Allen Workshops ~ Tiverton, Devon 22nd July 2011.
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