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Welcome to Kalash Tribal: a FatChanceBellyDance Sister Studio  Imagine this: "there was a time in history, a long time ago, when the bounce and sway of a woman's hips was considered so beautiful that they set it to music and made a dance out of it... " Carolena Nericcio Kalash are a mixed bunch of 7 women based in Devon. We range from schoolgirl to teacher, archaeologist to marine biologist – but we all have one thing in common - a passion for American Tribal Style (ATS) bellydance. If you would like to book Kalash for your event please email us kalash.ats@googlemail.com What is ATS? ATS is a relatively modern style of dance, which has its roots in the gypsy dances of the Ghawazee of Egypt and the Ouled Nail of Algeria, with further inspiration and influences from the dances of India and Spanish flamenco. ATS is an improvised dance form which uses a series of formations and cues from the lead dancer to communicate what is going to happen next - the goal is to appear as a flock of birds, where the whole group changes direction at precisely the same moment. For a brief history of ATS please click HERE. How did Kalash start? Whilst attending local belly dance classes Kelley became increasingly interested in American Tribal Style bellydance and started teaching herself ATS at home using the FatChanceBellyDance instructional DVD’s. When her bellydance teacher left Devon for the United States she and fellow student, Lisa, invited other students from the class to join them at her home where they would practise every week in a converted barn. Unfortunately the barn has a very low ceiling and was therefore not good for strong arm positions! By April 2008 Kalash was established and the girls decided they had to hire a hall with plenty of arm room and have never looked back since. What does Kalash mean? The Kalash is a sacred waterpot - a symbol of Creation, Divinity and Immortality and an essential accessory for Hindu Puja. Both the 'waterpot' and 'puja' have strong links with our dance. The waterpot being one of our dance steps and the puja a moving meditation carried out before class or performance. More info here The Original Kalash Tribe The Kalash are a tribe tucked away in the Hindu Kush mountains of Northern Pakistan. The women wear very distinctive costumes, black skirts with heavy decorative borders and beautiful tops and stunning headdresses decorated with cowrie shells, embroidery and strands of beads. photos Our charity Our dance troupe makes an annual donation each year from funds raised by our activities, such as the Oasis events and dance classes, to Survival International. Survival is the only international organization supporting tribal peoples worldwide. They help tribal peoples defend their lives, protect their lands and determine their own futures. Over the past 40 years they have repeatedly triumphed over victimization and oppression through education, advocacy and public pressure. Amongst their many supporters are HH the Dalai Lama, Paul McCartney, Joanna Lumley and Bruce Parry. For further information click here and don't forget to order your Christmas cards - every penny goes to helping threatened tribal peoples worldwide Contact Us Email us at kalash.ats@googlemail.com or alternatively sign up to the forum! Kalash: A FatChanceBellyDance Sister Studio  |
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