Welcome to the world of Tribal and Fusion Bellydance, a colorful exciting new dance community where the very essence of women is celebrated! Tribal and Fusion Bellydance is a new style that has been created using the basic steps of Oriental dance, a dance that developed from the shapes and possibilities of a woman’s body, then mixing it with Western dance styles as modern, jazz ballet, hip hop and more. This contemporary, new dance genre appeals to all shapes and sizes, ages and types of women and has quickly spread around the planet. Dancers use its universal language to communicate with each other and with other dancers in one big strong and supportive community that embraces difference. To bring joy through movement, to touch people’s hearts and to ignite the fire of creativity in those who dance it.
The New European Cultural Collaborations Foundation is the organization that brings you the Shimmy Shake, set up by Gail Pilgrim in 2007 as part of the LiteSide Festival which celebrated the meeting of East and Western culture. This talent discovery project quickly developed into a yearlong talent development endeavor, that supports, develops and provides a platform for this new genre with coaching for all levels, workshops, presentations and a national network community. In 2014 we established a Shimmy Shake office in Rotterdam – the fusion city of the Netherlands, and we started up the most successful annual International Fusion and Tribal Bellydance festival.
At this moment it is still hard to imagine, but there will be a time when we can get together again. A time to have fun, dance together and make memories. Hopefully, and probably with some altercations to keep everybody safe, the Talent Carnival on June 14th in Rotterdam, will be such a day!
Many dancers will tell you that dancing on live music is one of the best feelings in the world. Especially when the music you are dancing on, is made just for that moment. Music and dance become one, lifting the choreography to an all-in performance. Who does not want to experience such a thing?
Now that the Shimmy Shake Talent Search has gone digital, you have to make a video of your choreography. For some of you, this may be a piece of cake, something you have done times and times before. But for others, this may be new (and maybe a bit frightening).
Last night, the Dutch Government presented new measures to slow down the coronavirus outbreak in the Netherlands. Unfortunately, these new measures make it impossible for us to organise our Talent Search as we are used to. But we will not let us be slowed down by a stupid (BUT VERY SERIOUS!!) virus. That’s why the Talent Search goes digital!
At the moment, many parts of the world live in an almost unreal reality. Because of the Coronavirus outbreak, we stay at home as much as possible. Her in the Netherlands, all sports and dance classes had to stop and it is prohibited to have more than 3 guests over at your home. Therefore, it has become impossible for dance teachers to teach their classes.
Unfortunately, we were forced to cancel our Talent Search in Rotterdam on March 15. Although meetings of up to 100 people were allowed at the time, we did not consider it responsible to continue this afternoon.