What’s In a Name - an interview with Abigail Keyes

Dance instructor and writer Abigail Keyes is internationally renowned for her strong technique, contemporary stylization, tough but compassionate teaching style, and insightful writings on trends and topics in the field of belly dance.

Along with her extensive education in dance—including an M.A. in Dance Studies at Mills College and over 20 years with the Salimpour School of Dance—with a focus on history and pedagogy, she is a brilliant and accomplished writer.

You may have read one of her many informative and inspirational blogs or her book, The Salimpour Compendium, Vol. 1. One of her most recent blog posts, “What’s in a Name?” shared her knowledge and experience with the origins and history of Jamila Salimpour’s dance vocabulary. Many of the steps mentioned are also part of our lineage in FatChanceBellyDance® Style.

In this interview, DeAnna sits down with long time friend, Abigail, to revisit this very important history as well as recreate some of the immense fun they had together in 2020 as they dove deep into the origins of the foundational steps our dance style founder, Carolena Nericcio, learned from her teacher, Masha Archer, who was once a student of Jamila Salimpour.

This is an important discussion that is sure to be educational and inspirational for all styles of dance.

This video also contains links to furhter resources as mentioned throughout the interview.