Connect to our Dance History, and gain a deeper appreciation of this step

Learn the origins and influences of the beautiful WaterPot step in detail!

I’m sure many of you that have studied other belly dance styles have experienced movements that are similar, but not exact to ours.

This step was created by our beloved Megha Gavin, founder of Devyani Dance Company and is found on FatChanceBellyDance® Tribal Basics Volume 7: Creative Steps and Combinations so it’s considered a part of our Modern vocabulary…

The Pivot Bump is a fundamental steps in any style of bellydance. In fact, whether soft and bouncy or punchy and staccato, many dance styles have some sort of Pivot Bump.

In FatChanceBellyDance® Style, the Pivot Bump, along with the Choo Choo, is not only a foundational and Classic step, but we have an entire family of movements dedicated to this beautifully simple, yet diverse, hip movement.

I love chatting with Carolena about these topics because they always include stories or memories that take me back to photos, videos or articles I’ve seen and it feels like a little piece of the history puzzle fits perfectly in it’s spot to create the full picture.

These are vendors that we love, recommend and have collaborated with on our Monthly challenges. We value their brand and feel their offerings are a great fit for our worldwide FCBD®Style community.

Since we have so many new instructors. I thought it might be nice to do a blog series on what it means to be a Certified Studio.

Today, let’s explore the origins of the Wet Dog.

In November 2021, FCBD®U hosted legendary folkloric artist, Khyria Mazin for a live workshop from Luxor, Egypt.

After the workshop, we had the opportunity to sit down with Khyria, Shining and Heba, her translator, for a Q&A with the attendees. One of the many topics discussed was the naming convention and the term “Ghawazee”. Listening to Khyria explain why they no longer use the word “Ghawazee” was a moment I wished everyone could hear (well, the whole workshop really!).

This experience with Khyria inspired a deeper conversation regarding our FCBD®Style movement called Ghawazee Inspired Shimmy Combo.

Join us for a fascinating and inspiring interview with Puela Lunaris live from Spain and learn more about one of the huge inspirations of FatChanceBellyDance®Style...Flamenco!!

The extended puja was created by Megha Gavin, Director of Devyani Dance Company. Her inspiration was not only the FCBD®Style gratitude and the Woman Power Workout, but her love of India, her personal and spiritual connection to the deities expressed in the choreography and her Hindu “roots” of her husband, Vikas’ family.

When asked “What is FatChanceBellyDance®Style?” during her General Skills Training in Summer 2021, Julia Stoiber, director of Anam Damhsa Dance, was inspired to share her heart warming and very moving words.

This earthy, fun and feel good shimmy combination was inspired by the Ghawazee dancers of upper Egypt. Specifically the Banat Mazin family.

The flat-footed, slightly wider stance has a very different look and feek from our regular 3/4 shimmy. The earthy stance removes the balance challenge of a 3/4 shimmy letting the dancer more easily tap into the big, bouncy, relaxed hip movements.

Carolena, Creator of FCBD®Style, often shares a visualization that lays out the important aspects of our dance as an A-Frame house.

Julia Stoiber, a lovely dancer located in Austria, was inspired to create this beautiful representation of this visualization and concept.

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.

As part of our Moving Forward initiative, we are excited to share updates to our language that will improve FCBD®Style instruction and move our community toward more culturally respectful practices.

A very important message from FatChanceBellyDance®

A lovely podcast from ‘A Little Lighter’ with creator of FCBD®Style, Carolena Nericcio.

Written by Abigail Keyes for the Salimpour School. This important blog post shares the history of several of our FCBD®Style dance steps including the Egyptian and Arabic step.