Exquisite Corpse: directed by Aepril, Exquisite Corpse is a gothique/experimental temporary collaboration of Bellydancers--troupe members and soloists from northern New England---working together to create one shadowy, evanescent and beautiful body of dance. Once per year, Exquisite Corpse is to be incarnated anew (with new members), performed, and dissolved, corresponding with season changes.

 

Bellydance Friends: (not in any particular order at this time)

Lotus Moon is a New England based bellydance troupe hailing from the mystical shores of southern New Hampshire and Maine, dancing together since the summer of 2004. Lotus Moon performs a unique fusion of Middle Eastern dance blended with contemporary, urban American dance styles giving a modern-day twist to traditional bellydance.

Naya's Trance is a Maine bellydance troupe made up of women of diverse ages and backgrounds. The name can be literally translated "Cobra's Trance".

Paradigm East Born from the teachings of Hadara. A fusion of the beautiful elements of Egyptian, Gypsy, Tribaret, Turkish and Tribal Fusion. Paradigm will knock your assuit off. Bangor, ME.

Badriya Based in Boston, Massachusetts, Badriya is a performer of traditional forms of Arabic dance (raqs sharqi, beledi and saidi) and the distinctly less traditional form of Gothic belly dance (known as raqs gothique).

Phoenix co-director and choreographer for Primal Redemption, a bellydance fire troupe out of Central Massachusetts. Phoenix has taught beginner, tribal style, and gothic belly dance classes for the past 5 years.

Nepenthe enjoys performing in both the glitzy so-called "cabaret" style, as well as the new genre of Gothic Bellydance. She is also a member of the tribal fusion troupe, Tribal Storm.

Lily Moonstorm "She bellydances. She firedances. She performs bellydance with and without the use of props such as veils, fire fans, fire fingers, candles, poi, and swords." She also performs with a dance partner, her friendly Boa Constrictor Mr. Slithers.

Zehara Nachash is a Boston based belly dancer and snake charmer who utilizes the ancient spirit of the spiritual serpent to connect to the Divine Goddess energy which lies dormant in all of us.

Callisto Gothic Bellydancer from Sweden

ChoveXani "is the dark heart of ethnic dance, music, and theatrics, blended to create something truly unique. Influenced by art, performing, magic, mythos, and more, the performers of ChoveXani continue to create unpredictable work."

Serpentina of NYC are partners Joanna and Orkideh, fusing their background in traditional bellydance with tribal fusion, Classical Persian and Indian dance styles (bhangra, Bollywood and kathak.) Serpentina will be featured in the upcoming gala, Night of 1001 Goddesses.

Asharah Washington DC-based bellydancer whose performances reflect her love of strong technique, mechanical movement, and powerful expression, focusing primarily on tribal style bellydance.

Serpentine Theatrical Fire Fusion Bellydance Troupe Co created by Aradia and Renee(Lucretia) based in Portland, OR. "This innovative duet explores the ancient art of storytelling through spectacle and ritual using eclectic musical influences from Arabic, Indian, goth, experimental, and more."

Zingari East "is a dance and percussion ensemble based in Southern New England. Our focus is on the blending of Middle Eastern dance and rhythm, Folkloric style and American Tribal style with the perspective of spirituality and myth from the Earth Religions."

 

Gothic/Experimental Bellydance Resources:

Raks Gothique New England: discussion group for gothic bellydance in New England on Tribe.net, moderated by Aepril.

Gothic Bellydance Resource created and maintained by Tempest, this is the place to go to learn more about GBD and to find resources.

Gothic Bellydance Sweden Swedish resource for GBD, created and maintained by Callisto

 

Costuming:

Yorokonde Art: Creating custom designs for beautiful people for over 6 years. Catering mostly to the art of bellydance, and the dark romance of gothic and neo victorian. Head peices, Hair peices, clips, barrettes all the lovelies to create an exotic blend for hair and hair adornments. Everything is custom made, but there are always ready made items for sale. (designs by Ao of Paradigm fusion)

 

Musicians (making music for bellydance)

Eric Peterson: a performer and instructor of Middle Eastern and North African percussion in Atlanta for the last 10 years.

Eastwinds Tribal Drumming: "perform the traditional rhythms of the Middle-East and of North and West Africa on ethnic percussion instruments for "belly-dance" classes and performances... ideal for American Tribal Style and Gothic Bellydance."

Maduro "is a Washington D.C. area electronic music artist who records a blend of dark, textured electronica and 'Electribal' music catering to the darker and more abstract side of Middle Eastern and South Asian dance."

Tim Rayborn is an internationally-acclaimed musician and performer of a wide variety of different styles of music, including medieval, Scandinavian, Balkan, North African, Turkish, Persian, and Indian. He plays more than 80 musical instruments..."

 

Other Resources:

Bellydance in Maine---and Beyond!

 

 

 

More links shortly. Would you like to be included in Aepril's links page? Contact her here.