The Art , Experimentation and the Theory and Practice (!!) of ATS, Tribal fusion, Middle Eastern dance, of course! Music, costuming, photography, some yoga, other dance styles. writing, dancing for charity and causes. We just love to have a good time, too ; D
Music
Diverse and eclectic, including traditional Middle eastern , classical/folk music, Hakim, Galactic Caravan, more modern Tribal-fusion influenced pieces (Amon Tobin, Pentaphobe etc). In our Tribal Fusion moods, we have danced to trance, jazz fusion, r'n'b , reggae, world music- anything with both a beat and a deep vibe........ We also love the Destroyers, a Balkan music inspired/Rom (Gypsy) fusion band .
Movies
Our recommended dvds and videos for ATS dance training and performances: the Fatchance Bellydance Videos, the Gypsy caravan videos, Delilah instructional/performance videos, Dalia Carella instructional videos,
Urban Ghawazee, Evolution, Bellydance superstars videos, Arabian Spice dvd (Tribal Fusion) Rachel Brice's Tribal fusion Dance dvd, instructional dvds by A'isha Ali ( North African/Tunisian etc dance)
Television
A short clip of Khalgani performing at one of the many festivals we cover each year:
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Books
Our recommended books and websites are: The Tribal Bible, Serpent and the Nile, Grandmother's secrets,
www.fcbd.com, www.theindigo.net, www.orientaldancer.net, www.ultragypsy.com, www.gildedserpent.com www.ameltafsout.com..... this is not a completed list, by no means ;D
Heroes
Fatchance Bellydance, Gypsy Caravan, Domba! Rachel Brice and the Indigo, Mardi Love, Sharon Kihara, Kami Liddell, Elizabeth Strong, Sonia, Ava Fleming, Wendy Marlatt, Geneva Bybe,
Diane Cox, the Dhol Busters (Bhangra Group in Birmingham), ballet dancers, African dancers, flamenco dancers, excellent dancers of any style and persuasion, capoeira, martial artistes, strong women (and men!)
The classic bellydance greats: Samia Gamal, Tahia Carioca, Katie etc
About me: Khalgani is a dance troupe in ATS or American Tribal bellydance Style , with Tribal Fusion, based in Walsall and Birmingham, and has dancers from all over the West Midlands.
Its members range from women from their 70's to their 20's.
Founded by Janet Keates, (now retired from bellydance ) Dawn O'Brien is our Director and teacher.
Khalgani celebrated their tenth anniversary in 2005.
Janet and Dawn were instrumental in bringing ATS to the UK, during the 1990's and were the first troupe to develop and experiment with British ATS/Tribal fusion.
Khalgani Tribal Bellydance are the UK’s premiere Tribal Bellydance troupe. We have been established since 1998, with many of our member dancing with us for over ten years. Khalgani perform frequently all over the Uk at Festivals, nightclubs and dance events. We currently have a line up of up to 12 dancers, including our road troupe of six plus who travel far and wide to perform at various events across the country. Principle dancers: Dawn O’Brien (artistic director and choreographer), Maureen Pemberton, Suzanne Laverick, Barbara Street, Louise Algar, Gemma Ball and Rozie Hadley, Anne-Marie Chapman, Doreen Reynolds, Sue Cousins, June Gower & Jenny Smith. Khalgani regularly participate in festivals and other events all over the country with choreographed and improvised shows, Bellydance workshops and performing on stage with musicians and DJ acts and can also provide walk around entertainment with their own musicians.
Who I'd like to meet: Networking with other like-minded Middle Dancers (ATS,Tribal Fusion, Cabaret or other) dancers from other styles, musicians, djs, artists, writers...... anyone who is interested in breaking down the barriers and stereotypes to understanding and appreciating Middle Eastern dance, ATS, Tribal Fusion....
Shangri-la
Lounge is back in September for it's fourth annual event! Twisted Tales
vaudeville Bellydance show featuring Bellydance, Burlesque, Souk full
of shiny things to buy and aftershow party with DJ
Plus a
weekend of workshops for those who want to get their shimmy on and for
those who don't, Just come along and enjoy the show!
This years theme is Twisted Fairy Tales. Check out the website for more info www.shangrilalounge.co.uk. Hope to see you there! x
"He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. That ideas should freely spread from one to another over the globe, for the moral and mutual instruction of man, and improvement of his condition, seems to have been peculiarly and benevolently designed by nature, when she made them, like fire, expansible over all space, without lessening their density in any point, and like the air in which we breathe, move, and have our physical being, incapable of confinement or exclusive appropriation"
- Thomas Jefferson
"The Page Screams Out" is a new track that I available have for FREE download and distribution. Dig it.
This is what I like most about MySpace, whereas we are able to share our music with others and by-pass a host of vultures that are unappreciative of the art but anxiously eyeing a prize that the art will provide, at the cost of...well...I guess that's those who buy music.
HI KHALGANI, ITS SUCH AN HONOUR FOR YOU TO HAVE ME IN YOUR TOP FRIENDS (DJ UMB).
THANK YOU FOR BEING A FRIEND.
WISHING U AN ULTRA MAGICAL 2007.
SHISHA BLESSINGS.
BUDDHA LOUNGE WORLD-WIDE RELEASE 15 JAN 07:
This collection is an around-the-world experience that starts in a quasi-spiritual dream state, before taking a quick dip in the Mediterranean ocean, dancing the Tango, and jetting off to a party in the Balkans. It then staggers into an exclusive joint in Istanbul and dances to the hottest international club tunes until the break of dawn.
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