Contributors
Publisher/Editor-in-Chief
Ms. Zuza (Valerie Vigdahl)
Designer
Blume Bauer
Managing editor
Karol Kurtz (Medea)
Copy editors
Alison Eldridge
Karol Kurtz
Staff Writers
Kristine Adams
Akasha Afsana
Jatare Barrett
Stephanie Bolton
Brad Dosland
Alison Eldridge
Nadia Gativa
Abigail Keyes (Asharah)
Karol Kurtz
Alexandra Moehagen
Onca O’Leary
Deb Rubin
Joan M. Schaefer
Britta Visser Stumpp
Victoria Whitecotton
Ms. Zuza
Staff Photographers
Kristine Adams
Brad Dosland
Art Curator
Charlene Perkey (Nilat)
Cartoonist
Rozie Hadley
Logo/masthead creation
Bohemian Designs
Advertising
Tasha-Rose
fusemagads@gmail.com
Subscriptions
Ms. Zuza, is a dancer, writer, editor and event promoter in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She started her dance journey in 2000 and quickly delved into fusion styles and tribal style improvisation. Ms. Zuza performs solo and collaborative fusion dance pieces throughout the region and country. She also sponsors periodic guest dancers and events through msZuza Productions. She has more than 10 years of experience with writing and publishing - including reviews and autobiographical pieces on a variety of topics. She is honored to bring such a great team together to publish ‘fuse’ for the Tribal and Fusion belly dance community.
Bohemian Designs (Lila McDaniel) is a largely self-taught graphic designer currently living in Eugene, OR. She loves helping other artists of all types to spread the word about themselves in a beautiful, well-designed way. She is a founding member of Tribal Fusion belly dance troupe Luminessah, and also designs and sells performance bras through her company C'est le Nouveau Noir.
Alison Eldridge is an enthusiastic newbie belly dancer who started in Egyptian/Turkish style and migrated to ITS and fusion, where she is now getting cozy. After taking dance classes from age 3 to 12, she took a twelve-year break to sit on her behind surfing the Internet and harping on people’s grammar mistakes. She is delighted that her newfound love of belly dance and the creation of ‘fuse’ magazine have allowed her to meld these two pastimes into one. Visit her website at http://aposhsentinel.com/darklysparkly/.
Britta Visser Stumpp is a web/graphic designer, a writer, dancer and yogini. She has a degree in creative writing & journalism, and graphic design. She has been a fervent student of dance and yoga for years. Her studies include Belly Dance, West African, Latin, and most recently Afro-Brazilian dance traditions. She has performed belly dance at shows, restaurants, festivals and private parties, as well as West African with her beloved friend and mentor, Deja Mitchell at fundraisers for Africa Heartwood Project, local shows and other community events. She teaches belly dance and Latin dance when the mood strikes her. Britta is interested in charting the historical, spiritual, and psychological aspects of women's rituals and the strong community building elements of tribal dance. She hopes to someday meld her love of research, writing, yoga and dance into a book about the mind/body/spiritual connection of movement. VIsit Britta’s website at http://www.brittabandit.com/
Alexandra Moehagen is a teacher, performer, artist, and scatterbrained mother currently lurking in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. She's been dabbling in belly dance since her teens, and teaches a unique mix of improvisational styles (including her own creation: Bollywood Fusion Improv) through her little house of shimmies, Una Luna Studio (www.unalunastudio.com). She performs Tribal Fusion as a soloist when she's not rocking out with her crazy student troupe, Bad Moon Rising. When she's not finishing up a painting or dancing around her living room, Alex sells pretty, strange things through her Etsy shop (www.etsy.com/shop/UnaLuna). She's very happy to be involved in such a vibrant and creative community, and pleased as punch to be a regular columnist for ‘fuse’.
Blume Bauer is a belly dancer, graphic designer, and abstract painter. She has been producing graphic design for over 15 years and specializes in design for artists, performers, musicians, and all creative fields. Her enduring love of design helps her conceive imagery that is unusual, beautiful, and effective. With an emphasis on the abstract in her fine art career, Blume continues to study line, shape, contrast, and color as an important factor in her paintings. These studies influence and help shape her compositions in print and on the web. Blume hopes you will enjoy her style, passion for dance, and enthusiasm for ‘fuse’ Magazine. To see more of Blume's design work, fine art, and belly dance, please visit her websites at www.blumebauer.com and www.sirensongproductions.org.
Onça O'Leary is an event producer and nationally touring artist, internationally published author and proponent of the Neo-Vaudeville Revival. She has been performing with the Accidental Circus, led by Jester of England Paolo Garbanzo, periodically since 2002. Her yearly event ABSfest: the Americana Burlesque & Sideshow Festival, is in its fifth year of bringing together artists from around the world to perform, study and network in Asheville, NC. Onça's annual festival TribOriginal: Tribal Dance, Music & Culture Camp has been nominated for Best Event, and her dance company Baraka Mundi likewise for both Best Kept Secret and Best Dance Company. She currently travels the country teaching and performing song, dance and sultry antics of Luscious Cabaret & Balkan Ruckus with the Mezmer Society. www.hardestworkingwomaninshowbusiness.com
Victoria “Andrasta” Whitecotton. Hailing from the east coast of England, Victoria currently resides in Amarillo, Texas with her husband, four cats, a simple dog and an Arabian horse. As a child she took ballet and tap classes, performing in several small productions and even winning a few minor trophies and medals in ballet competitions. At the age of nine she gave up dancing in order to pursue her other passion: horse riding. She found bellydance in 2004 while living in Cambridgeshire, before continuing her studies in Texas. She likes chocolate, purple lightsabers, and British beer. She has a bachelor’s degree in international politics, a postgraduate certificate in ancient mythology, and is working on a second bachelor’s degree in Middle Eastern studies. She currently teaches introductory American Tribal classes and is taking a break from troupe direction, after moving away from the Storm Troupers who she co-directed for 3 years. For the moment she is enjoying her dancing from a solo perspective. Visit her blog at http://andrastabellydance.tumblr.com
Micah MacKenzie
Julia R. Durrall, Fireflower Photography
PixieVision Productions
Jessi Fraser, Evil i Studios
PixieVision Productions
Akasha Afsana grew up dancing, literally. She took tap, ballet, and jazz starting at 3. Her advantage was that her parents had their own dance studio. Her first bellydance lesson was from her mother when she was just 7 years old. Outfitted in homemade Paisley harem pants and a scarf artfully tied around her chest, she was exuberant to learn. It was her favorite style of dance! Having grown up performing so many forms of dance, it’s natural that Akasha would fuse many styles together. This is the foundation for her world-fusion dance troupe, Afsana, based in Minneapolis, MN. In the fall of 2006, Akasha quit her corporate day job to pursue dance full-time and start up her costume dance wear company, Akashawear. She caters to the Tribal Fusion, Steampunk, Vaudeville and Burlesque clothing and accessories. Visit her website at www.akashabellydancer.com.
Storyline Photography
Nadia Gativa is a Russian-born tribal bellydancer and writer currently based in Dublin, Ireland. She started learning Egyptian style bellydance at the age of 18, after some experiments with ballet, ballroom and Latin dancing. Later on, she began teaching herself and became interested in Tribal Fusion bellydance and yoga, which she still practices. She also has a great interest in psychology, dance therapy and contact improvisation. Nadia is one of the founders and organizers of the Russian Tribal Mafia bellydance troupe in Moscow. At the moment, she is working towards a career in journalism and photography, as well as editing the first Russian online magazine on Tribal bellydance Tribal Café.ru.
Joan M. Schaefer is a belly dancer and a belly dance instructor. She a co-founder of Sofia Tribal, an American Tribal Style Belly Dance® troupe which performs on a regular basis in the Chippewa Valley of Wisconsin and surrounding area. Joan has studied with Ameena Ahava, Jennifer Nolan of Tamarind, Anita Lalwani of FBCD and Carolena Nericcio is her mentor and master teacher. She is a certified FCBD ATS instructor and FCBD Sister Studio. Joan is co-owner of Sofia Spirit Studio in Eau Claire, WI and teaches ATS belly dance on a regular basis out of her studio.
Karol Kurtz, aka Medea, has been belly dancing since 1989. Her initial dance training is in Egyptian cabaret and folkloric; she enjoys exploring different styles and nuances of the dance form. She is intrigued by the creative possibilities found in fusion and is enjoying both exploring the dance form and writing about it. For the latter, she hopes her training in journalism will be put to good use!
Stephanie Bolton is a professional visual artist who teaches belly dance on the Big Island of Hawai'i. A self-proclaimed bellydance geek, she enjoys expanding her horizons by continually learning more about the history & evolution of the dance. If you want to know more about her, she invites you to visit her website www.stephaniebolton.com.
Braylene Jones
Abigail Keyes (Asharah) is internationally renowned for her strong technique, dramatic fusion of Tribal and Cabaret belly dance, and concise teaching style. She has taught sold-out workshops throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe; her 2008 instructional DVD, Modern Tribal Bellydance with Asharah, has received rave reviews from dancers of all levels all around the world. She holds a B.A. from Princeton University in Near Eastern Studies, a Level 2 certification in the Suhaila Salimpour belly dance format, and a Level 1 certification in the Jamila Salimpour belly dance format. She currently performs with and choreographs for the Delirium Tribal Belly Dance Company. Read her blog on dance, art, integrity, and business at www.bdpaladin.com, and learn more about her upcoming events at www.asharah.com.
Rozie Hadley is a dancer, artist and full time mum living in The Back Country of the UK. Being a “rock chick,” the style, music, and grounded moves of Tribal belly dance suit Rozie’s personality. Her love of belly dance, art and animals inspires her to create artwork - and sell it to benefit various charities. Find out more about Rozie at www.rozebelly.co.uk.
KP Images
Deb Rubin, MA, CMT, RYT, is a tribal fusion belly dancer, yoga teacher, massage therapist, and holistic health counselor based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The founder of both SattyaBody:Women’s Health and SF Mecca Immersion, Deb currently teaches and performs nationally and internationally. Deb’s dance style is strongly influenced by her long time teachers and inspirations: Rachel Brice, Jill Parker, Suhaila Salimpour, as well as Mardi Love & Zoe Jakes. She assisted Rachel Brice at Tribal Massive, 2008. She has an MA in Holistic Health Education, and 14 years experience in the field of mind/body medicine as a CMT, RYT, and health counselor. In her private practice, she specializes in dance therapeutics, and injury rehab for dancers. For more info about Deb, visit www.sattyabody.com
Scott Belding
PixieVision Productions
PixieVision Productions
Charlene Perkey (Nilat) is a self-trained artist, lifelong dancer, and innovative choreographer who currently resides in Minnesota. To Charlene, the visual and performing arts are closely intertwined. She views dancing as a constantly moving canvas, and strives to achieve that effect in her performances and choreographies. She also captures the essence of movement in her paintings, no matter who or what the subject matter. She carefully studies her subjects to create works of art that emphasize design, color, value, and controlled but very active brush strokes. Find out more about Charlene and her artwork at www.charp-art.com
Tasha-Rose has been dancing her whole life. She is General Skills and Teacher Certified by FatChanceBellyDance® and honored and thrilled to be Minnesota's first Sister Studio to FatChanceBellyDance®. She presently teaches pure FCBD® ATS® in St. Paul. She lives in St. Paul with her fella Travis, her three children, Grace, Zoe and Degory and their cat Maya. They are also expecting a baby in the Fall of 2012. She spends non dancing time knitting and trying to keep up in a household of five. She also is also active in the Twin Cities Pagan community and enjoys quite a bit of time with the great family she has in Harmony Tribe. Find out more about Tasha-Rose at http://www.kamalachaanddanceco.com/
Muzo Gul Photography
Kristine Adams is a second generation dancer and was infused with a love of movement by her mother a former ballerina for the Oakland Ballet. Kristine was wooed and captivated by FatChanceBellyDance® in 2004 after a single class with Carolena Nericcio. She was inducted into the FCBD® troupe in 2006 and started teaching at the FCBD® studio in 2008. Through the love and support of her dear mentor Carolena Nericcio and her amazing troupe members Kristine has been able to make all her dreams come true. Since becoming part of this illustrious entity Kristine has been able to marry her love for movement, music, travel and photography in one lovely package. She is currently working on a documentary to prove ATS® world domination and has been on the road since August 2012, please follow her trip around the globe at www.fromthebellyofatraveler.com. You can also view her infamous photography of stunning belly dance beauties at www.kristineadams.com.
Brad Dosland has produced and co-produced major events, including Unmata's Blood Moon Regale, the San Francisco Mecca Revue, the national Spark Tour (featuring Urban Tribal and Ultra Gypsy), Tribal Throwdown, the uniquely Unmata Rodeo, the Undulation shows, Nouveau Nights, and Kosmos music and dance camp. Brad has worked with artists including Rachel Brice, Ansuya, Heather Stants, Amy Sigil, Zoe Jakes, Ariellah, Kami Liddle, Aradia, Jill Parker, Cera Byer and more on original photography and design. But most know his work photographing performances such as Tribal Fest, Shadowdance, Tribal Massive, Las Vegas Bellydance Intensive and countless sets at afterparties and more intimate venues.
Brad Dosland-TabooMedia.com
Jatare Barrett (aka Jacy, if you look on Facebook) was the co-founder and co-director of Hipnotic Tribal Belly Dance troupe performing tribal improv and tribal fusion belly dance in Chicago, IL until their closure in 2012. With an unwavering love for most forms of dancing, she currently takes ballet classes and has been tricked into taking Hip Hop, Modern and Jazz classes by various dancers claiming to be friends. When she isn't dancing like no one is looking, reading, hand making journals, painting, working, laughing at herself or planning world domination she is at her laptop typing up her very slanted, very biased, completely ridiculous stories about ballet classes on her blog or about belly dancing events.
Kristine Adams, kristineadams.com