We’ve had the pleasure of dancing with many wonderful people over the years. Here are some of our past members.
Pauline started belly dancing in 2014 after seeing a flyer for Jeana’s classes, fulfilling a dream of hers since she was 14 years old. She has since fallen in love with the dance language of American Tribal Style belly dance and enjoys being able to dance with members of her local troupe as well as dancers around the world.
In addition to dancing, Pauline is a comedian, freelance photographer, and writer in Indianapolis, IN.
Rachel has been involved in belly dance since 2002 when she started taking classes in West Lafayette, IN with Kat Lebo (Shuvani). Since that time, she has received instruction in a variety of dance styles including traditional Middle Eastern, fusion, Improvisational Tribal Style, and American Tribal Style (ATS®) with many instructors across Indiana and the surrounding region. Rachel loves ATS for its earthy, down-to-earth, and grounded vocabulary of movements, the relationships between dancers that this dance style encourages, and the ability to connect with other dancers all over the world.
Outside of the dance classroom, Rachel is a sociology professor and writes academically about the social world of belly dance and the people who participate in it. When she is not engaged in something related to dance, Rachel enjoys traveling, being outdoors, and spending time with both her human and non-human family.
Sarah’s dance journey began when she was 7 years old. After 9 years of recreationally and competitively dancing in styles like hip-hop and jazz, an injury to her Achilles tendon brought her ability to dance to a halt. In search for a low impact dance form, she found a belly dance TV show and immediately recorded every episode. Sarah took her first fusion belly dance class in 2010 and continued a self-taught practice through college in tribal fusion belly dance. In 2015, she began taking ATS® classes and is so blessed to be a part of an amazing, supportive dance community. When Sarah is not dancing, she is helping people live longer, healthier, and happier lives as an engineer in the pharmaceutical industry. She also enjoys playing games with friends and cooking new recipes she finds on Pinterest.
Not long after Tiffany made the decision to leave her childhood dance studio where she studied gymnastics, jazz, and lyrical dance, she became enamored with Tribal fusion belly dance when she saw Rachel Brice dance in Bassnectar’s music video for their song “Snake Charmer.” She began her belly dance journey years later in 2012 in Youngstown, OH when she found Eos Whole Fitness and Bellidance owned by Jennifer Neal. Tiffany joined The Tribe of Eos shortly thereafter, due to Jen’s insistence and encouragement. She performed choreography by Jen and later experimented by collaboratively creating various fusion choreographies with her tribe mates, exploring many different styles of dance. Tiffany travelled to conferences such as Tribal Fest and Elevation Belly Dance where she was able to take classes from many talented dancers such as; Colleena Shakti, Karolina Lux, Kamrah, Mandala Danceworks, Donna Mejia, even Rachel Brice.
A year after joining The Tribe of Eos, she began studying Hot Pot Improvisational Tribal Style (ITS) under the tutelage of Joanna Abel, founder of 3rdStreet Belly Dance in Pittsburgh, a sister studio to Eos. Tiffany completed an intensive weekend of workshops with the creator Amy Sigil and Kari of Unmata. She received her first level certification for Hot Pot ITS in 2015. Tiffany loved the comradery inherent in improv dancing. When her partner received a great job opportunity which resulted in relocation to Indiana in 2016, the first thing Tiffany did was search for an improv dance studio near her new home. This is how she came to find Jeana Jorgensen of Indy Tribal, who teaches American Tribal Style, which is the foundation whence ITS grew. Tiffany enthusiastically learned the new style and joined the student performance troupe, Mandali. In 2017, she joined the professional troupe Indy Tribal, continuing to hone her improv dance skills through classes, workshops, and performance.
Moira’s love of dancing began when her parents enrolled her in Irish Step classes at the local Irish American Hall on Long Island in 1968. The recitals became a huge event with grand choreography, spinning quartets and quintets covering the stage. Her next chance to join in group dance was the mid-80s in Manhattan NY taking clogging lessons at the studio of the Foot and Fiddle Dance Company.
Moira reflects: “Dancing with others has always been my favorite form of expression and enjoyment. The early introduction to group dance planted the seed of a love of dancing with others…and so I was absolutely head over heels when I discovered ATS in 2012.” She began taking lessons with Teresa Tomb at Mecca Studios in Lexington, where she was introduced to Fat Chance Belly Dance. “I was enthralled,” she recalls.
Within months, her first ATS classes were underway at the Kamala Chaand Dance Company with Tasha Rose in St. Paul, MN. After a short while, Moira resettled in Indianapolis, IN as a student with Mandali Tribal Sisters student troupe, directed by Jeana Jorgensen, and then Indy Tribal.
