About
Medea has been dancing at Renaissance Faires and in the SCA for over 7 years, but decided in 2004 to take it to the next level, studying briefly with renowned Seattle belly dancer, Zanbaka, and then forming her own troupe, Tribe Shakti, with her little sister, Kaiya, and a couple friends. When the troupe disbanded a year later, Medea took a small hiatus from dancing and then reemerged with a new outlook on dance and even more passion for the art form than before. She ran with this newly found inspiration and made it her mission to study with as many of her favorite dancers as possible and work on her own unique style and technique as a solo artist.
She has been performing professionally since 2007, and has had the immense pleasure of studying with Kami Liddle, Rachel Brice, Jill Parker, Zoe Jakes, Darshan, Mardi Love, Suhaila Salimpour, Rose Harden, Raqs Steady Eddie, Ariellah, Olivia Kissel, Sera & Heather Stants, and Amy Sigil, and has created what she calls simply: ‘Fusion Belly Dance’ as she likes to blur the lines between different styles and fuse it together to create her own interpretation using bits of Tribal Fusion and Gothic Fusion and even hip hop for a more modern touch and alternative flair. So, be prepared for something a little different…
*** The only thing I’d like to add to the bio above, is that, in order to really get a feel for what I do and where it comes from, you need to consider where I started dancing and what my influences are. I began dancing in the SCA 8yrs ago, around drum circles and among friends… Not as a performer, just entertaining myself, really. Add that free-spirit form to years of dancing at clubs on ‘gothic night’, or at Industrial shows and the time I spent in that scene when I worked at The Vogue. You can’t ignore, of course, how much hip hop has influenced my life as well. You tie all this stuff together, all these different styles and influences, add in the amazing array of workshops and classes with my favorite fusion-y belly dancers, and you get an idea of why I do what it is that I do.
The fact that I never choreograph anything should also be considered. I use ‘anchors’ throughout my performances, which means that I have pieces of slightly choreographed bits strewn about where the music seems most fitting, but I leave pretty much everything open to the moment. Even if I think I have an anchor, I will leave that open as well. Nothing is set in stone, everything is up in the air.
I love the idea of dancing from the gut…leaving things open to that scary, exciting visceral experience of not knowing exactly what I’m going to do out there. I like the idea of being completely vulnerable up there, sharing my art and baring my soul right there in the moment. There’s nothing like it in the world! There are pros and cons to this method, but it is nonetheless where I feel the most joy…ah the unexpected!
Keep dancin’
~medea
To read Medea’s history in greater detail, check out the ‘Genesis’ blog…