Improvisational Team Synchronization, Improv Team Sync, or ITS (formerly Improvisational Tribal Style) belly dance is a style of group

dance improvisation Dance improvisation is the process of spontaneously creating movement. Development of movement material is facilitated through a variety of creative explorations including body mapping through levels, shape and dynamics schema. Improvisation is a f ...

, often associated with

Tribal Fusion Tribal Fusion Belly Dance is a modern Western form of belly dance that was created by fusing American Tribal Style belly dance and American Cabaret belly dance. Artists frequently incorporate elements from Popping, Hip Hop, 'Egyptian' or 'Cabar ...

and

belly dance Belly dance (Egyptian Arabic: رقص بلدي, translated: Dance of the Country/Folk Dance, romanized: Raks/Raas Baladi) is a dance that originates in Egypt. It features movements of the hips and torso. It has evolved to take many different f ...

. ITS is performed by a group of dancers consisting of one of more leaders and followers. The dance relies on a shared vocabulary of movements, each initiated by the leader using a distinct cue movement. After the cue, a short choreographed movement sequence, or combo, is performed by the group. The leader chooses the combo based on their interpretation of the music, which is often done spontaneously during the performance. The result is a dance that appears choreographed, but is in fact structured improvisation. This format of structured group improvisation was first developed by Carolena Nericcio-Bohlman, the founder of

American Tribal Style Fat Chance Belly Dance or FCBD (formerly known as American Tribal Style or ATS) is a modern style of belly dance created by Fat Chance Belly Dance director, Carolena Nericcio-Bohlman. The primary defining characteristic of FCBD style is group im ...

History

ITS was coined in 2006 by Amy Sigil of UNMATA to describe her improv vocabulary, as it evolved away from

to include

street dance Street dance is an umbrella term for a large number of social dance styles such as: breakdancing, popping, locking, house dance, waacking etc. Social dance styles have many accompanying steps and foundations, created organically from a culture, ...

and

hip-hop dance Hip hop dance is a range of street dance styles primarily performed to hip hop music or that have evolved as part of hip hop culture. It is influenced by a wide range of styles that were created in the 1970s and made popular by dance crews in ...

movements, music and aesthetics. Sigil first studied with Antara Nepa (Julia Carrol), director of the Ottoman Traders located in

Folsom, California Folsom is a city in Sacramento County, California, United States. It is commonly known for Folsom State Prison, the song "Folsom Prison Blues" by Johnny Cash, as well as for Folsom Lake. The population was 80,454 at the 2020 census. Folsom is pa ...

. Later she opened her own dance studio in

Sacramento, California ) , image_map = Sacramento County California Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Sacramento Highlighted.svg , mapsize = 250x200px , map_caption = Location within Sacramento C ...

, and was introduced to

by Shawna Rai. Sigil used the basic improvisational format of

to develop a new vocabulary of movements, which evolved into ITS. Other improvisational belly dance styles include:

, Synchronized Group Improv, Tribal Group Improv, American Improv Tribal, Group Improv Tribal. Although the various styles of

associated with

dance are rooted in the United States, Improvisational Tribal Style is taught and performed internationally.www.improvisationaltribalstyle.co

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Characteristics

The ITS format is composed of three major elements: stall movements, combinations, and concepts.

Stall movements

An ITS stall movement has a minimum number of counts, which can be repeated indefinitely. A stall movement has no cue (but it does have a specific starting position, or "ground zero"), can be repeated indefinitely by the leader, and can usually be used to travel with (rotating leaders, changing formations, etc.).

Combinations

An ITS combination (or combo) is a sequence of movements that must be initiated by a unique cue, which have a defined beginning and end.

Concepts

ITS concepts are ideas that can be applied to stall moves. Concepts include formations, fadebacks, directional and timed turns.

Costuming and aesthetics

Unlike

, which emphasizes elaborate multi-cultural costuming and jewelry, the costuming associated with ITS tends to be simple; often consisting of black pants, a metal belt and a tank top. Elements associated with

costuming are also commonly incorporated into ITS, such as antique multi-cultural jewelry, and permanent body adornment such as tattoos and piercings. Costuming can vary widely depending on the performance context, however.

References

{{Reflist Belly dance