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Bal Anat

Jamila Salimpour's famous performance group
active in the 1960s and 70s

Jamila and Bal Anat are often described as the original 'tribal' dancers... the root of a tree that sprouted many branches, including Fat Chance Belly Dance and Compton's Hahbi Ru. Jamila organized the group when the local Renaissance Fair complained that her student dancers were over-running the event, performing everywhere they could find a blank space and an audience. Jamila drew on her circus background to design a format that is still famous (and imitated) today.

• Bal Anat studio party in a 30-minute clip.
• Aziza's article The Birth of Bal Anat and Other Adventures at GildedSerpent.com discusses the birth of Bal Anat and its influence on the subsequent American Tribal movement.
• Early 1970s: Ricky, a male dancer solo.
• Jug Dance by Bal Anat.
• A collection of short clips of Bal Anat with a bit of voice-over by director Jamila Salimpour.
• An article by Jamila with some interesting observations about her dancers, their motivations, and the obstacles to getting Bal Anat on stage.
• More about Bal Anat and Jamila in a You tube clip.
• More narration and images by Jamila. Frankly, Scarlett, I don't give a damn about Jamila's unsubstantiated speculations about the history of belly dance... I love the images.

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Last update: 2018.01.07
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