Classical tribal – also known as American Tribal Style (ATS) – is a system of dance improvisation with certain dance vocabulary and rearrangements familiar to every dancer. This is a team work, where non-verbal communication that is based on complete mutual understanding is built between the performers; and the dance is born right in the moment.
Tribal expresses the flavor of different cultures which is reflected in the costumes: multi-layered skirts, harem pants, an Indian top (choli), belts and bras embroidered with many metal coins, and flowers adorning the head, as well as sagats worn on the fingers – a musical instrument to accompany the sound of certain dance elements.
ATS is usually accompanied with folklore music that incorporates the sounds of authentic instruments such as drums, pipes, sagats, cymbals and others.
Although it can also be danced in a group, tribal fusion is more aimed at expressing the performer’s individuality.
The tribal fusion technique is built on the principle of fine muscle isolation which creates dance that is hypnotic, viscous, fluid, snake-like.
There are no lexical or musical templates that define the medium. It can include all kinds of dance styles – from ethnic or folk to vogue or animation – and musical styles – from classical to dubstep, from folk music to electronic and many others.
The costumes can look colorful, with a lot of metal jewelry, with a crown or flowers, or they can be modernized, for example, in the spirit of minimalism. The choice of the style is entirely one of the performers according to the nature of the performance.