Rachel Brice 

Rachel's updated Bio can be found here: http://www.rachelbrice.com/about/

THE SHORT VERSION

If she's not teaching workshops or training teachers in the 8 Elements method, she works at her home studio Datura, regularly films classes for Datura Online, sells prints on Society6, and is completing a full collage tarot deck called Datura Tarot, inspired by her father.  She studies with her teachers Carolena Nericcio and Gary Kraftsow whenever possible.

THE LONG VERSION

Rachel Brice first fell in love with Belly Dance at 16 years old, when she saw The Gypsy Moor Dancers (who later became Hahbi'Ru) at a Renaissance Faire, and started classes with Atesh immediately. Soon after, she discovered a video of Suhaila Salimpour which she obsessively studied. She began making her living by performing American Cabaret Belly Dance at restaurants and teaching yoga while putting herself through school.

A decade later she discovered Carolena Nericcio's American Tribal Style, which shifted her aesthetic from nightclub to nomad, and Jill Parker became her technique inspiration. She then studied several world and contemporary dance forms as she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Dance Ethnology. The fresh immersion in these dance forms and exposure to San Francisco culture began to mix with her 10 years as a restaurant dancer, and she (unwittingly) started to blend these influences and create something new.  

In 2001 she was accidentally discovered by rock mogul Miles Copeland, and toured for several years with his company, The Bellydance Superstars. Through The BDSS, Rachel had the opportunity to work with the incredible Mardi Love, who quickly became her inspiration and muse. Mardi had also started with Cabaret before discovering Tribal, and as they made dances and costumes together for BDSS, a new style, influenced by the late 1800s to 1920s, emerged. These international tours, along with the newly born YouTube, sparked a global interest in this emerging style of Belly Dance, which has gone on to grow, change, and evolve. Rachel and Mardi rode that li'l wave with their old pal Zoe Jakes, and together the three of them created a show called Le Serpent Rouge (which was as much of an excuse to drink whiskey as it was to dance together). 

If you've read this far, congratulations. You've got sticking power, kid. I'm guessing that means I'll see you in class someday. Cheers!

Photo: Carrie Meyer

Olga Meos 

Teaching Experience: 14 years.

Dancing experience: all life.

Director and creator of Tribal

Pro. Dance Group (2009).

First teacher of new tribal fusion and American tribal style (ATS) in Astana, Kazakhstan (2008-2009).

Organizer of biggest Kazakhstan tribal festival "Tribal-KZ" during 10 years.

She studied and continues to study permanently from different famous teachers of tribal style, yoga and other, in Russia, Europe and USA. (Rachel Brice, Zoe Jakes, Kami Liddle, Amy Sigil, Tjarda Van Staratten, Sharon Kihara, Jill Parker, Suhaila Salimpur, Carolena Nericcio & FCBD teachers and other).

She proud to got Sister Studio status in January 2017 after General Skills and Teacher Training certification by Carolena Nericcio and Megha Gavin.

She created choreography for more than 20 international collaborations.

Her tribal fusion dance style is mix of bellydance and modern style. She tries to combine femininity and boldness, and gives her students confidence in their powers.

She is a teacher of teachers and brought up more than 17 instructors in Tribal Pro.

Taisa Jah Surya (Gontar)

– ATS® and Tribal-Fusion dancer, teacher and choreographer. Since 2006 founder and director of «Jah Surya» Dance Group – one of the leading Tribal groups of Ukraine. Sister Studio Fat Chance Belly Dance® since 2011.

Completed Level 1 in Suhaila Salimpour format in 2013. Founder of Kiev Tribal Fest since 2012. Taisa studied ATS® in USA from style founder Carolena Nericcio in April 2011 (Birmingham, AL) and became the first Ukrainian dancer who gained status of Sister Studio Fat Chance Belly Dance®. To develop her Tribal Fusion technique Taisa attended Dance Studio of Suhaila Salimpour in San-Francisco in 2013 and became the first Ukrainian dancer who passed the certification in Level 1 Suhaila Salimpour Belly Dance Format®.

Taisa studied and got her inspiration from the world’s most famous Tribal-Dancers: Rachel Brice, Zoe Jakes, Mardi Love, Kami Liddle, Mira Betz, April Rose, Ashley Lopez, Steven Eggers, Sera Solstice, Coleena Shakti, Asharah, Frederique David, Sherri Wheatly, Edenia, Jill Parker, Ami Sigil, Kae Montgomery, Mimi Fontana (USA), Samantha Emanuel, Philippa Moirai (Great Britain), Manca Pavli (Slovenia), Devi Mamak (Australia), Tjarda Van Straten (Netherlands), Illan, Anasma (France) and many others.

As a choreographer and performer Taisa is known for her exquisite manner, high technique and musicality. One of her gifts is creating spectacular Tribal Staging projects which give to all participants opportunity to show the best they can and to the audience the chance to live vivid emotions with the newly made performance. With more than a decade of teaching experience Taisa has a unique approach to every student helping each dancer to grow in a best way, to understand the most intricate points in the easiest way with lots of humor.