Current developments in belly dance have brought us a wide variety of fusions; merging cultures, social trends, and other established dance forms to create a new breed of belly dance. When properly blended, a fusion dance embraces the best traits of its parents, while speaking with its own unique voice. And an example of this creative union is Gothic Belly Dance.
Gothic
Belly Dance, or "Raks Gothique" merges the styling of the
Gothic or "Goth" subculture from the last 20 years with the
beautiful expression of Middle Eastern Dance in both cabaret and tribal
formats.
Gothic music covers a wide variety of voices and sounds within itself,
but many of the major founders in this music scene have long discovered
the benefits of fusing Western music with the sounds of India and the
Middle East (Dead Can Dance, Vas, Faith and the Muse, Sisters of Mercy
to name just a few.).
Gothic fashion embraces Victorian, 1920's/Art Nouveau, Renaissance,
Punk, Cyber, and Ethnic-Primitive influences, creating a distinct and
dramatic look that is both modern and antique. The fashion truly reflects
the music and the attitude.
So, when it comes to Gothic Belly Dance, the artists who choose this
means as their form of expression bring to life the music through their
costuming, expression, and choreography.