The Gilded Serpent presents...
Kajira Djoumahna
Kajira Djoumahna has been teaching BellyDance for nearly 20 years, and specializes in her own BlackSheep BellyDance (BSBD) Format for Synchronized Group Improvisational Tribal Style (SGI), as well as the Moroccan Guedra Blessing Ritual. She also performs solos that vary in style, but are always some sort of fusion (with the exception of Guedra).
Kajira’s taught in 8 countries, many several times, as well as across the US, and holds ongoing classes in her home town. BSBD currently has members in 5 US States and 4 countries, made possible through her Teacher Training Program. She is also a student and in July 2012 attended Rachel Brice’s 8 Elements Program, Phase One: Initiation, and Passed! She’s won two awards for Teaching (IAMED & Zaghareet!) and one for Lifetime Achievement in Middle Eastern Dance & the Arts (BDUC), and has had the honor of judging several bellydance competitions.
She also co-produces along with her husband, Chuck, Tribal Fest®, “The One, the Only, the Original,” which is the world’s first & largest all-Tribal-&-Alternative bellydance event. It’s now 6 days, has about 50 teachers, 65 offerings and a show that’s 3 days long. In 2012, dancers from as many as 26 countries made the trek to Tribal Fest®! Tribal Fest® has won 4 awards for Favorite Event. (Zaghareet! Magazine.)
She and BSBD have 5 instructional DVDs plus a Practice Companion DVD, and her book, “The Tribal Bible” has just been re-released as an E-Book while she writes new chapters that will be made available separately in the future. (Her first IAMED DVD made “Top 25 DVDs for Belly Dancers” by Shira.net and was the only Tribal one to make the cut.)
Web site:www.blacksheepbellydance.com/
Articles on Gilded Serpent by or about Kajira
- 10-27-00 Tribal Tales
The moods and flavors of the varied songs on this CD are sure to be useful for dancers and listeners who like something out of the ordinary to challenge and delight. - 10-14-12 Kajira and Chuck Interview, Cultural Appropriation or Artistic Freedom? Part 1:Intro
One of the common issues that the community has had with Kajira’s philosophy and with tribal dance in general is with the issue of cultural appropriation. In this series of videos we discuss different issues and how Kajira feels about them - 10-14-12 Kajira and Chuck Interview, Cultural Appropriation or Artistic Freedom? Part 2: Quote in Question
One of the common issues that the community has had with Kajira’s philosophy and with tribal dance in general is with the issue of cultural appropriation. In this series of videos we discuss different issues and how Kajira feels about them. Part 2 talks about using the term "belly dance" - .10-16-12 Kajira and Chuck Interview, Cultural Appropriation or Artistic Freedom? Part 3: Not MED
Not MED, Misappropriation of the Rom culture, Ostracizing of Tribal. Find reference in Tribal Bible for time stamp 2:30. We found it- Page 215 at the top, "The parallels between the struggle of the Roma and that of bellydancers is undeniable. Both groups are fighting to gain respect and move away from social prejudice." This point is addressed in the review of the book. - 10-16-12 Kajira and Chuck Interview, Cultural Appropriation or Artistic Freedom? Part 4: Rise of Tribal Fusion ,
The Rise of Tribal Fusion. New terms- Spontaneous Group Improvisation, International or Improvisation Tribal Style. "Tribal Fest chronicles the rise of Tribal Fusion." Tribaret. No codification in our dances. Big difference betweem Tribal Fusion and Cabaret– Isolations, torso, arm movements. Kajira became certified in Rachel Brice’s format. ATS is a subset of Spontanteous Group Improv. - 10-17-12 Kajira and Chuck Interview, Cultural Appropriation or Artistic Freedom? Part 5: Term Tribal
Using the Term “Tribal”, The Modern Primitive Movement. Artists will fuse anything which is ok. What if we said “American Style Flamenco”? Morocco made this name up. Middle Eastern people get a feeling of “home” when they see tribal style. This is because we use authentic textiles and don’t use Hollywood fantasy. Doesn’t American Tribal sound like Native American? Modern Primitive Movement included tattoos, piercings, colored hair, alternative lifestyles. The hippy movement started the look of anything exotic being cool. Salimpour… - 10-17-12 Kajira and Chuck Interview, Cultural Appropriation or Artistic Freedom? Part 6: Separate Community? Burlesque?
Kajira believes that the Tribal community is bigger and more successful than the rest of the belly dance community. "We wish we could be accepted as a sister dancer form... As Artemis said, if you don't like it, you don't have to look." Burlesque is a separate art form.
