As featured in the
Journal of Humanitarian Affairs
Michell Spoden—Many people are fascinated by belly dancers. But how
many of us know much about this art form? An interview with Aradia
Julia Suneri gives us a perspective on this unique form of dance.
Temple Fusion belly dance artist, designer and instructor Aradia
Julia Sunseri is a connoisseur of a form of dance that blends Hatha
Yoga and Temple Fusion Belly Dance. As an interdisciplinary artist,
lifelong yogini, and dancer who continues to study diverse forms of
dance. Aradia’s art is rooted in yoga, dance therapy modalities, ritual
performance & theatrical improvisation. Her constantly evolving
style incorporates Tribal/ Temple fusion belly dance, modern dance, fire
dance, ballet and butoh.
The following is my interview with Sunseri:
1.What is your name, age, nationality and occupation?
My name is Aradia Julia Sunseri. I am 34 years old and of Latvian,
Irish, German and English heritage, an artist who wears many hats,
rather like a “Jill of all trades.” I perform on stage and in film and
have been acting modeling, stylizing and doing creative directing for
dance and theater for the last 15 years.
2.Can you please explain to our viewers what “ Dance Fusion” is?
Dance Fusion is blending and borrowing of styles that create a new
form of expression. This means making sure, however, to honor and
understand as best as you can what dance form you are drawing from, then
fuse your own creative interpretation. Dance is a universal language
and one of the oldest forms of connecting body, mind and spirit. I
have been active and interested in this dance form since 2000.
3. How long did it take for you to learn this style of dance? Did
you attend some sort of school to learn it? If so where and for how
long?
I would say its still an evolving process. I started my study of
Tribal Fusion Belly Dance in Portland, Oregon in 2004. For two years I
studied with different teachers that included Jane Archer of Euphoria
Studios, Paulette Denis of Gypsy Caravan, caring the traditions of
Caroleena Nireccio of Fat Chance Belly Dance and Suhalia Salimpour of
the school of Dance.
In 2005 I co created my first Dark fusion belly dance troupe called
“Serpentine.” I then began performing frequently from 2005 to 2008 while
teaching workshops and co-creating monthly dance events within the
belly dance community, after which came a tour of Europe and the United
States in 2009 – 2010 with Faith and The Muse launching their new
Ankoku-Butoh album.
In 2008 I created Ritual Movement Arts a blend of Yoga and Temple
Fusion Belly dance. I had been practicing yoga for years, as a certified
yoga instructor I felt called to deepen my understanding by seeing the
direct connection of yoga enhancing and supporting my relationship to my
dance. Then there’s ritual.
The word ritual is often misinterpreted. For me it is anything done
with direct intention and conscious harmonizing with the natural world.
All indigenous cultures have honored and performed ritual as a main
focus in there dance as a way to honor the seasons, heal individuals
& celebrate the blessing of having a physical body with awareness of
soul connectivity to all life force.
At the end of 2008 I moved from Portland to San Francisco to continue
training with the luminous pioneers of the Tribal Belly dance Movement.
2008 to present 2013 I have had the honor to study with Jill Parker,
Rachel Brice, Suhalia Sailmpour, Zoe Jakes, Miriam Pertz and many more
amazing women.
In spring 2013 I was certified by Rachel Brice’s 8 Elements initiation.
4. Have you learned other forms of dance in your lifetime?
I first fell in love with dance when I was about five years old,
seeing Sufi whirling dances my mother would take me to. At the time I
had been studying ballet, jazz and modern dance. From the age of six
until I was in my teenage years, I loved ballet. Being six feet tall it
seemed a good match for me, yet the dance felt too rigid at times,
leading me to explore other dance forms.
In 2000 I found the art of fire dancing and began making my own fire
tools and performing with the Burning Man community in the conclaves.
This was pure magic! I felt an outlet for wild self-expression, and my
heart soared infusing all my years of dance training into a new form
collaborating with other dancers & circus arts performers.
Theatrical rituals, enacting myths and performing elements of butoh
became the highlights of my performances.
This was the doorway that lead me directly to Tribal Fusion Belly
dance In 2004 I instantly fell in love with the energy, costuming &
community of this dance style.
I felt a soul kinship with these women whom wanted to empower one
another and co create a supportive platform for sharing our ancestral
lineages & beliefs about the Feminine divine.
5. Can you please explain to us what tribal dance and butoh is?
The form of Tribal Belly dance is said to have begun in the west
through the legendary Jamila Salimpour and her Traditional Tribal Belly
dance Troupe Bal Anat, who was one of the earliest American dancers to
begin formatting a Middle Eastern dance vocabulary. Jamila gathers the
basis of these movements which she learned directly from oriental
dancers from the Middle East as they migrated to the U.S in 1949 that
enfused Turkish, Maya and basic Egyptian movements that were passed on
woman to woman, becoming the form further enhanced as the American
tribal style developed by Carolena Nerricio.
The roots of tribal fusion lie in American Tribal style, also
referred to as ATS, created in San Francisco by Carolena Nericcio and
her dance company Fat Chance Belly dance, with the legendary Tribal
innovator Jamila Salimpour. One of the founding members of FCBD in 1989
Jill Parker, can be regarded as starting tribal fusion. She formed Ultra
Gypsy Theatre in 1996, under Jill Parkers direction, then popularized
in 2003 by Rachel Brice, forming the Indigo that combined all the above
stylizations and a new form of Tribal Fusion.
Butoh Dance is the collective name for a diverse range of
activities, techniques and motivations for dance, performance, or
movement inspired by the
Ankoku-Butoh movement, according to
Wikipedia. It typically involves playful and grotesque imagery, taboo
topics, extreme or absurd environments, and is traditionally performed
in white body makeup with slow hyper-controlled motion, with or without
an audience. There is no set style, and it may be purely conceptual with
no movement at all. Its origins have been attributed to Japanese dance
legends
Tatsumi Hijikata and
Kazuo Ohno. Butoh is known as the dance that frees the souls that are still trapped on this earthly plane.
6. Why dance fusion over other forms? Why is it better for you?
The thing I love so much about Fusion Belly dance in this day and age
is because it is a more sought-after dance form because it encourages
you to find your own voice and offering. You can dance at any age, any
body type or even gender. This dance has roots that are deep and you can
study as much as you like, but in Fusion you are always encouraged to
express your individuality Improvisation and passion for sacred dance in
all its forms. This is pure magic to have the freedom to draw upon
what inspires you and fuse it with something such as ballet or modern
and see what happens.
7. Do you think a lot of these dance forms are more rooted in spiritually or sexuality?
This lineage of dance comes from an integrated understanding of
spirituality and sexuality. Many wise women taught others the powerful
tools of dance as celebration of coming of age, as preparation for
childbirth and as healing & collective community prayers.
Much is still left unspoken in the history of women and sacred
dances, Luckily now much more is coming into the light and woman are
remembering there birthright as women and what it means to be a woman
through all the stages of her life.
8. Did you always know from the time you were young that you would be a dancer?
Art and dance have always been a huge part of my life. I love the
whole process, and feel I am constantly learning and refining my craft.
9. The costumes you wear in many of your videos are very diverse, do you design them yourself?
Yes! Everything I am wearing is designed and handmade by me, except
when I am gifted with my friends designs and antique jewelry. I draw a
lot of my inspiration from mythology. Sometimes I will spend months
hand sewing a belt or headdress.
10. Are you in any sort of films or videos?
Yes. I love film and have been collaborating with great
cinematographers and directors to create some visual offerings. I also
have acted in several music videos and some independent films.
11. If you teach please share with us where you currently do so.
I teach internationally at multiple studios, retreats and festivals.
I am always booked somewhere and can be contacted on my website.
12. What sort of advice would you give those who want to learn this sort of dance style?
Ask yourself what draws you to this dance style. What inspires you?
Is it costuming, community, performance, health, fun, healing, some or
all of these? Then find a studio or community to take classes and
workshops.
Next, study with teachers that inspire you to tune into your own
body and express yourself. I highly recommend yoga with belly dance to
help strengthen the knees and lower back.
13. What are some of your future goals?
I feel to blessed to be supported by the community and teachers of
this art form.My goals are to continue studying with the visionaries in
this field of dance and healing.I am currently collaborating with
holistic prationers who share the vision of women empowering women.
This also involves R.M.A workshops and retreats on healing issues from
sexual abuse by helping the practitioner develop a healthy body image.
I am presently working with many multimedia artists on video and
large stage production for international festivals and events. I really
look forward to spending more time in Europe and teaching Ritual
Movement Arts at healing centers.
I wish to leave you with one of my favorite quotes:
“As the goddess is honored through ecstatic dance, our communities
grow stronger. As we dance, we consecrate our bodies and the land on
which we dance, we unite.”
Sunseri’s contact information and upcoming performances are at the following links:
Anahata June 15
th Portland Oregon Performing
http://www.anahatafestivalpdx.com/
Lightning in A Bottle Festival July 11-14 Performing
http://lightninginabottle.org/
Nouveau Devadasi Temple Dance Festival Sept 27-29 Performing & teaching R.M.A workshop
http://www.nouveaudevadasi.com/
Web Site: http://aradiasunseri.com/
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/Aradia.Julia.Sunseri.Official.FanPage
