“If you frequent World Café or Saturday Market (and if you’re reading this, you probably do),
you’ve likely seen Americanistan and Luminessah perform. Middle Eastern music and
American tribal bellydance co-exist peacefully in this microcosmic representation of what the
world might be like without the horror of voting machines and the entire sandbar (er, state) of
Florida. This accomplished group of belly dancers will be accompanied by studious musicians
with their most portable instruments: the zurna (basically the oboe of the Arab world),
Mediterranean bagpipes, the harmonium and an array of drums. And the belly dancing, well …
depending on your sexual preference, you’re either hypnotized by the seductive power of undulating bodies in bikini tops, or you’re wondering how you, too, can learn to shake it like that.” – Sara Brickner
“DANCING FOR JOY
We’d like to thank Sara Brickner for her mention of our tribal fusion belly dance troupe, Luminessah, in the EW guide to the Eugene Celebration (9/6). After reading the last sentence she wrote, however, we feel the need to clarify the intentions of our dance (“depending on your sexual preference, you’re either hypnotized by the seductive power of undulating bodies in bikini tops, or you’re wondering how you too, can learn to shake it like that”).
This is a spiritual dance to be shared and enjoyed by everyone, not a sexual dance. The movements of our dance invoke sacred elements, tell ancient stories and create blessings. The undulation movement Ms. Brickner speaks of represents the sacred ritual of birth. And the unique costumes reflect just as much of our spiritual intentions as the dance, as well as the many cultural influences we welcome into our circle. For example, the “bikini tops” Ms. Brickner mentioned are actually in many cases traditional Indian cholis or professional dance tops that we’ve spent much time and effort creating.
We respect others’ perceptions of this art form but too often find ourselves fighting strongly judgmental stereotypes. We do not speak for other dancers nor do we wish to represent all belly dancers. We are glad to have this opportunity to share our perspective of this performance art. In Luminessah we simply dance for joy, sisterhood and spirit.”
The women of Luminessah - Jeannie Anderson, Ali Armstrong, Lila McDaniel, LeeAnn Myers
- Published in Jareeda Magazine, 2007:
A Troupe With No Leader
Perhaps another title for this piece could be: A Troupe With Four Leaders, because in Luminessah, each one of us decides the destiny of our dance. We agree on everything openly, from dance repertoire to costumes, from set music to the very statements made here. The process requires patience and communication, and is made possible with much lightheartedness, laughter and love.
Luminessah came into being as a group of friends who fell in love with tribal bellydance. The thought of forming a troupe was far from our minds. We just wanted to shimmy our hips, so we took to the streets and parks with zills and eager spirits. People liked what they saw and were soon asking us to perform here and there. Our first several outings as a “troupe” were done before we even agreed on what to call ourselves! The more we danced together, the more we saw the luminous light we each brought into the circle. And so, the Goddess entity called Luminessah was born.
We came together in Eugene, Oregon from Kentucky, Minnesota, Michigan and Portland. Our collective dance background includes Turkish 9/8, Classical Indian, Egyptian, African, ballet and yoga to name a few. We honor the old as much as the new, and could never dedicate our dance to just one of these styles. Learning the process of American Tribal Style (ATS) allowed us to create our own improvised tribal style layered with all of these intertwining roots.
Our performance format is equally balanced, with each dancer taking the lead position and passing it along. We often come up with new moves on the spot and enjoy layering them into transitions and combinations later on. We gather grounding strength during shows by turning our movements inward to face one another in circle.
And that brings us to the core of Luminessah: the Goddess. Collectively we represent the full spectrum of the Goddess as maiden, mother and matriarch. While we honor one another’s uniqueness, individual talents and opinions, we see that there is magic created when we bring them all together as one. Each time we join as a sister circle in dance it is a blessing. And when we bring our dance into the public we are able to share this gift. Focusing on the spiritual core of these movements leaves no room for ego or competition. That, and not taking ourselves too seriously, is the key to our success.
We respect that each dance circle is different and that it may be necessary to have one central leader in a troupe to make things run smoothly. For us, however, there is no need, for we are all supporting limbs upon the same big tree of life. And we wish many blessings upon you all in your dance.
