What is Dark Fusion Belly Dance? (Cerridwen's Version)

The first time I saw the Stygian Collective (then the Stygian Sisters) perform, I was freshly divorced, deconstructing from what I called “Diet Christian Fundamentalism”, and tentatively dipping my toes into the world of bellydance as a way to make friends and heal my relationship with myself, my body, and the scary, secular world I suddenly found myself in.

When the Stygians took the stage I remember sitting bolt upright in my chair, equal parts scandalized and totally entranced at their charisma, their power on the stage, and an unprecedented amount of eyeliner, black lipstick, and metal spikes on bras. I remember leaning over to my dance teacher and whispering “Who ARE these dancers?” She patted me on my 25 yard skirt-clad knee and said “They’re dark fusion people. From Illinois.” I nodded as if I knew what she meant (I did not), and filed away in my head that such a thing as dark fusion existed, that Illinois was far more badass than I realized, and that someday I wanted to have a fraction of the inherent coolness of those Stygian chicks.

16 iPhone generations later, I am still not very cool, but I am very much a Stygian and a practitioner and lover of all things dark fusion. When I made the transition from another dance style over to dark fusion I got a lot of questions from my friends in my local community, chiefly “So, what exactly is dark fusion belly dance?” In the same way that I spent the first five years of my job shoving food into my mouth so I didn’t have to answer when people asked me what I did for a living at parties (I honestly had no idea for a shamefully long time), I had a really tough time explaining what dark fusion dance is, and is not.

The history of dark fusion belly dance is almost as old as fusion belly dance itself, and can trace its lineage through the West Coast fusion styles created by dancers like Rachel Brice, Mardi Love, Kami Liddle, and Jill Parker who blended elements of traditional Middle Eastern belly dance (raqs sharqi) and the American Tribal Style improv format developed by Carolene Nericcio with hip hop, modern dance, and classical Indian dance. These creators of what was then called “tribal fusion” emphasized personal creativity and expression, and embraced music and aesthetics inspired by vintage cabaret, circus and burlesque, and other darker, avant garde inspirations.

As fusion belly dance gained popularity in the United States in the early 2000s, dancers like Ariellah, Moria Chappell, Tempest, and Belladonna Boheme further developed the dark fusion style by incorporating elements of goth culture, heavy metal and grunge influences, and innovative movements including pop and locking, ticking, swordwork, dance as witchcraft, and explored darker and even taboo themes in performances and inspiration.

Today, dark fusion is a worldwide dance movement that celebrates inclusivity, diversity in performances and music, personal catharsis as we dance through hard times and tough subjects, and a safe and loving community full of weirdos, dance outsiders, creatives, and everyone in between. It doesn’t matter if you’re a metalhead thrashing in the center of a mosh pit or a dancer enchanted by the elegance of gothic music and costuming, you belong in dark fusion.

Even if you’re a recovering denim maxi skirt wearing, revival going good girl like me, you probably have some darkness deep down that’s ready to come out. (And honestly, POD and Skillet went pretty hard for 2002). The greatest part about joining the dark fusion community is you get to define what darkness means to you and how you want to express it through movement.

Come to the dark side. We’re a pretty effin’ good time.