Belly dancing helped Hannah Wayte overcome a body-image crisis. She tells Veronica Stivala that discipline really aids people to re-evaluate their idea of self-worth.

In her late teens, as most of us do, Hannah Wayte went through a bit of a body-image crisis. She discovered an online community which encouraged body positivity among women. Many of its members raved about how belly dance helped them, so she found a class and joined.

This is the very first time another tribal dancer has been on the island at the same time as me, so I knew we absolutely had to organise some workshops together

This was back in 2007, when the choice of belly dance teachers in Malta was very limited. She attended an Egyptian class for a few months and one day happened across an advert for tribal belly dance classes. She switched to those lessons and was immediately hooked.

“Tribal has a much more earthy feel to it and I really loved the way my teacher, Atlantis, taught,” explains Wayte. For a few years she continued with traditional Tribal (American tribal style belly dance, or ATS) and then started Tribal Fusion classes when she was living in Ireland between 2010 and 2012.

Tribal Fusion belly dance is a modern form of belly dance which blends elements of ATS with any other style of dance. It frequently incorporates elements from popping, hip hop, breakdance, Egyptian or cabaret belly dance, as well as from traditional forms such as flamenco, Kathak, Bhangra, Balinese and other folkloric dance styles.

What is interesting about Tribal Fusion is that it is continuously evolving; like fashion, it goes through trends, frequently coming up with something completely new and at other times reworking an old idea. To Wayte, “Tribal Fusion is a very free form of expression as it draws on traditional dance forms but is not limited by their rules”.

When Wayte’s teacher, the only Tribal teacher in Malta, emigrated, this dancer found herself faced with the choice to either stop dancing completely or, as the most experienced of the group, to take over the classes.

This summer, she will be teaming up with renowned Tribal Fusion teacher Mares, who is based in Spain. Their paths crossed by pure luck as Mares came across Wayte on Facebook.

“Tribal belly dancers are one big international family,” Wayte confides. “This is the very first time another Tribal dancer is on the island at the same time as me, so I knew we absolutely had to organise some workshops together.”

What’s the best thing about belly dancing?

“Two things,” explains Wayte: “the community and the positivity. There is something about Tribal belly dance that encourages a strong sense of sisterhood (or maybe friendship is the right word, since male dancers are increasingly part of it) wherever you are. I made some amazing friends in a country where I knew no one just by attending a Tribal class.

“As for positivity, belly dance is for everyone, regardless of sex, age or body shape, and as such it really helps people to re-evaluate their idea of self-worth.”

The Tribal Fusion Belly Dance classes will be held on Saturday and on August 10, 17 and 24 at Activezone Fitness Centre, Msida, from 1 to 3pm. All workshops are suitable for beginner and intermediate level students. For more information look up TribalBellyDanceMalta on Facebook.

Who is Mares?

Mares is a dancer, teacher and choreographer who hails from Igualada in Barcelona, Spain.

She dances in and is the leader of Lunatikas, a Tribal Fusion dance company. She teaches in different centres and schools around Catalonia and continues to dance with others like Kim, Rachel and Raks Aisha.

She has a strong education in different dance styles, including contemporary, ballet, jazz, hip hop and flamenco, which she studied between 1986 and 2001.

She then became interested in trying something new and discovered Tribal Fusion while learning belly dancing.

To Mares, the secret to being a good belly dancer is to feel what music, dance and art in general, transmit to you: “If you can feel this and you want to become a dancer and are ready to work hard for it, you will succeed.”