How is Tribal belly dance different from other forms of belly dance?

The quick answer is threefold:

Group Improvisation - Tribal appears to be choreographed, but, using a common vocabulary of moves and non-verbal communication, the dancers are actually making it up on the spot! This creates a unique energy between the dancers that is tangible to both the performers and the audience.

Costuming - The costumes are an eclectic mix of influences from all along the Romany Trail. The overall look is more "ethnic-flavored", tending to incorporate lots of layers of bold colors, rich fabrics, detailed embroidery, and heavy jewelry.

Attitude - Also called "mood and 'tude" by yours truly, there is a way of carrying oneself as we dance which is widely recognized as the "Tribal posture". Regal and proud, with an even, penetrating gaze or a smile of inward joy and playfulness. Overall, a queenly posture emoting an air of confidence and power.

Tribal is just as serious and technique oriented as any other form of belly dance, or dance for that matter. It takes dedication and time to improve, but the learning process is unique in that it always involves others. True Tribal is NOT a solo dance, though there can be solo portions to a performance. Think about it: TRIBAL. A tribe is a group that shares a common bond. Dancing Tribal is about connecting with other dancers as you express yourself. You may practice at home alone, but to perform Tribal dance involves working in harmony with other dancers.

Kajira Djoumahna, author of "The Tribal Bible" has this to say about Tribal versus other belly dance forms:

"Tribal Style favors celebration of strength, mystery and power. Since we are always dancing with at least one other dancer, this style is also characterized by much more interaction between dancers than in other group styles that must rely on choreography, and less interaction with members of the audience than in traditional or solo forms. Because of these fundamental differences, the Tribal Style excels in development of self confidence, strength, camaraderie, awareness of self and others and being in the moment."

While dancing closely with others is part of what makes Tribal so beautiful, this can be a very intimate experience for some people, and it may be hard at first to dance with others, look them in the eye, and honestly trust them. I promise that if you give it a chance, and remain open to the experience however difficult it may feel at times, the rewards are wonderful—your confidence will grow and friendships will be created. The energy this dance creates is infectious!

The Elusive Definition of Tribal Belly Dance
by Sharon Moore

Different Styles of Tribal Belly Dance:
Tribal isn't "just tribal" any more.  These days it seems everyone has a different take on the various terms floating around.  With new terms and interpretations popping up all the time, it's hard to know what someone means by what they say any more when talking about "tribal belly dance".  I use the term "tribal belly dance" to generally refer to most styles of this dance, excluding the direct stylistic ancestors of FatChanceBellyDance, which I refer to as ATS (see further definition below); but really there are many different sub-genres which are more concise when discussing specific interpretations, aesthetics, and philosophies encompassed within the greater category of tribal belly dance. Much like saying "belly dance" is usually enough information when discussing this art casually, from a scholarly standpoint, we all know there is Arabic, Egyptian, Turkish, Lebanese, and so on which can be defined if one wishes to go into greater detail. I wrote this article to outline MY PERSONAL take on the current trends in tribal terminology.  I invite you to take what you will from it.  I always welcome comments and questions, so please feel free to write with your thoughts.

Old School/Classic Tribal Belly Dance: 
Tribal and ATS dance forms are rooted  in a movement in the US in the 70's, mainly driven by "folkloric" groups performing at Renaissance Faires in California.  Drawing it's movements, costuming, and general inspiration from the tribal cultures of the Near East, Middle East, Northern Africa/Maghreb, and Spain, the then-named "California Tribal" belly dance was, and it's current incarnations continue to be, a conglomeration of many different influences, not the least of which being what we recognize as traditional belly dance (Raqs Sharki/Danse Orientale...).  The precursor to tribal improvisational belly dance, the Rennaisance Faire groups such as the famous "Bal Anat" and lesser known but still pivotal "Bou-Saada", were made up primarily of dancers who eschewed the nightclub aesthetics and demands, as well as the flashier costuming it embraced. This "rebellious" sister to cabaret style, performed in what could be called more ethnic-inspired costumes-- natural fiber elements, coin decorated accessories, etc--performed to live and recorded earthy unsynthesized music, I call "Classic Tribal" or sometimes "Old School Tribal".

Tribal Belly Dance:
Tribal belly dance's main focus is on a group improvisational style.   Participants learn a common vocabulary of movement, and through subtle cueing  and a lot of practice to develop non-verbal communication, dancers can create a performance in the moment that, to the audience,  appears choreographed. And yet, while this dance has wide appeal to audiences and many dancers turn their intentions toward the entertainment value of tribal belly dance, the dance itself is does not necessitate performance on stage for an audience.  This dance draws also on some of the cultural conventions of the tribal peoples it emulates, and many women find great camaraderie, comfort, trust, and friendship through the dance experience, and devote their time to the social and emotional aspects of the dance.  The opportunity to communicate through the body, through the music, and through the group dynamic appeals to many dancer's sense of community, which is encouraged and fostered in classes and "open dance" venues.
Tribal style movement is one important, and sometimes sublte, aspect to tribal belly dance. Discussions of the style has yielded a wide consensus that tribal movement has a stronger emphasis on isolations. Specifically keeping portions of the body firmly erect and still while other portions move with marked precision and a greater degree of repitition. While in other forms of belly dance, isolations are also part of the aesthetic, in tribal isolations are more severe and in sharper contrast to the movement.
Costuming is often colorful and involves many layers, with large full skirts, Indian-style cholis, full pantaloons, hip scarves, tassel belts and/or long fringe, and some sort of detailed head wrap, decorations, or turban.  Any or all of these elements can be mixed and matched with other "ethnic" pieces, but in general, this is the uniform of tribal belly dance.  Individual interpretations are always encouraged, but some basic guidelines to stay within tribal styling include: natural fabrics such as cottons and silks, velvets, rich and bold coloring, shisha and other ethnic embroidery, mirror-work, tassels, layering, mixing and matching (not coordinating too closely), coins and bells, chunky necklaces, bracelets and other jewelry, "tribal" make-up and facial markings, and more.
Things to avoid: chiffon and other filmy fabrics, heavy/dense sequin and bead work, pastels, tailored belt bases, flashy appliqué, bare legs, tight fitting skirts/dresses, delicate jewelry, heavy use of satin or "high shine" fabrics, gauntlets or epaulettes, pailettes, lamé, etc. Again, these are general guidelines. Depending on many factors too numerous to enumerate, the use of any of these elements in various combinations may or may not water down the "tribalness" of the overall costume. The aesthetic becomes easier to "feel out" as one studies the dance in more depth over time.

"FatChance" Style ATS:
FatChance and Carolena Nericcio, as far as I know, were the ones who first garnered the label ATS (American Tribal Style)--an alteration of the term "California Tribal" (attributed to Morocco of NY) which is part of the roots of the tribal family tree (see above in "Classic Tribal").  While this term is and can be used to describe most all styles of improvisational tribal belly dance, in my common lexicon, I use this term mainly to define the FatChanceBellyDance style of tribal belly dance, which is the original format of group improvisational belly dance and the precursor to other forms of Tribal as we know it today.  ATS has many iterations now that it has spread to other cities and has been interpreted by many different dancers and teachers.  What this term encompasses stylistically would take a long time to explain, as it has more to do with the specific dance vocabulary, nuances of the moves such as body alignment, arm placement, accents, and cues, and somewhat with costuming.  For instance, the standard stretch choli/coin bra/banded skirt/full pantaloons/large turban/tassel belt style was created by FatChance, and is easy to spot.  Beyond that, the style is easily recognized once a dancer becomes familiar with vocabularies and stylistic choices of different troupes.  For more information on my personal observations of the different between ATS and Tribal Style belly dance, see my e-mail to an inquiring friend in response to her questions about ATS/tribal belly dance here (not yet linked).

Tribal Fusion:
There are many interpretations of the concept of  Tribal Fusion, so herein I will include mine.  Tribal fusion, to me, refers to the marriage of choreographed and improvisational forms, specifically with significant emphasis given to what would be considered "American Nightclub" or "Cabaret" styles of belly dance; but can also refer to emphases on specific ethnic dance influences, such as "Indian Fusion", "Flamenco Fusion", "African Fusion", and the like.  Additionally, tribal fusion has, in my defintion, come to also encompass soloists in the tribal style--solo dancers using movement and costuming common to the group improvisational format. One could say a soloist inspired by or heavily influenced by ATS/tribal is a Tribal Fusion Dancer (such asRachel Brice)

Tribal Fusion is the combination of tribal belly dancing and costuming with influences of other belly dance and related dance styles which do not necessarily appear in the common tribal belly dance movement vocabulary. For instance, within a tribal belly dance performance, the incorporation of more flirtatious, less "grounded and earthy" moves might create a fusion.  The incorporation of predominantly Indian stylings, such as mudras and footwork might create a fusion (such as inFusion Tribal's Bhangra Fusion).  The use of djembes in musical selections, and the addition of African shimmies and stomping could be called a fusion (such as Domba!). The combination of hip hop-inspired pops and locks with jazz floor patterns and Western music would create a fusion (such as Urban Tribal Dance Company). So long as the many or most of the basic elements which define tribal (see above) are still predominant in the performance, it could be referred to as a tribal fusion.  Once the common definitions of tribal belly dance are discarded, it would no longer, in my opinion, be appropriate to use the term "tribal fusion", and crosses into either folkloric dances or what I term "tribaret".

Tribaret:
Tribaret is a word I coined out of necessity to be clear about the current fad of tribal, wherein groups seem to be rushing to embrace the word "tribal", whether they are studying/incorporating all the details that go along with that moniker or not.  Others may be using this same term to define another phenomenon or style, but herein is how I coined this word to mean.  I use the term tribaret mainly to refer to the fusion of tribal belly dance--usually in costume only--with the cabaret style of belly dance, absent of some of the basic criteria which defines tribal belly dance.  Tribaret can refer to performances done in tribal costume in which improvisation is very minimally used and the remainder of the performance is distinctly cabaret in style, performances where tribal costuming is used but no tribal moves or concepts are used at all, a performance in which improv is used significantly yet the costumes are distinctly cabaret inspired, and so on.  Ultimately, it is a fusion of tribal and cabaret in which the key elements of tribal are nearly or completely removed, such that the greater emphasis is on cabaret elements.  For instance, a group that does a lot of tribal improv, but wears only panel skirts over bare legs, bras, and epaulettes would be tribaret.  A troupe that does a cabaret style choreographed dance while wearing heavy skirts, mirror cholis, and tassel belts is tribaret.  There are many nuances which are involved in what is tribal style versus cabaret, but usually a distinction can be made when, as mentioned before, key elements which define tribal are left out and only the shadow (or claim) of being tribal truly remains.
Remember ladies, if definitions were all in the costume, then a TV repairman could call himself a heart surgeon if he put on scrubs.  The costume just does not define the dancer as tribal. Concentrated study of the art does.

East Coast Tribal
This is a new term that has been cropping up lately, and it seems important that it be acknowledged.   As many well know, Tribal belly dance has its roots on the West Coast, and the growth and  innovations driving the "movement" of this art form still largely originate there.  As a result, there have been few to no instructors on the East Coast of the US to teach this dance to interested dancers there.  Video only goes so far, and where media instruction left off, many dancers back East began to develop their own interpretations of tribal based on their experiences in their communities. Being that most of them had little or no exposure to the improvisational formats, but instead possess a body of experience in choreographed forms, the dancers in the East have created a "look feel" tribal dance form which emulates the costuming, music, and presentation of tribal, but without the improvisational key that defines Tribal.  It is a closer ancestor to classic/old school tribal than ATS. The new term, East Coast Tribal, is meant to define these new branches of the Tribal belly dance family tree, and encompasses those new forms developing which attempt to create the Tribal look and feel but without the improvisational aspects.  It may also refer to groups which I tend to lump under the "Tribaret" definition, though I personally feel they are mutually distinct approaches to the dance.

All The Rest
There are many other considerations in defining different styles of dance. Presentation, music, costuming, and even attitude play large roles in creating this style. I certainly don't have all the answers, and I don't think any will for a long time. Much like art, solid definitions come much later when looking back. You don't think the "Impressionists" were called impressionists when they began painting, do you? Well, neither are the artists in this ever evolving genre of belly dance going to be able to be pinned down and defined until a comfortalbe niche is dug out--until consistent details of the work is developed and stands the test of time. In the meantime, we will continue to discuss, debate, grow, and learn together.

~These articles were reprinted with permission from Sharon Moore. To learn more please visit TribalBellyDance.org~