Hiplet

Hiplet is the fusion of hip hop and ballet dancing and was created by Homer Hans Bryant the artistic director of the Chicago Multicultural Dance Centre. (Steven Capers)

When I was a kid I would dream of becoming a ballerina. I was crazy about ballet well into my young adulthood, until I found out how unkind it could be to a woman's body because of the unnatural positions that are basic to ballet.

I took some lessons as a young adult and managed to get up on point. None the less I was no longer interested in ballet like I'd been in the past but I still have a great appreciation for the art form and discipline.

Much later in life I found Mediterranean dance or what is called Belidi, folk dance or often it's known by it's slang name, Belly Dance. This ancient form of dance is so healthy and natural to the form and function of the body. It is inclusive to all ages and body sizes. Belly dance empowers woman and changes the perceptions of their body image from negative to positive.

Tribal Fusion Belly Dance often combines contemporary and traditional middle eastern music, like Bally Sagoo.

It's exciting to see traditional forms of dance being transformed  and fused into contemporary hybrids like Hiplet, especially when it can be used to empower and change the lives of youth.