What is FatChance® Style Belly Dance?

 FatChance® style (formerly called ATS) is a modern style of belly dance created by Carolena Nericcio and FatChanceBellyDance®  in San Francisco in the late 1980's. Kathy was an early member of this world famous dance company.

FatChance® style belly dance is a modern style of belly dance, created in San Francisco by Carolena Nericcio and members of FatChanceBellyDance®.

In our early days, it was often mistaken as an 'ethnic or Tribal’ look but is really just a beautiful blend of dance movements and costuming inspired by the ancient entertainers from India, Turkey, North Africa and Southern Spain.

The structured dance steps unique to FatChance® style allow dancers to “shadow” each other in leading and following formations, giving  and reading  nearly invisible body cues to seamlessly transition from movement to movement.  The connection between the dancers is so strong that the audience does not realize that they are watching a 100% improvised performance that is created in the moment – in classic FatChance®  style nothing is choreographed.

The uniformity and precision displayed in this dance form comes from the technique of dancers being trained to lead and follow each other, learning how to give and read clear cues so that all the dancers move as one.  It’s alchemy in action.

With a background in traditional FatChance® style you can dance, without preparation, with other FatChance® style trained dancers because you share the same vocabulary of movements and know how to read and give clear cues and transitions to your fellow dancers. 

If you have ever been amazed watching a flock of birds flying in beautiful formations, or have seen a school of fish swimming to and fro, and wondered how they look so synchronized, then you have witnessed the magic behind the philosophy of FatChanceBellyDance®.