Paulette Rees-Denis has been a local and international cutting edge dance force since 1991, with her innovative and inspiring style of dance-Tribal Belly Dance. Her part memoir, part experiential book, Tribal Vision: A Celebration of Tribal Belly Dance (Cultivator Press, 2008), has received glowing praise, telling her stories and sharing other dancer's tales around this dance. Based outside Portland, Oregon, Paulette teaches and performs at home, directing her performance dance and music group, Gypsy Caravan Dance Company and the Caravan Dance Collective, while taking her in-demand Tribal workshops, Collective Soul and Teacher Training intensive certification programs around the globe.
Her Tribal Styling is an eclectic, invigorating, and elegant fusion based on urban, folk, ritual, trance, bellydance, and modern dances. With a classical dance background, Paulette has created this rich blend of contemporary improvisational movement which is esthetically pleasing, spiritually grounding, and physically rewarding. This dance evokes a feeling of ancient times, of family, of personal freedom, of group spirit and camaraderie, bringing dancers together in total acceptance and support of each other. The beauty of the dance is that it's also different for everyone and every body.
Paulette says, "The fulfillment I get from directing and dancing with the Gypsy Caravan is achieved through many of my roles from being the teacher, sharing the inspirations, designing the choreography, doing the booking and managing, being the proud mother, and of course, dancing with my tribe, either on or off the stage. Sometimes it's trying work, actually, most of the time! But those blissful moments of pure, ecstatic joy that we reach as a synchronized group can outweigh anything!
One of my greatest pleasures as a teacher is to share with other women this dance, and to bring the communities together. To see dancers come into their own, women acknowledging their own beauty and power through the dance is true fulfillment, and an honor. As the communities continue to grow and expand, it's great to experience each other, to watch and listen, to dance together in whichever way we can. Through a shimmy, a mudra, a breath."
One of the founding members of this quickly spreading dance style—more than just a a craze—Paulette has an ongoing teaching itinerary in Scotland, England, Germany, Italy, Canada, Taiwan, and Australia, as well as across the United States. Paulette currently writes a monthly travel international e-newsletter—Tribal Travels, with over 1600 subscribers and growing. With an exciting blog(www.tribalbellydanceblog.com) and more social networking every day, she is able to fulfill her dream of taking Tribal Bellydance Global!
Along with her touring schedule, Paulette owned and managed the world dance studio, Caravan Studio, from 2000-2008. Because she loves to play hostess and bring world class dancers to Portland, she also produced and organized Tribal Quest NorthWest, the five-day international music and dance, from 2000-2007, bringing tribal greats such as FatChanceBellyDance, Rachel Brice, inFusion, Domba, Solace, Karim Nagi, Raquy and the Cavemen, Zoe Jakes, Darshan, Sarah Locke, Dalia Carella, Colleena, and many more to her town.
Combining her loves of dance, art, and writing, from 1998-2003, Paulette published a quarterly journal, Caravan Trails, with art, interviews, reviews about tribal and related dance styles. Over the years, Paulette has collaborated with poets, storytellers, musicians, and actors to create multimedia dance and theater productions, and continues to produce award-winning videos and Cd's. In 2005 she wrote a monthly dance column in Jareeda Magazine, and has written belly dance articles and been interviewed for dance magazines—Zaghareet, Jareeda, and Habibi, England’s Tribal and Mosaic, Germany’s Tanz Oriental, and Australia’s Bellydance Oasis—as well as Portland area newspapers and magazines. Along with her troupe, Paulette has been featured in numerous books, including Tribal Vision, The Tribal Bible and The Bellydance Book, and on the Bellydance TV/DVD series. In 2007 she graduated with a Master's Degree in Writing and Publishing and created a new publishing house, called Cultivator Media Group. Having received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Photography from the San Francisco Art Institute in 1983, she also self-published a limited-edition photography book, Skin Stories, in 2000. Paulette has directed and produced eight international best-selling teaching technique DVDs and four performance videos, along with seven musical Cds.
Her documentary, Tribal Travels: A Collage, following Gypsy Caravan’s experiences and performances (June 2005), won “Best Historical Documentary” from the Giza Academy Awards. With Gypsy Caravan, she has won awards for “ Troupe of the Year” (twice), “Favorite Musicians” (twice) from the Zaghareet Magazine Golden Belly Awards, “ Best Choreography for the Camera” from the International Academy of Middle Eastern Dance, and “Best Troupe”, and “Best Entertainment Video” from the Giza Academy Awards.
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About Paulette's book, Tribal Vision...
WOW!
New book review in the July 2009 issue of the Chronicles magazine...Thank you!
and more reviews on
GoodReads
Joy rated it:
recommends it for: feminists and dancers!
A beautifully written and picture filled history of Paulette Rees Denis, director of Gypsy Caravan dance company of Portland, Oregon, as she studied with American Tribal Style belly dance's creatrix, Carolena Nerricio and came to be one of leaders in ATS. A GREAT and rare book on the subject of ATS. beautiful!
Flissy rated it:
Read in April, 2009
recommended to Flissy by: Amy
recommends it for: tribal bellydancers
I really enjoyed reading this personal account of the experiences surrounding the development of tribal bellydance. Paulette's vision is sincere, and her attitude towards dance is heartwarming. The photographs were absolutely stunning. This book left me wanting more! More thoughts from Paulette about dance, what she teaches, her community... everything! I look forward to more writings from Paulette and hope to have the chance to dance with her someday myself!
Melissa rated it:
Read in November, 2008
recommended to Melissa by: I won a copy from the publishers through here.
recommends it for: every woman and any man who appreciates the womanly form
This is a great book to read. There are amazing pictures and the words paint their own pictures. I was curious about belly dance before but this book just strengthened the interest.
Beside the point that it gives beautiful images of the subject, it shows how wonderful women are and how our bodies are beautiful. It makes one know they are attractive in their body and are not alone in their doubts about that. This is a wonderful book that I will keep forever and reread over and over.
AND
a great review on Bhuz.com, by Zepora
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2 new reviews on LibraryThing
"I received this book in a Member Giveaway, but found it unexpectedly appealing. While I have no intention of taking up Middle Eastern dancing, if I did, this would be the kind. Not a how-to book, Tribal Vision is rather a celebration of an earthy, exuberant dance form, and of the author’s journey to and participation in its development. As a historical costumer, my enjoyment of the book was enhanced by the many color plates of the dancers and their fascinating attire. I’ll be passing the book along to some of my dancing friends so that they can enjoy it as well."(four stars)
Rowntree
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"I am haunted by this book. Not because of the content, which is compelling, honest, intriguing, and empowering. It is because I long so desperately to begin Tribal Belly Dancing on my own and don't know how to find a local group, if one even exists here in the reserved Midwest. I also know of no places to purchase the clothing and accessories here. Why must I live somewhere where it is so difficult to experience such a well described spiritual awakening based on the realization of your own private feminine sexuality? I will pass this book along to my female friends in an effort to spread this powerful and inspiring message, hopefully to the benefit of starting our own group here in Northern Indiana. (five stars)
Brandi Gardner
Photo by kaizennw.com
Paulette Rees-Denis
Gina Lee | Dulcinea Myers-Newcomb
Carol Lindgren Vance