About Bri Hurley

Teachers:
Sharlyn Sawyer, classes, Orienta'l 1976
Bert Balladine, classes 1975
Carolina Nariccio, classes & seminars 1990-
John Compton, classes 2002 - 2006 (when in the States)
Amel Tafsoot, seminar, Algerian trad.
Khairyia Mazim, seminars, Ghawazee 1995
Jill Parker, classes 2000 - (when in the States)
Suhaila Salimpour (acredited teacher), 2003-2004 (several classes each year when in the States)
Elizabeth Strong, classes & seminars, Roman/Orienta'l 2004 -
Reyhan Tuszuz, 18 hours, Turkish Roman 2004, 2005
Meltem Tuszuz, 7 hours, T. Roman 2004
Bakhtar, seminars, Afghani 2004 -
Sharlyn Sawyer/Rosa, seminar, Afghani, 2005
Tara Pandaya, seminar, Tajik/Afghan, 2006
Senem &  Eyup Uzunkaya, T. Roman, 15 hours, 2006
Kami Liddle, seminar 2006
Kajira Djoumahna, seminar 2006
Sharon Kihara, seminar, 2007
Rakia Hassan, seminar, 2007
Randa Gamal, seminar, 2007
Horatcio Cifuentes, seminar, 2007
Frederique David, seminar, 2007
Leila Haddad, seminar, Morrocan Trad. 2007
Beka Merrifield, seminar, 2008
Tobias Roberson, seminars, 2008
Tempest, seminars, 2008, 2010
Zoe Jakes, seminar, 2008
Mardi Love, seminar, 2008
Rose Hardin, seminars, 2008
Cera Byer, seminars, 2008
Deb Rubin, seminar, 2008
Miram Peretz, classes, 2009
Unmata, seminar, 2009
The Uzume, seminar, 2009
Olivia Kissel and Maria Hammer, seminars, 2009, 2010
Hilde Cannoodt, 2010,

Elizabeth Artimis Mourat, 2010

 

A little story

In 1972, there was a Greek taverna in the East Bay, that my family would visit. I am sure as a result of having neighbors who were dancers and musicians that had unreliable cars as well as my mother's interest in dance. I learned several Greek line dances as a child. This was the beginning of my interest in traditional dance.


In the neighborhood where I lived (Gate 5, Sausalito, across the Golden Gate bridge from San Francisco, CA), a group of women did traditional European folk dances and sang  17th and 18th century sea chanties as entertainment at parties and weddings. I was told that I could come to rehearsals as long as I didn't disrupt them. Being a kinetic learner, I soon got up and joined them. They invited me to perform with them. With their help, I made a costume and some pocket money.


We later choreographed a version of the can-can. At the tender age of 10, I performed this dance of 18 th century French whores at parties and events with a group of women. I never learned any of the tap dances that they did to the sailor music (we had concertina and guitar players) but I still remember many of the songs.


In 1975, I became a fan of  Bal Anat and Jamila Salimpour at the Renaissance Faire where my mother worked in a booth. I would come for each show, sometimes seeing three shows in a day. I became entranced with Oriental dancing.

Seeing Suhaila perform at that time, gave me the extra push I needed to start learning it. She was near my own age so I knew it wasn't only for adults. This went on for several years. I saw John Compton do his tray dance before there was gray in his hair. As well I saw most of the people who taught the well known leaders of todays Tribal Style.

Don Brown's stage at the Northern Renaissance Faire, aprox 1996

 

 
 I began doing Oriental dance in 1974. I studied with Shoshanna for 2 years. At that same time, I started to study with other teachers. Among my many teachers were Bert Baladine, Sharlyn Sawyer, and Sharonna. My earliest influence was Jamila Salimpour (who was the inspriration for American Tribal Style). I began performing in 1975, choreographing my first dance (for five dancers) for the nationally known Sausalito Art Festival in 1976. At this time the style I studied was Cabaret.


 Cabaret was being taught widely in the area. But the best teachers were in San Francisco and it would be few more years before I was able to get there on my own as the public transportation system was never the best. I was also a bit young to be going off to the city alone. So while Bert Baladine taught close by, others, like Sharlyn Sawyer were not readily available until I was a little older.


 In the late 70's and early 80's, Audie Saint was living with my family and dancing at Baghdad by the Bay, the cabaret that Jamila Salimpour owned. I was fortunate enough to see her dance there along with Sharlyn Sawyer and Kathy Taylor as well as others whos names I've lost. At the time, I was under the legal drinking age and was inside the club illegally. As I was there with my parents, the people responsible looked the other way.

A celebration in San Francisco's Cell Space with Mark Bell on drum and Darius Sami playing Santoor, aprox 1996

Khariya Mazin after our lesson in the hotel in Luxor, 1995

 

 

In 1990 I began studying American Tribal Style under it's originator, Carolina Nariccio (group FatChanceBellyDance) and have continued to take classes from her when they are available. In 1996, I studied with the Algerian dancer, Amel Tafsoot. She was teaching the tribal/folkloric dancing of Algeria. In 1994, I traveled to Egypt where I took lessons with Khairyia Mazim of the Banat Mazim. This was Ghawazee dance. I have since continued my studies with Jill Parker (tribal & tribal-fusion, group Ultra Gypsy, formerly of FatChanceBellyDance), Suhaila Salimpour (cabaret, daughter of Jamila Salimpour), S. Sawyer (Persian, Afghan, Uzbek group Afsaneh), John Compton (folkloric-tribal, group Habhi Ru formerly of Bal Anat), Elizabeth Strong both Turkish Roman and Cabaret, Mardi Love, Zoe Jakes, Kami Liddle, Unmata, the Uzume, Olivia Kissel, Maria Hammar, Leila Haddad, Rakia Hassan, Randa Gamal, Horacio Cifuentes and so many others.


I have been studying with Reyhan Tuszuz and her daughter Meltem, in Istanbul (Turkish Roman), Elizabeth Strong (Turkish Roman, cabaret). Yusouf and Abdel of Bakhtar have been teaching me Afghani traditional dance as well as having taken classes from S. Sawyer, Rosa, Miriam Peretz and Tara Pandaya of Ballet Afsaneh.
There are many others that I took classes from over the years.

Each teacher has added something to what I do and how I dance. Having so many influences and such a long time dancing has given me many options, styles, movements to choose from.

There are so many styles and types of Oriental dance that one can study a life-time and still continue learning.

With El Raks Sa'-el, Sklenena Louka, Brno approx. 2003

English Morris dance at Renaissance Faire,
Los Angeles.
Bri and Sue Meighan

 

 
Over this same time, I also studied and performed: Morris Dance, English Country Dance, Classic Ballroom, Swing Dance and contemporary dance (with Ivana Tersova). I have experience with Irish Country Dance, Greek/Balkan traditional dance, Hungarian traditional, African, Afro-Haitian, Latin and Appalachian step dancing.


 I have had the good fortune to perform with musicians from Helm. They played for Habhi Ru and now are playing for FatChanceBellyDance. Mark Bell is a phenomenal drummer who has played and taught through out the world. Ling Shen Bell plays a range of instruments, all superbly. She composes as well. Guests Tobias Robertson has played for Rachele Brice, and his own group, as well as teaching and playing with the finest of musicians, Dan Cantrell plays accourdian, amongst many other instruments, joins the finest Middle Eastern and Balkan musicians in performance and composes for a living.


I have also performed with Ernie Fishbach who was one of Jamila's original musicians for Bal Anat and who played for Suhaila. I have danced to the live music of Suliman of Sirocco. I have shared a stage with his daughter who is a lovely dancer.
As well, I have shared a stage with Kathy Taylor, Zoe Jakes, Jalilah, Ariela, Tempest, Mira Betz and Elizabeth Strong, Rachel Brice, Olivia Kissel, The Uzume, Unmata, Cera Byer and so many more.

Bri and Kevin Hughs doing an English country dance" 1992

Club Fleada Technical rehearsal, Brno 2003

 

 

 Since 2000 , I have been teaching and performing in the Czech Republic.

 My method of dancing and teaching is "Ba'thani" (from a Sumerian word "Dat Ba'thani" meaning "Lady of the serpent"). It is a distillation of the influences and styles I have absorbed over the years with an emphasis on a grounded posture and active use of the elements. I do teach the three most common styles (Cabaret, Tribal and Tribal Fusion), although the foundation is always the well supported posture. It is important to build up the muscle strength and flexibility before using unsupported postures.

With the Ba'thani method, this is the central point, then a connection between the dancers and creating one's own choreography. This creates a strong and graceful dancer.

Oriental dance is a living tradition. It therefor continues to grow and change and absorb any influences with which it comes into contact. It is also a dance where-in the dancer can express her own individual character. This sets it apart from many other dance forms.

 

Cerna Hora 2006

Boskovice festival 2003