Rachel Brice is a contemporary performer in Tribal Fusion Style Belly Dance based in Portland, Oregon. She is the artistic director and choreographer for The Indigo Belly Dance Company and a frequent performer with the Bellydance Superstars. In June 2011 she opened her own dance studio in Portland, OR, called Studio Datura. There she hosts regular dance classes along with workshops from her 8 Elements™ Approach to Belly Dance training program.
She has performed and toured nationally and internationally since 2002. As a member of the Bellydance Superstars, Brice made numerous appearances on Bellydance Superstars DVDs, as well as a multitude of television and radio appearances worldwide, most notably Live with Regis and Kelly in the US and Blue Peter in England.
As a teacher and movement arts pedagogue, Brice has released instructional videos focusing on Yoga and Belly Dance, and has given workshops throughout the United States, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Brice began teaching Yoga and Belly Dance for Pixar Animation Studios and continues to teach workshops annually all over the world. In 2012, Brice launched her online belly dance and conditioning studio, Datura Online."Rachel Brice first fell in love with belly dance when she saw the famous Hahbi'Ru in the early nineties. When she saw big, gorgeous, proud women with strong carriage and charisma adorned with spectacular antique tribal jewelry, facial tattoos, and rich textiles, it changed the way she saw beauty. She started classes in American Cabaret style right away.
In the early 2000s while studying dance in college, she studied American Tribal Style® Belly Dance, African Haitian, Flamenco, Modern Dance, Kathak, and Odissi Classical. At this time she was also in Jill Parker’s Ultra Gypsy, the first Tribal Fusion troupe. She began to be influenced by the various forms she was studying, which influenced her style. She also began to dance with Mardi Love, one of her biggest aesthetic influences.
In 2001 she was discovered by rock mogul Miles Copeland and toured for five years with his company, Bellydance Superstars. These tours sparked a global interest in this very San Fra
ncisco style of belly dance, known as Tribal Fusion, which continues to grow, change and evolve.Today, Rachel studies belly dance with her teachers Carolena Nericcio, creator of American Tribal Style®, and yoga with Gary Kraftsow. Whenever possible, she takes classes with her colleagues. When not teaching on the road, she lives in Portland Oregon where she's opened a studio, Datura, and has begun a production company, Little Scarab with her partner, Sol Crawford. Together they've created a belly dance training program called the 8 Elements™ Approach to Belly Dance. Someday they hope to own a dog and tend a garden."
