Gothic Bellydance

Stark...sublime...intense. The phenomenon of Gothic Bellydance or Raks Gothique is a multitude of poetic visions born out of the Goth, or Gothic, subculture, music, imagery and fashion, and expressed in the language of Bellydance.

Modern "Bellydance" is an amalgam of historical dance styles coming from both East and West. Its diverse vocabulary allows the dancer to experiment with the widest range of creative movement, musical trends and cultural elements. A century after its arrival in the West, the art of Bellydance is emerging as a new world of unconstrained creative experimentation. No longer bound by its ethnic origins, it is one of the fastest-growing and most artistically-open contemporary dance forms.

“Gothic Bellydance” incorporates many Bellydance styles and motifs: Cabaret, Tribal Fusion, modern dance, echoes of Gypsy dance, Flamenco, Asian, and Indian dance – all called to express the darkness of the unknown, and the mysteries of life, death, and eternity that have inspired Goth philosophies and lifestyles.

This first of its kind, groundbreaking collaborative project brings you the work of innovative and uncompromising “dark fusion” artists including a number of the recognized pioneers of Gothic Bellydance. The DVD features Tempest, and Ariellah of California; Asharah, Ya Meena and Raven of Washington, DC; Jeniviva, Ayshe, Jehan, Tanna, Blanca and Neon of New York City, as well as music by outstanding composers and performers including Solace, Jehan, Collide, Knossos and Gypsy Caravan.

Enter our dark labyrinth and meet an exotic array of striking characters and creatures: Souls possessed by an ancient evil spirit; a black-winged fallen angel; an incarnation of Kali and Isis; a leopard-woman from the island of Dr. Moreau; a tormented silent movie vamp; a Gothic “Lolita” in love with Death; a wanderer in spiritual exile; a snake morphing into a human; a seeker violated and redeemed by divine domination; a Siren exercising her lethal charms; a worshipper of a winged serpent; a flame whose deadly habits are all-too-human; a run-away gargoyle; a maiden transforming into a warrior sorceress; a haunting deja vu where victim, violator and avenger merge into one... and more.

Cover photography: Michael Smith | Production management: Production Consolidated