GypsyRedTribalThread's Profile

Bio

Joy was first introduced to bellydance in 1995 while attending Kismet's bellydance festival in Salt Lake City, Utah. There she was first amazed and astonished by their closing act, Fat Chance Belly Dance. It was there and then that she began her admiration and following of dancers who were different from all the other Egyptian and cabaret style dancers who had filled the day. Carolena Nerrico with her powerful bellyroll solo's and Rena Rall with her entrancing floorwork solo convinced her this is what she must be doing. Before she attended her first bellydance lesson, she had began making her first costume. It had beads, sequins and was a halloween hit. But it wasn't where her heart was. Tribal costuming wasn't widely available as it is now. So began her quest to duplicate the fabulous layered costumes of Fat Chance Belly Dance and her admiration of their costumer Gwen Heckeroth of Flying Skirts of San Francisco. Unable to access the tribal scene, Joy joined with her sister Corrie to form the first tribal style troupe of Utah, "Kashmir dance company". A strong fan base and students soon followed. In 2002, a move to Oregon united Joy with Sabine and troupe "Tribalation" was formed. Many troupe members and students later, Joy has stepped down as a performer so she can dedicate her energy to the design and making of tribal style costumes. As official costumer to both Kashmir and Tribalation dance companies, she continues to create tribal costumes holding true to the authentic look she first fell in love with. Today she uses vintage banjara textile trims to create her original design the "Brolie". Lighter than a bra, sturdier that a choli, a hybrid of the two is finding favor with the tribal dance community as a wonderful and supportive option to the tribal costume. Years of seamstress work to tribal dancers have focused her patterns to fit all sizes of dancers including children, godess sized, petite and the extra tall, who all yearn for costuming to fit their special needs and sizes.

Female, Born on March 18

Favorite Materials

Sisha, hand embroidered textiles, and hand spun single ply wool