M: Describe your own signature dance styling and
performance aspects that make you unique.
VT: I have a few dance values I want to stick to for my
entire dance life. First and most importantly, I want to be
an innovative voice, and I encourage this in my students as
well. Having a strong voice that is undeniably you feeds
a dancer’s creativity. Whether it’s a costume design,
prop design or dance technique, I want to always be
creating something that pushes the envelope.
This is what drove me to create the Teel Fan
Method, my technique using fan veils. I wanted a
new visual for using fan veils and a way to seamlessly
blend fan veil use with belly dance movement.
Secondly, no matter what
style of belly dance I’m
performing, I want to be
fluid, gooey, juicy, or as
my mom calls it, “noodly”. I find it beautiful when a dancer’s
technique and choreography is one continuous movement,
with breath and feeling. I work with my students and myself
to incorporate techniques, lines and choreographic elements
I’ve learned over the years to create this idea of
continuous movement.
And finally, excitement!