I haven't heard of international tribal style, but hope there's not ANOTHER name to add to the mix. It's hard enough keeping things straight as it is!

Never heard of International Tribal Style. I am guessing it has more to do with people in other countries to don't like calling it American Tribal Style, because they are not American. Of course, it is important to note that just because I don't live on the East Coast doesn't mean I change the name East Coast Swing to something else. The name has to do with what it is and where it came from, not who is performing it now.

Let's not confuse it any further by adding yet another name!

Life would be easier if the A in ATS didn't mean American - "Oh hey, is that like Indians?" but calling it International Tribal Style is just over-complicated.

I first heard ITS as "International Tribal Style" - can't think quite how long ago, but more than a year. You're from South Africa, alison? - I'm fairly sure it was a South African tribe friend who I first heard use the term, so maybe it has strong currency there. I understood it, not as a rejection of the American source of ATS, but as a reflection that a group vocabulary had been extended beyond those roots. As the group I dance with is also not in America, it made sense to me that that made it "International", though of course it doesn't make as much sense to an improv group whose overlaid influences remain American.

More recently (*much* more recently), I've heard it as "Improv Tribal Style". Which also makes sense to me, albeit in a different way, and if that's how people in the community (and my own teacher) are generally promoting it, I'll start generally reading it that way. otoh, if you tell me clearly that your group performs "International Tribal Style" and has been doing so for years, I'll honour that, too. :-)

I have always understood it as I.T.S. (Improvisational Tribal Style.)
Which is from of A.T.S. (American Tribal Style) only your not useing the the Fat Chance Belly Dance format created by Carolina Nericcio.
I have never heard of International Tribal Style.
I am American I have been living in England for 4 years and now I am at the Azores I still
have not heard of it before now. :)

While the ATS and ITS designations seem to have been decided along these lines on many Tribe.net groups, I'm not sure it's always used this way in general. I recently read the following and found it interesting: www.blacksheepbellydance.com/cla...html . She adresses her use of the term ATS a ways down the page under the heading "More About the KD/BSBD Format for ATS BD Class Curriculum". Just an FYI. :)