If you want authentic ATS, you need the Fat Chance videos. Everything else is a derivation, no offense or judgment meant towards the originators of the other versions. (For more of an explanation of the differences between ATS, ITS, etc., there are detailed threads on the ATS tribe). If you are not so concerned with authenticity, the Black Sheep Bellydance and Gypsy Caravan DVDs have also gotten good reviews.

I second FatChance! While Black Sheep & Gypsy Caravan are awesome, they don't appear to cue, per se. Their combos are just that - combinations of moves that flow and kick off the next round of combos. Fat Chance does say that cues will be different for each group of dancers - it's kinda like the game of telephone. ; )

I've viewed/learned from Fat Chance, Gypsy Caravan and Blacksheep. Gypsy Caravan didn't seem to teach cues. Blacksheep and Fat Chance were both quite easy to learn the cues on. I should think that you would want to revisit whatever style ATS you learned in the past. If you're looking to start anew, I'd go with Fat Chance. The videos are good, easy to learn from, and the 1st and 4th DVDs are full of basic moves that can translate well to "excercise with bellydance flavor."

Have you considered looking into Carolena's (Fat Chance) Woman Power Workout? I haven't watched it, but have heard good things about it.

Hey Ziva,
First I wanna say that it sounds GREAT that you are bringing the dance into darker places where it is needed most. As a dance I consider incredibly empowering and validating as a woman, working with women at risk seems such a wonderful choice. Thank you for your efforts.

As for your thoughts on doing ATS with them, I wanted to present another thing to consider. I find that group improvisation, even more than *any other* style of bellydance I have done, requires *consistency*--both in individual students and in the class as a whole. Because it relies in being able to work together, if everyone is not on the same page every week (or at least close), they can't work together, and thus you can't dance together as ATS is intended. With students drifting in and out, I think you would have a nearly impossible time teaching them group improvisation because of this need to work together with a somewhat level group of experience and knowledge.

I would instead recommend maybe a basic core bellydance moves class which rounds out each class with putting a couple moves into combos. So, say, teach hip circles at the beginning of the class, breaking down the muscular impetus and playing with variations; then teach a couple moves using hip circles; then at the end put the couple moves into combination, maybe add a traveling foot pattern, and you're dancing. The next week concentrate on a chest movement skill, teach a couple moves in that family, pair into combo and dance... This way, each week you have the option to stick with the plan, by teaching only the foundation concept and movements you planned for that night if the attendees are all new; or expand on the previous week, building the combo from the previous week and tacking on new concepts from this week, for a group who has returned from the previous lesson.

This, I have found, is the best format for a rotating attendance and mixed level courses. It can be scaled up or down in difficulty as well for veteran dancers or noobs, using different layering concepts such as more intricate arms, foot positioning or patterns, traveling, levels, and shimmies.

Just some food for thought! Gawd knows I loves me some ATS, but I am personally not sure it is the best choice given your constraints. Anyone else have a different experience with this?