heather stants, director of urban tribal dance company

biography of heather stants performance and the arts have been a life long passion for heather stants. in 1994 she graduated with a degree in photography and went on to work at the smithsonian in washington d.c. and in the commercial photography industry in chicago. heather stants began her exploration of middle eastern dance in chicago over ten years ago. under the direction of stephanie barto, heather became a founding member of read my hips. in 1999 heather relocated to san diego, ca and began teaching classes in her unique approach to tribal belly dance. in late 1999 heather's vision became reality with her creation of urban tribal dance company. utdc began as the first company in southern california representing tribal belly dance. Over the past six years, urban tribal has continually pushed the boundaries of this tribal style and broken new ground.

through their popularization of an "urban" influenced dance style, a paired down costume emphasizing body movements over ornamentation, the use of electronic music and the use of the dance form as a means of personal expression and interpretation, urban tribal has changed the face of contemporary belly dance. heather stants, as a choreographer, respectfully borrows traditional influences and combines them with her own personal expression of living in the modern world around her creating innovative pieces that both reflect and inspire current culture. as an instructor, heather is known for her clear communication style and her ability to break down movements into easily understandable concepts. she teaches several weekly classes in the san diego area. through these classes, heather has trained a crew of dancers to embody her fusion of belly dance and modern stylizations and inspired many more dancers across the country to step outside of the genre of middle eastern dance and look to other dance forms for fusion ideas. she has trained most of san diego's tribal dancers spawning a flourishing san diego dance community. heather's unique style has also made her a sought after workshop instructor in the national and international belly dance communities. she currently tours with urban tribal dance company. click here for a list of tour dates.

heather is a genius. she's changed the face of belly dance forever, puttin' all the funk and cooooooool innit. the girl is smoov, AH SAID SMOOOV. rachel brice of the indigo and bellydance superstars heather is a priceless asset to our dance community, whatever your style. an innovator, visionary creative force, i always am left breathless by being graced by her presence. i can't believe her artistic genius, what a gift and complete inspiration she is! can someone please get the spotlight, i really want her in it, now! i hold her in the highest regard possible and can't wait to witness the heights this woman is going to obtain in her life. i will gladly follow in her shadow. gina grandi of opel production in san francisco

heather stants - there is a sexy, sassy, off-the-cuff way you carry yourself through the world that i have always loved. on stage, you are casually hot and yet we know the years of dedicated study you have undertaken to become so talented that it looks effortless. i aspire. When you "accidentally" laugh on stage, it is like sunlight burst into the room. i love to catch those moments... sharon moore of infusion tribal in seattle heather stants - for simplicity and fluid lines that make me want to clean my room, my heart, my closet and my life - letting go of everything that is unnecessary except essential movement. palika of heavy hips of santa cruz