About
Photo by Josh Beard
Natalie Brown grew up studying classical music and ballet as she traveled the world with her military family. She met her spiritual match, however, when she stumbled upon a Tribal Bellydance Style class in New Orleans, LA in 2004. Natalie soon became a n.o.madic tribal company member under the careful teachings of Ali Arnold, Amy Hession and Lisa Lala, original students of ATS Master Teacher Meg Gavin of Devyani.
After fleeing hurricane Katrina, Natalie found herself starting over in Columbia, SC. With no tribal troupes or classes established in the state of South Carolina, she founded Tribal Style classes in November of 2005 (with the benevolent help of the CMFA and Center for Dance Education), and formed Delirium Tribal Bellydance Company in April of 2006. Under her artistic direction, Delirium Tribal is fast becoming a respected member of the Southeast U.S. bellydance community. Delirium strives for artistic and technical excellence, while pushing the boundaries of Tribal Style.
In August of 2007, Delirium Tribal transitioned to a collective approach and teamed up with Steve Oswanski, director of Fire and Motion. The new umbrella vaudeville circus-inspired performance organization was coined Columbia Alternacirque, and the group gave their first performance in September of 2007. Gifted hula hooper Susan Osbaldiston joined the permanent cast of Alternacirque in October of the same year. Alternacirque strives for a high-quality, cohesive collaboration of alternative art forms and hopes to contribute to the cooperation of the arts community in Columbia, SC. Columbia Alternacirque is now in its second full season, with a cast of dancers, fire performers, hoopers, actors, poets, stilt walkers and guest artists from across the country.
