Acushla Mkrtschjan
Artistic Director
Certified ATS teacher (Sister school to fcbd)
Adv Dip Acupuncture
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Acushla’s Blog
Acushla is Artistic Director of Sacred Tribe Studios (since 2004) and is Adelaide’s longest running school to specialize in Tribal Belly dance (ATS). She has provided training for several Adelaide ATS dancers some of whom now run their own successful schools. Her dance training history includes Egyptian belly dance, Bharat Natyam with International performer and dance company director, Shakti Chakravarty, and for the last 8 years has focused primarily on American Tribal Style Belly Dance and Tribal Fusion. She has recently completed general skills and Teacher Training in ATS, and has attained certification in teaching the fcbd format under the instruction of the Carolena Nerricio. Acushla has also learnt from world renown teachers and performers of Tribal. See below for more information on training and performance history.
Acushla has developed the improvised Sacred Body Tribal Style Format to be easily incorporated into ATS through a carfeul observation of maintaining similar shapes and aesthetic to the style as developed by Carolena Nerricio. Sacred Body Tribal Fusion is a stylised non improvised dance form that Acushla has created through playing around with influences and artistic elements from Classical Indian Dance, Flamenco, hip hop and modern dance. She has travelled to Brisbane, Victoria and Tasmania sharing her format, and has been invited in 2010 to Sydney for the Austalian Tribal Trance Festival, and Unearthed Tribal festival (Victoria) to perform and teach.
Acushla’s troupe regularly performs at various events throughout Adelaide. As a soloist Acushla has performed around Australia and more locally, she has appeared as a guest dancer for the live ensemble 'Bazouki Lounge’ as a part of the South Australian Guitar festival as well as featuring as a special guest for the SA food awards corporate affair.
She is one of the founding members of Ekatã Fusion Arts. This current performance project is a collaboration of Sacred Tribe Studios and Li Sula- world music collective. They recently presented their debut shows for the Adelaide Fringe Festival 2010 with the venue filled to capacity both nights. 
Acushla’s passion and commitment to soul awakening and healing has played a major role in her approach and intentions around teaching and performing. This has manifested in her being asked to become a regular columnist of Inner Self publication. To view some of these articles please see Acushla’s Blog
To find out more about booking Acushla for workshops or performance click here or phone 0410 298 801
Education / Training
*9 years of Training with International and National performers and teachers:
Carolena Nerricio (San Fransisco): Teaching and performance training in American Tribal Style Belly Dance. Certified American Tribal Belly dance teacher (sister school to fatchancebellydance)
Shakti Chavarty (Japan): Bharatnatyam Classical Indian Dance
Devi Mamak (Australia): American Tribal Style Belly Dance, Flamenco Fusion
Rachel Brice (Portland): Tribal Fusion belly dance
Sharon Kihara, Deb Rubin (USA) Tribal Fusion belly dance
Paulette Reece-Denis (Portland): Gypsy Caravan Tribal Belly Dance Format
Heather Stants (San Fransisco): Urban Tribal Belly dance
Shamira and Nayima Hassan (South Australia): Caberet Belly Dance
Workshops and private tuition in Flamenco (South Australia, Brisbane)
National and International teachers at various festivals and events from 2002
Recent Highlights in 2010
Directed, choreographed and performed at our debut show ‘Ekata: music Voice Dance’ for the Adelaide Fringe Festival 2010 (youtube clip)
“A hypnotic journey of song and Dance” Rip It Up magazine
“These dancers and musicians have a wealth of experience between them and training in dance style from all over the world” Krystoff Emagazine
Co managed and Performed (alongside Tribalrose) for our sell out show:
“Belly dance Soul Card Launch” @ Nexus Multicultural Arts centre
Performance experience (2009-2010)
*8 years performance experience
Directed, choreographed and performed at the following events
Nexus Multicultural Arts Centre Fringe opening
Tour Down Under event in McLaren Vale
Premier SA Food Awards
SA Food Awards corporate event
Najjar Cafe “Middle Eastern night” “Memory Making Moments” 50th party
Ausdance Spectacular- Rundle Mall
Feast of the Senses Dance Festival- Brisbane
“Alchemy” performance night- Tasmania
Semaphore Street Fair
The Singing Gallery- Exhibition Opening
Body Mind and Psychic Expo
Beautiful Birth Festival
Ausdance Christmas Show
Parks Alive (SA city council)
South Australian Guitar Festival (Festival Theatre)
Semaphore Music Festival
St Peters Community Fair (Norwood Council)
Silk Road Journeys performance show
ACH private function (corporate event)
Various private functions for the following events
- Director of Sacred Tribe Dance Studios SA (since 2003)
- Teacher, Trainer, Choreographer
- Creator and teacher of signature format “Sacred Body Tribal Style” and “SB Tribal Fusion”
- National workshops (Victoria, Brisbane and Tasmania)
- Local workshop facilitator and recently for the Tertiary Dance Festival 2010, hosted by Ausdance SA, in partnership with the Adelaide Centre for the Arts and the Tertiary Dance Council.
- Choreographed and trained dancers from Sacred Heart College and Charles Campbell Seconday School in preparation for their theatre productions “Arabian 1001 nights”
Performance Clips
youtube channel with more clips here