Kat Farnham Kat Farnham is one of the founding members of Bennington Beledi Tribal Bellydance.  In earlier years she studied ballet, tap, modern and Afro-Caribbean dance.  Almost nine years ago, she discovered American Tribal Style bellydance and fell in love with this improvisational and collaborative dance. Kat worked in the publishing industry for over 28 years and has worked in the non-profit arts and educational arena for the past four years.  She is also a collage artist who has exhibited her mixed-media and handmade paper works at many venues, including the Bennington Museum and the Left Bank Gallery.  She loves cooking, arranging flowers and spending time with her many friends.

Kathy Irion

Kathy is a native New Jersey girl who moved to Vermont in 1989, but will always be a “jersey girl”. A dancer all through her childhood and pre-teen years – she grew up only to rediscover dance when she was invited to a wedding!!!! She took her first ATS lesson in 2003 and was instantly hooked. She is one of the founding BBTB Tribal Council members, instructors and principal dancers, and is still hooked! Thankfully her husband, Marty, is very supportive even though dance takes up a lot of time, but “if mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy!” is a quote in the Irion home. Her boys, Noah and Sam, like having a belly dancing mom and are quite good at balancing baskets on their heads too! Her small Norman Rockwell town is very used to seeing her and her troupe mates running around town in turbans, tribal markings, and full costumes. She is extremely grateful to ATS for her dance “sisters” and their friendship, which was something she was looking for up here in the Green Mountains.

Kathleen McBrien Kathleen McBrien has danced since she was six. In 1995, she began studying ATS bellydance with Carolena Nericcio and has been shimmying ever since. Being inept at memorizing choreography, the improvisational nature of the dance is perfect and it gives her an excuse to dress up in amazing costumes and go out in public on a regular basis. Kathleen lives in Bennington, Vermont with her husband and their cats.

Bethany Perron Bethany doesn't remember a time when she wasn't dancing: ballet, tap, modern, ballroom, contras, and bellydance. Anyone who knows her, knows it's hard to get her off the dance floor! She has been studying ATS bellydance for over 3 years, and adores the freedom of this interpretive style. She loves designing and sewing costumes, everything from Renaissance to fantasy to ethnic, so ATS provides a great outlet for several of her abilities. Bethany also enjoys meditation, cooking, and the outdoors.

Christina Christina has been dancing since childhood, first putting on little “recitals” at home for her family, then taking dance classes exploring jazz, tap, ballet and modern dance classes. Rediscovering dance as an adult, she tried Afro-Caribbean dance and began to look for other types to pursue; that is how she found Bennington Beledi Tribal Bellydance. She began taking ATS classes in 2005. The first class drew her in; it just so happened that all of the Sahidi Sisters were there in full tribal costume that day! The first impression of great colorful costumes, turbans, tribal markings, jewelry, etc.., then actually seeing it in motion was IT! She finds the creative atmosphere, improvisation, confidence and strength of this style dance appealing, and is very appreciative of the friendships she has made here. She started performing with Sisters of the Shawl in the beginning of 2006 and joined Sahidi Sisters later in 2006.