Mardi Love

Mardi Love is one of the artists who helped define the early vocabulary and visual identity of Tribal Fusion belly dance. She began studying belly dance in San Diego and was strongly influenced by American Tribal Style before joining Heather Stants' Urban Tribal Dance Company. After moving to the San Francisco Bay Area, she became part of the creative community that included Rachel Brice, Zoe Jakes and other artists central to the development of Tribal Fusion. Mardi later performed with The Indigo and toured internationally with Bellydance Superstars. Her influence extended beyond movement into jewellery, costume layering and the distinctive handmade aesthetic associated with the genre during the 2000s. As a result, her legacy is visible both in the technical language and in the visual culture of modern fusion belly dance.