Arcanum World Dance, a queer, trans-owned studio

Hello, we are Kamrah and Drake von Trapp, Chicago-based professional male belly dancers, and we are raising money to open a world dance studio in Roger's Park, Chicago: Arcanum World Dance, LLC.

Over the past year, the majority of the world dance studios in Chicago have shut down, leaving many dancers displaced and without a home studio. This includes us.

By starting Arcanum, we will be able to:

Here's the situation: We have the LLC. We have the space. We just need a little help getting started to pay for some larger startup expenses, such as:

By donating to our campaign, you will be funding a queer, trans, neurodivergent-owned business that prioritizes underrepresented dance forms.

Why are dance studios important?

Dance studios are integral institutions in the community as a space for creative expression, connection, and physical and spiritual wellbeing. Ask anyone who has found a home within a dance studio: You find chosen family in a dance studio. You find your artistic voice in a dance studio. You find yourself in a dance studio.

In other words, dance studios are sites for personal transformation and actualization.

Why a world dance studio?

Historically, dance studios predominantly serve Western concert dance styles: ballet, contemporary, modern, etc. If non-Western dance styles are offered, they’re usually a token all-levels, drop-in based class.

This sends a message: Non-Western dance isn’t virtuosic. It isn’t skillful. It isn’t challenging.

As a result of this, dancers who study non-Western dance struggle to find classes where they can truly grow and bloom in their dance style. Not only that, but when your dance style is treated as marginal to Western concert dances, you never truly feel accepted or at home in your studio.

Arcanum seeks to break this cycle by only offering non-Western dance. By doing this, we are countering the narrative: Non-Western dance is just as virtuosic, skillful, and challenging as Western concert dances, and we deserve to have a home where we are not merely tolerated, but embraced.

Okay, but what else sets you apart?

As mentioned before, Arcanum will not only embrace non-Western dance forms, but dancers who typically feel rejected from Western concert dance communities, such as:

This is critically important to both of us because we ourselves have faced that rejection. We know firsthand how isolating and alienating it feels to be repudiated by dance communities who weren’t made with us in mind.

As queer, transgender, neurodivergent belly dancers, we see you. We hear you. And we want you to know that you are loved and desired here.

That’s nice and all, but how exactly will you do that?

That is a reasonable question.

First, both of us are queer, transgender, and neurodivergent, which means that we are sensitive to the unique challenges and accommodations that are necessary for dancers like us.

As an example, we know that registering for classes can be stressful when your legal name and/or pronouns don’t match what you use in public. At Arcanum, you can rest assured that your name and pronouns will be respected and protected through behavioral policies. There will be space in your registration to provide that information.

Moreover, we believe that all bodies can move, look beautiful, and deserve celebrating just as they are, regardless of the weight, health status, or compliance with Western beauty standards.

We take a firm stance on fatphobia, and do not tolerate any fat-shaming behavior, toxic diet and “wellness” culture discourse, or advertise any dance class by using weight loss as a selling point. Weight is not an indicator of health, and health is not an indicator of moral value, and frankly, none of that is anyone’s business but your own. This philosophy is also protected at Arcanum through behavioral policies.

And finally, both of us are trained (and continuously educate ourselves) on anti-racism, and just as bodies of any size, gender, and health status are embraced at Arcanum, that extends to dancers of color.

We recognize that, as white guys, we are not the arbiters of racial justice and equity. To ameliorate this, we will be working with a diversity coordinator to author a comprehensive anti-racism policy to hold us, our other instructors, and our students accountable. We are committed to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusivity, and are always looking for ways to do better.

And on a personal note, Drake von Trapp received a post-master’s certificate in Multicultural Women’s and Gender Studies at Texas Woman’s University, where I took coursework covering subjects such as feminism, womanism, anti-racism, colorism, and Black feminist thought. As a researcher, my work critically analyzes issues such as Orientalism, Islamophobia, and gender discrimination in belly dance. This means that, while I still have a lot to learn, I am sensitive to identifying these patterns of oppression, and take responsibility for addressing it.

That reminds me… who are you?

Kamrah (he/they): I am Chicago’s first trans masculine belly dancer, and I’ve been studying fusion, American cabaret, Lebanese, and Egyptian belly dance since 2001. As a dancer, I am known for my creativity, isolations, and theatricality; and as a teacher, I specialize in coaching students to create a sustainable dance practice. I work closely with students to help them establish practicable habits that promote technical growth, artistic expression, and confidence onstage.

Moreover, as an experienced massage therapist, my knowledge of anatomy enables me to teach students to dance both powerfully and safely. I also have 13 years of experience in a variety of martial arts, including kenpo, jiu-jitsu, karate, and kendo. And finally, I have a scientific research background in molecular biology, biochemistry, and immunology, and presently work as a software developer.

Drake von Trapp (he/him): I am a professional interdisciplinary belly dance performer and researcher, recognized for my contributions to the world of dance and academia. I received my BA and MA in Dance, and a post-master’s certificate in Multicultural Women’s and Gender Studies from Texas Woman’s University, where I deepened my understanding of dancemaking, dance research, and critical theory.

With a keen interest in exploring the history of belly dance in the United States and how it intersects with men, masculinity, and social change, my research has shed light on the unexplored tapestry of male belly dancers, unveiling its cultural significance and impact on the aesthetic quality and social dynamics of American belly dance. My insights into the role of men and masculinity within the art form have challenged conventional narratives, sparking thoughtful discussions of inclusivity, femmephobia, and Orientalism within the community.