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+Tribal Fusion belly dance hits Flagler County
Justine Wintersmith has always been a dancer. But when she found her way into her first belly dance class years ago, it was like a revelation for her.

“I realized these movements I was learning were what I was already instinctively doing on the dance floor,” she said. “It felt like coming home to me.”

Wintersmith started offering tribal fusion dance classes at a Flagler Beach studio in late April. This style of dance, which is an evolution of American Tribal Fusion belly dance, blends elements of the belly dance it arose from with other dance styles, including jazz and flamenco.

“Just like America is a melting pot, (American Tribal Fusion) is a melting pot of dance moves,” Wintersmith said. “With tribal fusion, you get that, but with more freedom of expression. It’s a very empowering art form.”

The “tribal” aspect of this style comes from the camaraderie among dancers in this style, Wintersmith said. Unlike the solo performer many people think of when they picture belly dance, this style is about people dancing together and taking turns leading each other with a central group of cues. But with tribal fusion, there's still the room for solo performance that isn't as available in American Tribal Fusion.

“There’s a great degree of freedom to this form,” Wintersmith said. “But overall, the basic movements are athletic.”

Her classes are about community among dancers, not competition, and she lets her students work at their own level in each class, giving them all attention and drills based on their ability.

Wintersmith is certified in phase one of Rachel Brice’s “8 Elements" approach to tribal fusion. She hopes to one day find enough women invested in the art form to form a troupe.

Wintersmith offers her classes 7 to 8:30 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays, at the Wickline Center, 800 South Daytona Ave., Flagler Beach. A drop-in class costs $15, and special pricing for multiple classes is available.

“The beauty about this dance is it shows women of all sizes and all ages how to be comfortable with their bodies and how to feel beautiful,” Wintersmith said.

+Intracoastal Bank earns five-star rating
Bauer Financial Inc. gave Intracoastal Bank its “superior” rating of five stars on Sept. 7. The rating applies to the second quarter of this year, which ended June 30. This rating is the highest Bauer Financial gives to financial institutions.

Intracoastal Bank’s main banking center is located at 1290 Palm Coast Parkway N.E., in Palm Coast. Call 447-1662.

+Seminar explores IRA potential
A seminar hosted by Bill Hausman will talk about ways to manage an IRA for buying and selling real estate and managing rental properties. The no-cost event will be 12 to 2 p.m. Sept. 12, at The Grand Club Cypress Course, 53 Easthampton Blvd., in Palm Coast. Call 877-259-3256.

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