Middle Eastern belly dance originated in the temples of Inanna where, according to legend, it was performed by the priestesses. This early sacred dance was used to help women strengthen their bodies before, during and after pregnancy. It was still used in that way at least as late as the latter part of the twentieth century. In the late 1960's, the dancer and ethnographer Morocco visited a Berber village where the women, sitting in a circle around the birthing mother, "danced the baby to the light".

Professional dancers also worked for money at private celebrations of both women and men. During colonial times, belly dancing was performed at cafes where it caught the eye and the imagination of Western travelers. The term "belly dance" came from the French name, danse du ventre. In the latter half of the nineteenth century it was brought to the Chicago World's Fair where it scandalized Victorian Americans.

Like all dance forms, belly dance has changed over the years. At this time, there are at least two basic styles in the United States. One is the Cabaret style, wonderfully exact and carefully choreographed with an emphasis on solo dancing for an audience. The other, more recent innovation is Tribal style, a fusion form drawing from Middle Eastern, North African, Indian Katak and Flamenco elements. Unlike the scripted routines of Cabaret, Tribal is based on a vocabulary of steps which the dancers learn and from which they improvise during the performance. Each dancer takes a turn leading the dance and cuing her or his partners, so no two performances are ever exactly the same. In Tribal style, we do not dance for the audience but for ourselves as we invite the audience into our circle.

Bohemian Tribe Dance Troupe was formed by two women, Lonney Corder-Agnew and Susan Cogan, in the fall of 2003. Susan and Lonney began teaching and performing ATS dance largely to help women have a love and enjoyment of their bodies. It also gives both of them a chance to play dress-up and show off with their friends.

Bohemian Tribe enjoys dancing with live drummers and have been dancing with  various groups of musicians for several years who have generously shared their music.