Tribal fusion's roots are in the American Tribal Style of belly dance that was originated in the 1960s in San Francisco by tribes such as Fat Chance Belly Dance and individuals such as Jamila Salimpour. As such, it is one of the newest forms of belly dance. The ATS style features group improvisational techniques and complicated body isolations that form the foundation of tribal fusion. Fused onto this base, then, are elements of hip-hop, gothic, Bhangra, modern dance, gypsy and other folkloric stylings.
Aside from the ATS movements the various tribal fusion groups share in common, they also tend to favor certain aspects of costuming that set them apart from other forms of belly dance. The tribal dance community at large prefers heavier, richer fabrics to the satins and chiffons worn by their cabaret counterparts. The beads and sequins of cabaret are replaced by kuchi jewelry, shells, mirrors and tassles within the tribal dance world. Finally, tribal dancers lean more toward choli-style tops instead of the bra-style "bedlah" dance tops.
The Gothic tribal fusion mix is one of the more popular versions of this dance form. Many of the young women who have embraced tribal belly dance as an art form are the same young women who have always had a Gothic flavor to their personal look. They incorporate a tendency toward the macabre in their costumes, dance accents and music choice for an edgy effect.
Fire dance lends itself well to a fusion with ATS, as is evidenced with dancers such as Wyldfyre and the tribe named Tribal Fire. The props used in fire dancing are more accessible within a tribal framework than with cabaret style belly dance, and the costuming for tribal style is less likely to catch on fire.
An emerging style of tribal fusion is that of temple dance. Within the United States, a tribal expression of temple dance allows ritualistic and improvisational dances within a Neo-Pagan or occult setting. Temple dance, arguably more than other forms of tribal fusion, often draws equally from both tribal and cabaret movements and costume pieces.