People usually give thanks for the good things in life. Amy Sigil thanks everything life sent her way - good things and the not so great ones. The leader of UNMATA; a Sacramento based belly dance troupe well known by their unique style and free spirit, talks about her journey through life, belly dancing, her comrades and their preparation for world domination - that actually, started in November 2007.

Amy: I was actually attempting to get clean from methamphetamines at the time. I was looking for something that made me feel different about my body. Something that inspired my heart and my head. I found belly dance in the Parks and Recreation magazine and decided to just show up. I actually am not even sure if I liked it at first, it wasn't until years later that I really fell in love with the dance.

Amy: Life comes in waves. Whatever washes in will wash back out again, positive or negative and it will return, guaranteed. It's all the same. My life experiences are my dancing, and I'm dancing my life experiences. It's all me. I'm not recreating any one else's culture, history or story but my own. My life prior to dance has taught me that the options are endless. Don't decide what yours are, you don't yet know all the possibilities. Best to keep your windows open.

Amy: "Pony Play" is simple. It is about the love of a sixth grade girl and her horse. It's

about "real" horse energy and how that affects an eleven year old girl. I was inspired to take something out of fantasy and make it real. Oh, and Brad Dosland, of Taboo Media, said he wanted something buzz worthy for Noveau Nights [an aftershow event for Tribal Throwdown, celebrated early this year in Berkeley, CA]. It was my opportunity to recreate an energy that has filled my heart for years.

Amy: I LOVE that you called our style peculiar! It is peculiar. All of UNMATA has a strong athletic background: volleyball, basketball, track, marital arts and the sort. Most of the group has never taken a dance class before belly dance. When I began studying belly dance, the first three years were focused on 15th century, mostly Turkish dance. When I discovered American Tribal Style (ATS), I was absolutely intoxicated by the concept of improvisation, but rather disappointed in the roof and four walls that came along with ATS. At that time I began studying Hula and Hip Hop, it's now been about ten years. So, in a nutshell, you got volleyball, basketball, track, belly dance, hula and hip hop. And we're still working on all six!

Amy: I LOVE HOT POT! It's my home, my inspiration and my haven. Hot Pot is where I create, try things out, laugh, cry and produce. Hot Pot is my support system and my family. It's not a "normal" dance studio, we're there to push each other and support each other like a family. We meet early before classes, sit in circles, pass food and favors, and "know" each other. Hot Pot is the heart beat of Amy Sigil and UNMATA.

Amy: According to me, Verbatim is one of the belly dance communities best kept secrets. According to placeCitySacramento they've been running this town for quite some time. Verbatim is Hot Pot's professional working studio troupe. They are the ones who work the private parties, festivals, placeCitySacramento functions and everything in-between. The group started out of supply and demand. UNMATA was getting too busy to work the local gigs, bad for business as well as community morale. Since Hot Pot teaches classes weekly in placeCitySacramento, we need to stay visible in the scene, so new students can find us. At this realization, I had five students whose technical ability had surpassed the student recitals. This is when I realized I need two working troupes: one locally, and one nationally and internationally. Verbatim was born. They work their ass off for me, UNMATA and hot Pot. Verbatim is: Sarah Stinson, April Hollon, Lyndsy Brown, Rebecca Hennagir and Julie Archer.

Amy: We're all friends; we love each other on and off the stage. We spend most of our time together. We work together a minimum of 8 hours a week. We travel together, sleep together, and brush our teeth together. It's rare that I don't see the girls every day. But I think the main magic is that we share the same vision. Work hard and play hard!

Amy: There isn't one path towards anything. Fate favors the Risky. Magic happens. Don't decide what you are before you know what there is. You never know unless you see. Be sweet, work hard. In the Valley of Hesitation lie the bones of countless millions, who at the dawn of victory sat down to rest, and resting died.

Amy: Europe!* I'll be heading out for my first European tour in three weeks: from November 19 to December 25. This is my first time in a lot of these Countries, I haven't traveled overseas but once and that was just this year. It's very new to me and very exciting. UNMATA has been gearing up for a five week haul! Only two of us can afford the time off, so the rest of the group will be teaching classes, running the studio and working gigs. It's going to be a massive group effort, but we're excited to go global!