Check out Shannon Cottrell's photo gallery “'Dances from the Underworld': Gothic Belly Dancing at Gothla.”

Sabrina is a belly dancer from San Diego who has performed across the globe. She's well-known for her work in the traditional Egyptian style of dance and has worked with Middle Eastern-styled musicians like famed oudist and composer John Bilezikjian. But, Sabrina doesn't limit herself to traditional work.

We caught the dancer at Gothla, the annual gothic belly dancing convention held at Cal Poly Pomona, where she performed to Ministry. Yes, that Ministry. It's amazing how a band that raucous can lend itself to a style of dance steeped in traditional beauty. Really, it works. Check out the clip above for proof.

The song in question is “Thieves,” which also happens to be this writer's absolute favorite song from the band. Throughout the performance, Sabrina moved wildly, but with the intense control that is necessary to belly dance. It was an amazing show of endurance.

For a little background, gothic belly dancing is a newer school of dance that utilizes techniques from both traditional and tribal fusion styles to explore darker themes. Dancers perform to a wide variety of music, including various Middle Eastern styles, dubstep and, of course, gothic and industrial. Gothla, which was founded by artists Sashi and Tempest, brings together dancers from across the world to perform under a specified theme. This year's them was “The Evoking: Dances from the Underworld.”

We'll be featuring video from Gothla throughout the week, so check back for more gothic belly dancing.

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