You have the basic idea down...

Tribal was started here in teh US - American Tribal Style. It is a group improv with signals. The moves are clean and simple (very technical still but simple so that following can be done). Tribal dancers do use their hips and torso too - I think people think the limbs do more because of the basic formation and arm movement....kind of shows up. You know -- that we have lots of lovely tribal dancers here in colorado to see this example. The energy is a very earthy feeling...grounded and big clean movements.

Cabaret - well there are many styles so just speaking at the high level or general idea of cabaret. The main difference is that cabaret dancers do often solo and have the showgirl on toe energy. The energy is more of a showy -- glitsy -- often cutsy look and at times slow and slinky too but still very showgirl (I mean showgirl in the energetic sense not stripping or vegas -- just an energy that is very much so 'look at me'). Cabaret dancers change up the movements often - because they are soloing so not having to worry about people following. There is the general idea that cabaret is choreographed always but there are many many cabaret dancers who improv solos (like me!)...rather than choregraphy (since I always mess that up - hahaha). As a group dance --cabaret is often choreographed because there are not hand signals like tribal but many get use to each other from being together and do a lot of following too. Cabaret dancers often appear to love to dance fast but often that is just due to the venue....restaurant crowds like more upbeat songs often with one or two slow pieces just to mix it up.

The moves in the two styles are the same -- a hip circle is a hip circle. There are different accents used in the two styles but to be honest various cabaret styles have different accents. I am trained in egyptian and turkish cabaret....many moves are the same in general but accent different points. The costuming is very different between the two -- ATS is the more covered with turbans originally and cabaret is your showy glitsy beaded deals in general. I do not feel that your basic belly dance class will be that different when looking at the general basic belly dance moves.....later when you add the energy or signals or formations then it gets different. Different teacher may have different styles (I have learned from many)....my style of teaching pulls from all including cabaret and tribal. My beginning moves are still the same in general....it is more my dances and some specialized moves in my intermediate class where the mixing or various styles show up such as turkish cabaret, egyptian cabaret, egyptian folkloric, tribal fusion, etc etc.....

Now that we have separated all of it...hahaha...I will throw all that out of the window. Many of todays cabaret and tribal dancers do a fusion dance...so it is soooo hard to separate. Tribal dancers now choreograph at times and cabaret dancers who have been together for a while may make up some symboling. The energy of the two dances have also crossed over....I am very much a cabaret dancer with lots of tribal training (some ATS but more fusion style) and my performance depends on the music, my mood, and venue. So the two styles have crossed over and we have a lovely mix of the two now. I get clarification when someone tells me they do a style -- if they say cabaret then I ask what style or if it is more traditional and with tribal I ask if it is ATS or fusion. And if you ask me ... I will say ... it depends on my mood and feelign that day...hahaha.

Skott - I hope this helps. Your basics are just that...your basics. Both styles drill hard and have wonderful presence on stage!