Cultivated since antiquity in Central Asia and the Levant, the beautifully perfumed Rose of Damascus was carried from Persia in the saddlebags of returning crusaders, arriving in Europe in the 13th century. This "fantasy/fusion" choreography sets the vocabulary of Middle Eastern dance to music from 13th-century Florence, Italy, suggesting a fanciful cultural exchange. Live performance from Venus Uprising presents: Fantasy Belly Dance; at the Merce Cunningham Studios, West Village, NYC; September 2007. Videography by Scott Shuster. Music: "Flos ut Rosa" by Rondellus.