Canberra has a secret bellydancing community... and they are coming out to play this February

Rachel Bond: Bellydancing extraordinaire. Photo: Alma Sarhan.

Ever listened to Arabic music and felt your body moving to the rhythm? Or watched a bellydancer perform and be completely mesmerised by her moves and wished you could dance like that?

You’ve probably got a hidden passion for bellydancing then (either that or you’re daydreaming too much and you should probably get back to work). If it’s the former, here’s some good news for you: you can not only enjoy a night of mystical bellydancing performances, but you could even dabble in the art as well!

A range of cultures, dance styles and feminine body types will be celebrated as the Canberra underground bellydance community comes out to play on the 16th and 17th of February. Performance art enthusiasts, dance lovers and people looking for a fun and different way to spend a Friday evening or Saturday afternoon can look forward to this weekend.

On Friday 16 February at 8 pm is Arabian Nights (Canberra’s premiere bellydance showcase produced by #JazidaProduction), which takes place every three months at Polit Bar in Manuka. It’s a very intimate venue, where dancers interact with the crowd and the audience has an opportunity to see Australian talent up close and personal! This show will feature Rachel Bond who is an award-winning professional bellydancer and teacher in Sydney. It will also feature local teachers and performers Kirsty Frances and the Buasavanh Bellydance troupe and more.

On 17 February, between 11 am and 2 pm, local bellydancers will take over the stage at the Multicultural Festival. In addition to this, Rachel Bond will be sharing workshops teaching some of her favourite dance styles inspired by travelling up and down the Nile river exploring the lands of the Saidi, Ghawazee and Nubian peoples, with a taste of each of their dance styles.

“Bellydance has a booming underground community in Canberra” says Rachel Reid, founder of #JazidaProductions “The amount of talent and passion is a secret too well kept – so it’s exciting to have so many great opportunities to connect in February”.

“We look forward to this event each year, it gives us the opportunity to get together and show the variety and depth of talent we have right here in the Canberra bellydance community” says Fran Gray, facilitator for the bellydance showcase at the Multicultural Festival.

So grab your silk scarfs and bellydancing skirts and revel in a celebration of all things bellydancing!

Multicultural Festival is free for attendance, with no bookings necessary
To book tickets to the Arabian Nights, please visit:www.eventbrite.com.au
For more information about workshops and future shows, please visit www.jazidaproductions.com or email jazidaproductions@gmail.com