I went to Saturday night's Shimmy For A Cure Bellydance Gala at the Erie Playhouse with a group of girlfriends from the YMCA. This event was a Bellydance show with several different performers and groups -- all done to raise money for the John Kanzius Cancer Research Foundation.
We got there early since seating was first-come-first-serve and there were 15 of us who wanted to sit together. As I read through the rather lengthy program I wondered if it was going to get boring after awhile. There were performances by duos, trios and groups as well as individual performances & I thought..."hmmm..I bet I'll be sick of this by intermission."
Not even close.
Every dance and performer (performing group) was so different and cool and just...fascinating. I could've watched all night. And, we sort of did because the show ran until almost 11 p.m. (started at 7:30).
It was definitely the best $15 I've spent on entertainment in a long time and if they do this show again next year, I highly recommend you shimmy on down to the box office and get yourself a ticket.
It was amazing -- on several levels. I was astonished at how...well, unskinny most of the women were and sat there entranced and envious of their obvious lack of inhibition and love of their beautiful bodies. There were women of every single shape, size and age. And...even a man thrown in for good measure.
My belly has never seen the light of day and, yet, I found myself wanting to jump up on stage & shimmy right along with them (that could've been the ultra-strong vodka-and-diet-coke I bought at intermission though). :-)
The show included performances by:
* dancers from The Fleming School of the Arts in Lake City, Pa. Including a performance with Gypsy RaQ (belly dancing to live rock band music...too cool).
* dancers from the Eastside YMCA's bellydance troupe -- the Hadouni Dancers
* Pittsburgh bellydancing troupe -- Sadiqa.
* Euphraxia (pronounced "you-fr-asia") from Buffalo.
* Kamille Hitz of Rockabelly in San Francisco, CA
* Valizan with Shades of Araby from Toronto, Canada.
* Headliners -- Zafira Dance Company from Pittsburgh.