Bellydancing hits LI with show, classes

BY PAT BURSON | pat.burson@newsday.com

November 9, 2007

The Middle East comes to Long Island Sunday when the Bellydance Superstars perform their hip-snapping new stage show, Babelesque, at the North Fork Theatre at Westbury.

Based in Hollywood and comprised of the country's best known and most sought-after belly dancers, the Bellydance Superstars' Long Island stop is part of a 28-city North American tour. In its four years, the troupe has performed more than 480 shows in 20 countries before millions of fans at venues and on television.

The tour is the brainchild of music business mogul Miles Copeland (The Police, Sting, I.R.S. Records), whose tastes have expanded from punk rock and rock to Arabic, Middle Eastern and world music.

The group's choreographed dance show, filled with exotic costumes and Arabic music, aims to be "a mind-blowing experience. You just cannot imagine," raves Tasha Katah, Copeland's personal assistant. "It has all the panache and pizzazz of a Broadway show jammed-packed into it, minus the singing, but with good music. There's nothing like it in this world."

Tickets for the 8 p.m. performance are available at the box office, through Ticketmaster (631-888-9000) or at livenation.com. Premier seats are $50, and reserved seats are $40.

Enroll in a navel academy

Want to learn to bend it like Britney, shimmy like Shakira or move your belly like Beyoncé? For those who'd like to give bellydancing a try, Sonia, one of the Bellydance Superstars' founding members, will conduct a three-hour workshop starting at 11:30 a.m. Sunday at the Stars of Tomorrow Dance Academy, 755 Park Ave., Suite 180, in Huntington.

The workshop is $65 online and $75 at the door. To learn more, contact Melissa McParland at 631-385-1401 or nani_kai_hula@hotmail.com or go tobellydancesuperstars.com.

Here are a few other places offering belly dancing classes on Long Island:

Posey School
57 Main St., Northport
$20 per class

Ongoing classes are taught on Wednesdays from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. by Isabella Eredita. Call 631-757-2700 or go to poseyschool.com/adult dance.html.

Sasha's Belly Dance Studio Inc.
2371 Middle Country Rd., Centereach
$11 an hour

Sasha, who's been teaching the art of belly dance for nearly 30 years, offers lessons at her studio usually between 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m., Monday through Thursday. All ages, shapes and sizes are welcome. Call 631-689-8400 or go to sashasbellydancing.com.

Rhythms & Soul Dance Studio
16 Wolcott Rd., Levittown
$13 an hour or $99 for nine classes

Ongoing, hour-long adult classes are held on Tuesdays, starting at 6:30 p.m. with Halima, and Saturdays at 10 a.m. with Latifa. Call 516-520-2934 or go to rhythmsandsoul.com.

Accent On Dance Studio of Performing Arts
480 Patchogue Holbrook Rd., Suite 20, Holbrook
$12 per class

Instructor Zara teaches a beginner class for ages 16 and over at 8:30 p.m. on Mondays. Call her at 631-456-3420, the studio at 631-472-6007, or go to exoticzara.com.

Alison Russell Dance Arts
4472 Middle Country Rd. (Route 25) in Calverton
$120 for eight classes, plus $10 for finger cymbals.

Andrea Cote, a dancer, choreographer and teacher of Mideastern dance since 1998, will present an eight-week introduction to bellydance workshop on Mondays from 5 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. beginning Jan. 7 through Feb. 25. Call 631-369-9597 or go to alisonrusselldance arts.com.