Catch the 4th Annual Philippine Bellydance Festival, BellyFest 2010 on June 5 and 6 featuring the country's premier bellydance personalities, teachers and dancers. Our special guest this year is Seoul-based Middle Eastern and World Dance Artist, Belynda Azhaar (http://www.azhaardance.com) who will perform at the Grand Evening Show on June 5 and conduct two belly dance workshops on June 6 (guests will be treated to a mini-workshop on June 5 as well). Other performers include Ms. Jill Ngo and the Goddesses of Bellydance.

Bellyfest would not be complete without the Arabian Market with shops selling middle eastern goods, bellydance costumes, clothing, bellydance music and videos, jewelry and accessories. Enjoy the sights and sounds of bellydance as only The BellyFest can bring. Immerse yourself in the  hypnotizing music, dazzling sets and join hundreds of other enthusiasts as we celebrate the grace and strength of being a woman.

Visit this site to get more details in the coming days. For interested participants SEND US A MESSAGE to signify your interest in watching the show or joing the workshops. See you at BellyFest 2010!

Find your heart's song at Bellyfest 2010

by Zane Ronquillo

With their graceful hips and come-hither eyes, the colorful swish of their beaded skirts and the tinkling sound of their coin belts, bellydancers are fast becoming today's performers of choice.

The ancient dance form with roots in multiple cultures continues to attract enthusiasts all over the world, and the Philippines is no exception. Women across the country have been flocking to dance studios and gyms, taking bellydance classes at varying levels and different styles.

"It's such an encouraging sight to see so many women now getting into bellydance. Apart from being an excellent exercise, bellydance has emotional and spiritual benefits for women," says Jill Ngo, premiere bellydancer in the Philippines and organizer of the Bellyfest. She is also the director of Peak Performance Studio.

"Bellydance not only helps women become more flexible, the fluid movements also enhance their femininity. More than this, bellydance teaches women to be confident about their bodies--an issue all women battle--stop stressing about shape and size, and celebrate their authentic femininity, instead," she explains.

On June 5, 2010, Saturday, from 1Pm to 9PM, all these and more will be on full display as some the country's best bellydancers converge for the annual Bellyfest. To be held at the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) headquarters in Quezon City, this fourth installment of the much-awaited show is now part of the theater group's Dance month calendar this year.

"We are very proud to be included in PETA's Dance month line-up. This really legitimizes the bellydance art form in the Philippines and we are very honored to be working with a a theater group that has been promoting local performing talents for so many decades," enthuses Jill. "I can still remember when Filipino bellydancers and bellydance enthusiasts didn't have so many venues for performing and learning the art. Now, there are good bellydancers from Luzon down to Mindanao. And thanks to PETA, we can say that bellydance has truly come a long way," she adds.

The celebration of feminine grace and beauty has been held annually since 2007. This year, it shows no sign of stopping, getting even bigger and better.

"This year, our theme is about finding the music of your heart, which is something that women also discover when they get into bellydance. It's also really about expressing how unique you are as a woman and showing others all that secret inner beauty," Jill proclaims.

The show will feature a young musician's quest for the perfect harmony and will thus highlight various bellydance styles (all the better to emphasize the diverse beauty of women). From the powerful undulations of the Egyptian style and the hypnotic flow of the Chinese style, to the energetic frenzy of Brazilian bellydance and the intense movements of Spanish bellydance, audiences can expect to be dazzled by this year's show.

Sharing their performances and choreographies are the country's most prominent bellydancers, including Jill Ngo, Arcel Benson, Nilda Boquiren, Lovely Rodriguez, International bellydancer Belynda Azhaar, Zumre, Priya Murugesan, Gladys Mallari, and Jill Ngo's Goddesses of Bellydance, the country's biggest professional bellydance troupe among others.

Apart from showcasing various bellydance styles, the concert will have segments featuring the recitalists of top bellydance instructors and performances of other arts such as Brazil's capoiera and China's wushu. Bellyfest will also feature an Arabian Market featuring Middle Eastern goods, as well as bellydance clothes, accessories, videos and music.

The day after Bellyfest 2010, June 6, Belynda Azhaar, Seoul-based Middle Eastern and World Dance Artist, will be conducting workshops (venue to be announced) on "Egyptian Folkloric Bellydance" and "How to Unleash the Actor Within" for those aspiring to get ahead in their bellydance education. She will also be conducting a mini-workshop on June 5 at the bellydance festival. To learn more about this world-class performer, visit her website at www.azhaardance.com.

"This is the biggest Bellyfest yet and we have pulled out all the stops to give everyone the best bellydance show in the country. I'm inviting performance artists of all kinds, dance enthusiasts, health buffs, and of course, women of all shapes and sizes to enjoy this experience," concludes Jill.

Catch the Bellyfest 2010 fever on June 5 at the PETA theater in Quezon City. Tickets are priced at P500 and are available at Peak performance Dance Studio. For more details, please call 0917-624-7534 or 502-2912 or log on to bellyfest.asiapad.com or peakperformance.asiapad.com.

Bellyfest 2010 is a production of Peak Peformance Studio and is supported by PETA, Manila Bulletin, Gold's Gym, UR 105.9, RJ FM, 99.5 RT, and hotoccasions.com.

BENEFICIARY:

Part of the proceeds will go to the Elsie Gatches Village which aims to provide rehabilitation services for the improvement of the physical, mental and psycho-social adjustment of mentally challenged persons for their eventual integration to society.