Arabian sights come to Cuba Carnival

The float will also include a Bedouin tent, darbuka drummers and elaborate Isis winged costumes. The parade will be on February 21.

Holohan is excited and daunted about the scale of the float, which will feature up to 70 dancers and accompanying musicians in a Middle Eastern extravaganza.

"The Cuba Street Carnival is very special for me, because I first advertised for my school during the 2007 carnival," she says. "I said to myself, 'Next time I will have a belly dancing float!"'

The experienced dancer and teacher has dedicated the last two years to her Snake Charmer belly dancing school on Cuba St. Her classes, the first in Wellington to be solely dedicated to Middle Eastern dancing and music, are growing in popularity.

Most of her recruits are initially intrigued, she says. "They want to find out more about belly dancing and Middle Eastern culture.

"Belly dancing is a very social pastime. There's no need for a partner, and it's a safe, female-only environment, which means you can try out new things. The music is also very beautiful  people come for the culture and the community spirit as well as the dancing."

Holohan honed her technique under the tutelage of teacher and choreographer Suhaila Salimpour, and believes Middle Eastern dance has become much more accessible. "I'm really happy to be promoting something positive about the Middle East in the face of so much negativity," she says.

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mike   #1   05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

"Middle Eastern Culture"? The term has me lost. There's no such thing as a blanket "Middle Eastern culture".

Further, don't forget "belly dance" is a western term. In the places where the dance is common it is known as raqs sharqi or raqs balad. Where did the dance come from? Upper Egypt or Greece are the most likely spots.

That's enough hair splitting for now.

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