Oh what a show!  We danced, we laughed, we had fun.  If you missed it - shame! You'll have to wait till next year (we're already planning).

My heartfelt thanks to everyone involved on stage, backstage and elsewhere.  There may be some that I neglected to thank on the night.

To Kitson for his choice of finale song (it's still playing in everyone's head); to Vanessa's mom, whose skills range far beyond hanging decor and verge on the criminal!  (say no more). To Kayd for braving the hoard of ladies, to be Durban's youngest male belly dancer.  To Peter Graham (and Catherine) for lending a helping hand, arm and leg.

To the decor team who worked hard, laughed hard and even managed to hang Isis Wings 100 ft above the stage (ok, slight exaggeration), they did a great job (no injuries).

Our Master of Ceremonies, Ahmed the live terrorist, otherwise known as Roland the Incorrigible (please don't encourage him!!!!)  Whose sense of humour was only matched by his incredible wardrobe!

You had to be there:)

Our costume designer has been busy again with some new full circle skirts.  We also have some new colours in Isis Wings.Photographs to come later (once I get rid of the gremlin in the computer)!   If you would like to see the new stock, give me a call and the shop will be opened for you (sort of like Paris Hilton).

Dancers from The Belly Button Dance Studio in Durban wowed the crowd  with several performances at the International Oriental Dance Festival in Cape Town from 27-30 October.  The festival, which sees around 50 000 people attending, is an annual event held at Cape Town’s  V&A Waterfront and is host to several international dancers as well as hundreds of South African dancers eager to shimmy the weekend away!  A total of 60 dance studios were represented  the 2011 event.

Festival organisers also attempted to set a world record  for the most belly dancers dancing simultaneously.  Dancers all over South Africa  rehearsed especially for this occasion.  Despite setting a South African record of 641 dancers, they were not able to break the world record, but there’s always next year!

This was the 6th year for the festival and the  5^th year that The Belly Button Dance Studio has performed there, and this year, the group auditioned to appear at the prestigious Gala Evening at the Baxter Theatre.  Their performance of the well known number,  Jai Ho, from the movie Slum Dog Millionaires, was a very popular choice and the audience were stunned to see that the group also included a young male dancer, Kayd Ellis.  Belly dancing is usually the prerogative of women, and male dancers, especially in South Africa, are a rarity.

Our dancers have been featured on SABC television, interviewed on radio and have performed at the International Oriental Dance Festival in Cape Town for the past 4 years alongside some of the best dancers in the world!  Now we're in Durban North.  Classes for ladies who want to join our friendly group of divas in having some fabulous fun are held every Tuesday from 6.30  7.30pm.  Learn the sensous art of belly dance, get fit and have fun at the same time - a perfect combination.  No previous dance exprience needed.  Our classes are small, our fees are reasonable and our smiles are big!  Book your place in class by  contacting Gwenyth on 084 769 2017. Classes also in Malvern, Westville and the Bluff.