Born to Shimmy

Posted on April 6, 2011

Around 200 dancers are rehearsing their moves for the biggest bellydance show ever seen in the UK. Born to Shimmy, a Bellydance Extravaganza will take place on April 10 in the Concert Hall of the Fairfield Halls, Croydon, and showcases some of the world’s top bellydancers as well as students of Croydon’s Hipsinc bellydance school.

Hipsinc director, Charlotte Desorgher says: “It should be a great night. Hipsinc has always surprised people by how varied and enjoyable bellydance can be, but this is the biggest and most exciting show we have ever done!”

The show features a wide variety of bellydance styles, from sparkling cabaret through traditional folkloric dances to the very latest Shakira-style street-bellydance. Topping the bill will be one of the biggest stars in bellydance: American superstar, Aziza, who is flying over from Canada especially for the show.

The performers also include Hipsinc students of all ages, plus some of the UK’s top professional bellydancers, several of them international award winners.

With more than 800 students, Hipsinc is the largest bellydancing organisation in the UK. The weekly classes teach students from absolute beginners through to professionals and there are regular social events and shows. For more information about Hipsinc, see www.hipsinc.com or call Charlotte Desorgher on 07802 499 728. 

Tickets for the show are priced at £16 (OAPs £12, children £8) and are available from the Fairfield Halls box office on 
0208 688 9291. The show is on Sunday, April 10 at 7.30pm.

Photograph: Hipsinc students dancing. 

Photograph © Mike Champion, Champion Photography

Nicola Rayner

Nicola Rayner was editor of Dance Today from 2010 to 2015. She has written for a number of publications including The Guardian, The Independent and Time Out Buenos Aires, where she cut her teeth as a dance journalist working on the tango section. Today she continues to dance everything from ballroom to breakdance, with varying degrees of success. Her debut novel, The Girl Before You, was published last year in paperback, ebook and audiobook.