Belly dance festival to benefit Korean women

A celebration of World Belly Dance Day in Seoul is set to support Korean women’s rights.

The international event is held on the second Saturday in May each year to let belly dancers around the world unite to celebrate their art, and also benefit good causes.

The Raising Awareness in Korea 2012 weekend of charity dance events is to include two performances on May 12 and a day of workshops on May 13, with profits going to benefit Korea Women’s Association United.

About 100 dancers will perform on the Saturday at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. at Oriental House Theater in Seoul. Each show will have a different lineup featuring amateur and professional dancers, from children through adults, showcasing a variety of dance styles. Tickets cost 30,000 won. 

Some participants will then host workshops Sunday to raise more funds for the women’s rights organization.

They will teach a variety of belly dance styles, and also percussion, between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. at the Oriental House located near Sungshin Women’s University Subway Station exit 4.

English and Korean translation will be available during the workshops which cost 50,000 won for a two hour lesson and 40,000 won for a 90 minute session. A package for all five workshops is available for 190,000 won. All of the weekend’s participants are lending their expertise for free to maximize the money going to charity.

KWAU was formed in 1987 to champion the women’s rights movement here and has 27 member organizations striving to end social injustice.

KWAU has helped to establish laws to protect women’s rights, combat sexual and domestic violence, and prostitution. It has also helped to amend acts such as the Child Care Act and the Gender Equality in Employment Act to prevent workplace discrimination. The umbrella group also played a role in abolishing the Hoju system ― the patriarchal household system which determines the father as the head of the family ― and helped establish a fairer family registration law. KWAU also helped bring about the Gender Quota System for National Assembly members to increase the participation of women in politics and economics. Today, KWAU is still fighting to end other forms of discrimination against women.

Representatives from KWAU will be on hand at the belly dance events to spread the word about their organization.

The belly dance benefit event is also being supported by the Middle Eastern Culture, Dance and Art Club in Korea.

Organizer Belynda Azhaar is an international dance artist, instructor, and choreographer currently based in Korea who has organized events to raise around $10,000 for charity so far. Last year’s RAK event involved about 100 dancers from 17 belly dance schools in Korea, raising about 4 million won ($3,500) for KWAU and the Korea Sexual Violence Relief Center.

The first charity belly dance event in 2010 raised 1 million won for local charities the DasiHamkke Center and Bear Necessity Korea.

Azhaar said the event would be a good chance for people to learn that belly dance encompasses many different styles of dance.

“Apart from giving dancers the chance to come together and celebrate their art, the RAK 2012 World Bellydance Day shows on Saturday, May 12 give the general public a chance to experience a wide variety of Middle Eastern music and dance ― from traditional folk dances to generic “cabaret” bellydance to modern fusion pieces,” she said.

“In addition, the audience will discover that bellydance is for everyone as student and professional dancers of all ages, from children to mature-age adults, take to the stage. “

For more information and to book tickets for any of the events, go to rak2012.azhaardance.com.

By Kirsty Taylor  (kirstyt@heraldcorp.com)