Dancers hoping domestic violence will be going belly up
Shire events
About 24,000 belly dancers from more than 90 countries are preparing to soon shimmy together in a global push to raise awareness for domestic violence programs, including one special team based in Mossman.
Belly Dance With Rochelle is a group of community-minded dancers run by teacher Rochelle Thompson, who this month met up in Sydney with the Canadian founder of the global Shimmy Mob event to prepare for the May 9 simultaneous world dance.
Rochelle is now on the lookout for more dancers to register by the end of March.
Once registered, dancers will earn the right to free beginners’ classes at a range of locations and times across Douglas Shire, where they will learn the dance which will be done simultaneously across the world by more than 2000 different teams.
“It’s the camaraderie, and when you watch other teams around the world,” Rochelle says of the event.
“They’re all wearing the same shirt, and we’re all doing the same dance, so you feel a connection across the globe.”
Rochelle’s team will be at Mossman Markets this Saturday morning signing up more participants and raising money to help combat the scourge of domestic violence.
For details go to shimmymob.com or look up Belly Dance with Rochelle on Facebook.