Pinay did 'belly' good performance

source: mb.com.ph

MANILA, Philippines -- She was the only Filipina performer at the Fourth World Belly Dance Day, an annual gathering of professional belly dancers from around the world showcasing their skills and talent. She was one of those who wowed the mesmerized audience with her top-class performance, grace and sophistication.

“It felt so good representing the country. It was like telling the world, ‘Hey, we can belly dance too!’” says professional belly dancer Rosalia “Kim” R. Kong of Bellyfest Philippines, who joined local and international belly dancers from Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, China, Ukraine, and France in displaying a wide range of styles, techniques and combinations just using the pelvis and hips.

The World Belly Dance Day is held in the month of May in Malaysia and other countries to promote the authentic forms of belly dance.

The venue was jam-packed with of spectators who wanted to see belly dancers in their beautiful costumes and with their graceful moves. Kong thinks it might be because in Malaysia, most women are always covered from head to foot.

“It’s an opportunity for them to witness bare bellies, especially men,” says Kong, who was recognized in the 2010 Belly Dance Festival in Bali, Indonesia as a “talented and charismatic bellydancer.”

The charity event, held at the Ministry of Sound in Sunway Lagoon Resort, Bandar Sunway on May 14, was for the benefit of the Handicapped and Mentally Retarded Children Centre Selangor.

The champion in the pro division of the Battle of the Belly Dancers in 2008 considers this event as “the most important dancing for a cause.”

“It was wonderful being part of this show, showing my talent with other awesome dancers, and doing charity work on the side. As an artist, it’s not always about money. I like helping others. I’ll definitely do this again,” shares the Tahitian Dance trainer of actress and politician Lucy Torres-Gomez.

Organizer Brancy Nekvapil, the director of Belly Fusion, invited renowned French dancer, Yael Zarca as a VIP performer. Zarca, who has a very personal style that fuses tradition and modernity, teaches all year long in dance schools in France and conducts workshops in countries like Japan, Serbia, Switzerland and Belgium. She is the creator of the Oriental Dance Circle and the blog Adila Forum and the art director of the Mounia Sultana Association that promotes Egyptian dance through art events.

Kong, who was also named Bellydancer of the Night at Mall of Asia’s Fitness First in October 2008, joined the two-day workshop by Zarca on May 13 and 15 along with over a hundred other dancers. From the workshop, Kong said she learned raks assaya (saidi cane) and choreograhy, modern sharqi and choreography, drum solo choreography and Shaabi technique and choreography.

While in Malaysia, Kong also had a photoshoot in Kuala Lumpur with Chris Ng and Edwin Goh. It was her first time to have two photographers at the same time but says it was a great opportunity to work with foreign photographers and to showcase her creation of costumes.

“As a dancer, I don’t stop learning. I believe that life is a continuous learning process. You only stop learning when you die,” the internationally-trained dancer and teacher concludes.

source: mb.com.ph