Café Bellie continues its 2012 celebration of 10 years of dance and service with this special community bellydance benefit. Café Bellie is, as always, a fundraiser, with all proceeds benefiting the Women’s Daytime Drop-in Center of Berkeley. The evening offers colorful solo and troupe performances in a variety of styles as well as open-floor dancing, preceded by a special Belly Dance Bazaar and a free belly dance class.

Held three times a year, Café Bellie has raised more than $10,000 for the Women’s Daytime Drop-in Center, which offers aid and support to the area’s homeless women and children, empowering them to move from the streets to a home by providing ongoing counseling and support services. Award-winning dancer and choreographer Amy Luna Manderino founded Café Bellie in 2002 in order to provide a professional venue for new and innovative works, offer area teachers an intimate performance setting for their students, and create a space for belly dancers of all styles to meet and exchange ideas and inspiration, as well as support East Bay homeless women and children.

Now produced by Manderino’s former students Lisa Tilton and Gail Corrado, Café Bellie continues to be a popular event featuring both the best and upcoming bellydancers in the Bay Area. “Café Bellie is about celebrating women and coming together to support each other in our dance and in our community,” says Corrado.

Dancers and vendors! If you are interested in performing or vending at this event, please e-mail Lisa Tilton, Café Bellie’s stage manager. Café Bellie is also looking for individuals and business who would like to donate items for the raffle. Please contact Lisa for more information.