Doors at 6:30pm ~ Show at 7pm

Doors at 6:30pm ~ Performance at 7pm

Cafe Taqsim, formerly known as Cafe Bellie, is a Middle Eastern and Central Asian dance benefit concert where both novice and professional dancers can connect, perform, and share their art in service of the community. We are based in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Cafe Taqsim is coming back to Askenaz on December 18, 2022! Our charity of choice is ARTogether, whose mission is to provide art programs that foster compassionate communities where refugees and immigrants can flourish. Stay tuned for tickets and dancer registration, and be sure to sign up for our email list.

Cafe Taqsim is a multi-genre, open stage, community-focused charity event, featuring the dances of the Middle East and Central Asia. Whether it's American Tribal Style Belly Dance, Moroccan Guedra, Contemporary Persian or classical Afghan, Cafe Taqsim provides a space for novice dancers to share their craft in a professional setting, and professional dancers to unveil fusion pieces, solos, troupes and more.

Cafe Taqsim is a place for dancers from across genres to connect, appreciate, experiment thoughtfully and share joyfully. Each Cafe Taqsim begins with a free dance class, and our vendors provide fun and fresh wares for you to enjoy. The cafe at Asheknaz is a wonderful place to grab a drink or a bite before and during the show.

As Cafe Bellie, Amy Luna, Lisa Tilton and Gail Corrado raised over $10,000 for the Women's Daytime Drop in Center of Berkeley. In 2019, Cafe Bellie has re-branded as Cafe Taqsim, and we are expanding our charity partners to those that not only serve women, but also those that serve immigrants and refugees from the Middle East and Central Asia, and provide crisis support for communities in Syria, Palestine, Yemen and beyond.