Belly dancing festival, Hipnosis 2018, to be held in Mumbai

An ancient dance form, belly dancing, originated in the Middle East. It was primarily a sense of expression that women performed for other women to celebrate beauty, femininity and their coming of age into womanhood. It is with this premise that belly-dancing enthusiast and entrepreneur Payal Gupta has curated a three day long workshop, Hipnosis, in Mumbai between April 20-22 in Mumbai. She aims to educate dance-lovers and enthusiasts about this complex yet mysterious dance form. The festival expects participants from across India and even international participation from Australia, USA, Czech Republic, Canada and Hawaii.

The three-day fest, seventh edition in India and first in Mumbai, will showcase acts, involve workshops, contests and will offer a world-class stage for belly dance enthusiasts, dance-lovers and those willing to seek guidance about making a mark in this field. Participants can aim to get inspired by three reputed jury members who have flown down from their respective countries, especially for the three-day long fest. The names include Mercedes Nieto from Hungary, Kami Liddle from the USA and Issam Houshan from Syria.

Commenting on its maiden launch in Mumbai, Payal Gupta, the curator and founder of Payal’s Dance Academy, says, “Dance has always been close to my heart, even when I was pursuing a degree in engineering. I decided to take my passion and convert it into something I love. Over the years, I travelled across to many countries learning the skills and dynamics from belly-dancing teachers, some of whom have taught global celebrities. I want to continue to share these learnings and experiences to enthusiasts who wish to learn but have no platform. What better way than to engage with these enthusiasts than Hipnosis, a beautifully curated fest that is engaging and lets other dancers engage with some of the best names in the business.”

Venue Ajivasan Hall, Next to SNDT Women University, Juhu Tara Road, Santacruz (W), MR Society, Daulat Nagar, Juhu, Mumbai

Date April 20-22

Timing From 9 am onwards