Join us for our Spring Bellydance extravaganza at Eco Collective in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago! Featuring the global sounds of RA’YON I and his band Rhythm Rebel. Our headline dancers are the gorgeous and talented Natalia Sharkia and Raphaella Lua!
Experience the warm, community vibe at Eco Collective, where we’ll have various vendors, delicious food, massage therapy, and card readers. We will begin with our usual community drum jam, followed by an evening of stellar live performances.
Doors open at 6:30 pm. Tickets are $25 in advance, $30 at the door. If you’re able to contribute more to support our ongoing community events, please consider purchasing a supportive ticket. Space is limited, so get your tickets before they sell out!
Performers
RA’YON I and Rhythm Rebel
RA’YON I is a multi-instrumentalist musician, songwriter, and lyricist from Chicago. His new album ‘Rhythm Rebel Number One’ will be released on May 5. A longtime staple of the Chicago global music scene, RA’YON I has cut his teeth playing in many bands while developing skills on various instruments. Experience in a wide range of music from reggae, hip hop, and rock to traditional Middle Eastern, African, and Afro-Latin, has greatly influenced his songwriting and performance style. Central to RA’YON I’s artistic vision is uplifting spirits and promoting unity between the people of the Earth.
Natalia Sharkia
Natalia Sharkia has been belly dancing professionally since 2006. She has opened for many stars and singers including Ehab Tawfik and The Gypsy Kings. She has appeared on the big screen of Dandana music videos for the Bandoleros and Adel Al Adeeb. She has taught workshops and performed in different states and countries including Florida, Michigan, Australia, and Israel. Natalia is a staple of the Arabic dance scene in Chicago, performing in clubs and parties across the Chicagoland area.
Raphaella Lua
Raphaella Lua is an internationally renowned instructor & choreographer in Fusion & American Cabaret Belly Dance. Performing and teaching throughout the globe, Raphaella is well-known for her fiery improvisation and unique twist on the Hip Hop Fusion style, as well as an added flavor of stylistic influences in Latin Ballroom and Brazilian samba. She also specializes in the art of Raks Sharki, more commonly known as Belly Dance in Western culture, her true love in dance.
Becca Rose
Becca Rose has studied bellydancing with Phaedra Darwish for the past 6 years. She was drawn to different forms of dance from a young age, and has done jazz, modern, swing, salsa, Irish, and Balkan folk dance. Becca Rose is excited to share the joy bellydancing brings her with the world.
Sa’raí
Sa’raí is a sensual dancer of the Arab art form and has been studying and performing belly dance over the past 16 years. Her inspiration stems from storytelling and through each movement she incorporates a sense of sensuality while exuberating passion and an artistic flare of energetic rhythm.
Downtempbowl
Sierra Bowler, also known as “downtempbowl,” is a self-taught movement artist based in Chicago. She began belly dancing in 2015 after being inspired by renowned fusion and traditional belly dancers around the world. Since then, Sierra has focused on integrating tribal fusion with other elements of dance such as, tutting, popping, and animation.
Vendors
Mary Phelps Wellness
Mary Phelps is a massage therapist who works in home, at events, and locations vary for booking a bodywork treatment. She is a trained doula, prenatal massage therapist, and student at Zen Shiatsu in Evanston. Her work is rooted in energy healing, space holding, and holistic medicine.
The Alchxmist Book Club
We provide handmade jewelry and tools for spiritual growth. We also provide several divination services such as numerology, tarot, dream interpretations, cartomancy, and more.
Elsewhere Arts
Tarot Reader, Illustrator, and Comic Zine creator. For all matters esoteric and strange — come by and visit the table for art and reading before I’m elsewhere.
Marsala 3D
3D printing and manufacturing. Anything from keychains, lighter holders, dice towers, and much much more! Tons of colors available, new items added weekly to our shop, and customs available upon request! Also discounts given for bulk orders, just ask!
Frederick of Hippywoods
Original design t-shirts and international clothing.
The Ritual Master
Homemade candles, soaps and jewelry.
Chef Izzy Chicago
Chef Izzy has been in the food business for over twenty-five years and will be offering delicious Middle Eastern dishes for sale.
Creative Hummingbird Art Flow
My art captures the essence of nature in its whimsical playfulness as well as organic curvatures and geometry of life; this is expressed in ceramics, ink drawings, paintings, up-cycled clothing, and pastel work.
Ritual Rhythms Chicago 