Scarves rippled, finger cymbals clinked, and bodies whirled at Grace Episcopal Church on April 6, as belly dancers performed during the Spring Hafla (“party” in Arabic). The sixth annual program, run by Newton’s Andromeda Belly Dance Boston, was supported by grants from the Newton Cultural Council and Newton Community Pride.
“What I like most about MENAHT [Middle Eastern, North African, Hellenic, Turkish] dance is its grace and expressiveness,” said organizer Ann Webb-Tomblin, whose stage name is Andromeda. “It can be earthy and raw or light and airy.”
Maggie Class, whose stage name is Sayuri (photo: Julie M. Cohen) 
Yagmur Kan and Ann Webb-Tomblin, whose stage name is Andromeda (photo: Julie M. Cohen) 
Caitlin Rajala, whose stage name is Kaylin (photo: Julie M. Cohen) 
Hannah Rohloff and Rebecca Castellano, members of the Raq-ettes (photo: Julie M. Cohen) 
Sarah Horst, whose stage name is Soraya Jamal (photo: Julie M. Cohen) 
Jamie Kimmel, Julia Haney, and Rebekah Heath, members of Sirens of the Bay (photo: Julie M. Cohen) 
Irit Rakefet using finger cymbals (photo: Julie M. Cohen) 
Leeza Kit performing with swords (photos: Julie M. Cohen) 
Magdalene Miller (photo: Julie M. Cohen 
Jennifer Pelland (stage name Zia), Members of instructor Kaylin’s advanced troupe: Karen Kempskie-Aquino (stage name Namid), and Merrie Gardner (photo: Julie M. Cohen) 
Karen Kempskie-Aquino, whose stage name is Namid (photo: Julie M. Cohen) 
Amity Ollis, Victoria Cooney and Brenda Griffin, members of the Raq-ettes (photo: Julie M. Cohen) 
Anya Zolotova performing a Russian skirt dance (photo: Julie M. Cohen)
The women in the 13 different acts — some of whom travelled from as far as Vermont to perform in Newton — wore colorful, sparkly costumes that caught the light with each movement. As they danced to pieces by musicians from Russia, Argentina, Turkey, Egypt, Lebanon, America, and more, the crowd often clapped along to the beat.
Professional dancer Sarah Horst, whose stage name is Soraya Jamal, performed to music by American violinist Lindsey Stirling. Although she usually dances to “traditional” music, she chose something different for the Spring Hafla.
“[The music] made me think of a fairy in the forest,” said Horst, who used fan veils during her improvisational piece. Quickly flicking her wrists, she made the silk material flutter like waves, reflecting the music.
Horst began belly dancing years ago and said, “It’s been a love affair that’s never stopped.”
Webb-Tomblin, who was the 2019 pro champion at Dancing With the Newton Stars, has been belly dancing for 14 years. She said she held the first Newton hafla as her own backyard birthday party.
“I invited my students and other dancers to perform, and we had so much fun doing it that we decided to make it even bigger,” said the former Newton North High School cheerleading captain. “Now [it has] grown to a whole troupe of dancers, some who have been with me for years.”
A dancer since childhood, Webb-Tomblin stopped during college so she could concentrate on her degree. After she saw a belly dancer perform at Cambridge’s Middle East Restaurant and Nightclub in 2009, however, she found a teacher, studied intensively, and started dancing again.
“It’s not just something where you can take a class, put on a costume, and perform. If you really want to be a professional belly dancer, you have to put in the work [and learn about] the music, rhythms, costuming, cultural etiquette, etc.,” she said. “It doesn’t come from just one culture. It’s a multi-cultural art. You must know your audience and always be respectful in your performance choices.”
When asked what she thought was most misunderstood about belly dancing, Webb-Tomblin said, “Firstly, it is an art just like any other form of dance. I think the most common misconception among Westerners is that it’s some form of exotic dancing.”
Belly dancers do not take off their clothes, but like many other forms of dance, it can be sexy.
“The costumes can be sexy, but so can the costumes of figure skaters and ballroom dancers,” she said. In addition, “belly dancers are at family events to get the party started at joyous occasions such as weddings, birthday parties, and baby showers.”
For Webb-Tomblin, the craft is a labor of love.
“Dancing and teaching definitely doesn’t pay the bills. In fact, I’m lucky if I break even most of the time. One costume alone can cost hundreds of dollars,” she said. “I’ve always done it for the love of it, not for the money. Otherwise, it would never work. And I think that’s what defines a true artist.”
