Stories through dance
Local belly dancing troupe fundraises for Bolton Refuge House
Theresa Schneider
Issue date: 4/16/09 Section: Scene
In ancient Asia, belly dancing was a woman's dance used for older women to teach and tell stories to younger women when the men weren't around.
With women ranging from their 60s to 20s, the Eau Claire- based tribal belly dancing troupe, Peanut Butter and Gypsy, is a community of women who use their bodies and tell stories through belly dancing, said Terry Wells, management professor and three-year member of Peanut Butter and Gypsy.
"We have all stages of life," Wells said.
The dance troupe, which normally performs at women's events, will be holding a free benefit performance, raising money for the Bolton Refuge House at 7 p.m., Friday at the Little Grand Theater in honor of Sexual Abuse Awareness Month, sponsored by the Women's and Gender Equity Center.
Wells said the benefit for the Bolton Refuge House is a great cause because everyone has been touched by abuse and knows someone who has been a victim, herself included, she said.
But above all, Wells said the women perform because they love belly dancing.
"We're not doing it for income, we're doing it because we love it," she said.
Peanut Butter and Gypsy performs American Tribal Style belly dancing, mixing traditional and contemporary dance to celebrate life, according to the group's Web site.
The group was started by a student on campus who had interest in the dancing, and now it has evolved. The university now offers six classes. Wells said she thinks belly dancing is popular on campus because it is good for the body, working core muscles that don't normally get attention, and because belly dancing is fun and a stress relief.
"You have to leave your stress behind and focus," she said.
Friday, six performers will incorporate swords, candles, veils, baskets and finger symbols to tell stories, such as "The Huntress" or "The Harvest," Wells said.
The dancers will showcase both choreographed pieces and a technique called lead-follow, where the one dancer freestyles a common set of movements while all the other dancers on stage follow, Wells said, adding that the technique is tricky and requires a lot of practice. In one piece, Wells will even balance a sword on her head and do belly rolls on the floor, she said.
Wells, who has been performing with the group for three years, said audiences have always responded positively to the troupe, liking the unique costumes, colors and dance.
"I think people will be surprised by what they see," she said. "People say, 'I can't believe something like this happens in Eau Claire.'"
With women ranging from their 60s to 20s, the Eau Claire- based tribal belly dancing troupe, Peanut Butter and Gypsy, is a community of women who use their bodies and tell stories through belly dancing, said Terry Wells, management professor and three-year member of Peanut Butter and Gypsy.
"We have all stages of life," Wells said.
The dance troupe, which normally performs at women's events, will be holding a free benefit performance, raising money for the Bolton Refuge House at 7 p.m., Friday at the Little Grand Theater in honor of Sexual Abuse Awareness Month, sponsored by the Women's and Gender Equity Center.
Wells said the benefit for the Bolton Refuge House is a great cause because everyone has been touched by abuse and knows someone who has been a victim, herself included, she said.
But above all, Wells said the women perform because they love belly dancing.
"We're not doing it for income, we're doing it because we love it," she said.
Peanut Butter and Gypsy performs American Tribal Style belly dancing, mixing traditional and contemporary dance to celebrate life, according to the group's Web site.
The group was started by a student on campus who had interest in the dancing, and now it has evolved. The university now offers six classes. Wells said she thinks belly dancing is popular on campus because it is good for the body, working core muscles that don't normally get attention, and because belly dancing is fun and a stress relief.
"You have to leave your stress behind and focus," she said.
Friday, six performers will incorporate swords, candles, veils, baskets and finger symbols to tell stories, such as "The Huntress" or "The Harvest," Wells said.
The dancers will showcase both choreographed pieces and a technique called lead-follow, where the one dancer freestyles a common set of movements while all the other dancers on stage follow, Wells said, adding that the technique is tricky and requires a lot of practice. In one piece, Wells will even balance a sword on her head and do belly rolls on the floor, she said.
Wells, who has been performing with the group for three years, said audiences have always responded positively to the troupe, liking the unique costumes, colors and dance.
"I think people will be surprised by what they see," she said. "People say, 'I can't believe something like this happens in Eau Claire.'"
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