Hip help

Belly dancing, pizza and Middle Way House might not seem related, but psychologist Margaret Squires and others will bring these things together for a benefit this weekend. \nFrom 6 to 9 p.m. Sunday, Max’s Place will host an evening of belly dancing, organized by Squires – an amateur belly dancer herself – to benefit Middle Way House. There is no cover charge, but donations are encouraged.\n“Belly dancing happens to be one of my hobbies, and just dancing in general is lots of fun,” Squires said. “If you have a dance floor and the music’s good, people can get up and dance.”\nThis will be the third year the event has taken place, and Susan Lyons, coordinator of special events and communication for Middle Way House, said it’s something people look forward to.\n“Everyone tells me it’s so much fun,” Lyons said. “People can come in and have a good time for a good cause.”\nSquires has arranged for the Salaam music ensemble to play while five belly dance acts perform.\n“We play a variety of traditional styles from around the Middle East,” said Salaam percussionist Tim Moore, who described the event as a “hasla,” an Arabic word that “basically means ‘party.’” he said. \nSalaam leader Dena El Saffar said belly dance is largely about the power of femininity.\n“It’s not about objectification, it’s about empowerment,” she said.\nEl Saffar said she hopes the music will help create a fun, relaxed environment.\n“It has a real depth to it, and it can have really infectious rhythms, great for dancing,” she said. “The idea is to create an atmosphere where people can dance all night.”\nSalaam will also sell its CDs at the event.\n“We always donate some percentage for any CD sales to the Middle Way House,” El Saffar said.\nThe Different Drummer Belly Dancers, founded and directed by Margaret Lion, will perform at the event, as will its student troupe, Calypso’s Pearls. Donna Barbrick, who is also known as Donna Carlton, of International Dance Discovery, will also dance, followed by the Dark Side Tribal dance troupe and the Tribalistas, a group of Dark Side students. Dark Side prides itself on its unique fusion-style belly dance and costume, drawing elements of Native American dance as well as other cultures.\nProfessionals and amateurs alike can share the music and dance at the event.\n“Everybody’s invited to get up and dance,” Squires said. “It’s going to be a very fun evening and hopefully we’ll raise lots of money for Middle Way House.” \nLyons said the free admission was a drawing factor for many people – if they’re giving money, it’s because they want to.\n“There’s no admission, it’s all donations, which is a really nice idea,” Lyons said, adding that last year, the event brought in about $350. “The money that we raise from this will benefit our crisis line.”\nSquires agreed that presenting the option without forcing a contribution is important. \n“People can give as much or as little feels right to them,” Squires said, adding that as a local psychologist, she understands how important organizations like Middle Way are to a community. “They’re our reason for doing this.”