Gary Moskowitz
Not once this weekend did Trish Vaughn think about the "daily grind"
of her job as an administrative assistant for a mortgage company in
Riverside.
Instead, Vaughn spent her weekend belly-dancing in front of
thousands of people at the Glendale Civic Auditorium, 1401 N.
Verdugo Road, during the Cairo Carnivale dance festival. Vaughn is a
member of the Riverside- based dance group, Desert Mirage.
About 550 people celebrated Middle Eastern and Mediterranean music
and culture through cabaret and folkloric dance performances on two
stages at the event.
"I started doing this about three years ago, really just for a
chance to be with a group of other girls," said Vaughn, 35. "I've
always loved Middle Eastern music, and I love turning people on to
it. You can see it in people's eyes, that they are enjoying it and
wanting to do it themselves. I hope we can inspire other people to
try it and not be scared. It's a way to feel free, and to get out of
the daily grind a little bit."
The Middle Eastern Culture and Dance Assn. hosted the event, which
brought about 3,500 people to the auditorium Saturday and Sunday,
officials said.
Walking through both floors of the Cairo Carnivale was like
meandering through an open-air market. About 80 vendors set up
colorful booths, selling books on the fashion trends and philosophies
of belly- dancing, necklaces, beads, tapestries, chiffon veils,
dresses and skirts and CDs of belly-dancing music described as "music
for your hips."
Visitors could get temporary henna tattoos and eat grape leaves
stuffed with tabbouleh and rice, chicken kebabs and baklava. The
event is designed to highlight Armenian, Greek, Indian, Lebanese,
Moroccan and North African music and cultures.
"A few years ago, I wanted to take an astronomy class that was
full, and the only class I could find that was open was a
belly-dancing class, so I took it," said Deborah Symons, who
performed Saturday with the Pasadena-based group Sahira. "From the
first class, I was hooked. Now, I perform once or twice a month. This
is my hobby away from home. I'm a teacher in Los Angeles Unified
[School District], and my kids would be so surprised to see me here."
The event is in its 27th year, and has been at the Glendale Civic
Auditorium for the past three years. Frank Soranno, who's been
attending the event for 15 years, described the event as "good
entertainment."
"I enjoy the different dance styles," Soranno said. "It's not
hootchie cootchie, negative stuff at all. These girls work hard. It's
an art form."
