Where: Corpus Christi Caller Times
When: August 27th 2004

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Belly dancers to entertain Saturday
One troupe's members include A&M-CC prof, fan of the film 'The Ten Commandments'

By John Powell Metz, Caller-Times
August 27, 2004

These days in the Middle East, some uneducated women belly dance on the streets to support themselves. With nowhere else to keep their earnings, the dancers sew jewelry and coins to their clothes.

These days in the Coastal Bend, some educated women belly dance in museums to educate and entertain. The Empress of the Sands is one such troupe that participates regularly in haflas, or get-togethers.

"I started belly dancing many, many years ago when I was in California," said Lillian Waldbeser, a biology professor at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. "I enjoy the music, the rhythm and especially the movement."

HAFLA AT THE MUSEUM
When: 3 to 4 p.m. Saturday
Where: Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History,
1900 N. Chaparral St.
Cost: Free
Info: 986-0005

Waldbeser recently attended a wedding at which she performed a Dance of Four Veils, which entails giving a veil to an audience member of the opposite sex. She gave a veil to a young teenager, much to his delight and the delight of his mother. Turns out he'd always wanted to dance with a belly dancer like the ones he'd seen on television.

"So that made me very happy, that I have brought joy to somebody through my dancing," Waldbeser said.

In addition to keeping Waldbeser fit and healthy, belly dancing has intellectual benefits, too.

"I do it to help my creativity. Although I'm a scientist and don't create my results, I have to be somewhat creative as to what type of experiments I should perform," she said.

Kimberley Bell, director of Belly Dance International and head of Waldbeser's troupe, caught the belly dancing bug as a young girl the first time she saw the film "The Ten Commandments."

Bell said the group's costumes come from Egypt or are hand-made, either from scratch or by altering and decorating ball gowns. The troupe performs regularly and explains their props, discusses costuming and offers a bit of history.

Contact John Powell Metz at 886-3763 or at metzj@caller.com