There’s a point every year where you can just feel the shift in the studio.
Music playing a little louder. People staying after class a little to run sections again. Costumes laid out in corners. That mix of excitement and nerves that builds right before something big.
That’s where we are right now.
Under a Desert Moon is this Saturday, April 25.
For a lot of our dancers, this show is a milestone. Not just because it’s on a big stage, but because of everything that leads up to it. Months of practicing, figuring things out, getting stuck, getting better, and slowly seeing a piece come together.
What ends up on stage isn’t just choreography – it’s all of that.
Every piece you’ll see has been shaped by students and their teacher. There’s structure, yes – but there’s also interpretation, personality, and a lot of care in how the movement is carried.
One of our teachers, Leilah Moon, put it really well:
“UDM always feels like an annual culmination of the best Sahara Dance has to offer. Every piece is a collaboration between the students and teacher/choreographer and I’m proud of the dedication my students always put into sharing the living cultural legacy of raqs sharqi and the folk dances of Egypt, The Levant, and beyond.”
That idea of a living cultural legacy really matters to us.
These dances don’t exist in isolation – they come from real places, histories, and communities. Being able to learn them, practice them, and share them is something we don’t take lightly.
At the same time, this show isn’t meant to feel distant or formal.
This year feels especially meaningful as Under a Desert Moon turns 21, and we’re leaning into that – making it more celebratory, a little more playful, and full of those moments that bring people together. Expect a bubbly, fun-filled atmosphere where the line between performer and audience softens.
There are moments where you won’t just be watching – you’ll be part of it.
We’ll have a dabke line moving through the audience, live drumming you can actually feel, and an open invitation to join us on stage for a simple, joyful piece (Zeina, from our Beginner 1 class). At its core, this is what dance is about – connection.
Some of the most meaningful moments of the night are the ones where you can see someone step into something new, take a breath, and go for it anyway.
One of the things we see again and again is how performance becomes a turning point for dancers. Sahara Dance Founder, Rachel Brookmire put it best:
“For a lot of people, that sense of confidence and blossoming – and the changes they experience in their own bodies and lives through belly dance – really come into focus through the experience of performance.”
That’s the part we hope you leave remembering.
If you’ve been thinking about coming, we’d love to have you there.
Under a Desert Moon
Saturday, April 25
3:00 PM & 6:00 PM
American University Greenberg Theater
Purchase tickets for the 3:00 PM show
Purchase tickets for the 6:00 PM show
If you do come, your ticket includes a free Intro to Belly Dance workshop on May 3, which you can enjoy yourself or pass along to a friend who’s been curious about trying belly dance.
Hope to see you there!