Shimmy Mob Signups in January - March!

 One of my favorite events of the year is Shimmy Mob, a world-wide charity flashmob of bellydance, and the only one of its kind.  What is Shimmy Mob?  Shimmy Mob raises awareness about domestic abuse, and raises funds for shelters. Participants are from Australia, to Canada, to Europe, the Philippines to the USA.  Literally all over the world.

Visit the website and register/make an account, choose a city to dance in (there's also an option for the "virtual team" this year), and pay the $36 (plus $7.95 shipping & handling), and you are in.  Everyone is welcome, too, you don't need dance experience.  I am Team Leader for West Covina, CA, where I teach my classes.  The money goes to support victims of domestic abuse.  The point of the event is to raise awareness of domestic abuse in a fun, accessible way, through a bellydance flash mob.

 For a small registration fee, which is less than the cost of a bellydance workshop, you get a t-shirt, access to online dances which you learn (via online tutorials), plus free rehearsals/dance lessons with your team leader (such as me), bonus dances, and the opportunity to perform the dances.  There are officially two events per year (May and September), but each team can have as many events as they want after the main event, which is always the first weekend of May, on World Bellydance Day.  Last year was the 10th anniversary of Shimmy Mob, and we got a total of 9 dances to learn throughout the year!  There is always one official choreography plus a finale dance, and then you get "bonus" dances just for being a paid participant.  You may perform the dances as long as you give choreography and music credit at any event after that first May event.  For the official May event, you have to wear the Shimmy Mob t-shirt and black bottoms (there is a dress code), but for the bonus dances you may wear whatever you want.  

The September event has an optional dance, and is during "Emotional Abuse Awareness" month.  Your team may choose to do an event for this time and purpose as well.

Last year I had the pleasure of dancing with international new friends I met through online rehearsals.  I danced with a team in Canada, and then I learned a bonus Shimmy Mob dance, choreographed by Caliana, who taught us online, she is Team Leader in Santa Cruz, CA.  

Through online rehearsals, I performed the September Shimmy Mob event (called EASA, emotional abuse signs awareness) with Caliana from Santa Cruz, and dancers from Spokane, led by Yalayna, as well as the Knoxville team led by Sandy, and other Shimmy Mob teams.  We liked dancing together so much, we formed an online bellydance troupe, the Shimmy Sirens of Zoom.  This troupe also includes Team Leaders Katerina from Missouri, and myself, Team Leader from West Covina, CA.

Want to join Shimmy Mob?  If you are one of my local students, you can join my Team!  Sign up (registration is open until March 31) at www.ShimmyMob.com