The UMass Belly Dance Club is a non-audition dance group open to any undergraduate student regardless of prior dance experience. UBDC's mission on campus is to make the art of bellydance accessible to students while promoting body positivity and breaking stereotypes. Membership is open to all genders, ages and backgrounds. Every year, UBDC hosts its annual Belly Dance Festival, which is an all-day event featuring free workshops with world-famous bellydancer Amar Gamal, a bazaar with student vendors from other organizations and RSOs, and a performance showcasing bellydance troupes from colleges and universities all over the Northeast. UBDC also works hard to make financial aid available to help cover the cost of costumes to make sure that no one is ever excluded from UBDC because they are unable to afford it. Being one of the larger dance RSOs with membership currently in the 40s and often higher, donations go a long way in making UBDC accessible and keeping the festival an annual success.
We are highly involved with community service initiatives such as volunteering and teaching belly dance to Northampton elementary school, teaching free belly dance workshops, performing for fundraising events, and most recently, raising funds to donate to Bowker Auditorium renovations through co-hosting a mixed movement arts show in March entitled The MoveMeant.
Thank you for supporting our RSO! Shimmies!