Halla Back, Y’all

Belly dancing is a beautiful and challenging art form, but let’s face it — the name just ain’t right. All belly dance, from traditional family-friendly folk to nightclub incarnations, uses almost every part of the body. It’s demanding to say the least, and it’s coming to the Grapevine Convention Center. You don’t have to know a thing about how to belly dance (or you can be a pro) to come celebrate, learn a move or two and, of course, sharpen your zill skills (finger cymbals, y’all). And if you are going to do all that, Yaa Halla, Y’All is the way to go. It’s four days of non-stop dance, drumming and choreography from some of the best hip shakers around. (Some of them even come from Hollywood!) The fun kicks off at 8 a.m. Thursday and runs strong until 6 p.m., when you can finally take a jingly-scarfed load off and watch the pros hip up the stage with competitions and performances. And you don’t want to miss that so head to the Grapevine Convention Center Thursday through the Sunday for Yaa Halla, Y’all: A Gathering of the Stars. A weekend pass costs $395, but there are tons of a la carte options, so visit isisandthestardancers.com for pricing and details.

Editors’ note: The original version of this preview caused quite an understandable ruckus. Please consider this rewrite as both a correction and a peace offering.
Aug. 18-21, 2011