•                                                                                        

•                                                                               *

** CELEBRATING BELLYDANCERS WORLDWIDE AND  IN THE WASHINGTON, D.C./BALTIMORE AREAS!

I'll try to keep updates on the ongoings of bellydance in the DC area, as well as Baltimore and Northern VA as well as the best of the best in the art form on the web. Come on and all and enjoy!!

--------------------------------------------------------

COMMENTS/INQUIRIES: navel_y2k@yahoo.com

--------------------------------------------------------

*BRANDON'S also on Facebook.com

*BRANDON'S OASIS Group NOW on Facebook

================================================================

      S A H A R A  D A N C E 

NW DC @TENLEYTOWN:

--------------------------------

PAST PERFORMANCES AVAILABLE FOR DIGITAL VIEWING for only $20!!

================================================================

OASIS NEWS & NOTES:Most recent added at the bottom...

===================

========================(updated 1/3/26)===========================

BREAKING NEWS:

Greetings and New Year blessings to one and all. I do hope this update finds many very well in this current age  of political disengagement to what seems to be the basics of common sense nowadays.  If the ongoing conflicts thru Palestine, Gaza and the West Bank haven't been a handful, I woke up this very AM to the news that US has now starting dropping 'em on top of Venezuela, adding to the global quagmire.

Nevertheless, I wanted to just make it known that I am STILL here...still around.

Over the past couple months to wrap up 2025, I was VERY limited in my attempts to update this site that I like to think many folks, especially in the DMV follows, due to  (to put it short and sweet) unexpected toxic chaos at my workplace that forced a dramatic overload of stress and physical weardowns that would drain me almost every day I'd come home from work. Not only was I not in the mood, but not in the positive mindset to properly utilize my prowess to properly update  as well.

Those who know me follows me thru my Facebook page, my FB groups listed above at the top, on InstaGram and TikTok--which is where I did most of my instantaneouness of local and other bellydance infoupdatings, meaning for the 1st time in Oasis history (online since 2001 and since following  the art form since 1991), I had to ''shut it down''.

Add the fact that I had also multiple hospital visits to deal with (not that severe but enough to had to have missed work on 2 occasions also) and the grind fully came to a screeching hault.

An avid visitor of DMVD bellydance events whenever possible, I had to make the painful (for me) decision to miss out on a LOT of bellydance recitals, including the past events celebrating New Years' Eve around the area. Unfortunate but necessary.

All is ''almost better'', but by no means, am I ready to ramp up to where I'd want to be at, hopefully more so by this time next weekend. A lot of things in bellydance has changed since I last had a chance to just simply sit and post/update with a focus, and hope to play catch up ASAP.

Until then, please take the time to follow me on other platforms to keep up with local and national happenings. I hope to (finally) get to updating the calendar event section before the end of the weekend.

Let's all make 2026 a yeat where we all persevere and positively advance in the art form, in our personal lives and in humanity, who could really need it the most. Blessings to one and all in advance...

B.

=======================(updated  1/14/26)===========================

*CRYSTAL SILMI STILL MARCHES ON

The DC vegan and Palestinian-American  furmommy bellydance dynamo gets congratulatory zaghareets as she collaborated a part in a doc called ''I Am Not Afraid'', which is raising funds to support the UNRWA and has actually passed Round 1 at the Cannes Film Festival in France. The effort has also won many accolades along the way in its journeys and wishes it and her well in the efoorts to keep thise in Gaza, the West Bank and Palestine as a whole, relevant in their defense...

*UH-OH, WHAT HAPPENED HERE, BALTIMORE??

As of this posting, for reasons unknown, Cazbar's Baltimore bellydance schedule has been taken down, with no updates. I have yet to contact them for a deswcription, or when it might return....until then, their central Columbia central mecca localestill has weekend belly dancing, and will host their 1st ever Cazbar Hafla (hosted and organized by Crystal Silmi) on 2/1st from 5-8pm also...

*LAYALI EXPANDING BELLYDANCE...SORT OF...

The good news, if you live not far from Fairfax, is if you're a lover of weeknight nightlife, Layali Restaurant is becoming an ideal destination with great food and events. If you're a bellydancer, it can be very iffy.  Obviously, their heydays are on FRI and SAT nights (usually around 1030pm, with some 2x shows). Now on WED nights, but not every one, they're might be a bellydancer at 9-930ish.  But even as recent as this past MON (Patricia) and last night (Sophianna), a bellydance show has been offered, also around 9pm. So the best bet is to follow their Instagram page to keep an update on when a bellydancer might show up to perform going forward,  A nice sign that there's a want for such, and will set a standard for other DMVD restaurants to consider more ''school night'' bellydance shows in 2026.....

*ZOE JAKES AND FRIENDS ARE COMING TO DC

The 930 Club will once again grace the presence of Beats Antique on 1/22nd , festuring iconic tribal fusion dynamo Zoe Jakes (CA), enjoying their current and one of the most critically-acclaimed tours in reecnt memory ($40+fees thru Ticketmaster or at the 930 Box Office). A band that transcends musical talents and fused with Zoe's bellydance skillset remains a great nightly escape from the everyday grind. On the east coast section of this tour, including on their DC stop will be 3rd Street BD phenom JoJo Abel (PA-Pittsburgh) selected to infuse her liquid abdominal bliss with the band. Due to my continuingly ''awkward'' (yep) work grind, I may or may not be able to go, but nevertheless it's a great opp for the rest of you to do so, you won't regret it...

*VERA GOES BACK TO SOLO SHOWS ON WEEKENDS

The Ivy City gem, which also has lavish and energetic weeknight gatherings that can be seen on their dance schedule, for the rest of the winter season to have only an afternoon bellydance show (around 130-140pmish). Most likely when the warmer months roll around, we'll see the 2nd show be re-added (around 330ish) back to the ''always a party every second'' event that was nominated for many awards last year. In an era where numerous restaurants around the DC area are shutting down doors, Vera continues its momentum and going as strong as ever, thriving in a still developing NE area of the city still years from seeing its full redevelopment potential. A continued good thing, and they have added new menu items to their excellent food offerings... Rhia (DC), who handls the monthly dance oragnizing, when available, passes on the dancers when I'm able to get that and will try to put that up more in 2026, as well as attend more of these awesome events, that alos blends Hispanic and Latina dance shows that has the whole joint-a-jumping all day long including ya ride home...

*A BRAND NEW PRESENCE PROMISES TO ENERGIZE 2026 FOR THE ART FORM

She's one of the most powerful bellydancers you may have never heard of...unless you follow her page or her mentor, the icon that is Sadie (CO).

Now entering her sophomoric year of bellydance, enjoying every challenge and new mastering move along the way Miss Dytto (FL), a pioneering breakdance and finger tutting icon for many years continues her path of fusion bellydance, a now staple at the NW Villa Fest bellydance festival in the Pacific NW, and hopefully, will soon go on her own to become as dynamic a star in bellydance as she (still is) in the beakdance community.

Performing on stage in 2025 there for the 1st time ever, she recieved an unconsciously positive reception, startling even her. And for good measure for this year, she is a workshop  teacher as well. Of course, one of her workshops is ''tutting for bellydancers''. The fest is for 4/10-12 in the Seattle metro area and is a must attend (Zoe Jakes will also be there, too). Fingers crossed that this generational sensation will find its way across the country, if not the globe, and make DC area/East coast appearances to unveil a new side of her that she's willing to let out...all in due time...

*SO, HOW AM I DOING? :)~~~

For what its worth, it's still been an ongoing struggle to get back to where I ''want'' to be, but doing my daily dilligence to just maintain a sense of normalcy before trying to ''rev back up'' to attend my normal amounts of bellydance happenings, including on here. Hell, I finished a 13-hour shift at my job just last night, and as I'm typing, I still haven't got undressed. Went to sleep still work worn. Still overworked, but pacing myself as need be dealing with situations above my ead and no longer give a damn.

Better updates by me will normally be passed upon my Facebook: Bellydance Bation group and updatings on my Instagram page  to try and keep up with both area and global bellydance news. But any positive progress going forward is NEVER a bad thing, at least I have avoided the ''superflu'' going around  and has had no setbackswith my cranky ass knees, lol. Let's see if we can keep it that way....