Muses were once known as the goddesses of the arts. They existed simply to inspire. And Nicole Richardson — draped in beads and gothic lace, a scimitar perched on her head — leads a troupe of ...

CHICO — Devin “Kaira” McBain was still learning to walk when she started belly dancing in her mother’s footsteps. Now a mother and professional dancer and teacher herself, McBain is also a Belly Dance ...

SEQUIM — Laura Samperi-Ferdig has been studying belly dance since she was 8 and teaching since she was 16. “Belly dance is one of the oldest known art forms,” she said. “Its true name is Raks Sharki ...

A flyer and a simple “Do you like good music?” from a promoter led to an obsession. At the time, Rebecca Williams was 17 or 18 and went to a concert for a band she had never heard of, Beats Antique.

Somewhere between the sway of the hips and the pulse of the music, belly dance becomes more than movement — it turns into a ...