Belly full

Like the Harlem Globetrotters of dancing, the Belly Dance Super Stars have recruited a wide swathe of talent, from former Cirque du Soleil performers to critically-acclaimed ballet veterans, for Bombay Bellywood—an elaborate new stage show shimmying its way to Baton Rouge this month.

Derived from a traditional, pre-Islam Arabic dance called raqs sharqi, belly dancing has been adapted and consumed by cultures the world over, but is most commonly performed only in restaurant and cabaret settings. The Belly Dance Super Stars aim to change that. The troupe’s founding members and its co-creator Miles Copeland—a former manager of The Police—want to put their craft on the same critical level as Riverdance or any number of acclaimed major metropolitan ballet companies.

Bombay Bellywood features nearly a dozen dancers, live drumming and an energetic Indian-flavored soundtrack. Those interested in trying it themselves can pick up the tools of the trade—belly dancing jewelry, clothing, CDs and DVDs—when the Belly Dance Super Stars perform two shows at Manship Theatre on Oct. 11 and 12 at 7:30 p.m. manshiptheatre.com