Who We Are
Originally a dance group at Pratt Institute founded in 2007, Bastet become a troupe when Olga El, Elisabeth Wilhelm, and Cherie Christensen performed together in NYC in summer 2008. In summer 2009, two talented dancers, Lasha Nazira and Michelle Kathleen Villavicencio, joined Bastet.
Bastet takes inspiration from the dances of the Middle East, Africa, and India in order to create unique choreography and to convey stories through dance. The dancers come from a variety of belly dance traditions including folkloric, tribal fusion, and cabaret and draw from other movement forms such as yoga, martial arts, hip hop and bollywood.
Where We Perform
Bastet regularly collaborates with musicians and bands throughout New York City in the genres of rock, soul, electronica, Middle Eastern and African music. Members of Bastet also collaborate with the Afro-Latin folkloric dance company, Estampas Negras; Indian dance fusion company, Naach Sensation; theatre-based, experimental dance company, Desert Sin; and urban-inspired cabaret act, Billi Shakes.
Bastet performs in the most unusual of venues--subway stations and rock concerts--along with trendy lounges and restaraunts and parties around NYC. Bastet's dancers have performed at the Lafayette Grill, Le Poisson Rouge, the Golden Festival, Arabian Nights, Deity, the Katra Lounge, the Gelato! Art Salon, Dance Africa, D'jam at Je'Bon, a NYC cruise boat and many other NYC-based events and venues. Bastet has also collaborated with musicians and visual artists to bring belly dance to a wider variety of audiences.
Our Passion for Good
Bastet also regularly hosts events called Belly Dance for Change (BDFC), which brings together dancers from all around the city to raise money for charitable causes at least once a month. All of Bastet's dancers have been or are involved in a variety of causes including women's and maternal health, HIV/AIDS, malaria, international justice, development, and cultural preservation. We believe that supporting great causes through the beautiful, vivacious medium of belly dance is a great way for us to use our talents to help others and for people to enjoy a great show.
Hire Us
We are available for special occasions, holiday parties, bat and bar mitzvahs, bachelorette parties, sweet sixteens. You can book us as a group, as solo or duet dancers, all for a reasonable price. Our shows are family friendly, and we don't dance for male-only audiences. Our specialties are American Cabaret and American Fusion dance styles, and our audiences, particularly kids, love us when we dance with our Isis wings, swords, and veils especially. We need at least 72 hours notice but we are willing to travel anywhere within the five boroughs of New York City.
Contact Us
Please email us at bastetbellydance@gmail.com. We usually respond within a few hours.
friend us
follow us
watch us
see us