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Halloween-Themed Belly Dancing Event Saturday At Bridgeport's The Orphanage

By Joe Ward | October 12, 2017 6:00am | Updated on October 12, 2017 6:37am
 The Glint will host a
The Glint will host a "Seven Deadly Sins" themed performance in Bridgeport Saturday, the group's last show of the year.
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Provided/Mae Phillips

BRIDGEPORT — A special belly dance performance at The Orphanage Saturday will help get you in the Halloween spirit.

The Glint, one of Chicago's only belly dance performance companies, will host its last show of the year Saturday at The Orphanage, the performance venue within First Lutheran Church of the Trinity, 641 W. 31st St.

This performance will have a "Seven Deadly Sins" theme, and unlike most belly dance shows, each act will be longform (about 8-16 minutes, compared to the typical 2-3 minutes) and will focus on storytelling, said Mae Phillips, founder of The Glint and director of the show.

"I wanted to show the young-uns how we used to do it back in the day, when each dance performance had a start, middle and end, and give them the space to explore dance through story telling," Phillips said of the show.

The Glint's production is unusual in other ways, too. For one, it takes belly dancing out of the familiar restaurant or hookah lounge setting, making it more of an artistic performance. Plus, each of the performers will split the night's proceeds, which Phillips said was unusual for amateur belly dance performers.

"I created the Glint to have a place for people to perform, get paid and sort of elevate it in Chicago," she said.

The Glint has had most of its shows at the Bridgeport theater since 2014, and it produces five shows a year, Phillips said. Next year, the company has big plans to celebrate its 10th anniversary putting on belly dance performances in Chicago.

Doors will open 9 p.m. with the show starting at 10 p.m., Phillips said. Tickets will cost $15, and cash and cards are accepted. There will be seating, but guests are encouraged to bring pillows and blankets to sit on, as well as a cooler for beverages, Phillips said.

For more on the event, click here.