Bellingham Belly Dance Parties "Haflas"

For any questions or to get involved email Jessica at bellyhamdance@gmail.com.

We hope to see you there!

October 23rd, 2026

6:00 - 8:00pm

At 6:30 pm the performances will start.

Located at The Rome Grange

2821 Mt. Baker Hwy, Bellingham, WA 98226

Join Us for a Spooktacular Halloween Hafla!

Hafla is an Arabic word that means celebration, gathering, or party. In the belly dance community, a hafla is a welcoming event where students and professional dancers come together to perform, connect, and celebrate the art of dance in a relaxed and supportive atmosphere. Whether you're debuting a new choreography or simply dancing for the joy of it, a hafla is the perfect place to share your passion.

For this special event, Hafla meets Halloween! Enjoy an evening of theatrical belly dance performances inspired by the magic, mystery, and mischief of the spooky season. Expect hauntingly beautiful costumes, creative choreography, and plenty of Halloween fun!

Everyone is welcome! This is a family-friendly, by-donation event that is open to all.

We are excited to welcome our guest performer, Kathleen Houseman, a former Bellingham resident. We’re thrilled to have her back and look forward to sharing this special event with her!

If you're not able to make a donation, please join us anyway—we'd love to have you there. Your presence is what makes our community special. Donations help cover the cost of the venue rental and support the new sound system purchased for these community events.

For the comfort and safety of all attendees, this is an alcohol- and drug-free event.

The Rome Grange is a wheelchair-accessible venue.

Come celebrate the season, cheer on our dancers, and enjoy an evening of community, creativity, and a little Halloween magic. We can't wait to see you there!

MORE DETAILS FOR VENDERS & PERFORMERS

Teachers: Please bring flyers or handouts about your classes, workshops, and upcoming events to share with attendees.

Vendor tables are available for selling costumes, jewelry, dancewear, and other belly dance-related items for $10-25 per table size dependant. Space is limited, so reserve your table early! Table fees help offset the cost of the venue rental and event insurance.

If you are interested in VENDING, please CLICK HERE for the form.

If you are interested in PERFORMING, please CLICK HERE for the form.

Performer Information

Please submit one performance form for each song.

To give as many dancers as possible the opportunity to perform and to allow for a smooth line-up, each dancer may perform in a maximum of two sets. Only 1 solo per person is allowed for this event.

Performance time limits.

Solo/Duet: 5 minutes set Maximum
Group: 8 Minute set Maximum

Submitted Sets that go over the time limit will not be accepted.

As a thank-you for performing, your performance will be recorded at no charge, and a video will be emailed to you a few weeks after the event.

We'll also have several fun photo opportunities set up both inside and outside the venue, so arrive early if you'd like to take advantage of them! We hope to have a professional photographer at the event as well. If you know a photographer who would be interested in volunteering or donating their time, please have them get in touch with us.

The deadline for performer and vendor submissions is October 9, 2026.

Performance space is limited, so we encourage you to register early to reserve your spot. If you don't have all of your performance details yet, simply enter "To Be Determined" on the registration form and update us later.

Please keep all music, costumes, and performances family-friendly.

Venue reminder: Glitter is not permitted. Sparkly makeup that stays on your skin is perfectly fine.

And don't worry—there's plenty of parking available!

Below are some photos of our performance space & stage dimensions.

Stage & Venue Information

The stage is covered with low-profile carpet and measures approximately 13 feet deep. It is 15 feet wide at the front and narrows to 12 feet wide at the back, creating a trapezoid shape.

The ceiling height is approximately 8½ feet over most of the stage and tapers to 6 feet at the very back. If your performance includes tall props, large wings, or other elevated elements, please keep this in mind when planning your choreography.

If your group is especially large, there are a couple of staging options. Some dancers can perform on the stage while others perform on the floor in front of it, or the entire group can perform on the main floor. If you anticipate needing either of these setups, please let us know before the event so we can arrange the seating accordingly. Whenever possible, we'd like to keep performances on the stage to provide the best lighting, videography, and overall presentation.

There are two backstage wings for entering and exiting the stage. Please note that stage right is the easier entrance point, as it connects directly to a hallway. Keep this in mind when planning your entrances, exits, and overall choreography.

Performers will also have access to a changing area and restroom located behind the stage.

The venue photos below show the stage with a podium and stools, but those will be removed for the event. We'll also be transforming the space with Halloween decorations to create a fun, spooky atmosphere!

If you have festive decorations you'd be willing to lend for the event, we'd love to hear from you.

Photo Gallery: The images below scroll horizontally—click the arrow on the right to see more.