Belly dancing uptown

At Pacha at the Sunset Club on Thursday, there were belly dancers, hookahs and a guy singing in a Middle Eastern language.

The weekly international party has been building a strong following. Last week’s party drew a diverse crowd.
The highlight was bellydancing. Three women did their thing while men tossed dollar bills onto the floor in front of them. A couple of overly enthusiastic men tried to dance with the belly dancers.

Middle Eastern-themed parties come and go here. Lava had bellydancers and hookahs on Wednesdays before the lounge changed ownership. Now there’s Pacha at Sunset, and the Forum has Cultural Fusions (also on Thursdays). It features belly dancers, live drummers, fire dancing, hookahs and extreme yoga.

The Forum also hosts occasional Greek nights, and every last Friday of the month is Greek night at Greek Isles restaurant in Southend, where a DJ spins modern Greek dance music.