Belly Dance at Le Rendez-vous

Robert Abrams
January 29, 2006

Sometimes you can pass by a place countless times and not know there is dancing inside. That is clearly the case with Le Rendez-vous (739 Eighth Avenue, NY, NY 10036, between 46 and 47th streets, 212-265-2233), a middle eastern restaurant. I have passed it many times on the way to either Kevin St. James, which sometimes has West Coast Swing, and Swing 46. I was there for a birthday party of a cousin/Mozart's Birthday/Chinese New Year. It was also a performance celebration. My cousin, a talented countertenor opera singer, had just performed as Orfeo in the One World Symphony's semi-staged concert. We danced some Hustle and some freestyle, but that was just the beginning. It turns out that Le Rendez-vous has a resident belly dancer named Christa. Either she just happened to be there, or someone had arranged for her to perform. Either way, she put on a passionate and energetic show in honor of my cousin Jeff. She drew many people into the dance with the sort of sensual come-on you expect with belly dancing, but she also knew how to set boundaries. She would draw you in, dance with you, and then politely let you know your time was up. I was told that Le Rendez-vous normally has belly dancing around 1 am every Friday and Saturday night. If it is anything like Christa's performance, it would be worth staying up for.

Christa and Jeff's Mother
Photo courtesy of Robert Abrams

---

Jeff's Mother and Christa
Photo courtesy of Robert Abrams

---

Table dancing
Photo courtesy of Robert Abrams

---

Christa and a friend of Jeff's, Justin
Photo courtesy of Robert Abrams

---

Flexible back
Photo courtesy of Robert Abrams

---

Christa and Jeff
Photo courtesy of Robert Abrams

---

Jeff puts his dramatic abilities to good use
Photo courtesy of Robert Abrams

---

Two flexible backs
Photo courtesy of Robert Abrams

---

Peter, Friend of Jeff's and Christa
Photo courtesy of Robert Abrams

---

Christa and Maggie, Friend of Jeff's
Photo courtesy of Robert Abrams

---

Christa and Jeff
Photo courtesy of Robert Abrams

---

Christa and Jeff
Photo courtesy of Robert Abrams

---

Chair dancing
Photo courtesy of Robert Abrams

---

Christa
Photo courtesy of Robert Abrams

---