Belly Dance Nights at Cairo Cafe

May Dancer Schedule

2010-05-06T11:23:00.000-07:00

Hey all,

I dont have access to update the side bar and realized that it hasn't been updated with the new schedule yet so, I'll just post it here :)

Fri and Sat. May 7, 8 - Nazaneen (visiting from Nashville, TN)
Fri and Sat. May 14, 15 - Lisa (visiting from Asheville, NC)
Fri. May 21 - Ma'lin (visting from Chattanooga, TN)
Sat. May 22 - Anna
Fri. May 28 - Linda (visiting from Nashville, TN)
Sat. May 29th - Jessica :)

See you on the 29th!

Video of me dancing last Friday!

2010-04-11T10:22:00.001-07:00

One of my great friends came out to watch me dance at the Mirage last Friday and took some videos of one of my sets. Here's a link if you're interested in seeing a taste of the fun that we have here at the Mirage :) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uNPAD4GAbI

I'm back again May 1st! Hope to see you all there!

Jess

2010-04-08T11:36:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been awhile since I've posted here... mostly because of a lack of pictures to post... but the dancers of Mirage are still partying every weekend... if you've not been in awhile drop in and join the party this weekend!!! Meanwhile, here are a few pics from last week...

Thanks to everyone that came out...

Can't wait to see you guys next time!!!

Peace&Blessings,
Rach~

WOW what a party!

2010-01-29T15:39:00.000-08:00

I had such a great time at Mirage this past Saturday and there was such a great party going on! We had visitors from all over the world (Greece, Turkey, Morocco, India, Syria and many more) as well as some Mirage favorites (Tony, Sam, Alexia and Stan to name a few!)all dancing and having a great time together.

And some new friends from Chattanooga :)

We also had some birthday and wedding anniversaries to celebrate!

I also got to try out a new prop (fan veil) and wore 2 new costumes (thanks to a great friends Heather for sewing my new endless wave pants and turkish vest, they turned out so well!). Thanks for partying with me see you again on the Feb, 5th.

- Jess

Friday Night Party at Cairo Cafe!!

2010-01-23T07:51:00.000-08:00

Friday was one of the most fun nights I've ever had at the Mirage!! Tony and Sam were there helping celebrate the birthday girl's big night.
Mehtap is a lovely dancer who's always ready to get the party going!

Sally was there looking fabulous and doing what she does best!

Kelley and Julia know what to do when they get out on the dance floor.

Thanks for all the great pictures, Sam, but especially for just being there!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

2009-12-24T11:41:00.000-08:00

Mirage/Cairo Cafe will be OPEN Christmas Night!!! Should be a great time come down & party with me... See you then! Peace&Blessing, Rachel~

My First 2 Nights at Mirage!

2009-12-14T10:04:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone,

I'd like to say a big hello to everyone as the newest dancer at the Mirage! My name is Jessica (I go by Jess) and i've been bellydancing for about 2 years now. I started dancing in Athens, TN with the wonderful Theresa Phillips and then when I moved to Knoxville last December, began taking classes with Sally (Sabylla) and have been dancing with her and all the beautiful BellaBelly dancers for the past year. I have also recently been taking a few classes with Alexia and you'll be able catch me performing in her show this April :) Needless to say I have fallen in love with bellydance and am very passionate about learning everything about it from all these wonderful instructors.

I had my first 2 nights at the Mirage the past 2 fridays and wow, have I been having a great time or what! The first night I had the awesome support of a big group of some of my best friends in Knoxville that came out to cheer me on! The restaurant was absolutely packed and I think everyone had a great time. This past Friday was a little bit slower but I still had some great audience members to dance with and I had a blast.

I've been told that my dance style is very energetic and that I have a way of energizing the whole place so, I'd love for you to come down and share some of the energy with me. I'll be back on January 8th and I hope to see you all there!

And thanks Sam for all the beautiful pictures!
-Jess :)

I'll Miss Everyone!

2009-12-14T09:34:00.000-08:00

Hi there! Just letting everyone know I'm taking some time off from Mirage, and I'll miss everyone!

Take care! Sonja

Happy Halloween and Happy Birthday AL!

2009-11-01T13:44:00.000-08:00

Al and Leyla came down and celebrated Al's birthday at Mirage on Halloween! Leyla was a GORGEOUS witch (here we are...two fellow witches!)

We had a blast, I always love to see them. To make things even better, UT won!

We were a bit slow at first, but once the game let out, things picked up, and everyone got into the Halloween Spirit!

I made an appearance as a bellydancing kitty (Meeee-ooow!!).

See you in November!

Oh, What A Night!!

2009-10-17T08:11:00.000-07:00

I had a blast last night!!! Sam is such an amazing catalyst for getting people in the mood to party, not to mention he's a gifted photographer as you can see from all these great photos.

It's so good to have him back at the Cairo Cafe! And his friends are just as fun and they're really nice folks.

Rachel and Alexia made a surprise visit looking awefully cute and sexy in their cat costumes.

This birthday girl had a busy night of boogying with her friends. Everyone was so much fun and I hope to see you all back soon! : )

UT Won, Fall is here, Sam is Back!

2009-10-11T07:20:00.000-07:00

Last night was a blast since UT won and we had a lot of happy people out and about! Two birthdays rocked the house, and I was thrilled that my friend Sam is back from his holiday in Syria! He brought me a gorgeous pink galabeya and a really exquisite copper galabeya. Sam, thank you!!

My friend & dance partner Kimberly came by with her husband, which made my night. It's always fun to have friends come and join me on the dance floor.

I'm gonna be having fun at Boo at the Zoo next week, but our other fantastic dancers will be hitting the floor here at Mirage.

I'll see everyone on Halloween.....come ready for a "howling" good time!!!

Sonja

Fiery Football Weekends at Mirage!

2009-09-20T16:35:00.001-07:00

Hey Mirage Fans...I'm teaching lessons beginning in January!! Be sure to visit www.tnbellydance.com to check it out. Free Lesson when you sign up for 5! Best of all, students get a discount! You can register & pay online---or get your girlfriend, wife, or daughter a gift certificate for Christmas!

We've been having a blast at Mirage the last several weekends! Things are really picking up, and heating up!

Come on down and join us after the game next week!!

Welcome Back UT Students!

2009-08-20T05:20:00.001-07:00

We're so happy to have the UT students back on campus! Come on down to Mirage and help us celebrate the new school year! We'll see you there!

Slow summer nights...

2009-07-15T18:30:00.000-07:00

Oh I miss our students and our Mirage regulars during the summer when everyone goes on vacation! We had a slow but sultry and fun night last Saturday. My neighbors came by and partied with me. That was fun! There was a beautiful bride-to-be celebrating with her girlfriends, and I was so happy for her. I hope I get to see more friendly faces this Friday night!

Hugs,
Sonja

Swealtering Saturday!

2009-06-15T17:02:00.000-07:00

Thanks for everyone who came out in the humid heat to party at Mirage Saturday night! We had fun, even though it was a bit slow--lots of people were in Manchester at Bonnaroo!

Sam and his great friend came down and shared a meal, we had a lovely lady get up to dance with me--she really had some moves!

Thanks ya'll..

Hugs,
Sonja

Saturday Night Fever!

2009-05-30T15:34:00.000-07:00

I had an AWESOME Saturday night last week. I just love all of my regular customers. Sam videotaped me for the new Cairo Cafe website. Please check the site out! It's at www.cairocafeknoxville.com. It's a fantastic site!

For those who don't know, the troupe I perform with is having our huge Theatrical Show on Saturday June 6. I'd love any of you to come see the show, Egyptian Nights. It features world-renowned performers from Miami, New York, Chicago, and right here in our own backyard! You can purchase tickets online at www.alexia-dance.com.

Here's the video from last Saturday! Thanks again, ya'll!
Happy Shimmies,
Sonja

Fun Friday!

2009-05-09T10:52:00.001-07:00

Even though the weather has been so rainy, we had a great crowd! Some local bellydance students came in and had fun showing their moves out on the dance floor!

Thanks everyone, for all you do!

Saturday April 25!

2009-05-01T06:55:00.000-07:00

After a busy day at the Rossini festival, it was fun to kick back with friends at Mirage! I had fun with my new wings in sparkling GOLD, and then broke out the sword! Thanks to Sam for coming by and saying hi, and for all of those who braved closed roads to come out & visit!!

I hope everyone will plan on coming to our Egyptian Nights show at Pellissippi State Community college in June!!! Visit me at www.tnbellydance.com for more info!!

Hugs,
Sonja

Saturday April 4!

2009-04-07T05:14:00.000-07:00

Thanks for coming out Saturday night! We had a great night...right before all this cold weather hit! I can't believe we're having a "dogwood winter" in April again! It was warm in Mirage on Saturday night! I worked up a sweat--and so did some other folks who got up to dance! Even the staff took a turn on the dance floor! Be sure to head over to Mirage for lunch during the week, now. They have a great new menu that is full of yummy surprises! It's a totally different menu during the day!I can't wait to see everyone On April 25. That's the same day as the Rossini festival, so come on down & see me dance with the Alexandria Dancers at the festival, then stick around downtown and come by Mirage for a great evening!!

Hi Ya'll!

2009-04-03T06:56:00.000-07:00

Hope everyone comes out to Mirage this weekend! I've been so busy I haven't been able to catch up on my posts! Spring is getting so beautiful in Knoxville. Come out and celebrate with the dancers of Mirage!

This first weekend in April, Patti takes the stage on Friday night, and I'm on the floor on Saturday night. Hope you'll all come out and have a great night with us!

Hugs,

Sonja

Saturday, March 28

2009-03-31T06:54:00.001-07:00

Everyone loves it when Tony and Sam show up at the Mirage! They know how to get things going, and Alah and Sameer hardly left the dance floor

A bachelorette party came in and loved seeing the bride-to-be take to the dancefloor.

This guy's friends got a big kick out of seeing him get up and dance with the bellydancer--a little cajoling from me, Tony, and his friends is all it took.

2009-03-12T15:16:00.000-07:00

Saturday, March 8, 2009

2009-03-12T14:05:00.000-07:00

Sally got the party going at the Mirage Saturday night! It was a packed house and it seemed as if there was always a line waiting for tables.

2009-03-12T14:01:00.000-07:00

Sally rocked the house looking gorgeous in her hot turquoise costume amidst a crowd of admirers.

2009-03-12T13:55:00.000-07:00

Sally’s fabulous dancing wasn’t the only reason to get up and party. Julie danced her heart out as a part of her birthday celebration.

2009-03-12T13:53:00.000-07:00

Another pleasant surprise, Linda of Nashville came into town to see Sally dance and visit with friends.

2009-03-12T13:49:00.000-07:00

As always, Sally's ready to dance the birthday Shamadan for any special guest at the Mirage. Alber made a beautiful, delicious cake to celebrate Julie's birthday (you can see a bit of it to the left of the photo).

Friday Night Lights!

2009-02-22T16:01:00.000-08:00

We had a blast this Friday! What a great time! A big birthday party with some budding bellydancers, Alexis and Stan came to visit, and we had our very own Sam and Tony back in the restaurant! I've missed them! I had a really fun time dancing for everyone, and especially dancing WITH everyone! It makes me happy to see everyone up and having a good time. Thanks for making performing at Mirage such a fun job!

Saturday Feb 7!

2009-02-15T16:40:00.000-08:00

What a rockin' Saturday night! Mirage filled up so fast! We had a great time, and Alber's family made it even more fun, as always! Of course, Sam and Tony were missed again. But, I was thrilled to see some old and new friends out and about! Thanks to Melanie for taking some great pictures.
I'll be dancing a little less frequently over the summer while I stretch my legs with some stage performances. That means probably only once or twice a month for me starting in March or April. I hope you'll come by and support all our great dancers every weekend!!

2009-02-10T16:49:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the short night Friday at Cairo Cafe... I had a family situation come up just before my first set and just had to leave earlier than usual... Still, we managed to have a party in the short period of time we had together! I would like to say thank you to all the staff & patrons who sent well-wishes... I know it was a disappointment to lose your dancer so early in the evening but you guys were full of graciousness! Much love to you all!

My friend Rebecca stopped in and struck a Diva pose with me... Thank you Rebecca! Luv ya girl!!

I really miss everyone when I'm off for a week or two... Can't wait to see you all again in two weeks!!!

Peace&Blessings,

Rachel

Amira!

2009-01-18T11:24:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Amira from Ohio for dazzling us with her lovely smile on Saturday! She and her hubby stayed with me, and it was such a pleasure having them!

Amira had quite the crowd! And a very interesting, and CCCCOOOOOLLLLDDDD night in Knoxville!

Tony kept us all on our toes---I think you've learned some new rhythms, Tony! And we had several birthdays in the house! Amira danced the birthday song for a lucky girl, and the dance floor stayed busy!

Check out Amira's husband, Drew, who also "got down" on the dance floor!!

We enjoyed having you, Amira!

Friday Night Lights

2009-01-18T10:37:00.001-08:00

BRRRRRR!!!!! Friday night was SO cold out! Thanks to all those who braved the bitter air and came out to say howdy at Mirage!

It was so exciting to have Sam and Tony back to visit us! We missed them!

My beautiful silk veil from Hawaii made an appearance in all it's rainbow-colored glory...

I had a blast teaching some of the customers some "smooth moves"!

And, of course, the sword made an appearance...thanks for the tip shower! I really appreciate love from my audience! And all of my tips go to charities, so I appreciate them so much!

Welcome back Students!

2009-01-10T20:08:00.000-08:00

Friday night was great, even though Alber was sick and so was Rachel...so I filled in for her!
Can't wait until Sam and Tony come back to see us...we've missed them!
In the meantime, thanks to my sweetie, Chris, for being my "official" photographer these days.

We had a great birthday party, and the restaurant was totally full of new faces! We're so glad to see new people, and even happier when our regulars come calling!

Be sure to visit next Saturday when Amira from Ohio pays us a special visit!

Still Partying at Mirage!

2008-12-31T21:27:00.000-08:00

What a great time we've been having on the weekends down at Cairo Cafe/Mirage!!! Here's just a few pics... We'll sure be pleased to have Sam back taking photos again... In the meantime, Rico's been doing a great job filling in! Thanks Rico!

The lovely Angelia dropped in! She took her poster down... Her leaving just wasn't real to me 'til then! I was sad! We miss you here girl!!! For REAL!!!

Mohammed left the kitchen to join me on the dance floor for a few! He's such a good dancer! Gotta love it when he joins in!

Will see everyone this weekend!!! Have a Safe & Happy New Year everyone!!!

Peace&Blessings, Rachel

Catching up! November 22nd

2008-12-18T04:59:00.000-08:00

We're playing catch-up on the blog~please bear with us as we sort things out! Caryn "raq'd" the house on November 22nd in her hot little red dress! I'm so glad to have Caryn joining us on a regular basis now! Here are some pics from her night in November... with Tony keeping the rh ythm, as usual!

December 13! What a Great night!

2008-12-15T18:13:00.001-08:00

What a blast we had! 2 Great birthday parties, and a great crowd of people!

Samara from New York visits Mirage!!

2008-11-25T09:38:00.000-08:00

Mirage was honored to have a visit from world-renowned Samara from New York on November 15! Samara has performed world-wide, and has danced in Carnegie Hall, among other well-known locales! After her awesome appearance at Mirage, she taught a challenging choreography to our local dancers at her fantastic workshop on Sunday!

Many thanks from all of us to Samara for entertaining us and sharing her extensive knowledge!

Let's Dance!!!

2008-11-23T13:30:00.000-08:00

Another FABULOUS Friday night at the mirage! Here's a few pics just in case you missed it...

The sword made an appearance...

Here's Tony our wonderful drummer... (that's me in the background in between sets; Tony just doesn't take a break!!!)

See you all next Friday night!!!

Peace&Blessings,

~Rachel~

HAFLA! Sunday November 16!

2008-11-21T07:04:00.000-08:00

Wow! What a great time we had at our hafla, celebrating Samara's visit to Knoxville! So many talented ladies performed, and Alber cooked some awesome food! Thanks to our great servers at Mirage, too, for their super hard work!

Here are a few group pics! More pics coming soon!

November 8 !

2008-11-14T09:25:00.000-08:00

Lovely Patti danced on November 8th! Here are some pics!

November 1st

2008-11-11T19:14:00.000-08:00

Caryn's Halloween Shimmy!

2008-11-02T09:51:00.000-08:00

Caryn raq'ed Mirage on Friday night (Halloween....bwa ha ha ha...)!

She did a fantastic job and looked fantabulous! Here are some pics from her night!!

Shimmies!!!

2008-10-27T17:56:00.000-07:00

Yet another fabulous Friday night at the Cairo Cafe!!! Check it out...

Tony & Sam hit the floor with me early on and posed for the camera!

The dance floor was full all night long! What a great crowd!!

Of course everyone will recognize Mirage dancer Angelia throwing a money shower (how fun!) Gotta love recieving enthusiastic appreciation from other dancers! Thanks Angelia and Nancy for your support and friendship, you're the bestest ever!

As always, everyone can pose for pictures with the dancer & drummer between sets... It's our absolute joy!

My friend and favorite manager Alber and I stop to pose just after the ending set.

What a fun group of ladies these gals were!

It was an incredible evening with lots of great energy! Can't wait to do it next Saturday night! Until then, Peace and Blessings, Rachel

This is why I'm a Dancer!

2008-10-26T07:44:00.000-07:00

Alber's beautiful daughter turned 10 this month! She had her birthday party at Mirage on Saturday night--unexpectedly after an illness earlier this week. Isn't she just gorgeous? And her friend "Lolo" was so much fun to dance with...they really kept me on my toes!
This is truly motivation for me. I love to share the joy I feel when I dance with everyone in my audience. These young ladies really brought out the best in me, and it was such a pleasure to dance for them and their families! Thank you for the honor, Alber!

We also had a great visit from our Saudi friends who drove all the way from Cookeville, Tennessee! Wow, guys, thanks for driving over to pay us a visit! They really shook up the dance floor, and taught me a new way to Dabke!

What a great night, ya'll! I'll be off for 2 weeks, now--celebrating Halloween with friends, then off to get a little "dance inspiration" in Asheville, NC at a workshop. I'll be back on the 14th, though! And don't miss Samara from New York on the 15th--she's spectacular, and is only visiting for a day!!

Hugs & Happy Shimmies!
Sonja

Super Saturday Night!

2008-10-22T17:12:00.001-07:00

Wow, Saturday night was a blast! First of all, UT won the game!!

On top of that, Leyla and her husband paid us a visit, and they had a great time out on the dance floor!

Saled and his friends came early for a change! I was really happy to see all of them again!

My neighbors came to Mirage for the first time ever, and had a great time! They even got up to dance! It was so much fun!

I successfully danced with the flaming sword--without the air conditioner blowing out the flame! That was super-exciting for me.

We had a great birthday group there to party it up, and Tony was really on rhythm with his drums! Money showers abounded (thanks SO much!) and we had a lot of fun...even with a few music mishaps!

Thanks as always!

Another Fantastic Saturday Night!!!

2008-10-12T00:06:00.000-07:00

The evening began leisurely as drummer & dancer shared a quiet moment together before the first set... and then it was all on and I am telling you we left it all on the dance floor!!!

The sword made an appearance and is always a hit, especially when it includes a balancing act and a little floor work...

Here's our bachellorette party, having a great time... We had a mini-lesson & they ROCKED the dance floor

My favorite manager & chef Alber & I in the back between sets.

Finally, here's my friend Sam who just came back from Egypt & brought me a beautiful ankle cuff!! Thank you Sam!!!

I hope to see all my friends & many new ones on the 24th!

Peace & Blessings, Rachel

TGIF!!

2008-10-11T09:51:00.001-07:00

What a great crowd last night! Sam & Tony were in great form, Tony was really keeping the beat going with his drum.

We had a visitor from New York, and were thrilled that he came out to join us! They were great fun!

Several of the ladies got up to "shake it" on the dance floor... Nice moves, ladies!

Lydia was rockin' the bar all night, and everyone should come down & check out the ...unusual...massage chair that Alber has installed!

Check out my new leopard costume (grrrrrrowwwl....)! My favorite local seamstress, Angelia, made it for me! I LOVE it! Makes me wanna dance!

Thanks, Ya'll...see ya next Saturday on game night!
Sonja

UT Finally Won! What a night!

2008-10-07T13:13:00.000-07:00

Well, UT finally won the game, and we had a great night, too!

We all thank Sally for dancing on Friday night. Maybe we can get a hold of some pics to post later on!

Great to see everyone again! It was packed! What a great crowd and great atmosphere! Had some great birthday stuff going on!

It was, as always, great to see Saled, Mohammed & their friends (I don't know how to spell your names, guys, sorry!). We also had some super cute girls get up and dance ~ they had a blast!

Lydia, as usual, rocked the bar, and our servers were busting tail to get things up & ready for everyone! Sorry to those in the front of the restaurant where the speaker was out--Alber is working hard to fix it!!

The hula hoop made an appearance--twice! I hope to do the flaming sword again soon ~ and maybe this time the new air conditioner won't blow it out!

See you all Friday! You never know what I have planned, so come on down! Hugs!
Sonja

I feel like dancing...

2008-09-23T12:42:00.000-07:00

Well, I finally got that new hard drive installed and am wired again -- yay! Rather than play catch-up from the last couple weeks (as I lost all of those pics anyways) I'm just gonna pick up with this past Friday... May I say first of all that I was so excited to see our favorite drummer Tony! He's not been able to be there the last few times I've danced and I've missed him greatly! I don't say often enough how much we appreciate Alber, the wait staff, Sam & Tony but you guys are awesome and the Dancer's of Mirage love you!!!

Now, on to Friday night...

It was a party as always with many of our regulars and I must take a moment to congratulate my friend Sam on becoming a US citizen!!! The last time I danced he was getting ready to take his citizenship test and now here he is a citizen!!! HOORAY!!! I am so excited for him!!

Good times were all around with lots of energy on the floor... Even our lovely bartender Lydia got in on the action -- look at those coins fly...
There was even a drum session happening between dance sets!

So with all this going on down at Cairo Cafe/Mirage I have to ask... What did you do with your Friday night? Come down this weekend and get in on the party with Angelia and Sonja and I'll see everyone again in a few weeks!!!

Peace & Blessings,

Rachel

Welcome Back Angelia!!!

2008-09-22T06:31:00.000-07:00

We're SO glad to have Angelia back from Panama! Be sure to give her a HUGE welcome back on Saturday the 27th!! We missed you!

Hugs, Sonja

Saturday September 20!

2008-09-21T12:10:00.000-07:00

Wow what a crazy night! We had a blast with some new faces in the crowd who really got down on the dance floor!

There was a great birthday party, and they got up for a dance or two! Happy Birthday, ya'll!

Mirage got a new air conditioner, which meant the dance floor was soooooo comfortable! Everyone seemed to want in on the action. The wings made an appearance, and Sam even took a turn with them!!

My friend Saled was back for a visit, which was fantastic, and he brought some new friends from UT, and even shared the love with a money shower! We love our UT students!

Can't wait to see you all again this coming Friday night for another great party!

Hugs! Sonja

Game Day Saturday Sept 13th!

2008-09-14T18:23:00.001-07:00

Woo hoo, check out the UT orange on game day!Great crowd on Saturday night ~ Awesome to see Leila (sorry if I spelled it wrong!) and her husband again!

Had a blast with the shamadan and the hula hoop ~ yep, I was feeling crazy!

Can't wait to see everyone again next Saturday!

Love and Blessings,
Sonja

Thanks to our guest dancer Gina!

2008-09-14T18:12:00.000-07:00

Mirage enjoyed having guest dancer, Gina, visit from Atlanta on Friday the 12th! Here are some photos from Gina's night. What a lovely dancer! Thanks Gina!

Thanks Sam, for all your photo-skills!

Hugs and Blessings,
Sonja

Stay Tuned for Pics from Sept 5 & 6!

2008-09-12T07:13:00.000-07:00

Hey Ya'll! Rachel's computer is on the fritz! Stay tuned for pics from the 5th & 6th to be posted soon!

Come on down after the game on Saturday night! Hope to see you then!

Hugs!!
Sonja

So much dancing, so little time!

2008-09-01T17:43:00.000-07:00

Another fabulous Saturday night at Mirage! I had so much fun..... and I think everyone else did to... take a look at the following pics and see what you think. Below is a pic of Sam dancing with me... he got started dancing early and danced almost all night!

I started the night off with the wings... only because the manager, Alber, like them!!!
Yay! Below here is a pic of some of my favorite Mirage customers!! Always fun, always dancing!

And it was Layli's birthday (sorry if I spelled her name wrong!) See the beautiful cake Alber (restaurant manager) made her... it was covered in fresh fruits! Very Nice!!!

And here's some more pics of the happy couple!!! They really danced more than me!!! They're so fun and it was great to see them!!! I'm so glad they had their celebration with us at Mirage!!!

Everyone wants a pic with our Mirage Drummer Tony!!!

The place isn't the same without him!

A little tip action from this party guy here!!!

His group was into dancing all night too!

Gotta love it!!!!

In this pic you can see the crowd dancing and to the left of me in the pic you can see Shareen!! I love Shareen!! She is so cute and dances so good! No one had to teach her,... it just comes natural for her!

And finally!!! Here is our Mirage photographer, Sam!!

Here to the left with his friends... he is looking very happy!!!

I'll see you beautiful party people next time!!!!

****HUGS**** till then!!

Dancing with Danger...

2008-08-31T21:39:00.000-07:00

Labor Day weekend started with a bang Friday night! Early on it was a laid back kind on time... The sword made an appearance mid-evening -- it's always good when the sword gets plenty of dance space *ha ha* -- seriously, tho' no one wants to be in the dancer's blind spot when she's dancing with danger...

Things livened up again shortly after midnight... Yep, it was a double trouble kind of night!

Of course, no evening would be complete without a shower or two... it's good to be loved and you guys definitely know how to show us the love!! The Dancer's of Mirage love you back!
You guys are the best -- but you already know that!!!

Here are just a few extra pictures from the evening...

As always a great big thanks the our man Sam for pictures...

and I gotta send a shout-out to Tony, we missed you on drum and hope you're back next week -- everything is better with a little live drum action!!!

Peace & Blessings everyone; see you next weekend!!!

Rachel

TGIF Party at Mirage!

2008-08-25T16:05:00.000-07:00

Good Times were all around Friday night Aug. 22nd!!!!!

Some new faces and alot of familiar faces came out to join the Mirage TGIF!!!!

Above, Our beautiful Turkish friends came in to have some fun!!!
I think they danced more than me!!!!

It was a really good night.... busy... but not so busy I couldn't move! I had fun dancing this night... see how happy I am below!

And BTW, I made this costume like 10 yrs ago! and it looks as good as the day I made it!
(yes, yes, I'm proud of my costuming/designing skills!!!)

Now here's a face I haven't seen in a long time!!!!

Good to see you Doc!!!!!

And ofcourse Tony was on drum! Last time I danced Tony was out of town and I missed him so much!

Glad to see you (and hear you!) Tony!!!!

So many people having FUN!!!! The Doc and his 'crew' above were great!

They danced... I danced... we danced!!We had a blast! Come back soon!!!

Here to the right is Dr. Sam! All pictures you see here taken Friday were courtesy of Dr. Sam!

If Sam misses a night when one of us dances we won't have many pics to show because he's the official Mirage photographer!

*hugs* to Dr.Sam for all the pics!

Here below are more of our Turkish friends showing appreciation with a money shower!!! yay!

All of us Mirage dancers love being appreciated!! Thanks Guys!!!
So this was a very fun and good night for me and I hope everyone else!! It sure looks like fun doesn't it!!

Till next time! Which for me will be next Saturday!!!!

XOXO!!!!!!!!!!

Marhaban! August 23rd!

2008-08-24T09:42:00.000-07:00

Hi Ya'll! Fall is sneaking up on us! I hope to see more UT International Students stopping in to pay us a visit! Let's support our fabulous chef and happy Egyptian, Alber! The BEST restaurant manager in Knoxville!

We had a great time last night! Started the night off with a little candle-and-veil action, and a visit by my new friend Rick and his lovely son, Adam!

Of course, Sam the Man was there to take his fabulous photos, and to show the love to all of the people who support Mirage!!

We had a great conversation about the "Miles of Men" contest that the radio station had along Kingston Pike about 10 years ago...Sam was one of the "contestants"! So if you see Sam, be sure to ask him about it!

The sword made an appearance last night, and I wore my new "fancy pants" which you can't see in the photos, but they are really fun, silly things!

I was THRILLED to see my friend Mohammed, and his buddies, back in Mirage! I'd missed them! But, where were Saled and Aziz? Hoping to see them again soon!

Had a blast dancing with my Turkish friends! What wonderful dancers and beautiful people they are!! I always love to see them come in!

Big hugs to everyone who makes dancing at Mirage so fun and special night after night! We love you all!

If you love Mirage, too, be sure to bring your friends down to support Alber and his fabulous staff! And show the love by posting your comments here, and passing on the link to this site to everyone you know!

Hugs... until next time! Sonja

Saturday Night Fever! August 16th!

2008-08-17T12:01:00.000-07:00

Saturday night was a blast! We had a lot of awesome new folks there, and a few familiar faces in the crowd! The servers and Alber were kept busy busy busy with a big group celebrating a birthday!

Of course, no night is ever complete without Sam and Tony present and accounted for! I was so happy to see Tony back after missing him the last time I danced!

He really knows how to keep a party going!

Lydia got in on the fun during a quick break from the bartending!

Tony got into the dance action with the birthday girl from Poland! They were a fun group!!

And of course I got to dance with my friend Michael!

The wings made an appearance!

Thanks for such a fun night~ See ya again next Saturday night!!! Hugs!

Sonja~ www.tnbellydance.com

Saturday Night Fever!

2008-08-14T17:12:00.000-07:00

If you're in Knoxville only Cairo Cafe features bellydance every Friday and Saturday night -- most with live drumming courtesy of our friend Tony; if you're missing it then you are missing it!!! Seriously!!!

So here's the scoop, Saturday August 9th was a blast and then some.

There was party from the first appearance and every time I took the floor the energy was fantastic and the audience was joyful and enthusiastic... Here are some pictures from the evening courtesy of Dr Sam...

The money showers began early and didn't stop... It seems everyone wanted to show their appreciation!

We had a great showing from many of our regulars,

plus a few newbies

and even a few guests from out of town.

One thing for sure though, it didn't matter where they came from everyone came to have a good time and no one left disappointed...

Especially our dear Dr Sam!

I can't wait to see everyone again this coming Friday, August 15th!!! Check the schedule on the right to see when your favorite dancer is appearing again at Knoxville's only bellydance hot spot Cairo Cafe!!!

Peace&Blessings,

Rachel

Yallah!

2008-08-11T18:19:00.000-07:00

What a weekend!!! Friday night at the Mirage is the place to be if you're looking for a party!

We started things off a bit slowly, but I'm here to tell ya we did not end that way!!!

We had a couple birthday celebrations come in and they showed up in serious party mode!

To the right here is one birthday girl in blue

dancing the night away with some of her party people.

Of course, there was plenty of belly dancing to go around, even for those who didn't wish to get out on the dance floor!

It was a great night for anyone who came out!!!

But that's not the end... Details & pics from Saturday are coming up... Check back!

Peace & Blessings,

Rachel

Welcome Back UT Students! Great Friday Night!

2008-08-05T05:44:00.000-07:00

Friday August 1st was a BLAST at Mirage. Welcome back to all the UT students, and especially all our new international students! I'm loving our new Saudi friends: Saled, Muhammed, Azziz, and their buddies (I really doubt I spelled their names right--sorry guys!).

Thanks to our awesome friend, Sam, for taking so many wonderful photos at Mirage. We just love having him there!

The crowd was fabulous on Friday night. I loved the high energy level. The room was packed! I had lots of fun with the mysterious "shimmy boy" below--he had me rocking with laughter! I had a blast dancing with him!

No night is complete without a little sword action. I did a little dance to my favorite "sword song", Raks Africa. By then it was getting nice & warm in Mirage! Big crowd + great food + dancing + warm weather = hot dancer!

I'm off to Mississippi this weekend to celebrate my birthday and visit family, but I dance again at Mirage on Saturday the 16th! Until then, I'll miss everyone!

Check out my new website, with links to my personal bellydance site, my online magazine, and (in the works) links to some human rights, animal rights, and environmental issues that I am passionate about! http://www.tnbellydance.com/ You can email me personally at adannaya2@yahoo.com!

Love & hugs, Sonja

Party Time! 8/3/08

2008-08-04T12:18:00.000-07:00

Good times were on at Mirage Saturday night... it wasn't packed like it was for Sonja on Friday but it was a great crowd, who were all there to party, drink, dance and appreciate me! whoo hoo!
All the following pictures were taken by Dr. Sam...

The night started out pretty slow... which is fine with me because it allows me to "get into" the mood to belly dance.

To the left here is the Mirage's hottie new bartender Lydia...
I love how she got all done up Arabic style to work! right down to her cute beaded head piece!

This guy below... who is a regular didn't need a belly dancer!! I finished my second set, went to the back came back out and he was up dancing all himself... it almost looked as though he had a routine!!! Which I thought was really cute...
Party time! Gotta love the fez hats... especially when they're on someone else!!

These guys always show me the love!

Below here we have our assistant chef...
Our manager, Alber (did I spell that right?)
Check it out! Dr.Sam actually put down the camera to dance (he does that sometimes!) The Bald Man took this pic!

To the left here.... you see... are some very happy, drinking and dancing people! I don't understand why sometimes people put dollars on there foreheads???? Anyways... its funny!

I love nights like this, fun people and good energy... nothing beats good energy!