There have been numerous belly-dance performances by local performing groups before. But this evening is more than just an opportunity to watch performers who have worked for years to learn a technically difficult and physically demanding art form that, at its best, can be spellbinding.

Egyptian Nights is an immersion in Middle Eastern culture, set in the atmosphere of a restaurant with some of the best authentic Middle Eastern cuisine in Salt Lake, as Mazza Café provides an enticing buffet along with the performance.

The culinary and choreographic art forms complement each other as though they almost couldn’t be imagined separately, as the tang of the tabouli and the sashaying sequins can be experienced at the same setting. Local bellydancing troupes Thia, Shazadi and Blue Lotus Dance Collective are accompanied by authentic music, and the mix of sensory stimulations is nothing short of transporting.

Layali Masri: Egyptian Nights @ Mazza Café, 912 E. 900 South, 801-521-4572,