Nadira receives the winning trophy from last years winner Shabnam

May 27 & 28, 2006.
Danville, CA

The 33rd Annual Belly Dancer of the Year Pageant was Sponsored by Leea of Bellydance! in Walnut Creek, and was held May 27 & 28 2006 at San Ramon Valley High School in Danville, California. The announcer was the inimitable Barbara Malone, who provided a dry sense of humor and much class to all the proceedings. The Pageant was done in three parts. Before each part, Barbara introduced the judges and provided a nice bio on each one. There was first a noon show on Saturday, when the Troupes, Duos/Trios and Grand Dancers competed. When that show ended, winners in each category were announced. Then, later that evening at 7PM, 17 individual performers competing for the Belly Dancer of the Year performed. After this, 10 finalists were selected by the judges and announced, for the finals competition that happened on Sunday afternoon.

This show has some wonderful traditions. One of them is the belly dance Troupe of the Year from the previous year (2005 in this case) performs again just before the finals competition. So the audience was delighted with an exciting performance by Shabnam's Ooh La La Troupe. The photos below will give you a sense of what this year's Belly Dancer of the Year Pageant was like. Congratulations to Nadira, winner of the Belly Dancer of the Year 2006 title.