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Crafters and dancers attract crowds to downtown Dunedin

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BY MARK SCHANTZ

THE SUNCOAST NEWS

Published: July 4, 2009

DUNEDIN - Last weekend visitors to downtown Dunedin were entertained by Middle Eastern dancers along the Fred Marquis Pinellas Trail at the seventh annual Downtown Crafts Fair on Main Street.

Thousands of spectators braved the summer heat and humidity to see the latest artistic creations from a variety of vendors. Artists and crafters displayed items to adorn walls, gardens and windows. Their creations included jewelry, fabric and woodworking, ceramic, photography and paintings.

Along the Pinellas Trail, Kimara Moon and Alexandra Caldwell, dancers from Beledi Bay Dance Studio and Boutique, at 927 Broadway, entertained passersby with traditional Mid-East dance moves.

Middle Eastern dance is gaining in popularity for several reasons, Moon said. Songwriters are incorporating melodies from the region into Western popular music and Mid-East dance is now recognized as a fun, low-impact exercise, she said.

Women consider belly dancing a fun and inexpensive way to burn up to 500 calories an hour, strengthen muscles and hip flexors as well as improve posture and balance, reduce stress and improve self-esteem, according to Moon.

The two-day crafts fair is held to bring thousands of diners and shoppers to Main Street. Summer is the traditional slow period for the downtown retail, dining and entertainment district.

Mark Schantz can be reached at 727-815-1075 or mschantz@suncoastnews.com.

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