We’re excited to offer you this brief introduction to the performance company Raks Geek, who will be performing during this evening’s Masquerade, starting at 8 pm!
A Time Out Chicago Critics’ Pick, Raks Geek is the premiere belly dance, flow arts, and fire performance company by geeks for geeks. They broke the internet’s collective brain with a viral video of a Wookie belly dancing to a four-piece Klingon band, playing an original song in Shyriiwook.
Raks Geek is based in Chicago, but they’ve made waves nationally and internationally on MSN, The Daily Mail, and WGN-TV through their commitment to blend a high degree of artistic and technical mastery with fun, creativity, and themes from nerd culture. They were featured on UK Channel 4 TV’s “50 Funniest Moments of the Year” and voted runner up for “Best Dance Troupe” by the Chicago Reader.
Founded by Dawn Xiana Moon in 2012, Raks Geek showcases the talents of belly dancers and object manipulators who are each stars in their own right. They’ve performed everywhere from Germany to Argentina and dance for hundreds of people every week.
Company members include Kamrah, who has taught and performed at Tribal Fest (the largest fusion belly dance festival in the world); Lee Na-Moo, winner of the 2010 Chicago Oriental Dance Competition, member of modern/contemporary company Joel Hall Dancers, and touring cast with Bellydance Evolution; Gaea Lady, who won “Best Debut” and “Most Classic” at the Burlesque Hall of Fame in 2016 and is ranked internationally in the “Top 50 Most Influential Burlesque Artists” (2018 and 2019); Michi Trota, multiple Hugo Award winner and former board member of the Chicago Full Moon Fire Jams; and director Dawn Xiana Moon, who was named “Best Stage Performer” (2019 and 2020) and “Best Dancer” (2019) by the Chicago Reader and recently appeared on Britain’s Got Talent.
Don’t miss your chance to witness the creativity and talent of Raks Geek during this evening’s Masquerade, starting at 8 pm!
Special thanks to Dawn Xiana Moon for providing content and photographs for this post. Photos are credited to Braden Nesin, Peter Serocki, and Bartek Karas (all photos taken prior to Chicon 8).