Belly dancers punctuated films and lectures to entice people to join an Egypt interest group Saturday.
Supporters of the New Mexico Interest Group of the American Research Center in Egypt put together its first lecture and film series.
The nonprofit organization funds archeological research in Egypt, covering aspects of Egyptian culture from before pharaohs to modern day.
Organizer Mae Araujo said the event was put together to get people interested in preserving Egyptian culture to join the New Mexico chapter.
Araujo has been planning the event for about three months in collaboration with the Maxwell Museum.
Once New Mexico becomes a chapter, the organization will bring licensed Egyptologists to give lectures.
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"Our chapter will provide seminars, public lectures, and short courses in ancient Egypt through Maxwell," Araujo said.
The New Mexico chapter will also arrange tours through Egypt that encompass archeology and education. Tours will be guided by world-renowned Egyptologists, Araujo said.
"We will have access to research sights that are otherwise closed to the public," she said.
Candace Maher, director for the state's group, traveled to Egypt to visit Araujo and gather data for a thesis. During her month-long tour, Maher went to the Nile and other research sights. Maher said she has been to 45 countries, but Egypt was beyond her wildest expectations.
"Egypt made me reevaluate my sense of history," Maher said.
Most events are open to the public on a donation basis.
Garth Bawden, director of the Maxwell Museum, introduced the 3,000-year history of the pharaohs and their achievements during the first lecture.
UNM's Taghrid Middle East Dance Ensemble performed Egyptian folkloric dances during intermissions of the film series Saturday.
"We have dancers, because there's a huge movement to get people interested in dances of Egypt," Araujo said.
A UNM teacher of belly dance and Persian dance, Dawn Marie Gottlieb who is also known as Taghrid, said Egyptian dance goes back to the pharaonic times and is believed to have originated through magic. The dance is also believed to create abundance and life.
Gottlieb said women also used belly dance as instruction on how to give birth.
"It's more than just erotic," Taghrid said. "It is the folkdance of the Middle East."
