The Annual Collegiate Middle Eastern Dance Conference is the first and only Middle Eastern Dance event run for and by college students. Every November, bellydance clubs from across the East Coast come to Columbia University to participate in a weekend of dance education and performance. The Conference begins with a series of workshops taught by professional NYC-based bellydance instructors, and concludes with a showcase in which they and the participating clubs perform. The showcase, University Raqs, is open to the public, and aims to increase awareness about the growing Middle Eastern dance community, especially among college students.