SEVEN local actresses turned up the sexy factor at the Thye Hua Kwan Charity Show 2012 on Sunday evening with a belly dance performance.

With bared mid-riffs and shimmery costumes, Michelle Chia, Ann Kok, Joanne Peh, Hong Huifang, Kym Ng, Belinda Lee and Constance Song gyrated and titillated on stage for close to four minutes, earning the rapturous applause of the audience.

For their segment, the actresses brought in a total of $15,953 in donations during the Channel 8 live telecast. The entire show raised $5.16 million.

It was not an easy feat for one of the stars - Joanne Peh suffered bruises on her knees as she had to kneel during her solo spot, The New Paper (TNP) reported.

Nevertheless, Peh said the screaming audience was an indication that what she was doing was working and it was all worth it.

Hong Huifang, 51, the most senior of the bevy on stage, said that she started learning belly dancing a year ago.

In an earlier interview, Hong described how she spent the first two months just stretching and toning her muscles, before she could pick up any dance moves.

Michelle Chia said the actresses were initially shy about donning the sexy outfits in front of each other, especially during the first dress rehearsal.

However they soon got over it and the experience brought the group closer together.

"We definitely bonded as now we're constantly chatting over WhatsApp Messenger group chat. Like now, we're deciding where we're going to go for supper," Chia was quoted as saying in TNP.

Photos: TNP (Gavin Foo), Shin Min