March Topic & Talk:  “Doing” Belly Dance History

Research Tip:  Look for things off the beaten track.
Image: Roman Era Egyptian Clappers and Finger Cymbals on display at the Bristol Museum, UK

In 2016, I joined my co-authors Sara Shrapnell and photographer Alisha Westerfeld on a book tour in the UK.  First, we attended the belly dance festival Celebrating Dance in Torquay UK.  Sara and I both taught workshops, sold books, and had a great time hanging out. The next weekend, we headlined a day of workshops and a showcase on the Isle of Wight.  Sara is a great teacher and it’s always fun to work with her.

Between these two events, Alisha and I spent three days in Bristol.  Unfortunately, I came down with sniffles that evolved into a cold.  I was not just a little sick, I became MONSTER SICK.  We stumbled into the Bristol Museum and I asked Alisha to take a photo of these beautiful clappers.  Who knew there was going to be an Egyptian exhibit in this city museum?  

I was so bleary-eyed and run-down that I didn’t even notice the gorgeous set of finger cymbals in the case.  It wasn’t until I was home, recovered from bronchitis, and flipping through Alisha’s photos that I spotted this treasure!

If you are interested in more historical information about finger cymbals, you can check out the first sections of my book “Zills: Music on Your Fingertips.”  And I frequently share lectures on this subject both online and (when we can do it again) in person.

“Doing”
Belly Dance History

Saturday, March, 27,  2:00 pm PT
90-minute Digital Seminar
plus eBook study guide
Only $20

Click to reserve your space!
Hosted by Sara Shrapnell
of the Belly Dance Business Academy

What will I be covering in this talk?

In this digital seminar, I’ll be covering my mindset and approach to formulating key inquiry questions and then sharing my methodology and workflow. I’ll be sharing my favorite research tools, digital platforms for storing information, and how I use digital databases to uncover historical data that helps us document the history of belly dance.

Along with this talk, I’ve put together an eBook that includes a breakdown of the process of performing archival research and live-links to my favorite digital databases.

Join me for a peek “behind the curtain,” enjoy a beautiful slide show of historic images, and maybe even take your own historical research skills to the next level.

Will I see you there?
Dawn Devine ~ Davina
March 15, 2021