Before Little Egypt, Omene took New York by storm as the first celebrity “belly dancer.” Omene had a dramatic life as both a magician’s assistant, a magician herself, and an oriental dancer.
Omene left footprints in the sands of time that we can tease out of the historical archive and piece together a loose timeline of her career. She appeared in the news in several public scandals, a high-profile divorce, and a successful career as a touring vaudeville magician and dancer.
Sketches and photographs of Omene appear in posters, cigarette trading cards, and paid newspaper adverts. There is a lovely stereoscopic view from her appearance at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis. She was part of the “Mysterious Asia” exhibit in the entertainment zone known as “The Pike.”
Omene’s Changing Look
If you compare the sheet music image from the early 1890s to the 1904 photograph, we can compare the changes in Omene’s costuming style. As her entertainment career progressed, she moved away from more traditional Turkish-cut and styled garments.
By 1904, Omene was wearing garments that suited the American Vaudeville audience and cut and style. She still maintained allusions to Turkey in her abbreviated vest and rich textiles. But the shorter, full-cut twirl skirt was typical across a variety of dance styles in the first decade of the 20th century.
Before Little Egypt – Ongoing Research
“Before Little Egypt” is one of my main research topics at the moment, and as I dig through the archives I hope to find more dancers in the “Oriental Style.”
Happy Dance and Costuming,
Dawn Devine ~ Davina
Aug. 2024
