Studio Davina Updates:
April 2025
Hello, my friends in belly dance costuming and history. Let me catch ya’ll up on what’s been happening in the studio during the first quarter of 2025, and what’s coming in the next quarter and the rest of the year.
Mini-Magazine: Bi-Monthly Belly Dance Digital Publication – March/April
The March/April newsletter went out. We’ve gotten loads of great feedback on the adjustments we’ve made to our format and our new direction for the 2025 “Belly Dance Mini-Magazine.”
We’ve expanded our “Around the Web” section and now include a wider variety of curated links to resources around the web. Have you checked out the Mini-Magazine recently? March/April 2025 edition is available here. It’s always free and we never share your info. If you enjoy the content, why not subscribe today?
“Costuming From the Hip 30th: Anniversary Edition”
The CFTH book renovation and expansion is my prime project for 2025. “Costuming from the Hip” is about halfway done. The first edition was released in 1993. The initial print run was only 200 books. At that time, I thought it was
In 1997, we expanded the book, changed the binding format, and re-released the book. Then in, 2009, we went all digital print on demand with a perfect binding.
For the 30th anniversary, we’re expanding the book, bringing in photography, and publishing in several modes, including a color version! The expansion includes content from long out-of-print booklets like “Hints & Tips,” “Veils Unveiled,” and “Costumes of the Maghreb.”
At this point, we’re in “Build Mode” which requires many hours of incremental sewing, and photography to use as examples in the book. Slow and steady will win this race, but there are times during this process when I “forget” that we’re shooting incremental photos and racing forward.
“Dancing Down the Midway: 1893”
In April, we’re wrapping up this four-part series. During the first quarter of 2025, I’ve shared the latest research focusing on the “Danse Du Ventre” presented at 7 exhibit stages down the midway. This month we’re going to discuss several of the dancer’s stories that we’ve teased out of the archives. Interested in rare historical photos? Enjoy learning about specific entertainers who appeared on the Midway? Then this is the talk for you!
- January: Setting the Stage
- February: “Cultures and Exhibits on the Midway”
- March: Dancers on the Midway
- April: Personalities, People, and Myth Busting – Coming soon!
This series will be available through the end of 2025. Sign up via Patreon on the $15 Tier to receive an email notification when the April talk is available.
Thanks for stopping by to read this post.
~ Dawn Devine ~ Davina
April, 2025.