Category: General

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“Doing” Belly Dance History – Persian Snap

Today’s Research Tip:
Create a list of museums with digital archives to use as a starting point for conducting image research.

Image: Qajar Dancer in the act of a “Persian Snap”
Located at The Met aka  Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York – View Here

One of the tools that I use when I’m conducting research is a list of digital archives.  This includes a wide variety of websites around the globe.  What I do is visit a location, like the Met Museum where this image is stored, and I poke around a bit to get a sense of the organization of the site, what the features are, and how these features work.  The Met Museum has digitized most of its collection and it is very robust, so it’s a great place to start. 

Formulate Your Research Question

But what is there to find at an art museum that can help with belly dance history research?  Let’s take a moment to look at this painting.  You might have seen and heard the “Persian Snap.”  If you are researching the branch of Middle Eastern Dance History that includes Persian dance, you might ask yourself, “When did Persian dancers start “snapping” in this manner?”  

While this painting doesn’t indicate a start date, it does offer documentation that it was in use by dancers in the courts of Qajar era dancers around the turn of the 19th century or 1800 – 1825.  So a dance historian can say with authority that Persian dancers have been snapping in this manner since before 1800.   As you dig around, you might find more images that can support pushing that date earlier. 

Build your Own Research Tools

If you are curious about what other archives I regularly turn to, I’ll be sharing my top 20 archival sites in the study guide that accompanies my next talk.  Interested in getting this little research handbook?  Come join Sara Shrapnell and I as I share my top tips for conducting interdisciplinary history research on the subject of belly dance.

“Doing” Belly Dance History

Saturday, March, 27,  2:00 pm PT
90-minute Digital Seminar
plus eBook study guide
Only $20
Click here to reserve your spot

 

I look forward to seeing you there!
Dawn Devine ~ Davina
March 8, 2021

 

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Belly Dance Showgirl: Nejla Ates

 

Belly Dance Showgirl: Nejla Ates
The life and legacy of the “Turkish Delight”

Sunday, February 28th
2:00 pm PST/5:00 pm EST

$25 Includes live talk, .pdf handout & 30-day replay
Bonus – “Fabulous Fifties” ebook

Hosted by Mahin of the Bellydance Quickies
Reserve your spot

Join me on Sunday, January 28th for a history slide-show about Nejla Ates. She was the most famous Turkish belly dancer of the 1950s Nejla Ates. During this 90 minutes presentation, we’re going to be exploring her life, loves, and legacy. 

Dubbed “The Exquisite Turkish Delight.”  Nejla lived and worked in the US for 14 years. During that time, she experienced a meteoric rise to fame as she took on first Broadway, then Hollywood. We will discuss her publicity stunts, her scandalous behavior, and her appearances in tawdry magazines.  Before she left, disillusioned with the American entertainment industry.

 

 

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Inspiring Belly Dance videos – Winter 2021

This has been a year of creative exploration in the world of visual communication through dance.  As dancers, we’ve moved away from in-person live performances, but we’ve never stopped performing.  Dancers have taken to the leap into digital space where today’s dance shows are composed of live pieces and recorded programs.

From rote recordings of staged pieces to creative staging and artistic editing, more and more dancers are experimenting with the creative opportunities that digital media has to offer.  Here are five dance videos that I have found enjoyable and inspiring.  

Support Creators:  Like, Comment, & Subscribe

If you click through to watch this selection of videos, be sure to like, comment, and subscribe to support our fellow dancers and video creators.  Your likes and comments tell creators that you are enjoying their content and help them plan future videos for us to enjoy.

 

Best of luck on all of your upcoming projects! 
Dawn Devine ~ Davina
Feb. 11, 2021

Abre Hill – “Dona Eis Requiem”

This cinematographic tour de force from Aubre Hill and Sandee first debuted as part of “Haunting Halfa” a  virtual Halloween dance show in October 2020.  The synergy between the visuals and the music, the costume and the dance moves creates such a darkly atmospheric effect that I had to watch it a second time.  With this video in mind, I was inspired to take a workshop with Aubre on creating dance-themed art films.  If you would like more information about Aubre and her projects follow her on YouTube then Visit her website:  http://www.aubrehill.com/

Leena Viee: “Kathak Bellydance Fusion – Aayat Bajirao Mastani”

Like a scene from a Bollywood movie, Leena uses color, movement, shape, and space to create a visually stunning video.  She and her team crafted one of the most professional dance videos I’ve seen in the past year.  Love the incredible sets and locations she used to create this beautiful and spellbinding mini-movie.  It debuted at the Arcanum show, an event hosted by Samai Oriental Dance.  Leena is not only a fabulous dancer, she hosts global fundraising and outreach, on behalf of migrant workers in India.  Find her on the web  https://www.leenaviie.com and sign up to get information on upcoming international events hosted by Leena and her team at Bwitchs.

Ebony Qualls: “Fusion Belly Dance: Throwback Style”

I caught this video as part of the  “Afrodisiac: The Black Belly Dance show” produced by Sadira Lady Liquid that featured a line up of impressive pieces from black belly dancers from across the US.  Ebony creates a fantastic bopping vibe reminiscent of retro music video.  She and her team shot some great footage in her studio, showcasing the breadth of her style, taste, and talent.  Ebony teaches online so be sure to head over to her website to drool over her assiut costume, then sign up to get her newsletters and take a class or two with her! http://ebonyqualls.com

Julia Farid: “Vintage Dream”

If you’re into a more retro-fabulous experience, check out this fun video by Julia Farid. In “Vintage Dream,” she captures the campy style of a 50’s era Egyptian nightclub performance.  From the set to the costume, the makeup. and the moves, Julia brings the flavor golden age of raks sharki.  Julia is a Ukrainian dancer who you can find not only on YouTube but on her website as well: https://www.tips4hips.com/

“Traditional Belly Dance of Egypt – عرض رائع لفرقة سوهاج للرقص الشعبى”

If a more documentary style is what will whet your belly dance video appetite, check out this video.  In 2019 T Ashraf Ezzat filmed the Sohag Folk Dance Group in the Plaza of Luxor. If you peek past the dancers, you can spot the front of the colonnade of the Temple of Ramses II.  This video is in a style reminiscent of National Geographic, a BBC documentary, or a PBS Special.  I just love how Egyptian filmmaker Ashraf Ezzat captures the joyful energy of this traditional art form.  Be sure to subscribe for future videos and visit his website to follow his future work.  https://ashraf62.wordpress.com/

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Roman-era Egyptian Finger Cymbals

“For belly dancers, our deepest and oldest connection to our performing ancestors is through our signature instruments, finger cymbals.” Dawn Devine ~ Davina

Finger Cymbals in the Egyptian Exhibit at the Bristol Museum, Bristol, UK
Photo by Alisha Westerfeld

Finger cymbals are an iconic element in our dance. They are a defining hallmark for performers of many different styles that fall under the umbrella term belly dance.

At events here in the western US, the distinctive sound of ringing finger cymbals proceeds the entrance of the dancer. Restaurant diners will raise their heads and turn in anticipation of the performer taking the stage. The classic “American Cabaret” style includes the sound of zills or sagat ringing off stage. Then the dancer bursts in with a flourishing entrance that leads to a 3, 5, or 7 part routine.

Finger Cymbals, Music on Ancient Dancer’s Fingertips

Before the era of recorded music, finger cymbals allowed dancers to perform alone, making their own rhythms as they danced. If a group of dancers works together they can make more complex music. Gathering a group of musicians to build a live band would further expand the entertainment options.

Screengrab from history slide-talk:  Roman-era Egyptian exhibit at the Louvre, Paris
Photos by Alisha Westerfeld and Dawn Devine ~ Davina

Ancient Cymbals from Roman-era Egypt

During my research, I’ve found that Roman-era Egypt has turned up the most ancient cymbals of any of the other locations around the Mediterranean. For nearly 700 years, the Roman Empire ruled Egypt from 30 BCE to about 640 CE.
There are three key factors that play into this high finger cymbal survival rate.  First is the unique arid environment preserving objects of Egyptian material culture. Next, the many technological advances in smelting and metalworking created more metal objects, and consequently, there were simply more to find. Finally, in Egypt under Roman rule, the ruling classes expanded as the population grew bigger, so there were more archeological sites to discover.

Roman Era – Egyptian Cymbals in the British Museum
Image Source Unknown – Cymbals Not on display

The invading Romans brought with them their own cultural practices and mores, and the two cultures blended. Both the Romans and Egyptians had used hand-held cymbals in various shapes, forms and sizes, before the cultures blended in the first century CE.

Ancient Cymbals in Modern Museums

Archeologists working in the late 19th and early 20th centuries found plenty of cymbals buried in the sands of Egypt. Museums around the world actively collected objects to build their holdings for the exhibit, study, and research on the lives and culture of ancient people.
Egypt was a prime destination for early archeologists, as the climate helped preserve the residue of this blended civilization.  Today, there’s a  vast amount of preserved finds in museums around the world. Many large and venerable institutions like the Louvre in Paris, The British Museum in London, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City contain examples of Roman-era Egyptian finger cymbals.

Egyptian Exhibit at the National Archeology Museum, Athens Greece

But don’t overlook smaller museums like the generalist Bristol Museum or highly specialized collections like the Petrie Collection of Egyptian Archeology in London.  These smaller organizations may not be as large and are off the beaten track, but they have put their collections into searchable databases accessible via the web for researchers around the world.
Are you like me and love to hunt around through the vast archives available on the web? Click on some of these museum links to explore some fabulous collections of art and artifacts from ancient cultures.

Roman-Era Egyptian Bronze Cymbal – Image Credit: Petrie Museum London

There is still so much more left to uncover from the archives of museums, libraries, and educational institutions. I look forward to sharing with you my future finds.  I’m so excited to add to the body of knowledge about the history of belly dance.
Here’s to great research opportunities in 2021!
Dawn Devine ~ Davina
January 30, 2020
PS – Like this content?  Then you might enjoy my book “Zills: Music on Your Fingertips” available in print and digital forms on my “Studio Davina”  Etsy store.
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Teaching Finger Cymbal History – Free Workshop For Subscribers

January – Topic & Talk

This month my “Topic and Talk” is all about the ancient history of finger cymbals.  Over on my Facebook page, I’m sharing lots of images of bronze-era finger cymbals from the collections of museums around the globe.  My goal is to help my fellow instructors, self-directed students, and belly dance history buffs build an easily sharable body of knowledge. 

Teaching Finger Cymbal History Workshop
A gift for my email subscribers!
Sunday, January 31 at 4:00 pm PT

Live Slide-Talk via Zoom
45-minute slide-presentation followed by a 15 min Q&A session
Join the Newsletter & Save the Date
Details will arrive in your mailbox soon!

What is it about?

During this talk, I’ll be sharing “sound bite history” facts that you can add to your patter when talking to your students, or simply to build your knowledge base if you’re a belly dance enthusiast. It’s not just for teachers!
This talk is accompanied by a printable reference .pdf which includes:
    • Bullet list of “Cymbal History” talking points
    • History Timeline
    • Vocabulary List
    • Links List to resources around the web

The link will be sent to my Newsletter Subscribers between Jan. 20 – 24th.
Not subscribed to my newsletter?  You can join from any page of this site, look at the top of the right-hand column just below my face and the Coloring Book Cover.

Celebrating our New Name
“Studio Davina – Belly Dance News”

This year we’re overhauling our newsletter.  “Costumers Notes” has been a title I’ve used for, quite literally decades.  But over the past five years, the content here on my website has become much more diverse.  In amongst the DIY costuming content I’ve been including tons of information about the history and general dance information.  So we’re changing the name to “Studio Davina – News for belly dancers.”   

Thank you so much for joining me on my costuming and research adventures! 
Dawn Devine ~ Davina
January 15, 2021