Category: General

Categories
General Publications

“An Ouled Nail Tribal Dancer” c. 1895 by Georges Clairin (French, 1843 – 1919)

Q: What do these two paintings have in common?

A: The Painter!  Georges Glairin (French, 1843-1919)

  • Above left is a painting that fits into the Orientalist genre popular in the 19th century. It’s entitled “An Ouled Nail Tribal Dancer” c. 1985.
  • Above right is Clairin’s most famous work, “Portrait de Sarah Bernhardt” c. 1876 – now exhibited at the Petit Palais in Paris.
Clairin was best known in Paris in the late 19th century as a portraitist, with the ability to capture and render features, clothing, and perhaps more importantly, the personality of the sitter.

Clairin – Portraitist and Traveler

In an era of photography, Clairin was able to capture nuances and subtlety of his subject’s wit, charm, and gaze. Sara Bernhardt is unmistakably herself and her portrait was a favorite of the attendees of the Paris Salon in 1876.
But Clairin was also a traveler and visited North Africa many times during his lifetime, spending whole seasons there sketching and painting. The result of his insightful observations, married with his skill as a painter created images like our Ouled Dancer.

Left: Portrait of Sarah Bernhardt as Cleopatra by Georges Clairin c. 1893

An Ouled Nail Tribal Dancer

In “An Ouled Nail Tribal Dancer” c. 1895, he captures the essence of this dancer. This painting is quite unlike the “naughty French postcards” sold in the tourist cities of Tangiers, Algiers, Tripoli, and Cairo.

Instead, what we have is a painting that captures the splendid grandeur of the Ouled Nail. We see her layers of fabric, the voluminous Turkish trousers, the sumptuous layers of adornment, and even her two bags, a small purse worn bandolier style and a larger bag worn on her hip.

He recorded a specific individual, a dancer perhaps in that moment of readying herself to take the floor, scanning the audience for the biggest tipper or the most enthusiastic audience participant.

When I was a working pro in restaurants and nightclubs, I would often stand just in the wings and make a mental map of where I wanted to go within the environment. I look at this painting and that moment resonates with me as a dancer, forging recognition and connection.

Do you feel that too?
What moment in her dance do you think the artist captured?

So what’s the lesson learned here? Not all artists working within the Orientalist genre are created equally. We should take the time to evaluate each painting with a critical eye that takes into account the individual experience, training, mission, and goals of each artist.

Dancers in Orientalist Art

If we simply jettison “Orientalist Art” we lose opportunities to gain information about clothing, the texture, color, and the swagger of how it was worn. But in addition in the hands of great artists, we can glean clues about the attitude of the subject, characteristic postures, poses and gestures, their taste and style.

If you are interested in learning more about how to separate the good from the great, the useful from the trivial, the celebrated vs subjugated, join me for my June Talk, “Dancers in Orientalist Art.” Sunday, June 20, Noon Pacific.  Click here to reserve your spot for the live talk with Q&A.
Thank you for all of your support of my ongoing research!
Dawn Devine ~ Davina
April 30, 2021
Categories
Belly Dance General Publications

Fanoos Magazine, Spring 2021

 

Today I woke up and was thrilled to discover that I made the cover of Fanoos Magazine.  The production team over at the magazine approached me in March to schedule an interview.  They sent me a list of 10 thought-provoking questions that really made me stop and pause for reflection.  If you would like to read this piece, click through to the Fanoos website.

Happy Costuming!
Dawn Devine ~ Davina
April 15, 2021

 

 

Categories
Costuming DIY General

April Event: 2-Hour Skirt Workshop

“2-Hour Skirt”

90 Minute Live Multi-Media Zoom Workshop/Demo
Sunday, April 25, Noon Pacific
$25 on the BDBA site
Click to Reserve your Space

Q: Can you make a performance-ready
belly dance skirt in under 2 hours?

A: Yes, You Can! 

Join me for a costuming workshop Using a basic sewing machine, some simple patterning, and sewing skills, you can go from a pile of fabrics and notions to a finished micro-sequin skirt in less than 2-hours!

Workshop/Demo Includes:

  • Three different skirt styles and shapes
  • Cutting without drafting a pattern
  • Tips for working with Micro Sequin Fabric
  • Complete list of tools and materials – save time and money!
  • Includes a printable eBook with complete start-to-finish directions

Save Time

Using the right materials, and having the patterning and sewing techniques will make it fast – and easy. Mostly straight line sewing using an ordinary sewing machine.

Save Money

Depending on where you purchase your fabric, these skirts styles can be made today for less than $50, and I bought all the materials for each of these three skirt demos for less than $30 ea.

Fit Your Body

We’re not using a pattern, but rather, taking your measurements and cutting to fit. Starting with the right materials and tools will give you a beautiful outcome for any size or shaped dancer’s body!

Fit Your Style

We have three very different shapes and hem widths, so you will find a style that works for you. Love your leg out? We’ll talk slits! Love to spin? We’ll talk full circle? Fancy a mermaid Moment? We’ve got one of those for ya too!

2-Hour Skirt eBook

Once the workshop is over, use the eBook as a guide for sourcing materials, taking measurements, making patterns, cutting, sewing, and fitting your creations.  This book includes information and ideas beyond the scope of the 90-minute workshop/demo. The “2-Hour Skirt” eBook includes more than the three styles included in the workshop, variations on each skirt theme, and more advanced fitting techniques. 

Come join me for the fun and learn how to quickly and affordably enhance and refresh your belly dance wardrobe over the coming months with a wardrobe of new skirts!  Reserve your space today.

If you have questions about this costume-making event, I’m available via Instagram, Facebook, and good ‘ole email davina at davina dot US.

New costume pieces for spring?
Let’s do it!
Dawn Devine ~ Davina
April 6, 2021

Categories
General

“Doing” Belly Dance History – Fact vs. Theory

Topic & Talk: “Doing” Belly Dance History
Research Tip: Be clear on the difference between what is a fact, and what is theory.
Image: Cycladic Idol Figure, Chalcolithic period, Getty Malibu

QUESTION:  Is this a sculpture of a woman dancing?

Perhaps I’m stepping onto a soapbox, but I think as researchers we need to be very clear with our communication and share information about our research as clearly and accurately as possible. Over the past 50 years, there’s been a lot of theory presented as fact in magazine articles, blog posts, and even published books.  Sometimes ideas get repeated so many times, these myths, concepts, and ideas begin to seem or “feel” like facts.

Fact vs. Theory

As researchers, we need to be clear when communicating our own analyses and theories.  The facts are that this figurine is from the Middle Chalcolithic Period, approximately 2800 – 2000 BCE during the Copper Age.  She was made in an era before writing, so we have no concrete evidence of why she was made or how she was used.   
In my opinion, this Cycladic Idol Figure located at the Getty Museum in Malibu is in a very typical dance stance.  By looking at her from all angles, we can see that artist has captured one of the signature poses of dancers from this region today.  Her arms extended, her torso elongated, and her knees are bent.  Could she be a depiction of one of our dance ancestors?  The truthful answer is that we will never know. 

Cycladic Idol Figurine

But I use her in talks and point out her posture and share my theory as theory.  Even the venerable Getty museum has made an assumption by calling her a “Goddess Figure.”  Couldn’t she also be a worshipful supplicant?  Could she possibly be a priestess?    Back and side views from the Getty Publication “Early Cycladic Sculpture.”  It’s available to read online or for download here: https://www.getty.edu/publications/resources/virtuallibrary/0892362200.pdf
So though we never will know, she’s still a useful figurine to consider when contemplating our most ancient dance roots.  This summer when the travel bans are lifted, I’m looking forward to going to the Getty museum and taking my own photos from all sides to add to my personal archive. 

“Doing” Belly Dance History

 
Saturday, March, 27, 2:00 pm PT
90-minute Digital Seminar
plus eBook study guide
Only $20
Click through to reserve your space:
https://bit.ly/3c2YdoQ
Hosted by Sara Shrapnell
Beyond Dance Business Academy
This seminar is presented art historical style, with loads of lush images that trace the history of our dance art. If you have ever been curious about my approach to conducting archival research, how I plan and organize my projects, and store the data, this is the talk for you!
Happy Researching!
Dawn Devine ~ Davina
March 19, 2021
Categories
General

“Doing” Belly Dance History – Go Off the Beaten Track

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