Category: General

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General

Happy New Year & a World’s Fair Article Series

Happy New Year 2021

WHEW – I’ve never EVER been so happy to see the turn of the year!   What a wild year we had in 2020, and I am glad to put that rollar coaster behind me, and I must say, after all the hassle and frustration, the loss and isolation, I feel prepared to deal with the bumpy road of 2021, but I hope that as time passes, the bumps will smooth out to a new – and liveable – “New Normal.”

On New Year’s Eve, I took advantage of the amazing opportunity to see really high-quality fireworks displays from around the world. The UK display featured light-up drones telling a story in floating pictures. New York had a harbor full of barges setting off synchronized fireworks.  And of course, Sydney is always amazing. However, the best that I saw on my tour around the world was the AMAZING display put on by Dubai.  I find fireworks are very inspiring to my design work. The colors, the shapes, the sound, the music, there are so many moments that just fill my creative bucket.

Dancing at the World’s Fairs

One of my long-term research projects has been to trace the presence of belly dancers at the World’s Fair.  When Donna Carleton released her now seminal book “Looking for Little Egypt” in 1995, I was already embarked on my own archival research on the history of belly dance costuming.  I was thrilled to find her book, and it inspired me to investigate the history of belly dance at other international exhibitions.  I love her book and recommend it if you are an avid belly dance history fan. 

Clockwork Alchemy Newsletter

I am thrilled to work with the team over at Clockwork Alchemy newsletter. For my contribution, I’ve created a series of short pieces about dance at World’s Fairs in the 19th and early 20th centuries.  I’ve been working on this archival research for so long, it’s great to have this opportunity to share all of this info. 

Steampunk, Belly Dance, and Prince Albert

The first article in this series, “Steampunk, Belly Dance, and Prince Albert,” came out last November, and my brief was to stay, well “brief.” So this article has a lot of information packed into a quick read! Set in London in 1851 at the Crystal Palace, the Great Exhibition was the brainchild of Prince Albert.  This event brought all the industry and arts from around the globe for the people of London to enjoy. Read the Article Here

Cairo On the Seine

Thankfully, my article got great feedback, so they invited me back in December.  Best part?  They gave me a bit more space for text and images too!  For the second piece in this series, we fast-forward in time to 1889 and the Exposition Universelle.  The Rue du Caire exhibition at this fair went from a single stall in a large building, to a reconstruction of a street in ancient Cairo.  The danse du ventre was performed within a space evocative of an Egyptian coffee house.  Read the Article Here

Live History Lecture: “History of Belly Dance at the Fair”

Once the world opens back up, I’m delighted to present “Dancers at the Fair: A History of Belly Dance at World’s Fairs” at the next Clockwork Alchemy in the Greater Bay Area.  Right now, everything is understandably TBA, but I’m looking forward to presenting this hour-long history slide-talk to attendees.  In the meantime, I’ll be sharing several more articles, so sign up for their newsletter to catch some more! 

Live History Lecture: “Cairo On the Seine”

If you liked the article, you will love the history slide-talk I’ll be presenting at the next Gaslight Steampunk Expo in San Diego.  The 2021 event will be Sept. 30- Oct. 3, and the theme is Exposition de L’Exposition Universelle de 1889.  I’m looking forward to this and other presentations at Gaslight.  Join their mailing list to get updates on the convention.

So watch for more articles and more opportunities to see me live at a steampunk convention in your area!

Wishing you a happy, healthy, and safe 2021,
Dawn Devine ~ Davina
Jan. 4, 2021

PS: Throwback to Gaslight Steam Punk Expo 2019 and my “All About Assiut” talk at the Egyptian themed event.  Photo by Alisha Westerfeld.

Categories
General

My 2020 Study Project – MAKEUP


Hello Gang! I hope that this email finds you well and surviving, if not thriving in this coldest of winters. I am in the middle of going through my end of year review for my business. Each December I make time to look at the stats of my small independent business and this year was quite grim. However, I’m happy to say that my little business will survive the train-wreck that was 2020!

In 2020, I struggled with injury, so I decided to focus my continued education on developing more makeup skills. Dance is a journey and there are many aspects to study and grow. There’s no escaping the fact that we’ve been cooped up inside for the better part of the year. But that lead us to new distance-learning opportunities in the form of classes and workshops with instructors across the globe.

Makeup Classes

Since I couldn’t dance, and I wanted to continue to invest in my skills building. As you know, I’m a big believer in that 5-Layer breakdown of Belly Dance Appearance. If you have taken my free class over on the Belly Dance Business Academy, they you know that makeup falls into layer 2. So I decided to do a deep dive into a skillset where I could learn some new information while continuing to let my body heal.
Last spring I was thrilled to find that one of my makeup mentors, DeVilla, was taking her performance makeup training program on line. I was so happy that DeVilla was joining the “Zoom-a-sphere” and sharing her personalized classes with her fans across the united states and around the globe.

DeVilla, Pro Belly Dancer & Hollywood Makeup Artist

Since May, I’ve taken 5 digital makeup class with the amazing DeVilla. If you’re not familiar with her work, DeVilla is an LA-based powerhouse who is living the artist’s life working by day in the TV/Film/Stage word as a makeup artist. By night, she’s a dance instructor, troupe leader, and professional performing belly dancer.  But rather than writing up DeVilla’s whole resumé, I’ve put together this essential bullet list of her accomplishments.
  • DeVila is an Emmy Award Nominated TV/Film Makeup & FX Artist
  • Professional Makeup Instructor – Glamour, Theater, and Beyond.
  • Video – Bombshell: Dramatic Makeup for Stage Photos & Glamorous Occasions with Princess Farhana. This video changed my makeup game when I got a copy a few years back.
  • Working Performing Belly Dancer –  I saw her perform at the iconic Moun of Tunis restaurant on Sunset Blvd in Hollywood, California – http://www.mounoftunis.la/
  • Troupe Leader – Sekhmet Dance Company who can be caught participating in shows throughout the greater LA area and beyond. At the time of this writing, there’s an event coming on January 1, 2021 – More info on Facebook.
  • Belly Dance Instructor – DeVilla teaches regular classes at the renowned studio Dance Garden LA. 
One look at my before and afters will show you how having a small-group or one-on-one makeup class with DeVilla can up your game! At this moment in Dec. of 2020, she’s doing a complete head-to-toe renovation of her website, so the best way to find out more about DeVilla’s workshops is via social media. I’ve learned so much that I’m inspired to do another edition of my YouTube Makeup series to reflect the new skills I’ve learned over the past few months.

Biggest Makeup Discovery?
Magnetic Eyelashes

Late in 2019, I discovered magnetic eyelashes.  I’ve always had troubles with traditional false lashes due to a latex allergy.  Discovering latex-free magnetic lashes was a game-changer for me!   I got a cheap and cheerful kit last year and wore them to a few performances in 2019.

But with some extra time on my hands in 2020, I decided to do a deeper dive and conduct some research and experimentation in the world of magnetic lashes.  Here are my top three tips if you plan on experimenting with this type of product.

The magic is in the liner – I started with a no-name product with no ingredients listed.  Though they didn’t injure my eyes, not knowing what I was using made me a little, well, leery.  So I while I still use cheap and cheerful lashes, I’ve got better gel and liquid liner.

Note about false lashes. There are many options on Amazon and I want to just take a moment to say thanks for using these links.  These are affiliate links that don’t add any expense to you but gives me a tiny drop of earnings that supports this blog.  I always support local businesses, and if you can find these products in a local store, keep your money circulating in your community!

Purple Eyeshadow

For me, 2020 was the year of experimentation with affordable purple eyeshadow.  Although my budget was greatly reduced, I did manage to experiment with a few purple eyeshadow palettes. The one I found that gave me the most bang for my buck is also from Amazon.  You can see the results from one look in the images below.  I’ve got a few others that I’m trying out too, and I’m looking forward to doing another YouTube makeup series early in 2021.

I’m looking forward to sharing more of the techniques I’ve learned over my past year of exploration in makeup looks, styles, tools, and techniques.

But until then, happy holidays!
Dawn Devine ~ Davina
December 20, 2020

 

 

Categories
General Publications

Missed a Lecture? Mahin is hosting a holiday sale!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

Treat yourself to an informative lecture this holiday season!

Mahin is having a sale – for a limited time
Catch a Lecture Replay for only $20 each!
Now through the end of December
Bellydance Quickies Website to Reserve Your Lecture

Now through the end of December, you can pick up one of my past lectures hosted by Mahin of the Belly Dance Quickies.  I’ve been reading this newsletter for an age and I was so pleased when she invited me to what I think of as the “Belly Dance Nerd Core!”  Mahin sponsors live lectures with scholars, master instructors, musicians, and thought leaders in our art form.

In addition to my workshops, you can catch a workshop with master dancer and cultural researcher Morocco, musician, and Dr. George Sawa, the talented working professional dancer Vanessa of Cairo, and Mahin, our hostess, and expert on anatomy and sports physiology!

There are lots of topics to suit a variety of tastes!

I’ve included brief descriptions of my lectures below.  If you have any questions about the content, please feel free to email me directly, or message me on Facebook.  If you have purchasing questions, contact Mahin via her website for answers.

It’s always thrilling to be included with such illustrious scholars, instructors, and talented performers!

I hope you have a happy and healthy holiday season, 
Dawn Devine ~ Davina
December 16, 2020

Need more info?  Here are the descriptions of my workshops included in this holiday sale.

All About Assiut

This is the second version of my assiut workshop produced after my book “The Cloth of Egypt.”  It covers the history, technique, use, wear, and care of this fabulous fabric.  I’ve presented this talk in museums and schools, conferences and conventions, at belly dance haflas and classes.  I was delighted to bring it to Mahin’s lecture series, and I’m so very happy she’s included it in this sale!

Dancers in Orientalist Art

As a trained art historian, I love sharing presentations about the history of art, and especially, the theme of the dancer throughout human history.  This particular presentation is deep dive into what Orientalism really was in terms of who was creating it, who was consuming it, and how these artists and patrons contributed to whetting the global appetite for what we now call belly dance.

Salomania: Fact and Fiction

Since publishing “The Cloth of Egypt,” I’ve picked up this new research project that seeks to answer the question “What is the origin point for the three-piece belly dance costume.”  In this talk, I discuss the fad for Salome dancers in the first two decades of the 20th century.  I discuss where her costume comes from, what made it unique, and scandalous, and how it laid the foundation for our current belly dance costumes today.  This lecture includes many images that you may not have seen before that I’ve found during my research.

50 Fascinating Facts About Finger Cymbals

This talk is the companion to my book “Zills: Music on Your Fingertips.”  It traces the development of finger cymbals from the depths of pre-history in the copper age and illustrates their history.  From ancient cymbals and their relatives to modern manufacturing methods, I’ll be sharing some of the most interesting, and often unknown, information about these instruments we know and love.

120 Years of BELLY DANCE Costume History

Costume history is my jam!  In this talk, I trace the development of our costumes from the 19th century until the dawn of the internet age.  I’ll be discussing how inventions in design, developments in textile production, and changes in style through time influence our choice of ensembles today.

 

Categories
General

First Dance of 2020? Last Dance of 2020!

For a variety of reasons, 2020 was a “challenging” year. Please feel free to insert any explicative or adjective you prefer in the quotes. Challenging was the best I could do without cursing a blue streak! I had Covid and thankfully recovered! I’ve been wrastling with “Frozen Shoulder” but I can now get my right hand over my head along one movement path. Once I got that far in my recovery, I set a goal for myself in September to do a digital performance before the end of the year. What seemed impossible in July, became a goal in September and happened in December.

My first, only, and last performance of 2020

Thanks to Bay Area show impresario Sudeep of “Bay Area Belly” fame and her troupe Raks Jawhara, I got to team up with my buddy Alisha aka Zemira, to dance in a properly social distanced belly dance show. Sudeep hosted a holiday mini-fest and I was thrilled to be invited as a guest act. Alisha, who has been part of my family “bubble” since March, teamed up.  With my limited motion, we decided on an improv cane dance to her favorite holiday song “Sisters” from the movie “White Christmas.”  Then we each did a one-song-solo. 

Watch the Whole Event

Sudeep located a park with a covered patio behind one of the community buildings local for this event.  We all wore masks and stayed properly distanced for health and safety. It was a lovely space and she’s thinking of hosting future events there. I hope to be invited back to “The Patio” for a future show.  Thank you, Sudeep!   Special shout out to Mr. Sudeep for recording the show.

If you’ve danced in a digital show recently and want to share? If it’s on YouTube, why not click through on the Zemira & Davina video and leave a link to your performance there? I would love to see more dance!  If you’re over on Facebook, drop me a DM and be happy to come and watch!

I wish you health and happiness this holiday season!
Dawn Devine ~ Davina
December 14, 2020

Categories
General

“A Journey Down the Nile 1910” A History Slide Talk

Hello Gang!  It’s that time of the year when businesses dive into a yearly review.  2020 has been a bit of a struggle for all people across the whole planet.  I thank my lucky stars that my hubby is still working and that we are surviving this dark year.  My business, like many small belly dance businesses, took a huge hit in 2020.  My motto for the year changed during the month of March to  “Strive to Survive!”

However, the silver lining in that dark cloud was time to really think about my mission.  What I enjoy the most is historical research and sharing it with my fellow dancers.  With this in mind, I am making a pivot in my business, and moving all of my most popular slide-talks into digital form, one month at a time.

New Format – “Topic & Talk”

If you follow me on Facebook, you’ve seen my posts on history.  Throughout the coming year, I’ll continue to make these posts on Facebook and Instagram.  However, moving forward, I’ll be wrapping each month up with a history slide-talk.  This is a great opportunity for those who want a deeper dive into the subject to join me to see even more images, soak up more history, and ask questions about the content.

“A Journey Down the Nile 1910”

This month’s “Topic & Talk” is “A Journey Down the Nile, 1910.  This is one of my most popular talks that I’ve given numerous times in the past 8 years.  Join me for a discussion of how an American tourist would travel to Egypt at the end of the first decade of the 20th century.  This year dovetails into my researcher in both dance and textiles, and so within the framework of tourist travel, I’ll be discussing how you would buy an assiut shawl, where, and why.  I’ll also be sharing eye-witness accounts of Egyptian dance, and the surviving ephemera that helps us understand how the taste for belly dance evolved and propelled the expansion of our art form in the US. This talk is hosted by Sara Shrapnell, one of the co-authors, and one of the owners of the Belly Dance Business Academy.

A Journey Down the Nile 1910
Wednesday, Dec. 30,
6:00 pm Pacific
60 Min Slide-show plus Q&A Session
Live Via Zoom – only $20
Click here to reserve your spot!

 

The beauty of this “Topic & Talk” format is that I get to share even MORE historic images!  There’s such a rich visual history from this era, there will be very few “repeats” from the image posts on social media! If you have any questions about this or future talks, please send me an email at davina@davina.us or message me on Facebook or Instagram.

I’m so excited about this new adventure!
I look forward to seeing you at one of my talks,
but in the meantime, have a happy and safe holiday season!

Dawn Devine~Davina
December 4, 2020