One of the best ways to keep your skin looking its best when on the road or in the air is to pack a kit of moisturizing essentials. I like to keep a kit packed and ready in an approved zip-lock baggie in my dance kit. Then, when the next event is around the corner, I can grab and go! Even if I’m not traveling far, I keep these items stashed in my kit, because really, should a girl ever be with out some lip balm and sunglasses?
I’ve had my head down and my elbows up working on my next book, The Cloth of Egypt. Over the past few months, I’ve participated in some Bay Area performance. At each of these recent shows, I’ve made a point of wearing assiut, with the hopes of getting some lovely and useful photos of the event to use in the book. This photo, was taken by the talented photographer Alisha Westerfeld. This low-level shot really caught the glint of the assiut, but is, unfortunately, a bit too blurry for print.
However, I am pretty happy with the overall look of this picture! So I thought I would share a few details on how I created this look. My headdress base is a simple cotton turban made from a shawl rolled into a long tube and wrapped twice around my head and tucked. I topped this with my largest tiara.
This headdress is topped with an amazing assiut scarf. This long, narrow, and highly embellished scarf is modern assiut that I pounded, cleaned, and softened to achieve an almost vintage drape. To keep the assiut scarf in place, I used long pearl-tipped corsage pins strategically located to keep everything from moving throughout a high-energy cane dance.
Of course, this look began with my makeup. I was trying for a highly dramatic look, emphasizing my rather deep-set eyes to make them look very dark and intense. Using the tools over on the Polyvore website, I’ve constructed a “snapshot” of my makeup kit from that day. With the products pictured below, I created the look above. If you like the results, you might want to try some of these cosmetics for yourself.
There are many costuming options for a dancer to choose from. From the glamour of beads and sequins to the earthiness of tribal and folkloric costumes, the options can be overwhelming. Many dancers start by selecting a specific feature. Color is one of the most obvious first choices, but there is a rainbow of colors to choose from. Where does one begin? White has been popular over the last few years and purple is always a winner. Green, the color of money, could send the job opportunities through the roof. Pastels, neons and jewel tones are all available to tempt a dancer’s eye. But without a doubt, the most versatile color of all is red.
Red? Not black, that most basic and “safe” of colors? Not blue in shades from sky to cobalt? But red! For the American dancer a red costume is a foundation for an entire year’s worth of specialty and theme costumes. In February, paired with pink accessories and heart motifs, the red bra and belt set is sure to set hearts afire at those special Valentine’s dinner shows.
In May, for Memorial Day, a red costume can symbolize the loss of loved ones on the field of battle. Simply accessorize with gold, alluding to the medals worn by our country’s heroes.
In June, the red costume can be the perfect color to brighten dad’s spirits on Father’s Day. While in July, a white skirt and long blue gloves can turn the red costume in to the perfect patriotic outfit to celebrate the Fourth of July. In September, mix up the white and blue accessories for those Labor Day events.
Add a pair of saucy little devil’s horns and a spike tail and become a dancing devil for Halloween. Or you can use add a black cape and a pair of fangs and become the ultimate vampy vamp. In November, you can pair a red costume with orange, rust and yellow accent pieces to capture the colors of turning leaves for Thanksgiving celebrations. And for those December holiday shows, a green skirt and gold accents will transform a red costume into the perfect ensemble for Christmas shows.
Specialty shows, parades and theme events will always be a little more fun if you have a costume that fits the bill. Why not invest in a red dress or bra and belt set that can be reinvented for each major holiday with accessories and accents that fit the bill? Every dancer needs a red costumes, have you made yours?
Note: This is a republishing of an article that appeared on the Costumer’s Notes eZine many years ago. Recently, I was chatting with Lynette over at Gilded Serpent eZine and she suggested that I use the word American in the title – because the article is really targeted at dancers in the US, and I agreed. Thank you to Setareh for allowing me to share this lovely action photo. The rest of the article is the same, and it’s as true today as it was then! Happy Holidays! ~ Davina ~ Dawn Devine
Hello my friends in costume and dance,
As you may know, (if you have attended one of my workshops, or just blathered on over a cup of coffee,) I believe that makeup and hair are layer 2 in my theory of 5 layers of a belly dancer’s appearance. It is so important for any performer who steps into the limelight to have significant makeup or you simply wash out under the glare. Daytime level of makeup is just not enough, you’ve got to turn it up megawatts to fight the light! How often have I told students… More Eyes.. More Lips..
On my own personal quest for inspiration a good friend (and co-conspirator Zemira) turned me onto a great website, The Art of Cosmetics. As I spent waaay too much time surfing through their content, I found some great video tutorials links like the one to the right. Naughty Purple Eyes Makeup Tutorial by MissChievous. (Incidentally, if you like MissChievous, you can friend her over on
FaceBook.) If you haven’t mixed up your makeup recently, now is a great time to give it a go. In Fall, the major makeup companies come out with new pallets of dark rich colors so now is the time to experiment.
So – true confession time – makeup is not my specialty! I wear makeup as little as possible in my daily life, but I’m not afraid to pile it on for performance. Early in my dance career, I took dance and makeup classes with Maleah of San Diego, and she gave me my first glimpse into the potential for allure. I quickly learned that eye contact helped me make more tips. Overtime, I’ve had dozens of makeovers at Sephora and MAC stores at department store counters. I ask for “Dramatic Evening Eyes” and every makeup artist has a different take. Most recently, I’ve had makeup classes and consultation with Adriana of SF/Bay Area, (who, incidentally, does a fantastic makeup segment on the Secrets of the Stage: Volume 3 DVD – so if you can’t get to the bay area, you can contact her about this DVD via her website. I really like and recommend this video.) I also heard that the grand and fabulous Princess Farhana of Hollywood will be releasing a makeup video at some point.. that should be really good – you know I’m going to buy THAT when it comes out!
So – I guess I’m confessing that I’m addicted to the makeover process. My favorite part are the eye transformations. Eye makeup is one of the places where you can really play with color and texture, where you can really go wild!
Of course, there are hundreds, if not thousands of makeup tutorials around the web. So hunt down a new look, be courageous and give it a go!
~ Dawn Devine ~ Davina