Author: Davina

Davina ~ Dawn Devine is a belly dance costume designer, dance instructor and author of more than a dozen publications on Middle Eastern dance.

Categories
Costuming DIY General Makeup and Appearance

Troupe Costuming: The Design Brief

In my last post, I talked about an assemblage hamsa pendant I made for a recent performance by my dance ensemble Swirl.  I received an interesting question regarding our costuming.  “How did you decide on these costumes and how much did they cost?”  So I thought I would take a moment to share how I use a design brief as a tool when planning costumes for a troupe.  At left: Swirl post-performance at HaflAdira. Zemira is in purple, Vakasha is in black, redvelvet is in rust, and I’m in blue.

What is a Design Brief?

A design brief is a tool used by designers of all ilk to communicate the process and scope of a design project with a client.  As a dance ensemble leader, my role is to guide the decision process.  I really like to get input from all of the members, but ultimately, as the leader, I’m the “buck stops here” person who makes the final decision.  So when I’m working with Swirl, I’m both the designer and the client.

Design Brief Questions

I like a design brief that’s simply a loosely structured set of essential questions.  These answers form the framework for completing the design project.  When working with a troupe, you need to be exceptionally clear with each of the members of the group. To keep everyone on the same page, I like to document discussions via email, so that we have all the same details about budget, sources, and deadlines.

  1. What is the “Style” of the costume?
  2. What is the Budget?
  3. What is the timeline?
  4. Are we starting from scratch, or do we have items in our wardrobes?
  5. How many pieces do we need for the basic costume?
  6. What accessories do we need?
  7. What is on the “Do Not” list of exceptions?
  8. Who are our sources?

Swirl Design Brief Answered

To give you an idea of how a design brief works, I’m going to share the answers that our ensemble Swirl discussed and decided upon for our October show. When you start discussing costuming options, it is a good idea to have some photograph examples or samples of the garments and accessories you’re considering.

  1. Our style is Ethnographic fusion, based around the fabric Assiut
  2. Our budget is flexible, but pulling most pieces from our existing wardrobes.
  3. Timeline – We had two weeks to dress rehearsal, four weeks to performance.
  4. We pulled most of our pieces from our existing wardrobes, sharing pieces within our group when someone was short of an item. I lent Vakasha an assiut panel to use in her headdress and I lent Zemira a purple silk veil. Sharing keeps costs down!
  5. Our costume was composed of black pants and bra as our base layer.  An assiut robe in a unique color within the group.
  6. In addition, we each were tasked with putting together multiple necklaces with the word “Rich and Lush” as our guide, and a headdress that included assiut, jewelry, and a silk veil.  The note for makeup was “Go Extreme.”
  7. Our “do not” was simply – Do not match.  We each choose a unique color.  We also wanted to spend as little as possible.  Each of us already collects assiut costuming pieces and owns both a black robe and a colorful robe.  Pulling from our wardrobes meant keeping our costs minimal.
  8. Because we pulled from our own costume collections, we didn’t put together a source list.  One of the group bought a scarf to use as a headdress base, and I put together a new necklace.  Each troupe member was left up to their own devices to source the items they needed.

Design Brief in Action

When we had our initial conversation, everyone was keen on the coordinated look but unique color approach wearing assiut robes we already owned.  However, the complicated headdress required time together to master the art of putting it on, and then practice to get used to dancing with heavy turbans and jewelry on our heads.  We all brought our jewelry and to the group to admire and help choose the pieces for performance day.  At each rehearsal on the run-up to the show, we fine-tuned our costuming plans until we all had our complete head-to-toe together. At right – assiut and jewelry headdress first experiment.

Learn More: Troupe Costuming Class with Sara Shrapnell

My co-author Sara Shrapnell who lead the team who put together the book Becoming Belly Dancer: from Student to Stage has created a super-affordable class about picking costumes for a troupe.  If you are a member or a leader of a dance troupe, you will want to check the course out at the Belly Dance Business Academy.  Sara includes a wide variety of styles and themes in these troupe costumes and discusses how to strategically choose the right costume for your group. 

At left: Troupe KPS featuring Sara Shrapnell, Poppy Maya, and Ekatarina. I styled this troupe ensemble with the same overall look, but using a monochrome palette of colors.  Photo by Alisha Westerfeld for our book The Cloth of Egypt: All About Assiut.

Swirl – Costumes in Motion

Below is a little snippet of video shot of Swirl at our last performance. You can see how these costumes move and relate to each other.

It was a pleasure to dance with these ladies, all of whom have had private coaching sessions with me and I am proud to call them protegees and friends. If you have questions, or are interested in continuing this conversation, I have a vibrant and active group of costumers and dancers on Facebook called “Studio Davina: Behind the Seams“

Happy Costuming!
Dawn Devine ~ Davina
October 30, 2017

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Categories
Assiut/Assuit Costuming DIY General Jewelry

Making Jewelry Bigger using Jump Rings

This week I had the opportunity to perform with a group of my proteges who have been taking private belly dance lessons. Each year, the Haunted HaflAdira features local dancers dressing up in costume to take the stage and dance for our community.  As we planned our costumes, I found myself craving a light metallic pendant that would hang to my diaphragm. As you can see in this photo I decided to continue my hamsa motif and put together a double-decker pendent.

Above: Swirl, featuring Vakasha in Black and Gold, Davina in Blue, Zemira in Purple, and redvelvet in Rust.

More Jewelry?  Yes Please!

I’m always tweaking my costume looks, and what I needed to fine tune this ensemble was a longer pendant.  I wanted a piece that was large, had lots of movement and rested right where I wanted at the top of my diaphragm.  With a few simple tools, and some basic jewelry componentry I created an assemblage piece from existing trinkets.

Gather Your Jewelry Components

For this piece, I found three Turkish pieces all featuring the characteristic glass blue-eye designs. On the left is a door knocker or wall ornament, designed to be hung from the top loop on a nail or hook.

The keychain is a typical tourist trinket made from silver-toned pot-metal, but with the same swirling design and blue-eye details.

The last piece is a very tiny, delicate bracelet composed of the same blue eyes.

I also needed some chain to make this piece the length I desired and a clasp that would be easy to get it on and off in a hurry before and after a performance, but that was secure enough to hold the necklace in place.

Jewelry Making Tools

This pendant is made using basic jewelry.  Pliers designed for jewelry making are smooth, so the pressure of the tool doesn’t mar the surface of the metal.  Avoid using pliers from the hardware store, as they usually have serrated teeth to help keep a firm grip on projects.

Planning the Jewelry

I wanted a hand suspended from hand look with lots of movement and bounce.  I want this piece to hang lower than the rest of my jewelry, wearing it suspended at the level of my diaphragm.  This would allow me to bounce it with strategic body waves and chest lifts.

Disassembling the Jewelry Components

Once I have all the tools, parts and pieces together, the project only took a few minutes.  I started by removing the big glass eye from the bottom of the door knocker/wall hanging piece.  I also remove the top, leaving just a hand with four dangles.  Next, I took apart the keychain, removing the key ring.  Finally, I harvested 5 of the blue-eyed beads from the bracelet.

After I took those pieces apart, I’m left with this three items.  A big glass eye, which I attached to the keychain, the top of the door hanger, and four beads left on the deconstructed bracelet.

Combine Jewelry with Jump Rings

The next step is to take all the disassembled parts and pieces and create a new pendant. I used the tiny blue-eyed beads and their original jump rings, to attach them to the tips of the fingers to hang like dangles.  This mirrors the design of the door knocker/wall hanging piece.

I then attached this former keychain to the central finger of the wall hanging/door knocker piece. Overall, I am pretty happy with the way the new assemblage pendant looks.

Determine the Necklace Length

Once the pendant was finished, I put the costume onto my dress form and positioned the pendant where I wanted it to fall on my body.  Because I like to make jewelry for performance, I always have a few spools of chain in my stash.

I put the pendant on the chain, and played with the position until I had it at the best length.  I strategically choose this length so the top hamsa would rest right above my diaphragm.  This particular style of chain has links that open, so it was just a twist of the wrist and I had the perfect length chain.

Add a Closure to your Jewelry Piece

The final step is adding a closure to the necklace.  Although this piece is quite long and could easily go over my head, I always add a closure.  I frequently wear large and complicated turbans or headdresses, and it’s really handy to be able to put a piece of jewelry on and off without disturbing my costuming.

Jewelry Making Tools and Supplies

Here are just a few of the tools and supplies I keep on hand in my studio for making custom jewelry as I need it.  If you are into tribal style belly dance costuming, you may find yourself frequently using jewelry making techniques.  For glam dancers, having these tools on hand means that you can make repairs on your rhinestone necklaces and bracelets.  And of course, having the ability to redesign your jewelry to make pieces that are bigger and better is always a plus!

Basic Jewelry Making Kit: I started with a Beadalon Jewelry Toolkit similar to this one.  I still use the chain-nosed pliers today, nearly 20 years later.  What I love about this case, is that I can put my favorite closures and earring wires in the plastic organizer keeping everything together to grab and work without digging around for parts and pieces.

Jump Rings:  I always keep a selection of different sized jump rings in my toolkit to have on hand to make repairs and create new pieces. Getting a set with six different sizes and a storage box means that not only will you be prepared, but if you run out of a particular size, you can buy replacements by the baggie to refill your organizer.

 

I had so much fun dancing with my crew in these bright robes and almost, but not quite, excessive jewelry.  We had so much fun, we’re already planning for performances in December. Looks like there will be more jewelry making in my future!

Best of luck on all of your costuming and dance adventures!
Dawn Devine ~ Davina
Oct. 27, 2017

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Categories
General Publications

Inktober 2017

I’ve been having a blast with the 2017 Inktober challenge. I’ve tackled this challenge for the past three years sharing my favorite illustrations on FaceBook.  This year, I’m posting my favorite drawings on Instagram.  Since I’ve been nearing the completion of my next book, Color Theory with Pencils and Mandalas, my mind is deeply entrenched in the mandala mode and so there are quite a few of these popping up in Inktober collection.  Check out my Instagram feed to see my drawings.  All of my sketches are tagged with #inktober2017 so you can do a search and see the collection.

What is Inktober?

The brainchild of pro-illustrator Jake Parker, Inktober began in 2009 with a 30-day challenge to help improve his inking skills and techniques.  Over the past 8 years, the challenge has gained in popularity, with artists of all skill levels, media, and styles taking on the project.  The mission is simple, make an ink drawing every day for 30 days.  Jake puts together a list of prompts for artists who want to work together.  However, you can come up with your own theme or subject matter.  The beauty of this challenge is that you choose how you want to participate.  Can you start today?  Heck YEAH!!!  If you decided to give it a go, and share your images on Instagram, be sure to message or tag me so I can see your work!

Inktober on YouTube

This year, many fantastic artists have taken on the InkTober challenge and are documenting the process in the form of videos.  I’m particularly enjoying British artist Minnie Small who has created a great Halloween theme of Haunted Houses. Her artistic style is appealing, her handling of the media is inspiring, and her videos are all high-quality and easy to watch.

My Inktober

When I started my Inktober 2017 journey, my mission was to pull out pens that I hadn’t worked with for a while and revisit them.  I have completely fallen out of the habit of sketching.  So my theme was new pen every day, and just doodle to get a feel for the tool.  But of course, since I’m working on the mandala book, it seems to have become my subject of choice. Here are a few of the examples.  These are all done on super cheap tracing paper, and I begin by pulling out a radial grid to slide under the paper to use as a rough guide, then I pick my pen for the day.  
I’ve made a few discoveries along the way.  The first is that I have a LOT of dead pens!  So this has given me the impetus to declutter and reorganize my art tools.  The second thing I’ve learned is that I’m looking forward to doing another challenge in November.  My goal for November is to dust off my fashion illustration skills and make a series of sketches in preparation for the next big book project, code-named ABCD (Assiut Belly Dance Costume In Detail.)   But the biggest discovery I made during this first half of Inktober, is how much I missed drawing daily, and how easy it was to slip back into the habit!  In times of deadlines and busy, a steady art practice is what falls to the wayside.  Picking it back up again is a personal triumph, and I look forward to creating more illustration work and sharing it on social media.

Now, time to take out this bag of trash.  Dead pens to the recycling bin!
Dawn Devine ~ Davina
October 13, 2017

 

 

 

 

Categories
General Makeup and Appearance

Q&A – Skin Care Questions

Hello Gang!

On Sept. 6, 2017, I turned 50.  YEP – I’m 50!!!  I feel like its an achievement, a triumph and I am so grateful that I’m still standing!  (Cue the Elton John Song!)  However, as I have moved through my life doing a victory dance, I keep getting hit with the same questions.  “Dawn, how do you keep your skin looking so good?”  or “How do you stay looking so young?”

Well, hummm, interesting questions. I have to be honest, I each of my 50 years etched into the smile lines, and painted on my skin in freckly dark spots.  My under-eye circles are a wonder to behold, and completely unavoidable due to genetics. When I look in the mirror and think, do I look that young?

However, At the end of the day, it’s all about perception and perspective, and for many people, my skin evidently does look “younger than my number.” So, in this post,  I’ll share what I do to sustain, maintain, and manifest the combination of illusion and reality that is my skin.  I’m no dermatologist or beauty guru, so some of my processes may not be “officially sanctioned” by a skin professional.

So without further ado, here’s what I do to my skin.  Note – I’ve included links so you can see and find the products.  I recommend comparison shopping, watching for sales, and using coupons as often as possible to save serious $ on skincare.  Everything I use is considered “Drug Store” priced and though I try to keep the cost down, if I lost it all today and had to rebuy everything, it would be a pretty penny!

A.M. Skin Care Routine

When I get up in the morning, I start my day with about 5 minutes in front of the mirror.  As a creature of habit, I brush my teeth first, then work my way through this quick routine.  I know this looks like a lot of stuff, but I can get these steps done in five minutes.

  1. Micellar Water: I start in the morning by using a micellar water to clean off the skin care from the night before.  I just brush a bit on with a cotton round and make sure that my skin is completely clean.  You will see in a moment why this step is essential – I use quite a bit of stuff before bed.  Because I wear a lot of waterproof mascara when I perform, I buy the blue-lid Garnier, which is quite good for makeup.  I wrote a blog post about Micellar water Here.
  2. Hydration Spray:  I make my own spray that I use liberally because it’s super affordable and easy to make.  It’s 8 parts water, and I use fancy Italian still water, Aqua Panna, 1 part grapeseed oil and 1 part glycerine.  I mix these up and keep a bottle at my sink and a bottle at my workstation so that I can spray throughout the day. But I always give myself a blast as my second step.
  3. Serum:  I have been using Boots No. 7 Advanced Protect and Perfect serum since 2007.  That’s 10 years.  I like the way this feels, and I miss it when I skip it.  My skin is growing dryer by the day, and after I apply this in the morning, it feels more dewy and soft.  I guess I swear by this as a holy grail product!
  4. Sunscreen: I always use an SPF of 50 on my face next.  I’m currently using a sunscreen from CeraVe designed for use on the face.  It’s worked for me for the past three years, and I go through two tubes a year.  If I know FOR SURE I’ll be inside the whole day, I will skip this step.  If I do – and then need to go outside later – I always spray my face, neck, and hands with sunscreen in a mist form so it won’t disturb any makeup I might have on.  For sprays, I buy whatever is sold at CostCo to save some cash.  This year, I’ve been using Neutrogena Beach Defense in SPF 70.
  5. Moisturizer 1: I have pretty dry skin, and I discovered Garnier Moisture Rescue about three years ago, and I love the way it feels.  It’s a heavy dose of hydrolonic acid, which beauty gurus says really plump the skin.  I use it because it feels good to my dry skin.  I completely swear by this “pink goo.”
  6. Moisturizer 2:  OVER KILL TIME –  I use the same moisturizer day and night and I’ve been enjoying the CereVe Night Moisturizer.  The day version has sunscreen in it, and since I use a separate sunscreen, I don’t need sunscreen in my moisturizer. Do I really need two moisturizers?  They do two different “things” so yeah, I’m okay with being a bit extra on the moisturizer front.
  7. Eye Cream: This is my “biggest aging issue” so I’m a huge fan of eyecream.  I’ve never found the perfect formula so this is my area of experimentation.  I’m currently using the Boots No. 7 formula,

During the Day: Ongoing Skin Care

As I move through my day, there are a couple of things that I do that are functional and illusional to maintain the looks of my skin.

  1. CC/BB Cream – Because I feel that my biggest “aging” issue is hyperpigmentation aka age spots, I like to wear a BB or CC cream to even out the tone of my skin.  There are dozens, if not hundreds of products available on the market today, and it’s most important to buy a product that is good for your skin type and matches your skin tone. Two formulas that I like for my dry, pale skin are Garnier’s BB  cream and the Pur Cosmetics CC cream which is REALLY pale, so good for me in winter.
  2. Color Correction for Dark Eyes – While I don’t do this if I’m staying home for the day, if I’m heading out for a typical day I always take a moment to use a peachy concealer around my eyes.  Lately, I’ve been using the Nyx Dark Circle Concealer for daytime wear.  When I’m doing stage makeup, I get much more intense with concealer and use a Concealer Wheel from BH Cosmetics.
  3. Liberal Use of Hydration Spray – When my skin is feeling a little dry, I hit myself with a mist of hydration.  While I make my own, I actually am constantly refilling a travel size bottle that originally contained the Mario Badescu formula.  I loved that, but I’m all for saving some cash with an equally good DIY version. Of course, the small bottle is the bomb and I carry it with me in my bag everywhere!
  4. Hand Sanitizer Spray – I am a “face toucher” and I frequently hold my phone to my face.  To keep my hands and phone clean on the go, I carry around Dr. Bronner’s lavender hand sanitizer.  Is this overkill?  Probably – but I find that it reduces breakouts and blemishes.
  5. Hand Lotion – Hands give your age away.  My hands are not as pretty as they once were, but to keep them looking their best, I moisturize frequently.  I carry around hand lotion with me constantly.  I’m not loyal to any particular brand, but I pick up sample and travel sizes and keep them in my bag at all times.  A big jar of Eucerin Intensive is on my desk.  I think the real key to hand lotion is to get into the habit and have it with you at all times.  If you choose a formula and scent that you like, you are more likely to reach for it and use it.

P.M. Skincare Routine

I’m a night-time shower-er so this routine is predicated on my preferred shower-time.

  1. Makeup Removal:  Depending on my day, this can be as simple as the Miceller water I mentioned earlier for standard day-time makeup.  On an ordinary day I might wear BB/CC Cream, eyeliner, Mascara, lip balm.  But then there are performance nights.  For those nights, I will start with makeup remover wipes.  I currently buy the Kirkland brand from Costco.  Then I will go over my face Miceller water to work on the stubborn waterproof products I prefer to battle performance sweat.  If that’s not enough, I will dip into a liquid makeup remover to help with the most stubborn stuff.  I don’t have a preferred makeup remover, I just buy what’s on sale, and someday, I might have a favorite.
  2. Cleanse Skin: After all the makeup is off, I do a cleanse in the shower, I wash my face with a microfiber washcloth using CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser.  There are lots of cleansers out there and I recommend you experiment until you find one that works for your skin type.  Because my key issue is dry skin, I found that this cleanser leaves me feeling clean, not dry, tight and stripped of all moisture.
  3. Scrub: 3 times a week I use a scrub on my face.  As I’ve aged, I find that my dry skin needs a little help with exfoliation, so I give it a little help along.  Currently, I’m using a product I like, but is not quite at Holy Grail status, Neutrogena Healthy Skin Booster.   The last tube of scrub I used I might like a tiny bit better it was the Aveeno Positively Radiant.  Because I can’t decide, I will probably flip-flop between the two until something catches my eye.
  4. Mask: Opposite days from scrubbing, I will use a face mask.  I am not a huge fan of sheet masks, so instead, I go for classic formulations that include kaoelin clay.  This is another arena where I experiment a lot with different products and I’m currently working on a tube of the St. Ives Mineral Clay Firming Mask.  When I have the time to get really hands on a gooey, I like to use mix-your-own Aztec Secret: Indian Healing Clay which is Bentonite clay and really lovely.  It’s super affordable too, ya just gotta do the work to mixmaster your facial together.
  5. Toner: After I’ve done the cleanse and either mask or scrub, then I go over my skin with witch hazel.  There are may professionals that have abandoned witch hazel for being too strong.  But I like the way it feels and looks on older skin with large pores.
  6. Retinoid: Differin Gel is sold as an acne treatment but is nearly as strong as Retin A that needs a prescription.  I think using it for anti-aging is “off label” but I don’t care!  It’s cheaper and easier to get than a prescription.  Retin A or Tretinoin is the gold-standard for antiaging and if you have access to it – it’s amazing!  I give this some time to completely dry before the final round of moisturizers.
  7. Serum: Here’s a repeat from the morning with Boots No 7 Serum
  8. Moisturizer 1: Garnier Moisture Rescue – same as the morning
  9. Moisturizer 2: CeraVe Nightime – same as the morning.

Saving Money on Skin Care

WHEW – it took much longer to type all that in than to actually perform these steps.  Skin care is something that I take seriously, but, at the same time, I try to save money on. As you can tell by the list, I’m not a slave to one brand, but often, I have two products in a line so I can take advantage of BOGO sales to get one at half off or even sometimes free with purchase.  While all of these affiliate links lead back to Amazon and help support my blog, I highly recommend you comparison shop.  I like to buy my products from stores where I have points adding up, like Ulta or Walgreens where I have accounts that are growing from making purchases.  When I buy on line, I always use EBates to save cash with things I’m already planning on buying.

When you know what products you like, try to buy everything on sale in advance of running out, so I don’t have a mad dash to the store to buy something at full price.  I try to buy one or two products each month to spread out the expense of this full regimen throughout the year.  For the product categories where I am still experimenting, I am always sure to read reviews from sources I trust.  I’m less likely to be disappointed when it’s been recommended to me by someone with similar skin care issues and tastes as my own.

I hope that this post gives you a little peek into my habits for keeping my skin clear and smooth.  Remember, it’s never too late to start taking care of your skin.  While this might seem like a crazy high-maintenance routine, it only really takes a few minutes in the morning and at night.

I wish you the best of luck in your own skin-care journey!
Dawn Devine ~ Davina
October 10, 2017

Categories
General

The Belly Dance Bundle Sale is on through Oct. 8, 2017

We’re in the middle of the launch week for the Belly Dance Bundle, and I was interviewed by the project mastermind, Tiffany Noro.  Although I was under the weather, at the tail end of a cold, I was really happy to participate the launch party with this video.   Why did I write Zills: Music on Your Fingertips?  Why did we choose to include it in the Bundle?  These questions and more are answered in this short video.

I got my copy of The Belly Dance Bundle and I am personally thrilled with the amount of high-quality content that is included.  It makes me feel so happy to be included with some of the most incredible dancers, teachers, and scholars working on my favorite subject, belly dance.  If you enjoy this video of me, you might enjoy checking out some of the other folks who contributed to the project on the FaceBook page devoted to the bundle.  There are many more videos to watch.

If you want to find out more about what is included, the complete list of what’s included in the bundle is on the official Belly Dance Bundle website.  I really think that this is the best digital immersion, a retreat at home, a workshop series without the hassle and fuss of travel, then having to choose which classes you take.  With the Bundle – you get to take them all at your own pace and in the comfort of your home!

It’s a good deal!
Now, I going back to cold recovery mode,
Dawn Devine ~ Davina
Oct. 5, 2017

PS:  Yes – It really is spelled “The Bellydance Bundle” – I’m just used to the two-word version – but both are acceptable!

PPS: The Bundle includes an exclusive digital .pdf version of my complete Zills book.  Find out more about the book here.

PPPS: Yes – these are affiliate links and the sale is on through October 8, 2017 on the Belly Dance Bundle website.