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
General

Newsletter & Patreon Updates: May 2024

Belly Dance Mini-MagazineHello My Friends, Family, and Fans!

As I write this post, it’s the first week of May.  Spring is here in the SF/Bay Area and flowers are blooming everywhere. I took the first quarter of the year off to make substantial behind-the-scenes changes to the operation of my tiny publishing/costuming/dancing business.

Newsletter Updates

Are you subscribed?
If not, check out the April 2024 edition here.

Subscribers may notice that the newsletter’s look hasn’t changed much visually when compared to last year. However from a technical and organizational perspective, we’ve changed many things including:

  • Altered Release Schedule – Our mission for this year is to produce an issue of “Studio Davina: Mini Magazine” through December.  Previously, we’ve experimented with bi-monthly, quarterly, and even randomly.  However, the key feature will be releasing the newsletter after my four monthly Patreon classes are uploaded and live.
  • Expanded Curated Links – Based on feedback from subscribers, we’ve expanded the links section to offer more informative and entertaining videos, articles, books, and more.
  • Move Longer Content Here – To make the newsletter text shorter and snappier for easy scrolling, longer content will be available to the blog.
  • Including More Links – Doing research is my jam!  Why save my sources to myself?  Readers will notice more links to primary sources and the websites of my fellow creators from authors to dancers.
  • Relocated Upcoming Events List – After looking at our open rate and statistics, we’ve moved the “Events Near and Far” section to the end. I enjoy supporting my community by sharing local news and events.
Don’t Miss May, Subscribe Today

Classes with Davina for April 2024 on PatreonMay Patreon Updates

Thank you for supporting my ongoing historical research by joining me for talks, demos, and history presentations. Your continued patronage allows me to continue archival research on the subject of belly dance and costume.

I’m adding a new Patreon level – Freebies!

If you’re interested in checking out the chats, demos, history talks, and courses on Patreon, you can begin by signing up at the new Freebie level.  This level will include links to the monthly newsletter, videos I’ve uploaded around the web, research and project updates. I’ve created a Freebie Collection that will grow throughout 2024.

April Classes Now Available on Patreon:

Upcoming May Classes after May 21:

These classes are all pre-recorded and at the $15 level, you get to enjoy the $3 and $7 levels, students also have access to the entire back catalog of classes, courses, and presentations.

Consider taking a class with me today!

THANK YOU to all my current Newsletter Subscribers.  It is only through your continued support, that I can continue my ongoing research and writing projects.

Dawn Devine ~ Davina
May, 2024Azura Performing

Categories
General

Clockwork Alchemy 2024 Schedule

Clockwork Alchemy 2024, April 19-21

I’m pleased to announce that I’m heading to the Bay Area’s premier steampunk event, Clockwork Alchemy on April 19-21. I’m presenting two historical slide shows and serving as MC for the Belly Dance Show.

If you’re interested in learning more about this event, visit their website for schedule, location, pricing, and more.

Categories
Jewelry

Tips for Selling Used Jewelry

Are you planning on selling jewelry pieces in 2024? 

I’ve recently had more than a handful of people asking for information about buying, selling, or trading used and vintage jewelry pieces.

If this is you, here’s a list of things I do before I put together a jewelry/accessories drop.  However, this to-do list applies to selling virtually anything from a pair of shoes to a wood-burning stove. 

Vintage Saroyan Coin Earrings

Tips for Selling Used Jewelry

Listing Research – Take some time to have a hunt around the web and find out what’s for sale today.  As you read listings, make a note of word choice, photo quantity, and quality.  The goal is to figure out what things are priced at today, and what the current style in listings looks like.

Ask Yourself “Is it worth it?” – After the research phase is “done enough,” consider the time and energy it will take to create and upload a listing.  If you don’t have the time, skills, or energy, you can step back from this project knowing you’ve e made an informed decision. 

Clean and Repair Your Pieces – Make time to thoroughly wipe down and polish your jewelry pieces.  If you have the skills and tools, make any necessary repairs to get your pieces into their best shape.

Jewelry Supplies for Simple Repairs and Construction

Measure – Make your listing more complete by including the key measurements for the pieces. Listings with complete measurements are more appealing to shoppers. 

Photograph – Take many photos of each piece.  Try to capture every angle, at a distance and close up.  If you can snap photos modeled on a dress form, stand, or even better, a person.  Many online sellers put objects like rulers and coins to show size and provide scale.  

Create your Listing – This is my personal choice, but I build my listings in a text document on my computer first.  Then if I’m going to put my listings in a couple of places I can copy, paste, and repeat.  Think Marketplace, eBay, Etsy, and right on your feed.  

Before Posting – Review and double-check the details. Listings should include specific information about payment methods and shipping costs.  Include packaging details and timelines from order to shipment.

Thanks for stopping by and checking out my blog!  I wish you luck and good fortune in your dance and costuming adventures!
 Dawn Devine ~ Davina

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"Jean Jinglers" chains of charms with double clasps to wear attached to bags, jeans, or even as necklaces. Watch for my yearly Etsy drop in the fall.

Categories
General

Theatrical Victorian Bathing Attire – Part 1

“By the Sea” – Theatrical Victorian Bathing Attire – Part 1

True Confession: I have a strange hobby – I cosplay as a college professor at steampunk conventions.

Over the past 20 years, I’ve traveled to conventions up and down the West Coast presenting slide history talks focused on 1850 – 1920.

This year, I’m doing something I haven’t done in many years. I’m going to make a costume to attend one of my talks!

“By The Sea”

This year, Clockwork Alchemy has a fun theme, the Aetheric Ocean.  For this event, I’ve put together two 50-minute slide-show talks.  The first, “By The Sea” is a survey of Victorian and Edwardian bathing customs and costumes.

As I have pulled out primary source materials, I’ve been bitten by the bug to make a historically inspired bathing suit to wear while I give the presentation. 

“By The Sea”
Costume Design: First Five Steps

  • Step One: Do some research – When I’m making a theatrical costume with a period impression, I always start with research. Since the slide deck is filled with period images, I’m already done!
  • Step Two: Cash Budget – When it comes to costumes, I always take a moment at the beginning to set a budget.  The first thing I consider is the cash.  For this look, I’m setting a budget of around $100.  I’m sure I’ll get to wear this ensemble 4 times, that’s $25 a wearing which is my goal for costuming
  • Step Three: Time Budget – Then I take a good hard look at what I can realistically accomplish in the amount of time I have available.  I have a three-week window before the event. I’ll take as many shortcuts as possible!
  • Step Four: Mood Board – Then I set up a mood board using Pinterest.  It’s just the easiest tool for whipping up a mood board.

  • Step Five: Sketch or Photo – Next, I will pick one image, or make a composite sketch of the features I want to include.  Since this is a period-inspired, theatrically made costume, I’ve selected a representative historic image to serve as my style guide.

Design is all about making decisions, since I’m my own customer for this one, I’ll spend a couple of days musing and thinking about what I’m going to make, how I’m going to make it within the parameters of my cash budget $100 and time budget 3 weeks.

In the next post, I’ll share my design brief and the approach I chose for getting this job done fast and under budget!

Happy Costuming!
Dawn Devine ~ Davina
March, 2024

 

Categories
General

Do you have a Kirdan in your costume wardrobe?

Egyptian Kirdan,
a dance tradition

In our world of belly dance, we call necklaces like the one to the right many different things.

They might be called a “Dowery Necklace” as they are associated with weddings and are worn during the zeffeh, a traditional wedding processional. Photo Courtesy of BellyDance.com

You might also find them described as “Egyptian Crescent Moon Necklaces. ” The moon is symbolic of the cyclical nature of womanhood. During the 20th century, dance performers wore these to performances associated with weddings.

Belly dancers have long used their terminology to describe the style and use of these traditional costume pieces. However, Egyptian jewelry makers and dealers call this necklace style a “Kirdan.”

A Kirdan-style necklace is a larger, multi-layered piece worn from the neck down the chest.  The kirdan might be mounted on a choker at the neck, or worn on a chain lower down the chest. Although this style is quite large and dramatic, kirdans are traditionally crafted from small dainty components.  These pieces include shaped fillets, bells, coins, and charms.

In this film clip featuring the song Yamma El Amar Al Bab, notice the lovely kirdan worn by the singer.  (And all that assiut?  You know, I had to sneak it in!)

The crescent moon kirdan has been popular in Upper Egypt since the first quarter of the 20th century.  The style that belly dancers today wear, harkens back to older, more traditional styles of necklaces that appear in classic Egyptian musicals starting in the 1930s.

Check out this classic clip starring legendary Egyptian dancer Nabaweya Mustapha wearing a crescent moon kirdan.

So next time someone asks you for more information about your jewelry, you can tell a more complete story of your necklace.

“My Kirdan is from Egypt. As you can see, it’s an ornate tiered necklace, composed of symbolic moon imagery. This necklace style is traditionally worn for wedding performances.  This could include henna-night informal dancing, the formal zeffah or wedding processional, or at the banquet for a cane dance or with a shamadan, an ornate candelabra.”

Are you looking for a traditional Egyptian wedding kirdan?

When shopping, always ask your favorite belly dance dealer.  I use Bellydance.com for specialty belly dance gear.  You can also try on websites like Etsy and eBay.  Just be sure to search using many different terms.  You never know what words the seller is calling it.

Happy Dance, Music, and Costuming,
Dawn Devine
Mar, 2024