General

Assiut in Fashion – Toroz

March 16, 2023

  Toroz – Modern Egyptian Design Traditional Assiut Details I recently discovered an amazing young designer Lobna Zogheib, founder of the label Toroz.  These lovely garments are modern and fashionable featuring accents of traditional embroidery from Sohag and Siwa oasis.  Lobna strives for her garments to be, “a gateway between cultural iconic craftsmanship and modern-day […]

Read the full article →

Shimmy On The High Seas: Progress Report

February 13, 2023

Can You Write a Novel? Challenge Accepted! Many years ago, my mum challenged me to create a work of fiction. Of course, I said “Yes!” My mom wants to read a non-DIY or History book by her one and only daughter. How could I possibly say no? We brainstormed together and settled on a few […]

Read the full article →

Assiut Belly Dance Bra: Fusion Style

February 1, 2023

Assiut Belly Dance Bra: Fusion Style This month I’m tackling this lovely pleated assiut bra for a local dancer. For this bra, I used some lovely assiut scraps to cover the center front. The sides of the cups are made of striped assiut fabric that I’ve pleated to bring the assiut stitches closer together. The […]

Read the full article →

January 31, 2023

Style File: A Visual Vocabulary of Middle Eastern Belly Dance Costume After more than 20 years, we’re going out of print with our little booklet Style File.  This useful little publication was like a field guide to belly dance costuming. I wrote it with my students in mind.  Imagine going to large belly dance events […]

Read the full article →

Blue Assiut in Motion

December 29, 2022

Swirl Performs in Blue Assiut This holiday season, I was invited by my dance colleague Petra of the House of Inanna in San Jose to participate in a dance showcase during the 2022 Christmas in the Park. I was honored to be invited and delighted to join in the festivities! I invited my troupe to […]

Read the full article →