EMAN UNVEILED: A LOOK BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE ATELIER-AND LIFE-OF EMAN ZAKI

 EMAN UNVEILED

 I wrote this story in Cairo, in 2009 as an exclusive for  belly dance publication The Chronicles. Since that was the only place it had ever been published, I thought I’d share it with you, dear readers...enjoy!

 Madame  Eman Zaki is one of the top costumers in the world of Oriental Dance …or perhaps, in the world, period. The name Eman means as much to dancers as   Dolce  & Gabbana or Prada does among a group of serious fashionistas.

 Her designs are fabulous, opulent, and well constructed. Whether the design is a forward-thinking, daring trend-setter or something classic that harks back to the glamour of bygone era, Eman’s costumes are works of art that are uniformly glorious. They are not cheap, but considering the workmanship and beauty, are worth every penny!

Eman today, photo by Tracy Gibbs

Eman’s works of art feature sumptuous hand work, gleaming Swarovsky crystals and amazing draping, which follows the contours of the female body, moves well in performance, and flatter dancers of all shapes and sizes.

Mentioning Eman’s name to a group of belly dancers is likely to start an hour-long conversation full of wishful sighs  and covetous declarations; even dyed-in-the-wool Tribal and Fusion dancers have been caught  red-handed in the act of drooling over one!

Always a fan of Eman’s designs, I owned quite a few before I actually met her. Over the years, we have met at festivals In Egypt and The UK, but belly dance events being what they are, we basically exchanged pleasantries, guzzled coffee and talked shop. It was only a few years ago that we really shared some quality time and got to know each other.

Through the “belly dance grapevine” I had heard  that Eman  and her sister Hoda      ( also an amazing costumer) had been performers before becoming costume designers. In 2009, at Ahlan WA Sahlan in Cairo, Eman broke her “dance silence” and taught a workshop on Golden Age technique and choreography. Intrigued, I signed up for the class immediately and was literally blown away. She bloomed, she shone, and she lit up the entire room and looked so beatifically happy that her enthusiasm was contagious. Her obvious love of the dance, her musical interpretation, innate talent and artistry were so completely evident, that I became totally obsessed with finding out more about her life in general as well as her previous dance career. We made a date to chat at her Dokki atelier, a place I’d already visited numerous times as a customer.

 There is no way to accurately describe the glittery chaos that is Eman Zaki’s atelier, but I will try. The moment the door opens, one is met with a splendid, sparkly sensory overload. Bolts of shiny fabric are lined up against the walls and stuffed into crevices behind doors, dressmaker mannequins draped with material stand in corners; costumes in various states of completion cover every available surface. Finished pieces with dancers names and addresses pinned to them sit in plastic bags piled on the floor.  There are usually at least three dancers being fitted simultaneously, as well as someone waiting for a wholesale order. Little children run through the atelier shrieking, as older kids working as runners arrive, delivering bottled water, soda and cigarettes. Groups of veiled women work at long tables...and couches... and the floor, furiously beading and sewing rhinestones to costume pieces. Eman’s brother and business manager Ali wanders around, the land-line phone glued to his ear; Eman’s sisters Hoda and Nadia are cutting fabric.  Sara Farouk, an English ex-pat and Eman’s trusted right hand, fields numerous cell-phone calls with a mouth full of pins, as she types furiously at the computer.

Eman Zaki in the 1970's

Eman leads me into her parlor, closing the French doors to signal Do Not Disturb and she, Sara and I sit down to chat over a light lunch and some very strong tea, trying to stick to a chronological order.

Eman quite literally has dancing in her blood- and not just because she is Egyptian!  She and her sisters Hoda and Nadia grew up with Oriental dance- their mother, Samira Zad, had been a well-known performer in the 1940’s.     

“My mom was famous” Eman says,

 “She traveled all over to dance! When we were children, we watched old movies on TV, and she would tell us about Samia Gamal, talk with all her love about dancing, then get up and show us a step. She advised us about training.  She was very happy when Hoda and I became dancers, she told us about the importance of training and advised me. My mother told me to hold the music into my heart, and also that the positions of the arms were very important.  She was especially proud when we performed in front of her and did well.”

  Following in their mother’s footsteps, Hoda turned professional in 1975, and Eman, using the stage name Mayssa, (because, as she says,  “My name Eman is something about religion”) began her career in March of 1977.

 “My first contract was in Syria, I was 18 years old. Hoda had started in Egypt, already, and when I began dancing, we would travel together, dancing all over the world.”

 

Hoda Zaki onstage, 1975

Eman’s career dancing abroad ended when she divorced her husband, who had a hotel in Dubai. Her agent didn’t want to make her ex-husband angry, and so she returned to Cairo.

“In Cairo,” Eman says,

“ I worked at the Grand Hyatt (now the Meridien) and was contracted there to replace Nagwa Fouad there for six months.”

 She decided to make the transition to working as a costumer in the late 1980’s, after she had been dancing for about a decade.

“During that time, I wasn’t happy”, Eman remembers,

 “ Because dancers need to hire their own bands, provide the uniforms, transportation…in the end I came up with no money.  I did one last contract in new Delhi on new year’s Eve in 1990… but I had already an idea about making costumes- I had already made costumes for Amani, Sihan Al Amir; and Badi’a, Samraa El Nil… so I decided to build a career.”          

Eman Zaki, 1970's...love the Farrah hair!

 The rest, as they say, is history… she not only built a career, but also set a new standard in the industry, becoming the costuming legend she is today. The entire Zaki family is involved; it is truly a family enterprise. Ali handles the business end, Hoda also has her own line of costumes, and Nadia works in the atelier as well.

Eman’s clients include the top names in Oriental Dance, from around the world. In addition to her ready-to-wear costume line, she also does commissioned work for legendary Egyptian stars.

 “Dina,” Eman says, “Knows exactly what she wants…she tells me, and I make it.  Randa has to see them, she cannot imagine, and Fifi Abdou is like Randa!”

And as for Eman’s gradual transition back to dancing?

“Oh, I missed it all the time!” she replied, very sincerely.

It was actually Sara Farouk who spurred her on to dancing and teaching again, booking a UK workshop for Eman in  May 2008.

“I was very nervous and full of stress!” Eman says,

 “I trained and trained for it!”

That workshop was such a resounding success, it lead to her master class at Ahlan WA Sahlan in 2009.

Seeing Eman in action, dancing and interpreting the music is a joy to behold. She seems to become the music, and, like her costumes, her physical movements are both elegant and playful. She taught Golden Age-style technique and choreography, to the music of a classic  Farid El Atrache song.

  “ It is only Farid El Atrache! I love Farid El Atrache so much!” Eman says,

 

Wearing a glorious Eman at The Mena House
Cairo, Egypt, 2009. Photo by Aleya Bellydance

 her eyes sparkling.

 “He mixes in something Western, his voice is full of love…. it’s also a little bit sexy!”

 When I ask Eman what sort of observations she has about Oriental Dance today, she is full of opinions.

“You show yourself inside when you are dancing! You have to search for music that fits your character, and dancers today, many of them just copy other dancers… you have to care about what you are doing, and be true with yourself!”

 Sara adds,

“There are no rules in Egyptian Oriental Dance, it’s all about being honest or dishonest with yourself!”

 Eman heartily agrees. And though thankfully she isn’t about to stop making costumes any time soon, she does plan on doing more dancing.

“ Dancing makes you happy…" Eman says,

“It’s something beautiful, dancing-it feeds your soul!”

##

 Eman’s Website: http://www.eman-zaki.com/

The Belly Dance Chronicles  is now available online as well as in hard copy:

http://www.isisandthestardancers.com/CHRONICLES/Chronicles.htm

BELLY DANCE TRAVEL AND TOURISM- STAYING SAFE & SANE: PART THREEE

 This is Part Three in a four-part series on belly dance travel and tourism. Even with the  social unrest in the Middle East and North Africa, many dancers are eager  to  travel to research, study and immerse themselves in  Oriental Dance.  If you're armed with  some knowledge about the places you'll be visiting  and  know what to expect  before and during your trip, you'll have a much better time.

 In this series, I'll cover everything from  keeping healthy and staying safe abroad to buying costumes; from cultural and social differences  to  breezing through security at  airports; from  communicating socially to haggling for a bargain.  

I learned all this stuff the hard way… but you won’t have to!

Dance Festivals, Tours And Classes

For most dancers, the idea of going on a belly dance tour or attending a dance festival in one of the countries where the dance originated is heaven on earth. Imagine getting to see performances from your favorite dancers-many of them living legends- and also being able to study with your idols… in between sightseeing and shopping excursions!  It’s not just a dream come true, it’s also likely that your trip will exceed your wildest fantasies! You’ll witness scenes that look like they just popped off the pages of a history book, you’ll hear incredible live music, absorb the culture, and be dazzled by the magic of it all.

 However enthusiastic you are, (and I’m relatively sure you’ll be bouncing off the walls just thinking about it) you need to acknowledge that pretty much everything you do will be a “peak experience”. Keep in mind the fact that you are mortal, and concentrate on reigning yourself in just a little, going for quality, not quantity.

 At dance festivals, you’ll want to take every class- and attend the gala shows, sign up to perform, shop for costumes, and talk to all your new friends from around the world. On tours, you’ll be waking up at 5:00am to visit ancient ruins, exploring the countryside and major cities, going to nightclubs, wandering through bazaars, museums and mosques and taking private classes.

There will be so much you want to do, there’s no way you’ll be able to do it all… so choose your activities wisely.

 Instead of booking non-stop dance classes, just pick workshops with your favorite instructors, (or someone who is highly recommended) and schedule in a little bit of downtime for yourself. Take advantage of your hotel’s pool or spa services.  Don’t feel the need to participate in every activity that is offered, whittle down your list of potential excursions to those you are really interested in. You might even want to spend a relaxing evening in your hotel room, enjoying room service and the amazing selection of Arabic music videos that are on television 24 hours a day. A couple of years ago, on a tour I was leading to Egypt, I once walked in on a roomful of girls tipsy on Duty Free wine, giggling hysterically as they watched “Oprah” dubbed in Arabic!

If you haven’t been to a foreign festival or on a tour before, this might seem impossible, but because of jet lag and your own excitement, it’s fairly typical to forget to eat or drink enough water. Add this to five or fewer hour of sleep a night, and you’re setting yourself up for disaster. 

Please remember that you need to stay well hydrated, well fed, and get enough sleep.  Injuries and illnesses typically occur when the body is exhausted- and trust me; you will be over-tired when you are traveling…especially at a dance festival!

The biggest piece of advice I can give you on attending belly dance festivals or going on dance tours in foreign countries is… pace yourself!

Buying Costumes

 Costume prices vary in Egypt, Lebanon and Turkey. There are always cheap souvenir costumes available at the souks, but these “airport specials” are most likely not worth bothering with if you are a professional dancer.

  In Cairo, custom made stage wear and off-the-rack costumes altered to fit you from top designers like Eman Zaki, Sahar or Hanan will probably run  $500.00 and up, but you can often get a discount if you purchase more than one.  Though many costume vendors will go for some  bargaining, most of the major ateliers will not, unless you are a regular customer.

If you’re not a “label whore”, you can easily find very nicely made, gorgeous costumes from up –and-coming or  “generic” ateliers for $60.00 - $350.00.

Bella of Istanbul does lovely costumes, but expect to pay Western prices for her custom made numbers. Even so, they are definitely worth it!

 Take your time and shop carefully, make a list of exactly what you want before you leave home…because your eyes will be literally popping out of your head when you see all the gorgeous stuff on display!

BELLY DANCE ADDICTION: RECOGNIZING YOUR PROBLEM

  This  story originally appeared as the first post on this blog,  February 10, 2009.  Enjoy!

 In this day and age, we can all speak freely and without shame about our dysfunctions.

  Substance abuse?  Anger  problem? Gambling?

There is always a support group in place to help you. But there is one serious problem that society hasn’t yet addressed, and it’s affected a growing number of individuals the world over.

  BELLY DANCE ADDICTION

 Has belly dancing taken over your life? Does it dominate your thoughts and prevent you from performing simple daily tasks? Will it ever be possible for those who suffer from this affliction to lead a normal life? 

Have you hit Balady Bottom? 

The first step towards a full recovery is to admit that you are powerless over your addiction.

 Please spend a few minutes to take a long, hard look at yourself and assess your lifestyle.  Answer these key questions as honestly as possible to determine if YOU are a Belly Dance Addict!

 YOU MAY SUFFER FROM BELLY DANCE ADDICTION IF:

 You open your costume closet and its contents are equal to the down payment on a large house.

You have no idea what the works of Bach or Beethoven sound like, but can easily identify the work of Abdel Halim Hafez or Farid Al Atrache.

You own more “bling-bling” than any chart-topping hip-hop artist.

Your hair-do is larger, more elaborate, flower and feather-filled than a Las Vegas showgirl’s headdress…in a John Waters movie!

 You cannot identify designs by Gucci, Versace, Prada or Dior, but can readily tell the difference between creations by Amira El Khattan, Bella,  Eman and Hannan…from across the room!

 You talk about Dina and Fifi, Suhaila, Kajira, Sahra and Aziza so much that your confused friends politely ask if those women are your family members.

On a visit to a crafts or sewing store, you need to bring along a “safety buddy” to give you a “reality check” and prevent you from going on a wild spending spree.

After a visit to that same store, you are consumed by shame and guilt- and in tears, actually cut up your credit card.

 Your cell phone has a specially downloaded Om Kalthoum ringtone.

You have the call-in line for Rakassah on speed-dial.

 Solace is not merely emotional comfort, but your favorite band.

 You hone your shimmies while waiting in line at the bank, post office or grocery store.

During tax season, your accountant pointedly asks you how it is possible you spent over  $700.00 last year on make-up alone.

 You don’t live in your Levi’s and a T-shirt…you live in Melodias and a Choli.

…Actually, you don’t really wear street clothes any more!

 You mass e-mailed everyone you know to inform them that you finally mastered a down hip 3/4 shimmy.

 Your wallet is held together by a rubber band because it’s routinely over-stuffed with tip money.

You are not familiar with popular television shows such as  “American Idol” or “Desperate Housewives” but can recite- from memory alone- the running order of   any IAMED live show DVD.

 You believe that a stop at a traffic signal is the optimal time to perfect your belly rolls…and for practicing  “air zills”.

 You’ve been seriously pondering the idea that mastering a 9/8 cymbal pattern could lead to carpal tunnel syndrome…and as you ice your wrists, you wonder which came first: the Turkish  coffee or the time signature?

The word “understated" would never apply to your personal fashion statement…and is no longer even a part of your vocabulary.

  To you, “pop music” doesn’t mean Justin Timberlake or Gwen Stefani… it means Nancy Ajram or Hakim.

 Your movements can easily be traced…. Just follow the trail of glitter!

COSTUME PORN...THE LATEST TRENDS IN EGYPTIAN BELLY DANCE WEAR

CAIRO BELLY DANCE FASHION TRENDS REPORT

Though certain looks are classic for belly dance costumes and never seem to go out of style, like voluminous chiffon skirts worn with a beautiful bedlah, many belly dance costume designs are downright trendy, and appear, peak and vanish just the way trends in street clothes do. Many costume designers have a signature look, and these designs get copied and knocked off just as quickly as Forever 21 churns out affordable designs replicated from the world of high fashion.

Back when the legendary Egyptian designer Madam Abla was alive, I remember seeing her costume collections when I first started dancing, and each year she had a specific look. One season she would feature rhinestone bows on every costume she made, another season it was seashells. Fringed shoulder epaulettes were standard one year, and the next it was skirts cut on the bias with sequin-trimmed shredded hems. It got to the point that I could spot a Madame Abla from a mile away…and also be able to tell which year the specific costume came from!

Below are some of the costuming trends I noticed in Cairo, this past July 2011:

PRINTS
Everything from color-blocked abstract prints to faux animal prints in Lycra as well as a lot of chiffon and silk floral prints were big this year, and used across the board.

JEWELTONES & CHUNKY CHINESE RHINESTONE BROOCHES
Though it’s not entirely clear who originated this trend, I myself think that Crazy Move (known in the USA as “Rising Stars”) can take the credit… if not for starting the trend, then at least for perpetrating it!

This year many designers featured sleek, jewel-toned Lycra costumes with no fringe whatsoever, but loaded down with Chinese rhinestone brooches in the shape of stars, flowers, hearts, and geometric designs. The use of these broaches was everywhere, to the point where there were costumes that were knockoffs of knock-offs!

CLEAR STRAPS
Like the Chinese broaches, clear vinyl straps were seen on costumes made by…everyone! When they initially appeared a few years ago, many dancers seemed on the fence about this trend, but it’s become a standard and is still growing.

ASYMMETRICAL CUPS
Bras featuring asymmetrical cups- such as one plain, and one scalloped or with cutouts, have been around for a while, and are still very, very popular. Many new costumes shown had one cup done plain, or embellished with rhinestone chain or beads just along the edge, while the other cup was fully covered with work, or draped with fabric. This trend shows no sign of going away; it’s only getting bigger.


BURLESQUE/SHOWGIRL ELEMENTS
Many Cairo designers are embracing a trend towards using burlesque and showgirl influenced elements on their designs, and I even saw some costumes that were seriously lingerie-like. Popular themes included sheer netting with overlays of lace, feathers splashed across bra cups and as hip accents, feather boas on hems and and tiny satin bows that would normally be seen on “intimate apparel”.

In the Ahlan Wa Sahlan Opening Gala, Dina wore a Sahar Okasha that was a bright tomato red, with huge red lace roses overlaid on the bra cups. The top of the skirt was a V-shaped ( panty shaped!) patch of black lace over the red lycra, complete with four garters dangling as though from a vintage garter belt!

But Sahar wasn’t alone in this trend: Hallah Moustapha made a custom costume that looked like a 1950’s merry widow, complete with strategically placed working zippers, and Eman Zaki showed a stunning dress with a lace-up front that looked very saloon-girlish.


GIANT PAILLETTE SEQUIN DISCS
These were spotted in 2010 being worn by Soraya Zaed, Egyptian Aziza and Dina, but this year, they are everywhere! Big, over-sized paillette sequin accents are ubiquitous on everything from hip scarves to Saidi dresses and full Oriental costumes. You can see Leila Farid raqqin’ the giant paillettes on the cover of her new CD, “Tarab” (great music, by the way!) or watch her in action here, looking like a gorgeous human disco ball:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYDKmCCUcWM

BELLA KNOCK-OFFS
A lot of lesser-known Cairo designers were doing knock-offs of Turkish designer Bella. Her signature elements such as princess sleeves, sequin-bordered chiffon leaves trailing down circle skirts and bra cups with racy cut-outs backed by mesh almost-but not quite- are being successfully translated onto Egyptian costumes. While Bella’s designs are light and airy, the Egyptian knock-offs are clunky and not quite there yet- for example, one designer tried to do Bella’s leaves, but instead of constructing them out of chiffon, so they floated, the leaves were made like heavy, dangling appliqués, and just dragged the costume down.


CHUNKY PLASTIC BEADED NECKLACES USED AS ACCENTS
Obviously inspired by Sahar Okasha’s chunky bead draping on her costumes for Dina, I saw a lot of costumes with big dangly geometric plastic beads being used as accents.

Theoretically, this might sound scary, but when you see it in real life, it’s actually very cute. A costume made entirely with chunky plastic beads would probably appear cheap, but when they are used judiciously, combined with higher-end embellishments like rhinestones, lots of beading and sequins, it’s fresh and pretty- see the above picture of Argentine dancer Magda Monti, now living and working in Cairo, wearing a bronze costume with over-sized white plastic bead accents. The beads move well in performance and add a touch of whimsy.


FRINGE
Though many minimalist designs with little or no fringe were still plentiful on off-the-rack costumes, quite a few pro dancers in Cairo were wearing costumes with fringe, in everything from small accents to lush amounts trimming their bedlah. Leila Farid appeared at the Ahlan Wa Sahlan closing gala in a dazzling costume made of material that resembled a Navajo blanket print in shades of vibrant navy and royal blue, white, orange and yellow, with pointed geometric fringe to match! I believe Hallah Moustapha made this, but I’m not 100% sure. It was stunning!


NEW WORK FROM OLD FAVORITES:

HANNAN MAHMOUD
Hannan’s costumes are well constructed, fit beautifully, and covered with intricate bead and sequin work. Her new baby son Ahmed apparently didn’t stop her from bringing out a new collection! This year she unleashed her wild side, showing costumes featuring metallic Lycra in two or more colors mixed with animal print or snakeskin lycra. Always up on worldwide dance community trends, Hannan also offered many tribal-inspired practice skirts, and tiny metallic mini-skirts meant to be worn over class-wear.

EMAN ZAKI
Always elegant and cut beautifully, Eman’s 2011 offerings include a line of dreamy romantic costumes done in floral prints made of real silk with Spanish-inspired ruffles around the hem & large fabric faux- flowers as accents on the hip and bust, armbands & wristbands.

HODA ZAKI
Like her sister Eman, Hoda’s costumes are classic and gorgeous. She also showed many floral prints. My favorite of this year’s “crop” was a cute yet soignée handkerchief-hem costumes featuring yellow and black daisies, with jeweled daisies and minimal black fringe decorating the bra and belt-line.

HALLAH MOUSTAPHA
An American designer, my friend Hallah is a former dancer who has been living and working in Cairo for years. She not only makes belly dance costumes, but also has a roaring business in the Middle East doing couture gowns that have been featured on television and in movies.

Hallah’s intricate and beautifully draped dance costumes have been seen on many Bellydance Superstars past and present, including Jillina, Sabah, Sonia, and Cairo-based dancers Leila Farid and Liza La Ziza. She used to only do custom work, but this year, Hallah has expanded into an affordable ready-to-wear line, featuring her trademark use of exotic Sari fabrics and her incredible draping and shaping. See-and order- her new work here: http://www.hallahmoustafa.com/#!readymade


RAQIA HASSAN
The atelier of Madame Raqia Hassan makes bright, affordable costumes that range from extremely pretty to…so quirky and crazy that you’d have to live in Cairo for wearing it to make any sense! This year, her costumes featured a lot of mirrors, metal chains, and the afore-mentioned plastic beads.

One innovation she introduced this year ( which, for once, nobody else was doing! ) was in her accessories, which come with every costume. She featured large, blinged out wrist, arm and leg pieces in terrific geometric shapes, and dotted with crystals, not unlike those worn by Samba dancers. They were truly amazing and very unique.

AZIZ
Aziz is one of the few costumers that still uses a lot of "old-school" beading, which encrusts the bras, belts and skirts of his costumes. This year, he showed a lot of animal print, including some cat-print costumes that had pom-poms of real mink hanging as embellishments. Not PETA friendly, but they were pretty cute!

MAMDOUH SALAMA
In my opinion, Mamdouh is hands-down the designer whose work is most original. He always thinks outside the box: his costumes are cute, playful, and very sexy... and even from far away, can be readily identified. He seems to take his cues from pop culture; a lot of his designs incorporate elements that look like American or European rock and roll club-wear, without losing their Oriental essence.

Some of his fashion foreword innovations- that are now being widely copied - are the use of handbag hardware (like metal snap-clasp hooks and D-rings for fasteners) over-sized prints, raw, un-hemmed metallic lace, scatter-work rhinestones, and extensive use of criss-crossed straps. This year, he featured detachable straps that wrapped up and down either or both leg- see photo- or dangling, embellished straps that started at the hip and attached at the ankle, like a glamorous, embellished leash! Aziza of Cairo wore two of his costumes in her Ahlan WA Salan Opening Gala show.

My only complaint about his work is that he uses acrylic rhinestones… which is ok for his smaller scatter-work, but just looks cheap on the bigger stones. My friend Aleya, an American dancer working in Cairo, assured me she’d already mentioned that to him. His costumes are already amazing, but if he used real stones as opposed to plastic, the worldwide dance community would be fighting each other for a chance to wear his stuff!

KING OF THE NILE
The Giza-based King Of The Nile has long been known for their intricate bead and sequin work, custom costumes and pretty hip scarves, as well as the fact that they actually ship their orders out on "Western Time"! This year, the King Of The Nile atelier has been hard at work on some new designs...stay tuned to find out more about them!


PHOTOS:
Dina At Ahlan Wa Sahlan Opening Gala on Nile Maxim, photo by Andre Elbing
Magda Monti of Cairo at The Ahlan Wa Sahlan 2011 Closing Gala, photo by Andre Elbing

An example of Mamdouh's crazy criss-cross leg straps

Aleya of Cairo in one of Mamdouh's fanciful designs, photo courtesy of aleyabellydance.com