A FEW WORDS ABOUT HOLIDAY GLITTER

Happy Holidays,  everyone!

This is a re-post from 2011,  but according to my blog stats, it’s one of my most popular posts ever!  Enjoy…

Ah, glitter! Where would we dancers be without it? No doubt you've heard this saying  before:

"Glitter Is The Herpes Of The Art World"

I'm not sure who originally said this, but like Herpes, glitter is certainly the gift that keeps on giving-it gets all over everything, and stays embedded no matter how much you try to get rid of it. It sticks to you, your significant other, your pets, your furniture. In fact, I don't even think comparing it to Herpes drives home the point of how much glitter pollutes everything it gets near.

I prefer this saying, which I made up myself:

"Glitter Has More Of A Half-Life Than Uranium!"

What was once the sole domain of pre-teens and strippers, glitter is now a performance mainstay for all types of dancers...as well as gymnasts, cheerleaders and gals who like to sparkle on the dance floor during a night on the town.

And now that the Holidays are upon us, glitter is EVERYWHERE.

Glitter looks lovely under stage lights, it will highlight your every movement and make you look like a fairy dusted fantasy. It can be applied to the skin , and even on top of the stockings on your legs - or body stockings, if you wear them. There are many types of commercial body glitters available; they come in sprays, oils, and in little solid waxy bars as well as in the “sprinkle on” type. However, I prefer to make my own body glitter mix; it looks much better with my coloring, and it also saves money!

On your face and especially around your eyes, you must wear cosmetic glitter. In the old days glitter was made of metal flakes. Now, glitter is usually made of some type of copolymer plastic. The individual cosmetic glitter flakes are laser cut, in shapes that are are oval and/or rounded, not square or octagonal the way most craft glitter is cut. When used on your face, this will reduce (but not prevent!) any injury, should the glitter get into your eyes. Also, some craft glitter is still made of metal.

How do I know this? I am so glitter-obsessed that I actually have a friend who was a biology student at Berkeley look at many types of body glitter, craft glitter and cosmetic grade glitter under her microscope! I sent her lots of unlabeled glitter samples, and she told me what shape they were and what they were made of…it was extremely educational!

But back to making your own body glitter and saving money by doing it- since you will not risk potential injury by using craft glitter on your body, there is no need for you to buy expensive, pre-made body glitter.

Buy a few different colors of regular, inexpensive craft glitter, the kind in the big shakers, then mix them up in a jar and pop it into your gig bag, along with a small container of hand lotion or body cream. When you want to glitter up, just mix the two products in the palm of your hand and apply it liberally to your skin.

For my own body glitter mix, since I am fair-skinned, I use equal parts of lavender, opalescent pink, iridescent white, gold and silver. If you have skin that is darker, you might want to also mix in shades of bronze, orange, opalescent yellow and copper.

Deeper colors of glitter such as dark reds, purples, black, blues or greens tend to look ashy and strange onstage, so stick to a mix of shades that enhance your natural skin tone.

Insane as this may sound, I also think glitter is a great exfoliant! When you wash it off in the shower, it totally helps to slough off any rough or dead skin cells.

A word to the wise: though glitter looks great in motion ( such as in performance, on film or videotape) but in still photos, but it can appear gritty and make your skin look bumpy, unless you are photographed from very close up, so think about doing some promo shots without it, then adding on the sparkles... or just saving it for performances.

Oh, and be prepared to sleep in a bed full of pixie dust, because that’s exactly what you’ll be doing post-show, even if you showered the moment you got home!

I’ll say it one more time: do not use craft glitter on your face!

Now get on out there and SPARKLE!

 #

If you’d like to purchase latest book, Showgirl Confidential: My Life Onstage, Backstage And On The Road  and have me sign it for you, or for a gift, click here:  http://www.princessfarhana.com/book_showgirl.htm

MY OTHER CAR IS A BROOMSTICK!

Happy Fall to you!

It’s getting dark a lot earlier, something I’m not entirely fond of, but as the year winds down, there are still plenty of things that make me happy. Aside from the shorter days, I love fall…even though I live in Hollywood, California, it’s harvest time.

At my house, that means my pumpkin patch is in full swing. Fat and orange with giant, prehistoric-looking leaves, they have taken over my entire yard! My kitties are growing their winter coats and look all round and cuddly.

October also means Halloween, which is always fun. But it’s also a different sort of holiday for performers, who dress in costumes on a regular basis. At the risk of sounding like a crabapple, I’m just gonna come right out and say it: sometimes I dread Halloween because of the amount of calls I get in the weeks leading up to it from everyone I know who feels entitled to raid my closet.

This entry below is a re-post from Halloween 2010- but I had to put it up again, because it still applies- and always will! So here’s the original post.

* * * * * *


It’s just a couple of weeks until Halloween, which has always been my favorite holiday ever.

If you are like me- and if you’re reading this, I’m sure you are- you are already aware that this is the time of year when everyone you know hits you up about borrowing or even renting your stage costumes. Call me selfish, call me witchy, or just call me a “Hallo-weenie”… but I NEVER rent or lend my costumes out for Halloween (or Burning Man, for that matter) unless I know it’s something I know I could easily part with.

The stage costumes I own, not to mention my crazy collection of circus outfits, pirate hats, robot suits, saloon girl headdresses, clown outfits, feather fans, vintage corsets, kitty ears, rhinestone studded masquerade masks, wigs, super-hero boots, vampire capes, real and fake fur coats- need I go on? They are the "tricks“ of my trade, not a “treat“ for someone who won't respect them! They took a long time and a lot of money for me to collect, not to mention maintain.

My costume collection could probably have it’s own episode on the show “Hoarders”, but there’s a reason I have all this stuff around: it’s my livelihood! These pieces are my work tools, my office supplies, and in most cases, very expensive. But whether it’s an Egyptian belly dance costume I paid $700.00 for, or pair of character shoes I embellished myself, they are professional accoutrements that I can’t do my job properly without.


Oh, I used to be very generous about lending out costumes and costume pieces for non-dancers to use at Halloween parties, but it always ended badly. Things would come back to me (usually months later) ripped, stained, with burn-holes from cigarettes or wax from candles, or just covered in cheap drugstore make-up or greasepaint from The Spirit Store. And some things never came back at all!

Would you lend someone your laptop if you knew they were going to use it-and maybe accidentally leave it- at a club? Would you let a friend borrow an expensive camera to bring to a party where all the guests were going to be falling-down drunk? I thought not!

I think the reason most “civilians” want to borrow costumes is simply because they want to look good… and they also have nothing but the best intentions in borrowing these things. But the average person doesn’t realize that for their seasonal party-needs, a $20.00 costume from the toy store would be fine.

Want some help with your Halloween make-up? I’d be happy to assist you.

But don’t even think about asking to borrow my costumes… cause you’ll have to pry them out of my cold, dead hands!

DANCERS BACKSTAGE RITUALS, PART THREE: LOTUS NIRAJA

The featured performer for Part Three of Dancers Backstage Rituals is Lotus Niraja. I have been charmed by her performances for years, as i am sure many of you have! She's also a really nice person in "real life"- we spent some quality dressing room time at the shoots for Cheeky Girls Productions "Combination Nation" and "By Dancers, For Dancers" DVDs.

She's also fireball: not only is she an exquisite dancer and international workshop instructor, she is the founder, choreographer and artistic director of award-winning dance company, The NDC , or Niraja Dance Company.

She has been featured on several instructional and performance DVDs, and is admired for her precise technique and dynamic stage presence. As if that weren't enough, she also runs the popular competition The Belly Dance Nationals, and recently partnered with Michelle Joyce of Cheeky Girls Productions to co-produce the hit web-based reality show, "Project Belly Dance".

For Lotus, stage-fright has never been an issue... but are you wondering how she gets such boundless energy?

Her secret-like her personality, is ultra sweet, just the right combination of naughty and nice!

Here's what she has to say, in her own words:

"I do not have a pre-performance ritual per se. I grew up behind the stage as a child, so I can get into costume and makeup pretty quickly.

My only mandatory good luck charm is that I have to have four safety pins in my costume at all times. If I do not have four, I feel like the stage will fall apart if I even touch it. You will find four safety pins in each of my costumes in patterns such as crosses, x's and letters. BUT...after I perform is when the ritual magic happens.

When I leave the stage and the music is off. You'll see me rummaging through my bag with a gusto. I grab a bar of high quality chocolate out of my bag, open it, and slowly savor the taste. I won't rush it either. I don't chew it , I let it melt in my mouth. My post-performance ritual is to have a piece of chocolate after every performance to congratulate myself and to savor the moment.

I have to have it, or I won't think my performance is complete! My current favorites are Yeli Belly Chocolates (made by a belly dancer in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Area) and Richarts in NYC.

But if I'm desperate, I'll grab a quick 70%+ cocoa bar from the local grocery store and throw it in my bag. I love the feeling of having something special waiting for me during the finale part of my dance.

It's my little sweet secret!"


-LOTUS NIRAJA



To find out more about Lotus and The NDC, please visit: www.lotusniraja.com

Photos:
LEFT: Lotus' newest DVD, "The Icing On The Drum Solo", released by Cheeky Girls Productions

RIGHT: Lotus looking uber-glam in a costume by her mom, designer MAZ

Bottom: Lotus' newest DVD, "The Icing On The Drum Solo"

THREE DAYS...AND 1,001 ARABIAN NIGHTS AT SEA

I just returned from Michele Nicola’s Arabian Nights At Sea Belly Dance Cruise to Ensenada, BC Mexico. This year marked the 14th annual voyage, but it was my first year on board The Carnival Paradise. It was definitely one of those experiences that makes me feel so fortunate and grateful that my life involves doing something I love- dancing, teaching dance, traveling, and meeting great new friends.

It was also so much fun that I am completely hoarse from three full days of non-stop laughing, not to mention yelling and zaghareeting over the din of live Arabic drums and dozens jingling hip-scarves!

Nearly two hundred belly dance cruisers attended, from all over North America- there were even two dancers from such a remote place in Canada that it had taken them four planes-and two whole days- to get to the ship!

The ship had plenty of on-board activities, shore excursions in Ensenada, and relaxation opportunities. The classes were wildly varied, including Tribal Fusion, Jazz-Influenced, Oriental, Veil, and Mahalia’s instructional henna workshop.

My other co-instructors were Fahtiem, Ava Fleming, The Shimmy Sisters, tabla master Reda Darwish, Ashley Lopez and my cabin-mate, the lovely Paulina, to whom I am now permanently and irrevocably bonded.

Paulina and I had a three night slumber party that included talking shop, doing each other’s make-up, and waking up at six am to barking sea lions…not to mention marveling over professional break dancers who spun on their heads, and sharing mojitos in a hot tub that just happened to be full of foxy twenty-something guys.

Oh, I forgot to mention the cucumber!

What happens on the ship isn’t gonna stay on the ship- at least THIS time! Here goes:

Paulina was already settling in as I entered our cabin. As I plopped my luggage down, she greeted me in a rather unusual way.

“I brought you a present!”, she chirped brightly, brandishing a giant, light green cucumber. She then whipped out another one and added,

“And I brought one for myself, too,”


I wasn’t exactly sure how to take this rather… unique greeting, and I guess my confusion kind of showed on my face!


Finally, noticing that I seemed flustered, Paulina clarified that she had grown them in her Ojai garden, and had thought they might make a nutritious snack for us in between classes and performances! We both got a great big belly laugh out of that.


Live music for the shows, which took place in the ship’s lounges, and theaters, were provided by Doug Adams and Light Rain with Reda Darwish guesting on tabla. I have loved Reda’s drumming for years, but I gotta say that watching him play live- and dancing to his talented drumming- brought things to a whole new level! He is a beaming ray of light when he plays, all the joy just pours out through his talented hands.

On Saturday night, Light Rain and Reda played for an amazing open dance party on the top deck of the ship, near the pool. They sounded fantastic! Not only were all the A.N.A.S instructors and students reveling, there were many “civilians” who happened to be on board joining us. There was an entire Persian family, whose daughter and mother-in-law joyfully joined us in dancing for hours, and a whole crew of old Egyptian folks whose veiled women clapped and zagareeted wildly from the ship’s balcony. Fahtiem and Ava Fleming engaged in uproarious ballroom dancing, Ashley Lopez got her groove on, and The Shimmy Sisters put on an incredible, gymnastic hoping show, complete with belly dancing- and contortions!

The cruise ended with a cocktail party that included a fabulous show, including Turkish dancer Nilay Enjin, Jan, Angela and many more, which photographer Richard Lowe documented for posterity. After dinner, there was an all night dance party in the ship’s Rex Lounge.

Right now, I’m recovering from my working “vacation” and still giggling at what went on…because aside from the cucumber incident, what happens on board stays on board!


PHOTOS:

Nilay Engin performing at the cocktail party

Paulina and me with the break dancers

Participants from my "Strike A Pose: How To Make The Camera Love You" workshop

Ava Fleming teaching class



Check A.N.A.S out and sign up for next year!!
http://www.arabiannightsatsea.com/

UPPING YOUR DANCE GAME

I am so very excited about MECDA’s Pro Dance Retreat… and there’s only one more week left to register!

The event takes place OCT 6-10, 2011, in Newport Beach, California

This weekend will be like a crash college course in all aspects of business for belly dancers! From learning about music copyrights to making a class curriculum; from structuring a show to negotiating gig fees, from promotion to professional networking- and more!

Back when I first started dancing, there was absolutely nothing at all like this- not to mention no cell phones, email or internet. Finding out ANYTHING about belly dancing, from history to costuming, was nearly impossible....and as for figuring out how to go about becoming a professional at something I loved and thought I'd be good at? NADA!

In those days, I felt like I was on a treasure hunt for knowledge…and though it was fun, a lot of what I learned about becoming a successful professional dancer was learned through the “school of hard knocks”. In fact, i probably got a PhD in that, which is precisely the reason i am so stoked about this conference, which is the first of it's kind.

The workshops are designed for those who want to turn pro, or professional dancers who want some assistance in reaching their career goals and increasing their income, promotional skills, class and performance knowledge, etc.
There will be workshops on everything from developing your professional persona, to making class curriculum, stage make-up to marketing! Also many opportunities to network, and get one-on-one brainstorming sessions with dance professionals. Of course there will also be leisure activities like cocktail parties, an informal hafla and optional luxury spa treatments.


Here is how the event is described on the MECDA site:

This conference is a MUST if you’ve ever…
▪ wondered “am I ready to become a professional?”
▪ dreamed about opening your own studio.
▪ thought about quitting because you’re just not making a living wage.
▪ felt like the economy is kicking your butt, and you’d like to kick back.
▪ wanted to have the extra money to buy costumes and go to workshops without feeling guilty.
▪ figured there’s got to be an easier way to get paying gigs.
▪ been told “better keep your day job!”
▪ believed you had to be a starving artist.
▪ wished you could teach workshops locally or nationally.
▪ felt like producing your own DVD, but didn’t know where to start.
▪ wondered where to find students and how to keep them coming back.
▪ discussed holding a big event, but didn’t know how.
▪ wanted to learn how to run a successful troupe.
▪ been curious about the history and heritage of our dance.
▪ paid a fortune in advertising and wished you didn’t have to.
▪ been treated badly by another dancer protecting “her territory.”
▪ had a burning question and no one would give you a straight answer.
▪ wished you had access to event promoters and organizers.
▪ reached a point where it was too painful NOT to be a professional dancer, but were too intimidated or confused or fearful to get started.



The teachers are all fantastic, and include Zahra Zuhair, Julie Eason of The Bellydance Business Academy, Angelika Nemeth, Amara, Devilla , Nadira Jamal, myself and more—don’t miss this opportunity.

Find out more- and register- here:

http://www.mecdaconference.com/

You'll be glad you did!

VIVA LAS VEGAS!

The Las Vegas Belly Dance Intensive was just that...INTENSE!

The event itself was, as always, well-organized and tons of fun, with all minute details taken care of, great shows and scads of workshops. For my part, I barely had a chance to sit still...or even to sit down! It was non-stop from the moment I stepped on the plane to Vega$...and I did this all with a broken toe, having tripped over my suitcase while packing the night before I left, in a classic, typical "dancers are klutzes when off stage" moment!



The pro shows were just stellar- fantastic sound and lights and what an array of performances! I loved Malia Delapenia and her Dancers In Paradise and their crazy Geisha Fusion, Frank Farinaro blew me away as usual, and Rosa Noreen was so beautiful doing a classy Balady. I got a huge kick out of sharing a dressing room- not to mention the stage- with Leyla Amir and Jill Parker...we laughed and joked while waiting to take the stage. It was also so much fun to see old pals like Tanya Popovich, Sacha Biondi, Ahava, Delilah and House Of Tarab, and hang out with new ones- like Ruby Beh and Oregon-based dancer Fanina.




The debut of my costume line, Princess Farhana For King Of The Nile was amazing. Samira Tu'ala and stage manager Sandi Stewart had worked with me to set up three fashion shows during the weekend. It was incredible- on a personal as well as professional level- seeing my costumes on real live dancers, not mannequins! I seriously had to wipe away a tear of two of joy and disbelief. the belly dancers who modeled for me really brought it to the stage! Seeing famous dancers like Aradia trying on my costumes had me beaming, and luscious Vegas-based dancer Farasha ( also one of my models) bought a nude and red version of my Ghazal costume and wore it during her performance at the after-party...that was about as big of a compliment as I could have ever hoped for!



I am in awe of my partner Yaz Taleb , photographer Lena Marshall, and my "wing-woman" DeVilla for helping me to pull this off. I would also like to thank Belle and my model, dancer Liza Wolfe, for helping out in the booth all weekend.

You all RAQ!!!


MOST PIX BY LENA MARSHALL glamgirlphotography.com

Top to bottom:

My models and me in our booth at The Intensive: DeVilla in my "Warda" costume, Vahana in my "Amerah" costume, me, Farasha in my "Ghazal" costume, Etoile in a velvet class wear set of mine, Nynishka in my "Theda Bara" costume

Aradia of Las Vegas in my nude and red "Ghazal" costume, with double-layer reversible skirt

Festival director Samira Tu'ala modelling the personalized hip-scarf we gifted her- yes, it says "Samira" in Arabic...and you, too can order your name on a hip scarf!

Model Liza Wolfe in my "Warda" costume on the Vega$ $trip, around midnight

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

CAIRO CALLING

Things have been a little nutty in my life lately… but then, what else is new? So many projects, gigs, classes and flights to catch…so little time!

I stare in abject guilt at my computer’s desktop, knowing I need to finish the series of articles on identifying different styles of dance. After five installments I kind of let that fall by the wayside due to my travel schedule and “Bombshell” DVD shoot.

I had planned for Part Six to be about Egyptian Shaabi and Beledy styles, and for Part Seven to be about trance dances (like the Moroccan Guedra and Egyptian Zar) and devotional dances, especially Sufi whirling dervishes and Egyptian Tannoura dancers.

Sadly, those chapters are just going to have to wait until I complete my latest trip…but happily, my next trip is to Egypt! I leave in a day.

For the past few years I have been completely fascinated by Tannoura, it’s history and practice. Every time I see Tannoura dancers I am so moved- even if it’s just at a night club show. I am hoping to get some great pictures of the whirling dervishes to include with the new articles- last year on the Nile Maxim, I saw an incredible young Tannoura dancer who had a costume that lit up with LED lights, and when the lights in the club went off as he whirled and ignited his costume, he looked just like a carnival ride! The year before I saw a group of little boys dancing Tannoura, they were apprentices learning the art. The youngest was about six and the oldest maybe ten or eleven. They were incredible, and had the entire place screaming wildly. It was kind of like seeing a whirling dervish version of The Jackson Five!

I am so very excited to be going to Egypt, and not just because I will be teaching-and learning from the master instructors-at the Ahlan Wa Sahlan Festival, but because of the recent turmoil in Egypt surrounding the revolution and all the social unrest earlier this year.

Like people the world over, I watched the events in Egypt unfolding with dire concern, desperately hoping things would end well. My many friends in Cairo, both Egyptians and ex-pats, were constantly on my mind, and with the internet and phone service down, there was no way to reach them. I feared for their safety, and prayed for the people of Egypt who were fighting for their rights, as well as for the future of the country.

With resignation, my partner Zahra Zuhair and I cancelled our summer Eternal Egypt Tour earlier this year due to the unsettled situation; we didn’t want to bring a group of people who had never been to Egypt into a country that seemed ready to explode at any moment.

After the reality of our cancellation set in, my own somewhat selfish feelings took over.

“ This can’t be happening to MY Egypt,” I thought, panic sweeping through me in nauseating waves.

Suddenly, aside from what I’d been seeing on the news, the reality hit me in a personal way and I was afraid I might never again be able to visit this beautiful country that I loved so much, this place that, for the last two decades, I have almost taken for granted, thinking carelessly that Egypt would always be “available” to me.

Egypt is a land full of contradictions, a place with many problems and extreme poverty, but undeniably it's one of the world’s richest places in terms of culture. From ancient to modern times, Egypt has always been alive with art. It is a place bursting with incredible music and dance, gorgeous antiquities and people so friendly and welcoming that even a complete stranger would go out of his or her way to help you if you needed anything.

I have had many adventures and certainly many misadventures there, but I have always felt safe there.

When i think of Egypt, I think of laughter: I have probably laughed harder and longer than anywhere else I’ve been, because most of the population-or at least those i have been fortunate enough to meet- seem to have a deliciously crazy sense of humor. Fun is free, and the seemingly universal Egyptian love of fun is one of my favorite things about the country.

I love Cairo with it’s sensory overload of sights, sounds and smells; it’s sizzling nightlife that ends the next day well after the sun has come up; the Nile bridges full of families hanging out at 3:00am and the insane, relentless Kamikaze traffic. Luxor with it’s jingling hantour carriages and the gigantic grand temples of Karnak And Luxor. Cosmopolitan Alexandria with its sea breezes, the green of the Fayoum Oasis in the expanse of the Sahara.

Everywhere in Egypt, the haunting muezzins calls broadcast loudly while any animal within earshot of the mosque- dogs, donkies, camels, goats- begins howling and braying along with the prayer, and cabbies stop dead in the middle of the street, laying down cardboard or rugs to pray on the pavement. Cairo after sunset, where the motor boats decked out in blinking disco lights careen down the Nile blasting Shaabi through distorted speakers while fifty people onboard dance wildly, and the river police try to pull them over. And um, oh yeah… the epitome of Egypt, Giza’s Pyramids and Sphinx, which everyone in Cairo refers to as “ The Svin-kuss”.

While the revolution was taking place, when I was faced with the fear and the reality that maybe things would be changing in an unfavorable way, I was scared I might not be able to go back to Egypt, I started to reflect about the time I’d spent there. Though I never lived there, I'd always felt like Egypt was a huge part of my life.

My first trip to Egypt was twenty years ago. Back then, there were no cell phones or Internet, and it took waiting for at least four hours just to get an overseas line, even at the five star hotels. There were no signs in English- anywhere! I arrived in Cairo with the $200.00 I had somehow managed to save and the scribbled address of a decaying hotel off Tahrir Square in my pocket. I didn’t know a soul in the entire country. I had quit my job in Los Angeles, and felt like a new chapter was beginning in my life.

I knew that I needed to make this pilgrimage, because I was absolutely obsessed with belly dancing. I wasn’t entirely sure what I was going to do once I got there, or how I would find what I was looking for, but that didn’t matter, I knew in my heart that things would somehow come together… and the moment I stepped off that plane, I wept. During that trip, crazy as it may sound, I seriously started to wonder about past lives and psychic connections. No matter where I’d been in the world… and I’ve traveled extensively, I’d never had the reaction I did when stepping onto Egyptian soil for the first time. I was crying with joy and overwhelmed with a feeling of coming home. I still feel those emotions every time I go there.

Yes, I am every bit as excited (as I always am ) to go back to this incredible country, but even more so this year! I can’t wait to experience the “new” Egypt.

And now I need to get back to my packing, but rest assured… there will be many, many stories to tell.

"BOMBSHELL" DVD HIGHLIGHTS

The "Bombshell: Dramatic Make-Up For The Stage, Photos And Glamorous Occasions" instructional stage make-up DVD is a wrap!

Our two-day shoot was quick-paced and crazy fun. There were so many pretty girls ( and lots of cosmetics) all over the place. The clean-up process was just insane. Lipstick-stained tissues, stubby eyebrow pencils, used cosmetic sponges and false eyelashes littered the floor. Our crew- cameramen Anthony Pedon and Anthony Ferrari, still photographer Dusti Cunningham were the only men around. Our make-up assistant Silvina Knight and our production assistants IrinaXara and Liz Heard were kept busy the entire time cleaning up after Devilla and me, as we did the faces of our lovely models: Jennelah, Deborah, Shauntel, Lori, Jewel, Lapis, and Lisa Marie.

Devilla and I gave instruction for eight looks total including period make-up ( 1920's, 1960's, 1950's) a section on "Glamour For The Mature Woman", two colorful fantasy looks, Arabic Eyes, Smokey Eyes and tutorials on contouring, applying false eyelashes, pretty lips, and going glitter-crazy.

The DVD will now go into post-production, and should be available by early fall 2011. It may even be available earlier. Of course, as soon as it is, i will let you know! You will be able to purchase it at www.princessfarhana.com , among other places.

The pictures are a a few of the highlights from the shoot:

#1: Devilla, model Shauntel, Princess Farhana on set

#2 Model Shauntel rocking the 1920's look, created by Princess Farhana

#3DeVilla and her model, Diamond Debbie in the "Golden Goddess" look, designed by DeVilla

#4 Princess and Model Lapis in the fantasy look created by Princess Farhana

#5 Model Jewel in the Pin Up look created by DeVilla

EDWARDIAN? NO, "ED-NOIRE-DIAN"!

My articles on identifying the many styles of belly dance got stopped short , because I am in a frenzy of preparing for my May And June gigs at Tribal Fest 11, Fes-Tribale in Quebec, and ABS-Fest in North Carolina. The articles will return soon, I promise!

Meanwhile, I am furiously working on finishing my costume for a fantasy number based upon Art Nouveau images, done a little Noire and with a hint of the dangerous. I have always been attracted to the work of artists from this time period, even as a child. I have based many of my costumes upon this aesthetic, and love the work of Leon Bakst, who was the costume and set designer for The Ballet Russes De Monte Carlo, and the better-known artists Erte, and Alphonse Mucha. As I was working on this costume, my mind wandered to the work of these three incredible talents, for their un-ending inspiration.

This costume is all black covered in gold lace, with rhinestone and turquoise accents. Some of the turquoise stones are actually milky blue antique Peking Glass. The beads are long, tear-drop shaped, and have ornate brass bead-caps, which originally were covered with REAL turquoise peacock feathers! Most of the peacock feathers have worn off, but the beads are still amazing. i could totally see them sewn onto a costume for Nijinsky or Tamara Karsavina of The Ballets Russes.

I have hoarded them for over 25 years... just waiting to use them. In the 1980's, I was exploring what was left of Howard Hughes' movie studio, after the demolition ball had done it's job. In the wreckage, there was a chest of drawers. When I opened a drawer, I found lots of these beads, in various colors- the milky blue, a mauve pink, cobalt blue, and a clear, see-through olive green. They were sewn in rows onto yellowed, decomposing paper. I think they may have been beads for lamp-fringe, I'm not sure if they were used in costuming but they are stunning. Of course, I stuffed my purse full of them, and high-tailed it out of there before I got popped for trespassing!

I am glad they have found a home on my costume, which pays tribute to the time period- The Edwardian Age- when these beads were made. This costume has taken countless hours of work, but it's been so worth it. I hope the spirits of Bakst, Erte and Mucha will smile when they see it.

And now if you will excuse me, I need to get back to sewing and affixing rhinestones!



Photos:
The bra, belt & Edwardian-style tiara of my costume
A costume sketch by Leon Bakst

EDWARDIAN? NO, ED-NOIRE-DIAN!

The articles on identifying the different styles of belly dance have been postponed temporarily, but they will return!

Currently, I am in the midst of a conceptualizing, choreographing and costuming frenzy, preparing for my May and June 2011 shows at Tribal Fest in Northern California, Fes-Tribale in Quebec, Canada, and ABS-Fest in North Carolina. I have been working on a fantasy piece, with a sort of Art Nouveau, slightly Noire feel.

The music and dancing are set, but costume I'm making for these performances is taking a lot of time...with all the detail and time going into this, I'm beginning to realize that I am certifiably insane! The inspiration for this costume comes from some of my favorite influential sources, artists whose work I have always admired, as far back as I can remember. They are Leon Bakst, the celebrated costume and set designer for The Ballets Russes De Monte Carlo, famous artist and fashion designer Erte, and incredible artist Alphonse Mucha. All of them were famous during the Edwardian period, at the turn of the 20th Century.

Though the costume isn't based directly on the work of any of these artists, I have always been drawn to their aesthetic, even as a child, and sometimes get up from my constant sewing and rhinestone affixing to look at their paintings and sketches.

My costume is all black overlaid with gold lace, decorated with rhinestones and turquoise. Some of the long, teardrop-shaped beads used on the belt and armlets are actually antiques from the Edwardian period. They are milky turquoise Peking Glass, set in ornate brass caps, which originally had real peacock feathers glued onto the bead-caps. Some of the beads still have the remnants of the peacock feathers on the bead-caps, but most have worn off due to age.

I have hoarded these beads for over twenty-five years. In the 1980's, I snuck into what was left of Howard Hughes' movie studio
after the demolition ball had done it's duty. Walking among the wreckage, I found many of these beads ( in various colors- like pink, cobalt blue and clear olive green) among the rubble. I am not sure if they were used for costuming or jewelry- I think they may have been beads made for lamp fringe. When I found them, they were still sewn in rows onto crumpling, yellowed paper. Of course, I needed to rescue them!

This costume has taken who-know-how-many-hours of sewing, but it's almost finished...actually, i need to get back to it right now!

LOOK SHARP!

Finding the perfect sword for belly dancing can be a daunting task. This is especially true if you are about to purchase your first scimitar, or if you are shopping for a sword on the Internet, and don’t have the opportunity to try it out in person.


The best swords for someone who is just beginning to dance with scimitars are those that are perfectly balanced, height-proportionate, and not really light but also not a big heavy weapon, because you may need to increase your strength and work up to that. Medium size well-balanced dance sabers are pretty inexpensive, so once you get used to working with them, if you want a flashy, heavier sword, it wouldn’t break your bank to buy one after a few months of getting used to your "starter" sword- and that way, you will always have a spare on hand.

You want a saber that'll stay on your head without rocking, and one that won't kill your neck and upper muscles until you build up the necessary stamina and strength. Also, durability figures in- you want it to stay balanced if- and when- it gets dropped, and believe me it will get dropped!

Your selection will depend on a few different factors: aesthetics and personal taste is important. One dancer might want a gleaming new-looking sword that shines under the stage lights, while another may desire a weapon that looks more rustic, like it’s an authentic antique. There are also many shapes and sizes of swords to choose from, ranging from those with relatively thin blades without much curve to blades that have a deadly, sharp curve and get thicker at the end, towards the tip. The way the hilt (handle) looks and feels is also a factor. Some swords have a very utilitarian, simple-looking hilt with a flat cross guard, others are highly decorated, and ranging from ornately carved rounded or pointed pommels to dragonhead motifs. I even have a sword whose handle features a cast-brass figure of a leaping jaguar chasing a rabbit. If your sword features a cupped cross guard and you are left-handed, make sure it fits your hand properly, or get an “ambidextrous” sword with a flat cross-guard.

Personally, I am not a fan of those flat swords, which look like they were cast in a mold. Yes, they are inexpensive, but I like my swords to look like real weapons, even if they were made specifically with dancing in mind. There are plenty available that look- and handle- much better than the cheap flat ones.

Your choice will also depend on your size. A larger sword might be too heavy or dwarf a smaller performer onstage, while a smaller, shorter sword might look comical on a taller, more statuesque dancer.

More importantly, your sword selection should be based on how experienced you are, as well as in the strength of the muscles in your neck, upper back, shoulders and arms. Remember, you are going to be balancing it on top of your head and will have to remain very stable while doing so, and that takes strength. You will also be arcing and swinging the sword while it’s held in your hand, and so it needs to be light enough for you to easily handle it.

Another factor is price: swords can range from about $25.00 to $500.00, depending on quality, size, whether the sabre is custom-made or antique...but don’t think you need to make a huge investment in order to get a decent sword.

There are many inexpensive options on the market today, so if you are a beginner and unsure of what to get, pick a slightly smaller, relatively affordable sword- you can always work your way up to a larger, heavier and more expensive one later.

All swords balance differently, depending on the weight of the blade, the heft and angle of the hilt-or in laymen’s terms, the handle area- which includes the cross-guard and pommel, which is the decorative bolt at the top of the handle. When buying a sword for dancing, pick one that stands up straight on it’s edge (the blade edge) and doesn’t flop over flat. There are many scimitar options on the market today which are made strictly for dancing and are balanced already, so you will not have a problem finding a sword that suits you and your unique needs.

When shopping for a sword in person, check it out and find the median balance point by testing the blade on the top of your wrist, then try it on your head. The balance point of the sword itself won’t be dead center; it will be more towards the sword’s handle. The optimum balance point on your head will be different depending on what type of sword you are using as well as what is easiest for you. For swords, my balance point is just in front of the center of my head- but everyone’s skull has a different shape. With some practice, you will find what is your most comfortable spot.

If you are shopping for a sword on the Internet, you obviously can’t try it, so find a reputable dealer, and don’t be afraid to ask questions if specifications aren’t listed on the item’s description. Ask about length, weight, and if it includes a scabbard. Also ask how it is shipped, what it will be packed in (it may get banged around on it’s way to you and potentially fall out of balance) and also about the company’s return or exchange policy!

Scimitars and swords that are either real military weapons or decorative items usually won’t balance properly. The souvenir swords are very light, and typically not constructed well- hello, they were made to be decorations! It would probably be much easier for a sword newbie to eschew these in favor of a sword made specifically for belly dance.

Legitimate military weaponry, whether antique or contemporary, may or may not balance- and know that they are often quite pricey. Some were made for actual battle, others for ceremony. Of course they look amazing, but know that if you decide to purchase one of these, you will undoubtedly be gambling: you will have to take it apart yourself, or have someone else do it for you, or at the very least tweak the hilt or pommel in order to get it to balance. Before swords were mass-produced for dancing, I used vintage military swords. I owned a Pakistani Army scimitar, which balanced perfectly when the entire hilt was inverted, but that made the ornate cross-guard sit upside down, so I really had to adjust the way I held the weapon itself. The other was an Afghani scimitar, which sadly never balanced at all but was gorgeous. The last one was a serious antique- a Persian Shamshir that was given to me as a birthday gift. It was stunningly beautiful- but weighed maybe ten or twelve pounds. Well, since it was my birthday, I made the mistake of unsheathing it after I’d ingested three or four margaritas. The blade, full of beautiful scrollwork, was oxidized to a dark color, and it looked very lethal. I immediately got the sense that this weapon had probably killed –or at least seriously wounded- someone, but that just made it all the more glamorous for me!

“Wow, just look at this,” I purred, holding the scimitar vertically in front of me, showing it off. I mentioned I’d heard that in the early Ottoman Empire, to test the sharpness of the scimitar’s blade, that soldiers used to toss a piece of silk up in the air, and when it landed on the blade, if the material effortlessly split in half, the sword was sharp enough for battle. With that, I joked that my present looked like it would definitely split silk.

“Look how sharp it is!” I cried, all full of tipsy bravado.

With that, I ran my index finger down the blade from the tip to the center. At first I didn’t understand why my birthday guests looked horrified, until I realized my finger was bleeding profusely, and my blood was dribbling lazily down the blade-the scimitar was so sharp I hadn’t even felt it open up my finger! There was a brief moment of uproar and some serious debating on whether or not a trip to the Emergency Room was in order. Upon secondary inspection, after I got cleaned up, the wound wasn’t deep enough for stitches, so I just put the sword away, turned the music up and had another cocktail!

That sword took a ton of sanding and scoring to dull the blade enough for me to use it…and even then, though I loved it, it was so heavy I only danced with it on very special occasions. I still own it, but sadly haven't used it in years.

Dropping your sword can throw it out of balance, as can bad storage. For travel to and from shows, I recommend a heavy, stiff sheath as opposed to a casing made of cloth material, because it will protect your saber better… but if you are going to be storing your sword for a long time, it would be wise to remove it from the scabbard and wrap it in cloth, then wrap the cloth in plastic. This will keep the sword straight and un-warped, and also protect it from the elements. For regular storage, when you are using the scimitar often, you can either get a weapon rack, or you can store your sword(s) flat on the floor or on a deep shelf. Most swords have stainless steel blades, so they will not tarnish easily, but anything made of metal can tarnish or oxidize. After each use, you should wipe the blade off with a soft cloth to remove fingerprints, sweat, perfume or any oils from your skin or scalp. Every so often, wipe the blade down with oil to keep it shiny- even if a blade is made of stainless steel, it still could get a bit rusty. Never use abrasive polishes on your sword!

As far as dancing goes, some performers prefer to balance a sword on a wrapped turban, others prefer a bare head, and some people use wigs or falls when doing sword work. There is no hard and fast rule; you should do whatever makes you feel comfortable. Personally, I like to feel the sword sitting right on my scalp, so I know exactly where it is at any given time.

Any way you choose, if the blade of the sword feels slippery on your head, you can “cheat” a little by rubbing a candle along the blade at the balance point, or roughing up the area by filing or scoring it with sandpaper. In a pinch, even spraying the balance point with hairspray so it becomes gummy will add a little traction. Some dancers glue a very thin strip of sandpaper along the edge at the balance point. This will not be visible from the stage but it does help to “catch” on your hair. Some types of swords come with grooves already cut into them at the balancing point- but I myself don’t find this helpful- usually the grooves are too wide for them to be able to work properly. And there are also dancers who don’t use anything, just a bare blade. Again, this is your choice.

And one last word to the wise: even if a sword was made specifically for dancing, it still has the potential to injure you. Remember to warm up completely before you work with your scimitar. If you feel it sliding while you are dancing, take a moment, remove the sword and replace it back to your original, comfortable balance point, and then proceed with your act.

T he main thing to remember when rehearsing or performing with swords is: SAFETY FIRST!


Here's a link which features many great dancing swords…tell them The Princess sent you!
http://www.bellydanceprops.com/scimitars.php

I have three instructional sword DVD’s featuring more hints, tips, tricks, instruction and costumed performances available on my website. You can find them here:
http://www.princessfarhana.com/video.htm