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,
“ 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 |
“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:
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