Dawn Devine, also known as Davina, is a costume designer, author, and lifelong dancer with a passion for belly dance and all things that sparkle. Best known for her popular books on how to design and construct belly dance costumes, she has built a unique career at the intersection of dance, fashion, and education. With a background in tap, jazz, modern, and ballet, Davina discovered belly dance as a teenager and has since taken the stage as a performer, teacher, and creative mentor. She is dedicated to helping dancers create beautiful, well-fitting costumes and is constantly writing—whether it’s books, blog posts, or magazine articles. A true costume historian at heart, Davina also enjoys diving into archives to uncover the origins and evolution of fashion, textiles, and stagewear.

In this episode you will learn about:

- How Davina’s passion for sewing turned into costume repairs for local dancers and eventually her own costume book

- Learning self-publishing from sci-fi zine culture, selling her first 50 books on spot, and writing over 20 books since then

- Challenges of affording professional costumes in the 80s and the importance of the costume making skills

- Her research into vintage Assiut fabric and what makes it so magical

- Deep dive into zills—why dancers need more context, not just technique

Show Notes to this episode:

Find Dawn Devine (Davina) on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, website, and Patreon.

Publications in Print:

Cloth of Egypt - Amazon, Etsy.

Zills: Music On Your Fingertips - Amazon , Etsy

Becoming a Belly Dancer - Amazon , Etsy

Embellished Bras - Amazon , Etsy

Skirting The Issues & Pants for the Dance - Amazon , Etsy

Costuming From the Hip - Amazon , Etsy

Bedlah, Baubles, and Beads - Amazon , Etsy

From Turban to Toe Ring - Amazon - Etsy

Color Theory - Amazon - Etsy

Gloves and Gauntlet (Sewing Pattern) - Etsy

Details and training materials for the BDE castings are available at www.JoinBDE.com

Visit Bellydance.com today: you’ll always find something fresh, whether you’re looking for costumes, practice wear, veils, hip scarves, jewelry, or music.

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Podcast: www.ianadance.com/podcast