Product Description: From Turban to Toe Ring is a guide for designing and making tribal-fusion belly dance wear. This style, which originated in the San Francisco dance community and has spread world-wide, is fast becoming one of the most popular costuming options. Tribal-fusion costuming is an assemblage of design elements pulled from many different tribal, rural, and nomadic peoples from North Africa, across the Near and Middle East, and as far away as India. Surface design techniques, articles of clothing, and jewelry components are fused together to create a look that blends all of these items into an exciting and uniquely individual image for each dancer.
This book will be an excellent reference source for the libraries of dancers, costume designers, historical re-enactors, and dancers who want a break from the high glitz and glamour of cabaret-style costuming.
From Turban to Toe Ring contains numerous hints, tips, and directions for making, designing, and assembling a tribal-fusion costume, including:
* A country-by-country breakdown of tribal jewelry styles from the Berber people of Morocco to the Ribari of India.
* Patternmaking directions for several different choli and salwar designs.
* Directions for traditional surface embellishments, including applique and shi-sha.
* Mehndi (or henna), from mixing the paste to creating your design.
* Adapting Indian textiles, such as the toran and chakla, for tribal-fusion dancewear.
* Extensive bibliography and guide to historical research of Middle Eastern costume.
Great for beginners! This book is a very nice overview of tribal style costuming based on folk costumes from the near and middle east. The most valuable parts of this book are the patterns and pattern alteration instructions (which may be a tad difficult to anyone who's never sewn a stitch before, but if you've ever used any kind of pattern, it's a breeze) and the bibliography. These suggested sources are a mile long, and no matter what specific look you're into, you will find something here. I also like how this dancer and teacher (Dawn Devine Brown) just basically does a public service by publishing these books.
Great costuming ideas! This is a great book on the basics of making your own costumes and a wonderful springboard for your own designs and ideas. This should also be required reading for beginning dancers.
Very Informational I have been looking for information on belly dance costume making. This one was the very helpful (especially for my personal needs). I found the information on making shi-shas and have been doing them on a table cloth for Tarot reading.
Anyone who has the ability to sew or conceptualize a costume will be able to structure their own outfit, with authenticity. Highly recommended!
Useful! One of the more concise information sources on tribal costuming - focusing on construction and sources.
Simply Written "From Turban to Toe Ring" is a well written and informative book on Tribal style costuming for the experienced garment maker.
Anything Goes Trivia
Megaton Man
Trevor
