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. Follow Iana o n Instagram , FB , and Youtube . Check out her online classes and intensives at the Iana Dance Club . Find information on how you can support Ukraine and Ukrainian belly dancers HERE . Podcast: www.ianadance.com/podcast
