Aisha Azar
New member
Costuming etc.
Dear Madeline,
Yes, I still do costuming for other dancers, but no longer for general theatre since I started Baharat!! Dance Company. I am a professional theatrical costumer as well as a dancer and I worked for 7 years at Eastern Washington University as costume designer and shop supervisor. I learned a lot there. My costume business is called Al Zarafah Designs, because one of my very short Saudi friends used to call me "Zarafah Hanem" ( Madame Giraffe) or A'isha Al-Zarafah, because I am so much taller than him and used to wear heels all the time on top of it! I think they have me down as Al-Zaralan or something like that in the book. I do custom costuming, all fringe beaded by hand, all appliques made by hand, etc. I also do group costuming, but I charge extra for that from the sheer boredom of creating the same costume over and over and over and over again!! Right now, I have one applique project about finished and then two costumes in line, so I figure I will be busy until at least July. Then I get a new one!! People keep telling me I need to keep photos, but I never do. I stay pretty busy. My work can be seen on my website and on my dance company's. Raqs Azar and Barharat!!. I designed the shoots except for the lighting and backdrops, and all of the costume designs are mine as far as choosing the over all costume, but I did not make all of the costumes in some photos, just most of the belly dance costumes. A lot of the folk stuff was given to me as gifts or belongs to the other dancers.
Regards,
A'isha
Hi A’isha!
Thanks for all of the information on workshops! I really appreciate it, and I like your “Bare Bones” affordable workshop idea. I’ll email and ask Mark if he’s coming to my area anytime in the future.
Thanks again,
Madeline
P.S. I just noticed that you’re listed in the directory of “The Bellydance Book”, and it mentions a costuming business under your name. Do you still do that?
Dear Madeline,
Yes, I still do costuming for other dancers, but no longer for general theatre since I started Baharat!! Dance Company. I am a professional theatrical costumer as well as a dancer and I worked for 7 years at Eastern Washington University as costume designer and shop supervisor. I learned a lot there. My costume business is called Al Zarafah Designs, because one of my very short Saudi friends used to call me "Zarafah Hanem" ( Madame Giraffe) or A'isha Al-Zarafah, because I am so much taller than him and used to wear heels all the time on top of it! I think they have me down as Al-Zaralan or something like that in the book. I do custom costuming, all fringe beaded by hand, all appliques made by hand, etc. I also do group costuming, but I charge extra for that from the sheer boredom of creating the same costume over and over and over and over again!! Right now, I have one applique project about finished and then two costumes in line, so I figure I will be busy until at least July. Then I get a new one!! People keep telling me I need to keep photos, but I never do. I stay pretty busy. My work can be seen on my website and on my dance company's. Raqs Azar and Barharat!!. I designed the shoots except for the lighting and backdrops, and all of the costume designs are mine as far as choosing the over all costume, but I did not make all of the costumes in some photos, just most of the belly dance costumes. A lot of the folk stuff was given to me as gifts or belongs to the other dancers.
Regards,
A'isha
