The Glossary Project
I recently received a very inspirational letter that has spawned
a new area of this website:
Hi Davina,
I've recently discovered middle eastern dance!
And I've always been an
avid sewer/costumer, so I have really enjoyed your costumer's
notes pages.Thank you so much for all the work you do with the
pages, and your excellent books.
One thing I have noticed with being a newbie
to dance and dance costume is a lack of vocabulary knowledge
on my part. I was thinking that since you mentioned that you
are going to do a booklet series, I thought I would add my suggestion
for a topic: "middle eastern dance costume vocabulary."
I doubt it would be long, but something with the basic and extended
vocabulary (including clothing type, embelishment type, fabric
type, etc.) would be helpful.
For example: you mention on the Rakkasah update
something called Assuit. I haven't a clue to what it was, but
it sounded cool.
Jessica (Meira)
Building a Glossary
Rather than publish this glossary as a booklet with a limited
circulation, I have decided to start documenting key terms in
the vocabulary of M. E. dance costume here on the internet.
The beauty of the web is that I will be able to rapidly update
and expand the glossary, add photographs and build it over time.
In addition, I can include links to other web sites developing
their own glossaries and costume FAQ's. I will also be able
to link to sites that go into deeper depth on the subject in
question. I look forward to cross-linking with other dancers,
costumers and scholars who are interested in building the knowledge
base of the internet.
Monthly Updates
The Glossary is going to be one of my on-going monthly projects.
Check back periodically to see what we've added as we grow this
part of the website. I will begin by putting up a word list
and from there we will fill in the definitions. With each month's
Costumer's Notes, I will post the words that I have been working
on. The first few months, I expect there to be quite a few holes.
As time goes on, the glossary will slowly fill in.
Contributing to the Glossary
Committees develop the most comprehensive dictionaries. While
I have a list to start with, help is always welcome. If you
see an obvious hole, drop me a line! If you have questions,
comments or critiques, we welcome those as well! If we use a
suggestion, add a word, or alter a definition, we will list your
name on the contributor list and link to your website. Many
people have already contributed to this list over the many years
I have been working on my books and I appreciate the kind generosity
of the dance community!
Using the Glossary
This glossary will serve as a reference for dancers doing
research, teachers looking for useful information for their students,
and curious people who are just surfing the net. Please do not
copy the glossary or distribute it in another media rather, link
to it and use it here on the web. Please drop me a line if you
need more info about reprints at davina@davina.org.
Linking to the Glossary
If you find this glossary a useful reference tool, please,
by all means link to it. If you would like to drop me a line,
I can make sure that there is reciprocal link from this site.
Links make the web strong, help researchers find useful information
from a variety of sources quickly.
Enjoy!
I hope that this glossary of terms will help your enjoyment
and understanding of the costuming of Middle Eastern dance.
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