Designer Marta – latest project updates
Since opening my Etsy shop, alongside the shop on www.martathelegend.com (mtl), I have been working on innovating new costume methods/materials. … Read More “Designer Marta – latest project updates”
Belly dance, also known in the Middle East as oriental dance. My career was interpreting the dance in the style of Egyptian dancers, especially Sohair Zaki. I watched numerous videos of her shows and emulated her style. Then I was very lucky, in 1981 or 82 I was working at the Empress Club in London and Sohair came to London to do two gala performances at a hotel, the name escapes me in the moment.
The organizer of the galas failed to pay Sohair her full contract and she had a 12-piece Egyptian orchestra with her who also needed to be paid. She negotiated with the owner of the Empress Club to perform there for a week in order to make up her losses. So I was able to personally meet with her and to watch her show every night. Also, her musicians gave me a lot of input and suggestions about the music and how to interpret it.
Her drummer, Wahbi Salit, came to our flat and wrote down all the different rhythms used for the dance, in notes and explanation. He was a great help for me. Years later I worked with her accordion player when I was performing in Cairo in the Sheraton Hotel. In my opinion, Sohair had the best belly dance show. She exuded grace and feminity.
Since opening my Etsy shop, alongside the shop on www.martathelegend.com (mtl), I have been working on innovating new costume methods/materials. … Read More “Designer Marta – latest project updates”