Littlewoods Christmas Campaign

In my travels last month I was hired to travel to Birmingham and Liverpool for the Littlewoods Christmas Bazaar campaign. You may have seen the adverts with Mylene Klass on TV in the lead up to Christmas. If not, you watch the advert below.

Their theme was an Aladdin inspired Christmas Bazaar with the biggest magic lamp I've ever seen. We got to wear Littlewoods costumes which were beautiful indulgent and thick fabrics.


If you had 3 wishes, what would you wish for?

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Happy New Year message

Happy new year to all!

I hope you enjoyed the Christmas and New Year festive period, and that you got a chance to catch up with family, friends and rest.

Last year flew past so quickly and here we are safely landing in 2015.

How many of you have made New Years resolutions? If so, have you kept to it?

Change is all about priorities. Sometimes the intention is there but it can be a struggle to prioritise that change as it may be out of our comfort zone or we're not use to the routine yet. If you don't make your goal a priority, then it won't work out.

For the past few years I haven't made New Years resolutions, instead if I want to change something I'll act upon it anytime of year and work to stick to it. It is tough but discipline and the desire to succeed will help you through, which is why you have to really want it. Once it becomes routine after a couple of weeks you be on auto-pilot and it will be a breeze. The first couple of weeks are always the hardest whatever your want to change.

Don't give up, stick with it. As I always say anything worth having it's always hard.

I wish you all a happy, healthy and memorable 2015. Let's make it a great one!!

Shimmy hugs,
Tevec

MAKE UP TOP TIP - Arabian inspired smokey eye

Hey there,

As the party season is upon us, here is a TOP TIP from make up artist Studio Couture by PK to help you with your Arabian smokey eye. This is a classic, dramatic look for the stage or for a night out, and one of my personal favourites. Enjoy!

Products Needed 

1. Eye Primer or Concealer & Translucent Powder
2. Nude or White shimmer shadow 
3. Dark brown, charcoal or black eye shadow
4. Blending fluffy brush 
5. Eyeshadow Brush
6. Eyelash Curler
7. Black Mascara

Step-by-step technique

1. Apply primer or concealer to the whole of the eye area as well as underneath the eye (if using concealer make sure you powder straight after application-ensures long wear)

2.Using your shadow brush apply the lighter shade all over the eye lid paying extra attention underneath the brow line, also place this colour in the inner corner of eye too.

3. Draw a line across the upper lash line using black pencil (if you are a beginner) liner from inner and make it thicker as you move out.

4. Using the blending brush smudge the black line you have already made by moving the brush towards upper lid.. This will give it the smokey effect.

5. Apply the black shadow (or any other dark colour) on the crease. Smudge the shadow with the light shadow and keep blending until you see the effect of a smokey eye.

6. Apply black liner in the bottom waterline and then with a thin brush smudge under the lashes.

7. To finish off use eyelash curler and then apply black mascara.

Quick and easy. Here's what is should look like:

Thank you to Peghe Kakolyris-Yanni of Studio Couture by PK.

Belly Dance Performance Palmers Green Festival, North London

photo credit: Palmers Green Festival, North London

London Arabic Live Music Event: The Arab Quarterly

Last month, I went to The Arab Quarterly, a live Arabic music and dance show organised by Melanie Norman and Chalf Hassan of The Arab Quarter Band.

It was a real treat as there aren't many Belly Dance events in London (and mostly probably outside of the Middle East) where you can listen to live music nowadays. 

Being Turkish I grew up listening to live music at parties, weddings and at Turkish School. I kind of figured that it was the norm until I started to learn Belly Dancing.

Strange right?

Held in the Islington Assembly Hall, home to many live music events, The Arab Quarterly is a splendid mix of different dance styles and passionate music of The Arab Quarter Band. The venue adds a touch of old school glamour, a feeling of what it was like back in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s to dress up, go to a music hall to watch live bands and enjoy the music in the moment.

Some may argue that we've lost that sense of being in the moment and that we view everything through our smart phones even when we're there in person watching a performance. The Arab Quarterly brings back these feelings of capturing the moment and sucks you in to the sounds and colours of the musicians and performers.

The Arab Quarter Band is central to the activity of The Arab Quarterly and is lead by Chalf Hassan. These gifted and professional musicians bring between them an extraordinarily rich heritage of decades of Arab music making, a vast repertoire, and expertise.

Having just returned from Istanbul where live music is common and all around, it was a great evening which reminded me of my recent trip.

Well done to all performers they were great and so different, which made for a good variety. One thing you're guaranteed to get with Belly Dancers is beautiful costumes, and beautiful they all were.

Overall, the night flew by and I was thoroughly entertained. If you're in London and love Middle Eastern music this event is definitely for you. Congratulations to all those involved in the organisation of this wonderful event. It's got grandeur, class, live Arabic music, a great line up of dancers and a bar. What more could you want!

Find out more about The Arab Quarterly live music event: http://www.arabquarter.co.uk/store/index.html

NEW VIDEO: Sword dance at Tarazade Festival, Istanbul

Merhabalar!

Here is my performance from the Tarazade Festival of Oriental Dance in Istanbul. Thank you to Bahri Yilmaz for the videography. Great job!

As a Dancer it can be very scary to put your work up on YouTube. It is the encouragement and support of others which helps me to showcase my love for this beautiful art form.

I hope that you like it :).

Belly Dancing in Istanbul, Turkey

I had the absolute pleasure of visiting Istanbul for my second time last week to perform and train with star teachers and artists at Tarazade Oriental Festival, Istanbul.

Many of my favourite artists such as Sema Yildiz, Aziza, Marta Korzun and Didem were performing and teaching.

I have followed them on YouTube for a while now and to see them perform in person was humbling and a true honour. I was blown away by their live performances.

During the festival I fell in love with all teachers, each and every one became my favourite. Their knowledge, technique and love for the dance have really inspired and injected a new lease of life into my dance. They are a credit to their hard work and I felt very lucky to have all these artists under one roof.

As always, I have fallen further in love with belly dance and can't wait to practice all I have learned about my own dance style as well as others.

I feel it is important to try different styles to find out what you like and what sort of dancer you are. Dance is an expression of yourself and only you can tell your story.

This trip has definitely confirmed to me that I am a Turkish and Theatrical Fusion Artist. I'm afraid that I can't deny it or hide it folks :).

Here are a few pics from the festival.

Marvellous Marta Korzun

my room mate Queenie

The icon that is Sema Yildiz

The gentleman Mayodi

The beautiful Hale Sultan

Delightful Delanna

Professor Hassan Khalil