Framing Beauty: How I Fell in Love with Sharifwear

"My curves flourish in this dance. And in my fellow dancers and teachers, I can see the Promised Land:  They are different shapes and ages and sizes and every single one of them is beautiful!"  (from the "Body's Language" segment of Blood on the Veil.)

Even in my first bellydance classes with SharQui's Oreet, I realized there was something different about this dance. The movements were every bit as rigorous as the ballet and modern I'd studied as a child and young adult; even the basics required concentration and deep muscle control.

But unlike the conventional Western dance forms, Oriental dance lavished in womanly curves; it embraced the body, rather than attempting to transcend it.

Slowly, my image of myself changed.

Realizing that my capacious hips and rear did not need to be trimmed to be beautiful, I tossed out my tight-fitting gymwear and searched Capezio and Danskin for attire that would accentuate and flatter -- rather than squeeze and flatten.

I did not have much luck. Even their flowy modernwear was tight-hipped and high-waisted, pressing my beloved belly into an unhappy muffin-top.

And then I went to my first Rakassah -- the big bi-coastal bellydance festival -- filled with hip- and belly-loving apparel for onstage and off.

My favorite vendor was Sharifwear.

Their "skirt-pants" caught my eye -- with beautifully flaring bell bottoms, often slit to reveal the lower leg -- and an extra layer of fabric attached at the hip creating a built in hip-scarf (very handy for me, as I often left my tie-on hipscarves at home!).

Many of the half-tops were tied in the front or wrapped around, gently hugging the lower chest, while the arms flared out in gypsy or flamenco style, matching the shape of the pants.

I tried on an outfit and bought as many as I could carry home!

With this new wardrobe, I could not help but love my body, how it looked and felt in the soft, swaying fabric, and realized:  I never needed to hide my belly -- I only needed to frame it!

As my dance progressed, and I attended more advanced classes and workshops, I saw more and more of Ms. Sharif's styles on so many different dancers -- of all shapes and sizes, each as beautiful as the next -- and realized that she was the very same Nourhan Sharif of New York's legendary Egyptian Academy, where many of my teachers, and teachers' teachers had studied their craft.

Nourhan, I learned, was a second-generation bellydancer and master teacher who had created this remarkable line of clothing to fill the very gap that I had found when searching for dancewear that looked and felt beautiful on a curvy female body.

And not only were the quality of design and material important to her; the integrity of production was as well. As her site declares: "Sharifwear presents the highest quality belly dance costumes, coin belts, belly dancing skirts, hip scarves,belly dance tops, veils and belly dance accessories that are authentic and proudly made in the U.S.A."

So, after years of wearing her clothes and pretty much being intimidated by the high reputation of the Egyptian Academy, I finally darkened her doorway in 2009 and found her to be kind, welcoming, innovative, and butt-kicking in the best way possible. And I have studied with her ever since!

Today, I am proud to call her a friend, teacher, and mentor -- and proud beyond words that she will dance the Master Teacher set of Blood on the Veil this Sunday, November 24th, in the finale of the 2013 NYC run.

Love to you Nourhan, and so many thanks for all you do!