From 12 to 14 November 1999 the 5th "Orienta" took place in Frankfurt. It's one of the largest events for Oriental dance in Europe. Of course I went there too and I will tell you about what was happening there.

The Orienta is located in Bergen Enkheim, a village-like outer quarter of Frankfurt. The fair was held in the town hall Bergen, the two shows in the community center Enkheim.

While we missed the talent show on Friday night, we took whatever we could get on Saturday and Sunday. The Fair Already 15 minutes before the doors opening at 10 o'clock, a large queue of people (mostly women of course!) where waiting in the cold. By the time we finally entered, there were even more people waiting behind us...

The fair was impressing: Over 50 exhibitors on 2 floors, an overhelming choice of costumes, cloths, CDs, wigs, beads and whatever else the dancer's heart desires.

When the number of visitors reached its peak on Saturday afternoon, you needed quite strong nerves not to freak out inside these masses of people.

Here the stand of Sakkara, a well known costume dealer, known for the popular catalogue.

After I had made a few rounds - nearly paralised by all these impressions - I decided, to just buy the first costume I liked. Otherwise I could probably never have made a choice! In front of the town hall there's a bank - its cash-automat was empty by Sunday morning... But on Sunday the atmosphere was more relaxed and I could peacefully choose another costume. This picture of one of my new costumes was also taken on Sunday morning - you can tell it by the fact that there are hardly any other people on it... In the background the stand of "Absolut Schleierhaft" where I bought my costumes.

The quality of the offered merchandise was very mixed. There was everything from innovative self-creations to age-old design. With some exhibitors I wondered whether they really believed that someone would buy their old stuff.

But there were also lots of beautiful things to see. Some German dance costume manufacturers showed their own original ideas and offered a real alternative to the costumes we have gotten used to.

Of course there were also mountains or hip shawls in every colour and style as well as other training equipment. There was a lot of trying, comparing and searching going on. A big stress for the sales personnel!
	For the performing dancer various accessories were offered, like here at the stand of the Orienta boutique, which specialises in stage make-up and wigs. The two Orienta organisers Jamila and Reyhan originally wear short hair themselves, which they enhance for stage with wigs. At least there's something, where I can save money...
For those who make their own costumes there was a large choice of beads, sequins, pearls, applications.... (here at the stand of Tabou)
	Oh, and there, in the middle of all these shopping crazy women a few men could be found... Most of them salesmen, some also waiting more or less patiently for their ladies to carry home the heavy bags...

Fashion trends

You just can't do without velvet any more! This material has gotten more and more popular during the past few years. It looks nice, is flexible and doesn't crease. Therefore it is of course very suitable for dance costumes.

A new trend are thick pearls either combined with or instead of glass pearls; beaded or for fringes. There were also still these one-piece costumes with holes in sometimes impossible places. Now that's not really what I need...

Workshops

I attended two workshops (floor dance and tribal style bellydance) which I really liked. Other dancers told me that some of their workshops were under the expected level.

Gala show

The range of dancers was just as big as the choice of goods offered at the fair - and just as different were their performances. I can't tell you about all of them, it would be too much! I particularly liked the following: Dalal, Sibel Nefa, Yamuna, Amaya, the Nesimah group and of course Sabuha Sahnaz who got a lot of applause for her comical number.

All in all we really enjoyed the Orienta and hope to return next year!

Further information about the exhibitor etc.: www.orienta.de
By the way, Reyhan really liked this report on her fair - of course this makes me particularly proud!

And because everybody always asks me, what my new costumes look like, here two pictures (there's more at the gallery):

PS: Meanwhile also Orienta 2000 is history. I took part very actively, teaching a workshop and dancing in the gala show. It was a great exerience. If you would like to see me dancing in the video, you can order the tape at Orienta (click on Boutique).