Let us review three true stories, each present a different belly dance costuming catastrophe. Be forewarned of some blunt frankness!
Story #1 is about a dancer in the Chicago area who has recently set an alarming trend within the local belly dance community. It is startling to those who first encounter it. It is extremely disappointing for those dancers who strive for good, clean ART. The trend is to perform in a bra and belt only, with little to no skirt! And when questioned why, the answer is only that she adopted the “Dina look”.
Dina is currently a famous dancer in the Cairo nightclub scene. The beautiful Dina has made a statement within her society by donning costumes that are daringly revealing. Unfortunately, one seldom hears much about Dina’s excellent talent as a performer because her costuming often takes front stage. It’s great for her to use her notoriety to expand conservative minds. Her image works successfully for her. Bear in mind that, as a famous dancer, this woman is rich, influential and unique. I stress the adjective unique. Only Dina can be Dina. Only her unique circumstances will allow such success. Dina may wear risqué costumes, but she was not altogether stopped wearing a skirt! Why copy someone else’s style? And if you are going to try, why not do it correctly?
Story #2: A nationally known dancer is performing in a seminar show. She is heralded as a great artist who has won many awards. She enters the stage is a stunning black costume that is lovely against her dark tan. Halfway through the show, a bright white piece of tissue suddenly makes its appearance out from under one of her bra cups! The tissue continues to snake down her stomach, revealing itself as a big wad of toilet paper more than a foot long. When the dancer finally realizes why the audience is gasping in horror, she snatches the tissue, dabs it upon her brow and tosses it at the audience! However, her cleavage is now lopsided. To the dismay of her audience, she does not even turn her back when she unceremoniously reaches into the other cup, pulls out another wad, and throws that, too, into the public. What does this costume disaster say about good standards and setting an example for all those eager seminar students?
Story #3: Another nationally recognized dancers is also a great seamstress and makes many of her own costumes. The beadwork is elaborate and the colors are always in good taste. However, most times when she performs, one sees the moon rising above the back of her belt! Maybe if this happens once it is an ‘OOPS’, but not when it happens often enough to be expected. What about testing your costume creation before you don it on stage? Would you rather be a crack to joke about?
These stories are amusing, but they bring up three unrelated costuming catastrophes which are serious and should be avoided. First, set aside the fact that none of these dancers have good sense or good taste. We can certainly learn from their experiences, even if they cannot.
The moral to story #1: Your overall look on the stage should say something about your style and individuality. Please wear an entire costume that fits you well and covers the essentials. Your skirt length should at least touch the top of your feet. When you wear no skirt, your audience only wonders if you are wearing an underpants. When your skirt is too short or too sheer, your visible legs distract from the motion of your hips. Is your show about oriental dancing or about showing off your body?
The moral of story #2: Hey, most of us wear padding in our costume bras. No big deal, but please try on your costume bra before you perform in it, insert real pads and sew them under the lining of the bra. Make sure the hooks properly close and move the hooks if necessary. If the strap is too long, use two hooks or a hook and Velcro. The bra cups should completely cover you, with no flesh hanging out underneath or on the sides. When you order a costume, ask for a bra cup one size larger than your normal bra, so that there is room for the padding and it can be worn with a natural look. The costume designer needs to know your actual cup size as well as your chest measurement. For a costume bra, your normal size is equivalent to the next chest measurement up and the next bra cup size down. In other words, a 32B is equivalent to a 34A. A 34C is equivalent to a 36D (or a 32DD). Also, cup sizes are not the same for everyone. The true cup size of someone who wears a 34C is not the same as a 40C. The 40 needs overall wider coverage, so the cup is actually larger than the 34.
The moral of story #3: Only a frontal view of your costume should show cleavage. Make sure your belt fits snugly over your hip bones. Be sure the top of your skirt and your panties are completely hidden from view. The front as well as the back of the belt should be centered. If the belt overlaps, make sure to match the bottom edge of each side, rather than the top edges of the belt. If the overlap is more than two inches, use Velcro in addition to the hooks to hold it fast. The belt should be tight enough so that when you dance it will not shift, fall or lift. Sometimes this tightness causes flesh to push up around the top of the belt. To avoid this from happening, open the top inner edge of the lining and insert a row of cotton balls. The cotton will act as a buffer to hold the belt away from you just enough to eliminate the bulge.
Other useful costuming tips:
Sleeves should be snug enough not to sag while you dance, but not so tight
that you cannot bend your elbow all the way!
Harem pants should be tested for width. All too often they are cut so narrow
you cannot step wide without tearing open the crotch. Also, make sure your harem
pants are long enough to bag around your ankles and hang down to touch the top
of your feet.
The length of a cape or a set of wings should be measured from your neckline
over one shoulder and down to the top of your foot (about one inch off the floor).
The elastic holding your crown or headband should be snug enough to hold it
firmly in place. It looks better to separate your hair in the back of your head
and wear the elastic there, rather than at the base of your hairline. Also,
consider making the elastic a color that more closely matches your hair color.
If you wear a wig, choose one that looks natural, and please make sure that
it will never move or fall off.
One last major catastrophe to avoid: a smelly, moldy costume! Never put your costume into a plastic bag while it is still damp. Wrap it in a cotton or terrycloth towel. When you get home, immediately lay out the bra and belt to dry. Hang the veil and skirt. To remove odor from smoke and perspiration, hang the entire costume in the bathroom and turn on a steamy shower. Then towel dry the bra and belt to polish the beads. The steamed skirt and veil also removes wrinkles so you don’t have to iron!
A properly fit costume can make or break even the best performance. Learn from the mistakes of others so that you can look your very best when you dance!
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©2002 Jasmin Jahal