Thread: Are only "modern" costumes OK?

I want to dance for this great band in San Francisco. It is low key, but it is in a small restaurant. A decent amount of the crowd is Arab. Can I only show up in a lycra skirt and bra combo? I tend to like the bedlah's more, but reading threads here make me wonder if the crowd will only watch if I'm wearing a modern Cairo costume. Thoughts?

Wear what makes you comfortable. If it is low key, I would think anything is a go. As long as it's tasteful, that is!

BTW - My experience is that if the dancing is good, the costume, while still important, is less an issue.

{{{HUGS}}}

Originally Posted by jetgirl

I want to dance for this great band in San Francisco. It is low key, but it is in a small restaurant. A decent amount of the crowd is Arab. Can I only show up in a lycra skirt and bra combo? I tend to like the bedlah's more, but reading threads here make me wonder if the crowd will only watch if I'm wearing a modern Cairo costume. Thoughts?

Hey, Jetgirl! I should have asked you if you were going to the Michelle's video taping in Berkeley Sun -- I could have brought the video you bought, lol, and saved you shipping..l;,

Wear what you love -- it's your dancing they will be caring about, not if you're wearing the latest style ...... where will be you be dancing? Is Nazir Latouf playing oud or singing, by any chance? Would love to come watch you! Have fun!!!

I can't go to Michelle's taping unfortunately! I know, we're nearby, we'll have to meet up to say hi sometime. I'll let you know when it happens. I will be at Rakkasah though. Are you performing?
Good advice about the wear what you love. The question I guess is more about: I don't have a good pulse of what either a ME crowd or a restaurant crowd "expects". Especially a ME crowd.

By Arab, do you mean Egyptian?

I don't think it's unusual for dancers to wear Bellas or Sims in front of Arab or Persian audiences. I know it happens around here. Besides, Cairo designers still make bedlahs and being Arab doesn't mean that they will be in-the-know about Cairo fashions anyway.

Wear what makes you comfortable and dance beautifully, bedlah, as far as I know, is still widely accepted belly dance fashion.

Thanks. I feel like I have a skewed sense of the bellydance scene, partially from here. I hear a lot of opinions of other dancers, and I'm sure there are regional differences. But on these boards you don't really hear the opinion of the public, especially a public whose culture you've learned their dance from. I know with many "white bread" audiences, they actually love the full skirted bedlah costume with real or fake coins, but I wonder if a ME or Eqyptian audience would think that looked silly and uninformed. Like wearing a mini skirt and gogo boots.
Sorry, and when I said Cairo, I meant more of the skirt/bra combo without a separate belt.

I think it's really good that you're taking time to consider your audience. I would really be surprised if a more traditional 2-piece bedlah, even one with coin accents (Bella make coin costumes these days) would cause a stir among ME audience members.

I think showing up in a choli, kuchi bra or some other fusion/gothic style belly dance outfit would look ignorant.

But if I'm wrong, then I have some shopping to do, I only own 2-piece bedlahs.

I think a bedlah can be given a very modern look by wearing it with a sleek trumpet skirt and fewer accessories.

If you wear a heavily fringed costume with fluffy full chiffon skirts and a crown, you're going to look old-fashioned to them. That doens't mean they won't watch or appreciate your dancing.

Imagine if an Egyptian came to entertain -- singing jazz, let's say -- at a gathering you're attending and was dressed in a very 70's outfit. It would seem odd, but if they were wonderful you'd think it was just their style.

As long as the costume looks good on you and you feel good in it people will enjoy it. Ive worn Turkish bra/belt sets for mostly Egyptian audiences and they still loved my performance.

"being Arab doesn't mean that they will be in-the-know about Cairo fashions anyway."
This is so ture, and even if they do know I dont think they care that much.

The only thing I´m against in this case is wearing a broomstick skirt with nipple tassles!
Lycra skirt and bra sounds lovely:)

Originally Posted by jetgirl

I want to dance for this great band in San Francisco. It is low key, but it is in a small restaurant. A decent amount of the crowd is Arab. Can I only show up in a lycra skirt and bra combo? I tend to like the bedlah's more, but reading threads here make me wonder if the crowd will only watch if I'm wearing a modern Cairo costume. Thoughts?

I always feel that you should wear what suits you, rather than what the fashion is. There's too many dancers out there who wear the lycra who look awful in it, and would be much better suited to wearing the 'old school' costumes, which I feel are going to make a come back. All round, they are much more flattering, but are simply not in vogue right now. I love the old 1970's Suhair Zaki style of costume with bodystocking and split skirts. How feminine they are. Lycra is a cruel fabric, no matter how much you crust it with diamantes. It only really works on those with slender but curvy figures. The PWMT (Pooch with Muffin Top) can be a ghastly companion to lycra and the unsightly protruding pubic bone even worse. Eman got it right with her fitted but more flared skirts which can now disguise the PPB but not do much for PWMT.

At the end of the day, yes, costuming is important, but so is the dancing. In my experience, the GP would rather see good dancing than outstanding costuming disguising poor dancing. I've personally seen dancers pulled apart by the GP for wearing an outfit that did not do them any justice. I once saw a dancer in a tight lycra skirt in lilac who had a sweaty bum crack. It stained the lycra at the back of the costume and Jesus, did she get a slating!

If you wear the bedlah you will probably be wearinfg exactly what the audeince expects. I don't think a classy and classical bedlah will ever really go out of fashion whatever we belly dancers think.
I was at a local hafla. One dancer was in a lovely typical lilac Turkish bedlah and full circle skirt but it was my black Eman (ex-Candi)dress that caused someone to comment "I've never seen anyone dance in a costume like that" and someone else say "Make a nice evening dress that!" So I gathered you are on safe territory with a bedlah anywhere anytime as long as you avoid the avoid tassles and flowers and it fits as well as the one I saw on Sat.

Also, everyone is going retro at the moment. Even Eman.

Originally Posted by Lauren_

Imagine if an Egyptian came to entertain -- singing jazz, let's say -- at a gathering you're attending and was dressed in a very 70's outfit. It would seem odd, but if they were wonderful you'd think it was just their style.

Thanks everyone. I don't have much experience restaurant dancing (when I used to do nightclubs and restaurants, it was usually venues that wanted my "alternative look", like Kanzaman on Haight St. ANd the ME crowds I would dance for were also at world beat discos and such, that also liked the "alternative" look. Just wondered. Lauren sort of expressed what I was wondering. I guess I'll just be myself -- like usual! ..l;,

I think if they're Arab descendants born in the USA, they might not know. But if they've lived in a country with Arab music videos, they've seen what dancers are wearing now. A lot of the singers interperse segments of themselves dancing in belly dance costumes, and Dina certainly appears in videos and movies wearing modern costumes.

The only place they'd see the bra/belt/fluffy skirt combo is on the old black and white movies that play constantly on TV (or so I'm told by those who've lived there).

Does that mean they wouldn't enjoy seeing a dancer in a retro costume? I don't think so at all! But I wouldn't assume they don't know the difference. (Maybe one of our Bhuzzers who've lived in Egypt can correct me if I'm wrong?)

I'm told that Arabs often wonder why we like to dress up in costumes their parents or grandparents would have seen, and dance to their grandma's music (Umm Kalthoum, Farid Al Atrash). I don't think they mind much as a general rule, but sometimes they're confused by it.

I've never heard of it being a big deal, though I'm sure Arabs, like anyone else, vary widely in the importance they attach to how someone dresses.

Originally Posted by kharis_UK

I always feel that you should wear what suits you, rather than what the fashion is. There's too many dancers out there who wear the lycra who look awful in it, and would be much better suited to wearing the 'old school' costumes, which I feel are going to make a come back. All round, they are much more flattering, but are simply not in vogue right now. I love the old 1970's Suhair Zaki style of costume with bodystocking and split skirts. How feminine they are. Lycra is a cruel fabric, no matter how much you crust it with diamantes. It only really works on those with slender but curvy figures. The PWMT (Pooch with Muffin Top) can be a ghastly companion to lycra and the unsightly protruding pubic bone even worse. Eman got it right with her fitted but more flared skirts which can now disguise the PPB but not do much for PWMT.

At the end of the day, yes, costuming is important, but so is the dancing. In my experience, the GP would rather see good dancing than outstanding costuming disguising poor dancing. I've personally seen dancers pulled apart by the GP for wearing an outfit that did not do them any justice. I once saw a dancer in a tight lycra skirt in lilac who had a sweaty bum crack. It stained the lycra at the back of the costume and Jesus, did she get a slating!

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I HATE the lycra/no belt costumes *for myself* for the very reasons you state. They may look lovely on the models, but they just don't flatter my particular body type. I love the look of a bedlah--those stiff belts can hide a multitude of sins (like too much baklava!) in the hip area, and they are so versatile. From reading Bhuz and looking at the costume vendors, you'd think bedlah were taboo nowadays. I think they look better, pure and simple. And I'm not giving mine up!

Also, I'm a little sad that the tiaras went out of style before my time.

Originally Posted by jetgirl

Thanks. I feel like I have a skewed sense of the bellydance scene, partially from here. I hear a lot of opinions of other dancers, and I'm sure there are regional differences. But on these boards you don't really hear the opinion of the public, especially a public whose culture you've learned their dance from. I know with many "white bread" audiences, they actually love the full skirted bedlah costume with real or fake coins, but I wonder if a ME or Eqyptian audience would think that looked silly and uninformed. Like wearing a mini skirt and gogo boots.
Sorry, and when I said Cairo, I meant more of the skirt/bra combo without a separate belt.

I'm in the same boat (alt fusion dancer turning oriental). Doing my first solo restaurant set on Saturday and a little bit freaked out about it. I've gotten some guidance from the house dancer (who is a good friend) and feel pretty ok with music choices and costuming. I guess I'll just dance and see what happens!

Are you dancing in the East Bay? Maybe we can show up.

Originally Posted by jetgirl

Are you dancing in the East Bay? Maybe we can show up.

No, I'm going to be up in Sacramento. Subbing for a friend up there. Hoping it's lots of friends and that its a good experience. I need a few of those under my belt (pun intended) and then maybe I'll look into something in the east bay.

Originally Posted by GenevieveOfAtlanta

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I HATE the lycra/no belt costumes *for myself* for the very reasons you state. They may look lovely on the models, but they just don't flatter my particular body type. I love the look of a bedlah--those stiff belts can hide a multitude of sins (like too much baklava!) in the hip area, and they are so versatile. From reading Bhuz and looking at the costume vendors, you'd think bedlah were taboo nowadays. I think they look better, pure and simple. And I'm not giving mine up!

Also, I'm a little sad that the tiaras went out of style before my time.

Me too. I just LOOK a whole lot better in a bedlah, and I really enjoy the mix-match versatility.

I think the silhouette is more important than the construction --- IF you're trying to look up-to-date. A bra/belt set with a sleek lycra trumpet looks pretty modern, in my opinion. I have one belt that closes with a big central medallion. I wear it with the closure off to one side and slung down lower, so it has a modern 'asymmetric' feel. I don't know if it fools anyone but me, but I like it!!

Also, matching the colors looks more 'modern' than the strong contrasts. When I started out 9 years ago, people wore green bedlah with fuschia skirts, maybe with a veil or accessory to pull it together. I don't see that very much any more. Simplicity looks more up to date.

I like to *know* what's up-to-date, and very occasionally I care. But mostly I wear what I think looks good and suits the mood of the music I'm dancing to -- and what this audience hasn't seen me in a hundred times!! -- I don't worry about what's modern and what's not.

Good luck! Ummm, I mean break a leg . . .,r:;

Im so glad to hear Im not the only one who prefers the bedlah as opposed to the lycra numbers. I was beginning to feel like the black sheep....

We could start a club...

Originally Posted by emma-bessa

The only thing I´m against in this case is wearing a broomstick skirt with nipple tassles!
Lycra skirt and bra sounds lovely:)

*giggle*
I'm a noob, but I continue to be amazed at anything that looks like nipple tassels in BD. *giggle*