Thread: Costume restrictions uh oh

Hi everyone!
I'm newer here but maybe you could help me.. I am planning on a fair performance bellydancing BUT before i bought a costume i wanted to double check with the director on my costume, and her suggestion is that i wear a nude leotard underneath my costume, what do y'all think of this? Have any of you ever had to deal with something like this before, or tried to belly dance in a leotard. I am afraid it will take away from the performance and stomache isolations what do you all think? If anyone has any you tube videos with something like that on it, i would be eternally gratefull and hopefull faith restored. I've seen didem do her havasi dance, in shirts and belly covered and its just not that interesting, unforunetly, so i hope i dont end up looking the same. It seems like a disgrace to belly dancing in my opinion..

If she's concerned about the uncovered belly, what about a body stocking? I've worn Sugarpetals ones before...

Sugar Petals Dance Accessories Custom Body Stockings

There are mesh leotards and body stockings made for belly dancing. Its not an insult to the dance. Our troupe often uses them for big public festivals to help set the tone for the GP that belly dance is NOT flesh-peddling, which can happen with something as chaste as a bare midriff. They also help shape the midsection and can enhance the fit of your costume. Some women love them post baby, post c-section, post menopause, post lunch....
I would ask your instructor what her motivation for the body stocking is. Then I would search the threads in this board because there have been TONS of discussions recently about good sources for body stockings.

Originally Posted by Frosty1

It seems like a disgrace to belly dancing in my opinion..

I am sure that you will change your mind after, e.g., watching videos of Fifi Abdo dancing with a belly cover.

My younger troupe members have been known to exclaim that "its not belly dance if you dont show your belly" when I have asked them to consider a ghawazee coat for some performances. It is a common reaction for new dancers who just need more information. I dont disagree with you about the leotard..it is a bit over the top for me, but a nice midriff cover can look more polished than a bare belly.

Originally Posted by Frosty1

Hi everyone!
I'm newer here but maybe you could help me.. I am planning on a fair performance bellydancing BUT before i bought a costume i wanted to double check with the director on my costume, and her suggestion is that i wear a nude leotard underneath my costume, what do y'all think of this? Have any of you ever had to deal with something like this before, or tried to belly dance in a leotard. I am afraid it will take away from the performance and stomache isolations what do you all think? If anyone has any you tube videos with something like that on it, i would be eternally gratefull and hopefull faith restored. I've seen didem do her havasi dance, in shirts and belly covered and its just not that interesting, unforunetly, so i hope i dont end up looking the same. It seems like a disgrace to belly dancing in my opinion..

Yes, I have been in troupes where the costume policy is that everybody covered, regardless of shape. For a number of years, Egyptian dancers were required to cover their abdomens, so it doesn't have to be disgraceful or distracting to wear a stomach cover. (There are tons of clips of Souheir Zaki and Fifi Abdo wearing full-coverage costumes on YouTube.) If you are performing in a group where everyone but you would be wearing full coverage, I think it would be rather distracting to the audience to have you dancing with a bare stomach, even if the reason is because you have a drop-dead-gorgeous body and everybody else is less fortunate. Some dancers who do abdominal work actually prefer stomach covers because the fabric can create a shadowing effect that accentuates the movements.

I know a lot of people enjoy the pride-in-sisterhood aspect of the dance, but I have to confess that I have a point where "Let it all hang out, sister!" becomes "Sweetie, you should have covered a little more of that up." I'm not saying that dancers shouldn't wear less-covered costumes if they don't look like models--you don't have to look perfect, but there is something to be said for knowing what looks flattering on you, and being able to admit that sometimes a little extra fabric presents a more pleasing aesthetic. Demanding that an audience revel in the imperfections of your body is better suited to performance art than Middle Eastern dance.

Having said all of that, I think it is important to remember that a good stomach cover should fit properly (not make you look like a sausage), it should be securely attached so it doesn't look like it's going to pop loose, and it shouldn't have any extra straps or attachment mechanisms competing with your costume for the audience's attention.

Sugarpetals are a thicker mesh the powernet version will hold you in well but has a matte finish ( never tried the metalic ones, also they don't have pictures of the finished stockings, but they are well made and i was very pleased wih my nude body stocking. I've heard very good things about sugar petals.

Sugar Petals Dance Accessories Home Page

for more of a glitzy cabaret effect, i've heard great things about these guys. like sugar petals they come in many different styles designed to wear with a bedlah. They show photos of the different colors and styles. these are not designed to hold you in, so i imagine they would be a lot more comfortable than the power net.

Body Stockings - The Comfortable Body Stocking designed by Janie Midgley

you can also find a bunch on ebay.

Will you be doing a solo or troupe number? When I first started dancing at our fair it was with a group of people. Since we were all different sizes the director wanted our bellies covered for a more uniform appearance. She didn't want the crowd distracted by the different fleshtones and sizes, etc. The soloists could wear whatever they felt comfy in.

The belly dance shoppe BellyDanceShoppe.com - Everything for the BellyDancer has some nice leotards with mesh midriff inserts scroll towards the bottom.

I have the long legged ones for class and they are very comfortable.

I troupe I was in FOREVER required covered bellies for outdoor performances.

You certainly don't want to wear a blinged out costume with a ton of skin showing outside in a festival setting.

Thank you all for your awesome responses, I will deffinitly be looking into and probley purchasing one of the sugar petal nude stockings...
but to answer some questions...

Its not a "festival" setting. Its a county fair in california, a very large one with a HUGE stage, I will be doing a solo performance on.

Now her motivation, I do not understand AT ALL, and that is one of the things that bothers me. I showed her a pic of the costume i planned on wearing with a very full skirt, and top with long fringe, as well as a veil that i plan on using in the performance.( and at first the fair director said it would be fine,m:: ) *There will be other dance performers that will wear leotards and shorts or leotards and short skirts and them showing 20 inches of leg seems no better or different then my 6 inches of stomach but somehow thats appropriate and mine is not.

Another little note is that its in central california and the weather here during that time of the day and year is usually 100 degrees!

Its a really big stage btw, concerts will be performed on it every night after our performance's .w.: Ill be the only belly dance!!!! The crowd will be seated quite far away and it seats several thousand..

And I have seen souheir zaki and fifis performance's i just prefer the contrast and think it adds a lot to the performance. IMO

That being said THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR HELP!!! Ill be writing an e-mail immedietly with my propsed adjustent :)

Dahlal caries really nice body stockings too. I have one that I wear for those special times when I don't want to let it all hang out, for what ever reason.

A dress is another option. It makes me feel like I am still in costume without sending the message that I am tying to rig my bedlah to suite the more conservative in the crowd.

Thank you ! Has anyone ever sown fringe or bead work onto the powernet before?

I use 2 pair of dancers nude fishnet panty hose that I have sewn bra straps to the top of...one pair is halter, one pair is over the shoulder. I have cut the toes open so that I can haul them up higher under my bust. I wear ankle decorations so the start of the hose wont show. It is a matt, seamless and cool, comfortable solution. It provides no control, but does give a bit of a collegen substitute so the ...ahem...looser belly skin doesnt fly about like a ships mainsail in a force 3 hurricane and makes my legs look a bit smoother as well. When a hole appears, I sew sequins on the boo boo. Panties need to be worn under to prevent FGM.

Originally Posted by Frosty1

Thank you ! Has anyone ever sown fringe or bead work onto the powernet before?

One of my students used a Bedazzler on hers!

Originally Posted by laura 2

One of my students used a Bedazzler on hers!

A friend of mine sewed a few light-weight appliques onto hers!

Deborah

Originally Posted by anala

I use 2 pair of dancers nude fishnet panty hose that I have sewn bra straps to the top of...one pair is halter, one pair is over the shoulder. I have cut the toes open so that I can haul them up higher under my bust. I wear ankle decorations so the start of the hose wont show. It is a matt, seamless and cool, comfortable solution. It provides no control, but does give a bit of a collegen substitute so the ...ahem...looser belly skin doesnt fly about like a ships mainsail in a force 3 hurricane and makes my legs look a bit smoother as well. When a hole appears, I sew sequins on the boo boo. Panties need to be worn under to prevent FGM.

Amazing ideas! Thank you soo much :) I finally got the approval on the power net so its a go .. wooo hooo!!!! Now to find the perfect costume :)