Thread: Tacky, tacky!!!!!!!!

A friend and I recently attended a show where there were nine dancers. This was what I observed:

One dancer had on a black/pink/white bra, belt and matching skirt. But the bra was obviously too small for her, so she wore a plain black street bra underneath it. It showed over the top and sides, and wasn't decorated. This is the second time I've seen her wear this costume.

Another dancer had on a dress. Her girls didn't fill out the bra, and it gapped slightly. The bra obviously wasn't padded, so the midsection of the dress was very wrinkled.

An additional dancer kept pulling up her bra straps because her bra was too low, and also her lycra skirt. This was done in front of audience while she was dancing.

Is this a new trend to wear costumes that don't fit?

Do you have any photo of that?

No.

Take a photo next time & cover up their faces like the magazines do.

was this a professional show or just a little student hafla? I know some dancers who are very very professional and would never let anything like that happen. then again, I know some hobby dancers that it seems a costume just fell in their lap, they put it on, and decided to dance around in it. and in the latter case their costumes don't fit (and they don't care).

chances are these girls were not professional. If it was a student show, you have to think about the fact that these girls might not have wanted to make a serious investment into their costuming. It's forgivable. If you see this in a professional venue, then it is altogether a different story.

Another point is.....Dina made it her trademark to wear costumes that didn't fit her girls....and she made the shimmy into your miniskirt so it doesn't ride up your bum move famous....

I would think that if this was a student recital or somesuch, that a teacher's involvement in the costume choices should have been there...not that the unexpected doesn't happen - sometimes things slip by the costume check - but if this was the second time you've seen it...

Maybe you could suggest covering the plain bra so it looks more like part of the costume?

The lycra girl probably didn't practice in her costume, so was unaware that those babies will slip if given a chance!

Originally Posted by gypsydanse

A friend and I recently attended a show where there were nine dancers. This was what I observed:

One dancer had on a black/pink/white bra, belt and matching skirt. But the bra was obviously too small for her, so she wore a plain black street bra underneath it. It showed over the top and sides, and wasn't decorated. This is the second time I've seen her wear this costume.

Another dancer had on a dress. Her girls didn't fill out the bra, and it gapped slightly. The bra obviously wasn't padded, so the midsection of the dress was very wrinkled.

An additional dancer kept pulling up her bra straps because her bra was too low, and also her lycra skirt. This was done in front of audience while she was dancing.

Is this a new trend to wear costumes that don't fit?

It's not a new trend at all.....g.:;

I've been looking at it for years....and had a few narrow misses myself!

many teachers don't talk about costuming because they don't want to alienate their students. Many students, as suggested above, don't want to invest serious money in their costumes or they don't have the proper knowledge to buy good quality to start with. Or to adjust them properly.

This is where it would be a service to the students to have a costuming night, totally separate from class, where everyone gets together and adjusts their costumes. It can save a bunch of head aches and hassles.

And yes, when I was a newbe dancer, I performed more than once in a costume which barely covered (or poorly covered) what it was supposed to.

{{{HUGS}}}

OMG, now that is what I call tacky belly-dancing.

I wouldn't post pictures of these girls. Chances are they just don't know better. I would hate if photos of me as a student dancer showed up on a message board with people snarking them.

Sometimes people are just un-aware of how costumes fit them. I have seen people walking down the street in street clothes that are too tight, too loose, ill fitting. Developing a sense of style, no less a bellydance style can be a difficult thing. In the future a few kind words plus the number of a great tailor can be the difference between mean and helpful.

Originally Posted by Zobeida

chances are these girls were not professional. If it was a student show, you have to think about the fact that these girls might not have wanted to make a serious investment into their costuming. It's forgivable. If you see this in a professional venue, then it is altogether a different story.

Originally Posted by _Tanya_

I wouldn't post pictures of these girls. Chances are they just don't know better. I would hate if photos of me as a student dancer showed up on a message board with people snarking them.

Agreed. Students are often scrimping out of the kids' lunch money to afford lessons and costuming to begin with -- if they can't sew, then having things tailored is an expense they're going to forego. The teacher's job is to teach bellydance, and to give the students some guidance on *appropriate* costuming. Helping adult women figure out if their clothing fits and what to do if it doesn't fit lies outside the scope of bellydance teacher. I'm sometimes surprised, though, by how badly some grown women dress themselves for a performance, and I make time in class to cover the costuming 'musts' (underwear, no see-through skirts, a lingerie bra with the hardware showing isn't acceptable, etc). I don't know how we'd cover fitting and individual taste -- there's barely time in class to learn the choreography, and I consider that our main classtime goal.

I have a dress rehearsal for my students where I watch for potential costume disasters, but I can't deal with each individual's fit issues if they're not imminent malfunctions.

I totally agree that professional dancers -- and any students or student troupes appearing outside a recital/hafla environment -- can be held to a completely different standard.

Originally Posted by Zobeida

chances are these girls were not professional. If it was a student show, you have to think about the fact that these girls might not have wanted to make a serious investment into their costuming. It's forgivable. If you see this in a professional venue, then it is altogether a different story.

I respectfully disagree; even if it were forgivable in a student, (I expect anyone over the age of ten to realize it's not okay to have your underwear showing in public) it wouldn't be in a teacher who would allow the student to do that more than once. And while a student shouldn't be held to the same standards as a pro, if she was dancing in public, underwear is out. Civilians aren't going to look at her and say, "Oh, well. It's not like she was a professional or anything."

Yes, a professional costume is very expensive, there are plenty of low-cost student options that don't involve showing your underwear in public: pretty tank tops or tie tops, leotards, or just covering a lingerie bra properly, perhaps with a vest.

I've seen a local bellybunny wearing JUST the lingerie bra (which didn't even fit very well!) with no decoration whatsoever. While it was for a student event, she was one of the "professional" dancers who frequents the same venue as a paid dancer. Sigh.

They say that 85% of women wear the wrong bra size.

Some people really don't care about ironing, or what they look like.

I know my instructor would say something, she even states what is appropriate to wear for class. As for recital time, that is what dress rehearsal is for. She would tell us horror stories of what people came out with. But, usually it is when they don't wear panties underneath, lol...

i have a truly horrid picture of myself as a student...glitter dot chiffon double veils with a makeshift TRIBAL outfit..i didn't know any better.

Originally Posted by Candide

(I expect anyone over the age of ten to realize it's not okay to have your underwear showing in public

I do agree with this.

Originally Posted by lylagus

i have a truly horrid picture of myself as a student...glitter dot chiffon double veils with a makeshift TRIBAL outfit..i didn't know any better.

I wore some equally horrendous gear during my noob days. To the best of my knowledge, no pictures exist. Thank goodness!

i just looked at it again...i was also wearing a bindi....

Some people dont own body length mirrors at home ;-D

Okay, let's come up with some tactful things to say... in private... to dancers with ill-fitting costumes. What are our options?

"I really enjoyed your performance last night! It was a lot of fun. But lowers voice I don't know if you realize that your bra was peeking out from your costume? Maybe I could help you with some tailoring on that."

"That dress is just spectacular! I'd love to have one in that color. It does seem a little big for you. I know (insert dancer name) is really great at taking those in... it would be a little more flattering on you that way."

"I wanted to ask you, who was the artist on that track you were dancing to? I like that version a lot. And I saw you were having the same bra strap problem on your costume that I had on one of mine! (Insert teacher name) showed me how to fix that by making it a T-strap in back. I can show you if you want -- it's not hard, and it makes everything stay put."

I mean... all you can do is offer help, unless you're someone's very good friend.

This was not a student recital, and I wouldn't have taken pictures anyway. This was at a restaurant dancing to CDs and a drummer.

Two of the dancers are continuing students of a very well known dancer in the area. I guess she just doesn't talk about costumes in her classes, but they've been studying long enough to know better, but that's just my opinion.

My first dance recital, I had my instructor make my outfit for a low price. I do not know anything about right sizing or sewing by any means, so I would have been one of those girls lol. I had a sequined 2 piece dress that we cut up the skirt and made part of the skirt with it and I wore the top with a seethrough choli, very cute.

I find myself buying lots of sequin dresses from the 2nd hand store now days though cutting them all up, hoping to learn how to make my own outfits

Originally Posted by tigerb

Okay, let's come up with some tactful things to say... in private... to dancers with ill-fitting costumes. What are our options?

I mean... all you can do is offer help, unless you're someone's very good friend.

Having a reputation for costume has allowed me to say a few things, even to dancers I don't know well. I do it in private, lead off with what I liked. And then go to the issue with "I hope you don't might some constructive critisim about your costume, because I think you're a lovely dancer but that your costume is taking away from that." and then I go in with what bothered me and what I think could be done to fix it.

I always stress that I their dancing skills deserve a costume that doesn't distract from their dancing. I never make a comment without suggestions about what could be done to fix the problem. I make it understood that this is just my opinion.

I have friends with whom I talk much more frankly.

Originally Posted by gypsydanse

This was not a student recital, and I wouldn't have taken pictures anyway. This was at a restaurant dancing to CDs and a drummer.

Two of the dancers are continuing students of a very well known dancer in the area. I guess she just doesn't talk about costumes in her classes, but they've been studying long enough to know better, but that's just my opinion.

Yes. Restaurant dancing = performing for the GP = ought to be able to costume onesself appropriately.

I agree with Lauren. I don't think their teacher would be very happy if she how they looked.

Yes, and sometimes you don't realize it until you see yourself in a picture and/or in video.

I have had several mishaps. A body stocking I once purchase had bra straps to hold it up! Ugh... Unfortunately, they didn't go halter style like my bra top and you could see them. Or, when the skirt I purchase I didn't pin it on the stocking and it kept going up! I tried making a choli, and you can see straps, and yuck! No one told me. I just had one friend tell me they didn't like my lace body stocking, but I think that was a matter of taste.

But, alas I realized not to do that again and it is time for a Great Loop. Thank goodness for the Swap Meet, What You Are Working On Thread, and members that make constructive criticism a learning experience.

I hate to say this, and I hate to disagree with Lauren, but I very much believe that if students are going out to dance and are advertising that they are studying with a particular teacher, than it behooves the teacher to talk abut costuming. And if someone's costume is ill fitting, make suggestions about how to correct this. Because it is also the teachers reputation at stake here.

I mean, lets face it, would you take classes from someone whose students look terribly unprofessional? First impressions are hard to correct.

{{{HUGS}}}

Originally Posted by tahiradancer

I hate to say this, and I hate to disagree with Lauren, but I very much believe that if students are going out to dance and are advertising that they are studying with a particular teacher, than it behooves the teacher to talk abut costuming. And if someone's costume is ill fitting, make suggestions about how to correct this. Because it is also the teachers reputation at stake here.

I mean, lets face it, would you take classes from someone whose students look terribly unprofessional? First impressions are hard to correct.

{{{HUGS}}}

I agree with that, and I talk about costuming. But individual fit consultations with each of 50-80 students before a recital is just outside the realm of what I can do. It's not physically possible.

I do have a dress rehearsal before each show, and I wouldn't let a student embarass herself by going out with her underwear bra showing. A slipping strap or dress that isn't as fitted at the waist as I'd wear mine - well, those things might be left up to the individual (though anyone who *asks* for help will get it, of course, and I make myself available for individual questions before and after class as well as via e-mail and yahoo group discussion).

I think the biggest factor is getting students out to SEE a few shows before they actually dance in one. In fact, I've wanted to go as far as to require attendance at a hafla or two before a student performs -- it answers SO many of their questions.

Certainly by the time a student performs solo they should have been exposed to lots of pro costuming (we make many field trips to restaurants, haflas, workshop shows, and other dance events as well as watching many videos). I really think plenty of exposure to what a costume is supposed to look like solves a lot of these problems. Then you wind up only having to intervene in a very few cases.

I would hope to god that if something was amiss with one of my costumes that someone would tell me! That is aside from obvious issues like finding out once you are out there that your belt is in fact to big and you have to give it a hike. I also discovered after a set that the pin that I used to hold up my belly cover had come undone and was sitting on my belly, open under the cover. I had no idea how long it was there and there wasn't anything I could have done about it at the time.