Thread: Those butterfly tops.....

Are they really professional enough for stage/public shows? They look more like lingerie to me, they're cheap, and the ones I've seen aren't well structured, but I've got several troupe members with them and I'm trying to figure out how to gently dissuade them.

Blossom Gifts

In my opinion, no, they are definitely not professional enough for public shows. They offer zero support, and I agree they look a lot more like lingerie or possibly scanty club wear than an appropriate BD costume.

As far as dissuading, you might start with the lack of support angle...no one wants to be hit in the eye or have boobs hanging around their knees in a few years thanks to a cheap costume. If that doesn't work, you might try gently explaining what most serious dancers really think of those things...

I think they are ill-fitting and poor quality. They have no built in bras, and you can't wear a bra with them. Performing in public like that is indecent in my opinion. Certainly not professional. There are much better choices to be made if expense is an issue.

LRose makes awesome stuff, the Bellydance Store has those cute Desert Swirls costumes and Johara makes some really cute paillettes bedlah's to name a few.

Originally Posted by GenevieveOfAtlanta

As far as dissuading, you might start with the lack of support angle...no one wants to be hit in the eye or have boobs hanging around their knees in a few years thanks to a cheap costume. If that doesn't work, you might try gently explaining what most serious dancers really think of those things...

That's a good idea... plus, aren't they made in India? Unless you're doing Indian inspired dance, that might be a way to discourage them from wearing them as well.

Whatever the case, I would be gentle about it. People don't like to spend hard-earned money only to have them told by someone else it's been wasted. Especially if they actually like the tops.

If you are talking about the butterfly top I have in mind...

LOL. Nop, not adequate at all.

I am usually pretty straight forward with my students. I would nicely remind them that it is not because something is shiny and pretty that it should be adequate for bellydancing.

We are representing a culture and many countries. Let's show it some respect. This is a beautiful traditionnal dance :)

We want people to focus on what we do... not getting ready for a wardrobe malfunction.

If there is something about the costume that is not flawless... the audience will focus on it instead of the dancing. We work so hard at dancing well that I would be worth it having people watching the actual performance :)

I hope this helps!

Thanks, you guys echoed my thoughts just about exactly.

Are these even appropriate for hafla wear? I say no, but I'm trying to figure out if these girls can get any use at all out of these so they don't feel like they've wasted their money.

well, i used to be very against them. but i have some students who have them and either they dont need any support, or they had some bra underneath, and it looked nice

My class performed at a studio showcase a while back, and several of my classmates thought we should buy butterfly tops for our costumes. My teacher chose to dissuade them with the support angle and by mentioning that we'd never be able to use them again because all the pro dancers think they look trashy. :)

She sent us all to the Dahlal website's "Dancer Designs" page for inspiration and we came up with very cute, tasteful costumes based on coin scarves over matching sports bras. (And I might add we spent about as much as we would have purchasing the butterfly tops locally!)

The January/February 2006 design is close to what we came up with: https://www.dahlal.com/default.aspx?n=3.3

my 1st instinct is to scream NO!!!! ok sorry here's my more reasonable answer:
1: butterfly tops are indian (or made in china) . are you doing an indian dance? does the troupe care about geographically correct costuming?

2: butterfly tops are usually a waste of $ because their street wear quality construction requires repair after every dance show, if not during when someone busts a strap or strand of beads.
busting beads on stage is unsafe for the other troupe members.

3. the time, $ and effort required to make the tops properly supportive for all troupe members could be put into making more appropriate costumes.

4. for the same amount of $, you can make a lycra costume and decorate it appropriately. I made 2 yesterday for under $20 each (duet next wed. required quick, economic costumes) check your local remnants table or lycra wholesaler for deals and use well fitting, supportive bras you already have.

5. the cool kids will laugh at you

Originally Posted by sabrinabellydancer

butterfly tops are indian (or made in china) . are you doing an indian dance? does the troupe care about geographically correct costuming?

L. Rose stuff is made in the USA, no?

If a costume is well-constructed it shouldn't matter where it was made. Equally so for crappy construction - just because an outfit came from Egypt doesn't mean it's always appropriate to wear either.

Just sayin... ..g.:

Indian dancers wouldn't wear those tops either. Nor would, I suspect, Chinese dancers.

Originally Posted by Darbla

Are they really professional enough for stage/public shows? They look more like lingerie to me, they're cheap, and the ones I've seen aren't well structured, but I've got several troupe members with them and I'm trying to figure out how to gently dissuade them.

Blossom Gifts

You could always tell them that real butterflies have 4 wings, not six ..g.:

Originally Posted by Darbla

Are these even appropriate for hafla wear? I say no, but I'm trying to figure out if these girls can get any use at all out of these so they don't feel like they've wasted their money.

Suggest that they wear them for being in the audience at the hafla.

They're strictly a tourist thing here. They're sold in the souqs here (with a miniscule skirt) and they seem to have taken over from the C-grade Syrian costumes with four stands of fringe as souvenirs for visitors.