Thread: Costuming for dancing to a pop tune: ethnicity important?

We talk a lot here about wearing appropriate costuming for dances of various ethnicities of music... saidi dresses for saidi dances, ouled nail headpieces, melaya leff dresses, et cetera.

But the recent thread on shaabi costuming made me wonder: how much do we care about matching musical ethnicity with costume ethnicity when we're talking about a pop song? (I'm not talking about a pop song dropped into a restaurant set when already in cabaret costume, but a single-song performance.)

I'm currently working with a Tunisian pop song and my dance teacher is urging me to put a bunch of Tunisian "flavor" into the choreography. I don't object to this, although I strongly suspect that only about 1% of my audience would listen to this song and think "Tunisian!" But her comments are making me wonder how I should costume for this song. Beladi dress? Or, since it's a modern tune, should I not worry about the Tunisian origin of the song and do a very modern costume?

What is "inappropriate" costuming for a pop song choreography? Is there any?

One of my daughter's latest choreographies is a bharatanatyam-inspired piece performed to the music of a Scandanavian band who set a Middle-Ages abbess's poems to music. Daughter and her troupe wore silk endless-wave pants and bras made by me and crocheted belts made by another troupe member. Does that help any ? :P

Originally Posted by maurazebra

Does that help any ? :P

*smacks self in head, falls over*

I would say how "ethnic" you go on the costuming depends on how "ethnic" the song itself is. Sometimes pop music is not very tightly tied to its land of origin, at which point, it isn't as critical to put together a routine that has a lot of regional "flavor," either in costume or movement. If the song is very reflective of its origin, then you'd want to chose your costume and movements to demonstrate you were aware of that. It's really a matter of degree and understanding your music.

If the song is modern, then what you would wear to dance to any modern Middle Eastern pop song would work. If the song is more folkloric, then chose a costume that conjures up a more traditional style. Keep in mind that singers in the Middle East often perform other ethnic styles than their native one, and it is not uncommon, for example, for a non-Egyptian singer to sing an Egyptian song in an Egyptian accent. You just have to do your research and know what you are dancing to.

I agree with Tourbeau.

I don't think you could go wrong with a beledi dress, though. See a lot of those in videos of pop songs from all over, seems like. And even the modern costumes for Tunisian dance look a lot like beledi dresses.

Maurazebra - what are the crocheted belts like? I crochet a lot, have made some interesting pieces; did you use a pattern. Should I have PM'd this question? I thought others might be interested too. You can PM me back or post here. Thanx

Per your request: The belts as originally constructed are a simple crocheted base, about 4-5" wide, coming to a taper in the front, and then decorated with large and small 'cabbage roses' and tassels. The troupe member who created them did not know how to make them retain their shape and stay on while dancing: they were impossible to wear without using dozens of safety pins until I mounted them on a fitted base reinforced with drill and with fabric ties. Now the dancers just tie-and-go. Despite the rocky start the belts are now a favorite costume piece for lively and light-hearted dance pieces. A decent picture is on our website events page: scroll up to May 2008 for a picture. To see it in action, you can check out the 'pooka dance' video on You Tube - it has the clearest view of the belts in action of any of the videos - but do NOT do this if experimental bellydance makes your tummy hurt :) I'm past apologizing for how my daughter dances. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucsqj694byw&feature=channel"]You Tube[/ame].

Why do people get so damn uptight about "experimental" belly dance? I liked the pooka dance. Don't apologize to people who turn up their prissy little noses at your daughter's dancing. Instead suggest that they consider getting the tahtib surgically removed from their rectums.

Instead suggest that they consider getting the tahtib surgically removed from their rectums

best one all day!

Thanks for the crochet belt directions! I think I'll try. I made 2 of those triangular kind that have paillettes or sequins thruout openwork...they came out fantastic! cost about ...$8 instead of $40-60! Except took forever to string the sparklies on crochet thread 1st, hubby had to help. Involve the family is my motto.
PS I love all the branches of the bellydance tree...

I think that's a really clever choreography. One of the best I've seen dealing with a trio -- great formations, position changes!

Originally Posted by tigerb

I think that's a really clever choreography. One of the best I've seen dealing with a trio -- great formations, position changes!

Agree 100% I really loved the interactions, reminded me of lemurs or capuchins at the zoo.

As with all dances I loved some of it, liked most of it and didn't like a few bits (not a big fan of the super straddle squat). But experiments being what they are, I consider it a success. I really think the costuming worked well for this, the pants 'covered' enough while still looking really fluid like a skirt would. And bonus points for short tassels! It would have ruined it to see the tassels caught up in the pant 'fins'

Originally Posted by maurazebra

Per your request: The belts as originally constructed are a simple crocheted base, about 4-5" wide, coming to a taper in the front, and then decorated with large and small 'cabbage roses' and tassels. The troupe member who created them did not know how to make them retain their shape and stay on while dancing: they were impossible to wear without using dozens of safety pins until I mounted them on a fitted base reinforced with drill and with fabric ties. Now the dancers just tie-and-go. Despite the rocky start the belts are now a favorite costume piece for lively and light-hearted dance pieces. A decent picture is on our website events page: scroll up to May 2008 for a picture. To see it in action, you can check out the 'pooka dance' video on You Tube - it has the clearest view of the belts in action of any of the videos - but do NOT do this if experimental bellydance makes your tummy hurt :) I'm past apologizing for how my daughter dances. You Tube.

I thought that music sounded familiar! "Sabhyata" by Karmix..I did a funky style wings dance to it about 5 yrs ago.
Fun trivia fact: I asked an Indian friend to translate it, = "O sit down & shut up, why do U say that, U are so stupid, etc" she said it was like a sing-songy children's thing made into a quirky song. She thought it was an odd choice for a dance, and that anyone who understood the language would be puzzled. Well, I broke my own rules of using dance music, and it was in the "experimental " section of the show, so since I thought the music was so cool, I did it anyway. :-)...
I like your daughter's dance to it!
OK, going to look at crochet supplies now...

Is your music Sidi Mansour?

Recently I participated in a thread about dancing to So YS So, when I said "look it's a pop song" and was shot down in flames and told only Nubian costume and style was at all appropriate!

Originally Posted by jencUK

Is your music Sidi Mansour?

Recently I participated in a thread about dancing to So YS So, when I said "look it's a pop song" and was shot down in flames and told only Nubian costume and style was at all appropriate!

No, It is "Sabhyata" by Karmix (India/Algeria modern group) It means "civilization". My Indian friend did not say it was inappropriate, just odd for a dance. ..g.:

Originally Posted by maurazebra

One of my daughter's latest choreographies is a bharatanatyam-inspired piece performed to the music of a Scandanavian band who set a Middle-Ages abbess's poems to music. Daughter and her troupe wore silk endless-wave pants and bras made by me and crocheted belts made by another troupe member. Does that help any ? :P

What's the name of the Scandanavian band, Maurazebra? It sounds right up my alley! ..g.: