Thread: Long skirts and stairs

This has been bothering me for a while. How do you go up the stairs that lead to a stage without looking like you've dropped something on the floor? I'm talking about the case where the stairs are visible to the audience, otherwise I wouldn't care a bit. I usually gather the skirt in one hand and then go up, but it doesn't look very good, and I still manage sometimes to step on it. Is there a secret to it or will I remain hopelessly clumsy ..cr.: I've seen dancers fly up the stairs to go on stage without any problem and for me this is the worst nightmare ever and it adds completely redundant anxiety before the performance. I've never seen anyone ask about this before, so I feel very embarrassed, and yet I need to know the answer!
Help!!!

Originally Posted by sophie

This has been bothering me for a while. How do you go up the stairs that lead to a stage without looking like you've dropped something on the floor? I'm talking about the case where the stairs are visible to the audience, otherwise I wouldn't care a bit. I usually gather the skirt in one hand and then go up, but it doesn't look very good, and I still manage sometimes to step on it.

I don't see anything wrong with gathering the skirt in one hand (I'd use the hand that faces the audience).

Or, you could use both hands, so there would be less fabric in each hand (I've seen some dancers do both, single and both hands).

As for "How do you go up the stairs that lead to a stage without looking like you've dropped something on the floor?"

Keep your head up, and try to straighten your back more.
If you're uncertain of where the steps are, because it's dark, walk slower (adds drama).

I'd put on my skirt, and practice going up and down the stairs.
Sounds to me like your not comfortable with it yet.

We all looked like new born fawns trying to stand and walk for the first time, when we first put on high heels; with practice, it became more natural.

(((Hugs)))
:-)

Grab halfway down your skirt on one side with the opposite hand and hold the skirt wrapped behind you as you walk up... kinda hard to explain sorry!

Originally Posted by Lesedi

Grab halfway down your skirt on one side with the opposite hand and hold the skirt wrapped behind you as you walk up... kinda hard to explain sorry!

This is good too!
But remember to keep your head up.
Have attitude!
(I should have said that in my first post).

Originally Posted by gothique

Keep your head up, and try to straighten your back more.
If you're uncertain of where the steps are, because it's dark, walk slower (adds drama).

Yes, this is exactly the problem. I feel very insecure to keep my head up, because I don't see the stairs... sigh... will practice, thankfully we have stairs at home :)

Originally Posted by Lesedi

Grab halfway down your skirt on one side with the opposite hand and hold the skirt wrapped behind you as you walk up... kinda hard to explain sorry!

Will try, thanks!

Obviously practice in the skirt you are going to wear, but I think the main trick is confidence. Walk up the stairs slowly with pride and purpose--don't slink or rush up anxiously. "Oh, are you waiting for me? Good. I'll be there when I get there. Isn't my intro music lovely?" You don't want to cower on the side of the stage, looking like you wish you had curtained wings to hide in.

Watch how female celebrities go up on stage to accept awards. They have to pick up their skirts and look down at the stairs so they don't trip, but the ones who pull it off look elegant and effortless as they move. If you've got a good crowd, use your intro music to make a show of getting up on stage. If you're wearing a full skirt, make opening it up and twirling it around as you greet the audience part of your entrance. The more you work it, and the more confident you look, the less awkward getting up the stairs will feel to the audience.

Being a male who wasn't "born to" wear skirts, I've had to learn skirtsmanship the hard way - and being a male I've over-analyzed the whole thing.

What everyone else has said is true enough. If you don't want the audience to see you holding your skirts, hold 'em behind or to the side the audience can't see.

However, I've seen really effective troupe entrances with each dancer holding her skirt in the front in the usual way as they came up the stairs. If its all timed just right, it looks really cool as one dancer after another after another reaches the top of the stairs and drops the skirt hold - with or without a flourish as desired.

The community troupe I co-founded last year has yet to deal with this - so I'm glad the subject came up because I haven't thought of it - we normally spin in from the stage wings with skirts held wide (we usually start our performance with a skirt dance). This will make me think for a bit...

You can also kick the skirt out a little bit as you step up--I had to negotiate a small flight of stairs with a shamadan on my head at one show, with zills on, so bending at all to gather my skirt up wasn't a great option. Just move slowly, deliberately and with confidence, and if you feel the skirt under your foot, pause to move it away and find the stair's surface before moving on.

Originally Posted by badriya_al_ahmar

You can also kick the skirt out a little bit as you step up--I had to negotiate a small flight of stairs with a shamadan on my head at one show, with zills on, so bending at all to gather my skirt up wasn't a great option. Just move slowly, deliberately and with confidence, and if you feel the skirt under your foot, pause to move it away and find the stair's surface before moving on.

Wow. Thanx for this tip - I've never done Shemadan in a skirt, although I have done the kick thing on occasion - but not in a BD skirt. I'd be inclined to have someone hand me my skirt offstage in this instance. Scary!

I've seen video clips of two egyptian dancers (Samia Gamal & Katie) negotiating stairs (up & down) in a similar manner that are my absolute favorite:

Grasp skirt with both hands in front and lift, nice and high, almost to the knee, to make sure skirt is out of the way, and to flash some nice leg. Then step confidently onto stairs in time with the beat of the music. It looks polished and awesome. If music is fast, make your step in time to every other beat.

Walk like you are a princess... That's how I've been doing it since I was a little girl playing dress-up.

i actually had a lesson with a ballet/modern dance choreographer in walking and dancing coming down stairs without looking down. one of the hardest things i've ever done.

Wow, thanks everybody!!! Lots of helpful advice, lots of practice ahead of me! Artemisia, yes, I was thinking of taking privates with my ballet teacher (or a ballroom dance teacher) in just walking!!! Might as well ask about stairs :)))

I've seen a dancer do the skirt-kicking thing. She just tossed her knee up and grabbed the skirt in one hand as it reached the highest point. It looked very elegant and kinda sassy.

Really good thread Sophie!
I'm learning a lot too!
Thanks for posting!
:-)

Originally Posted by Mihrbanu

I've seen a dancer do the skirt-kicking thing. She just tossed her knee up and grabbed the skirt in one hand as it reached the highest point. It looked very elegant and kinda sassy.

It does. Keep your foot pointed down when you do this (for the prettiest/most elegant effect)...

The second part of this video discusses dealing with skirts :) Though it's more directed at the gigantic 25 yard skirts, I still think some of it can be applied to regular ones, especially with the whole negotiating stairs without using your hands.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQHKtD_ckK0]YouTube - Practical Costuming Tips for Bellydancers, Part Two[/ame]

Originally Posted by Nyyrikki

The second part of this video discusses dealing with skirts :) Though it's more directed at the gigantic 25 yard skirts, I still think some of it can be applied to regular ones, especially with the whole negotiating stairs without using your hands.
YouTube - Practical Costuming Tips for Bellydancers, Part Two

Neat, thanks!!!

As my intro music is playing, I slo-o-owly make my way up the stairs with my back or profile to the audience (already wearing my stage persona), then I hang at the very top step until I'm ready and by that time, it's just one easy step.