Thread: Help with putting together a costume

I am going to do a fusion flamenco belly dance number complete with castanets for a prop - I am working out a costume, any ideas from those who have walked (danced) this line before me? Must haves? Things to avoid?

thanks:)!

Color is probably most important. You could probably wear a red t-shirt and black jeans and they'd get the idea.:)

I am dancing to Msafer at BDUC. I have used this number before. I wore a bedlah and gypsy skirt. The comments were all over the board. This time I plan on wearing an Abla lace trumpet skirt and Choli set. The key for me is that the choli has long sleeves with ruffles around the cuffs and has a Spanish flavor to them. That and I am adding a big, matching rose in my hair.

I have also seen this same piece of music costumed with a red 25 yard skirt, black embroidered Spanish style hip scarf, black velvet choli and a big red rose in the hair.

When Sahra staged this, everyone wore black leotards with black skirts and simple hip scarves. Of course, the focus was on the 3/4 veil routine.

So, I think you have lots of choices.

{{{HUGS}}}

The first things that popped into my mind when I read your post were a full fuffled skirt (with or without polka dots) and a fringey shawl (which could be worn as a hipscarf, a halter top or as a headscarf)...ah, memories from my flamenco dancing days...
xx

Athena

I too would've suggested that you go with a flamenco skirt (some of them are pretty full, right?) or at least a full skirt with a colored ruffle at the bottom, a lace shawl, and perhaps a fan if you wanted to use that as a prop as well. Put a rose in your hair....I think a bun is pretty traditional too, isn't it?

I Googled a couple stores that sell stuff for flamenco...maybe they'll give you ideas:
http://www.lands-faraway.com/
http://www.flamencoexport.com/

my teacher did a flamenco fusion and she had a lyrca black skirt with red gores- and it worked out beautifully

red and black seem pretty par for the course- although I think posturing has a lot more to do with it than the actual dress- I did a piece and it wasn't flamenco at all but had a huge full mulit panel circle skirt with a double ruffle at the bottom and definity gave off a flamenco vibe from combined ruffle and posture.

:)

http://costumegoddess.com/tips/spanish.htm
The costumegoddess has it covered.

Thanks all!

I managed to find a flamenco skirt that wasn't too long (and in my size, a minor miracle in itself). I went with black, double ruffle at the hem - something I could use again, perhaps. I remembered a few years ago I had bought a blouse that had sheer sleeves, ending in bell cuffs, and the main blouse was black and red burnt velvet, very "Spanish" and it is something that I can repurpose. I made a headband with a lovely rose on it (yay valentines day looms, big lovely roses everywhere) I also had a shawl that I bought years ago, black burnt velvet again - who knew I have been preparing for this moment? LOL! That, and my red Egyptian belt and a pair of earrings I was given for my birthday that have an "old world" feel to them. I did a trial run the other night and had lots of compliments, although there is some tweaking to do yet.

The music was the actual hard bit of course - it all seemed so simple but...gosh and glory its not, LOL! Probably should go in the glamour thread , fighting deadlines to find just the right arrangement before you can even put a step to music.

Thanks again all!:)

Pictures? :)