Thread: potential costuming boo-boos etc.

as a spinoff of a paticular thread, i think it would be useful for us all to share some well known and little known do's and don'ts of costuming and props:

some i have heard are (and not limited to costuming purely):

-wearing a white costume while performing Zaffa at an arabic wedding (white is associated with death in some cultures)

-wearing a costume too revealing for a paticular venue

-dancing to temple music intended purely for whirling

I have also heard some suggestions as to hand gestures that you shouldnt use, but have no rock solid info as of this moment

-Know your audience so that you may start knowing your costume.

-Tribal and tribal fusion women: Find out if any of your adornment is usually used for camels/horses...if so, review your audience, ask yourself if they know and what they might think about it. Adjust as needed. Ask a similar round of questions if you use any facial marking that has meanings for any group of people.

-Always check that bits and bobs are covered with appropriate underwear and well fitted tops.

Oh my.....opening a big can of worms here because there are so many!

Wear underwear. Personally I don't care if you have visible lines because that means you ARE in fact wearing them. If you aren't wearing them and have lines then you need to see a dermatologist.

Double hook/velcro/batten down those bra straps. Really! Think it's overkill? Ask anyone who's had a costume bra break loose. They'll all tell you they wish they'd taken a few minutes to address this particular issue.

Try to 'do' your hair, wear a sparkly headband, barrettes...something! It's disconcerting to see 'bellydancer' from the neck down and 'soccer mom' from the neck up.

Think costume malfunctions are isolated to bras? Nope. Double hooks/velcro/battening down goes for belts too! Not as mortifying as having a bra pop loose but still embarassing (yet, the show must go on....there are threads on this!).

My personal lessons: pin down/toupe' clip in hair pieces and headdresses. I had my tribal turban go 'FLOP' on the floor during a backbend. No warning either! Same goes for headbands....those little buggers can migrate! Nothing like doing a head accent with your headband flipping over your eyes for an extra flourish.

Personal lesson #2: cholis can go UP. Yep. Put firm elastic in those bands so you're not showing everyone your pretty leopard print bra (true story, heh heh).

I have sooo much more but I'll let the rest of Bhuz chime in.

Oh! Last but not least, try to smell nice and that includes the costume. The latter alone has threads of it's own (cleaning/care of costumes) so it's possible to keep them pretty odor free. I did a no-no and sprayed perfume on myself while wearing a bedlah: it now smells like J Lo After Dark so I will be looking for those threads myself. Put your scents on before you costume....it will help keep this to a minimum.

Whew....okay girls....your turn!

Generally speaking, face veils are not a good idea in belly dance costuming. There ARE situations where a face veil would be acceptable (for example, melaya leff), but if you're not knowledgeable enough yet to understand the cultural nuances, it's better to not use one at all.

Don't use circumcision ceremony hats to make bra cups.

Don't bring a prayer rug on stage to use for your floor work. (Other types of rugs are fine, just not a prayer rug, please!)

crassels!

Don't simply add decoration to a lingerie bra. Cover it and change the straps.

Underwear should match or coordinate with your skirt.

Make sure everything is fitted properly. Too long straps - both shoulder and chest - and a belt which is too loose are distracting because everyone is wondering when they'll see more than intended.

Groom your pet hair.


Check site lines. That skin tight skirt with the slit up the front may be fine on a dance floor, but may give a completely different view on a raised stage.

This is a start. . .

{{{HUGS}}}

Originally Posted by Doozer

Try to 'do' your hair, wear a sparkly headband, barrettes...something! It's disconcerting to see 'bellydancer' from the neck down and 'soccer mom' from the neck up.

Yep, I see this way too often.

I suppose given the recent discussions, I would say be cautious about perpetuating unwanted or undesirable (and potentially offensive) stereotypes of Middle Eastern peoples and culture.

Like shira states, the candy pink chiffon face veil with gold coins is somewhat different to say a Bedouin face veil. Having said that, I have seen this in some Turkish clips..so perhaps it is about understanding and exporling context?

If this was the dance you wish to represent then a forword or simple explanation of ' an inspired tribute to the dancer X or vintage 1970's Turkish..'

Without context the meaning can change dramatically...and the reactions to it.

Context is everything.

Theatre always allows for innovation and creation but the artists must also explore their own thoughts and ideas, they should be aware of what they are.

Salome..

YouTube - NAZAMOVA DANCES IN "SALOME"

YouTube - Dance taken from "Salome" [de Carlos Saura] Film

YouTube - Ljuba Kazarnovskaya as Salome in "Dance of seven veils"

YouTube - SALOME DANCE OF THE 7 VEILS

YouTube - Stella Starr's Salome Dance

YouTube - Sexy Dance of the 7 Veils from "Dreams of Salome 2"

Originally Posted by mlacombe

-wearing a white costume while performing Zaffa at an arabic wedding (white is associated with death in some cultures)

As far as I know, most Arabic cultures don't subscribe to this. Roxxanne Shelaby teaches that in ME societies, white is the "sexy color" that black is in Western ones, because black is associated with Islamic modesty garments. Brides often wear white in Middle Eastern movies and even in the home videos that make it to YouTube. The main problem with white costumes is that they are hard to keep clean, especially if you're doing something like traditional shamadan, where you get down on the floor.

-dancing to temple music intended purely for whirling

I'm not sure there is a lot of "temple music." Pharaonic and other ancient god/goddess styles are often hypothesized modern attempts to recreate what temple music may have sounded like, and since those religions are rarely practiced today, the prohibitions against blaspheming them are usually relaxed. This would be different from Quranic prayers that are chanted, ME Christian (Coptic, Maronite, etc.) service music, Sufi poetry set to classical Arabic music, or Ramadan-themed songs that popular musicians often record around that time of year. The first two aren't appropriate for dancing. Some of the last two types of music might be okay, under very limited and well understood circumstances, but as a general statement, it's best to avoid all of them.

I have also heard some suggestions as to hand gestures that you shouldnt use, but have no rock solid info as of this moment

Did you see this recent thread? Myths in moves?

Along the same lines as the hair-related comments:

If you are dancing on stage (especially with bright lights) make sure you're wearing enough makeup. Your daily going-to-the-office look is NOT enough. Slather it on so that the audience can tell that you actually have a face.

One of the local student dancers wore a skirt and hip scarf in a show. The skirt was at her natural waist (too high!) with the hip scarf over it but falling down and looked terrible, about 6" too short as well. The teacher said nothing and let her perform like that but oh!! not good.

Caroline you moght have warned us on the Stella Star er...experience ..I now feel very queasy

and as for the last one..at least she can never be accused of spending too much on a costume

Tourbeau- thank you for elaborating on these concerns, I was hoping someone with a bit more information would pipe in!

As for the wedding issue I'm guessing it would be a good idea to ask your bride and groom if there are any faux pas as far as modesty and colors are concerned.

Learning a ton by the way, and very happy with the positive tone of this thread! (I know, I'm a geek lol)

Originally Posted by EzmaSiddiqah

One of the local student dancers wore a skirt and hip scarf in a show. The skirt was at her natural waist (too high!) with the hip scarf over it but falling down and looked terrible, about 6" too short as well. The teacher said nothing and let her perform like that but oh!! not good.

This one in particular drives me craaaaazy!!

Very time I see excessive ankle (when it shouldn't be there) it really takes away from the performance!

Originally Posted by lunascura

Along the same lines as the hair-related comments:

If you are dancing on stage (especially with bright lights) make sure you're wearing enough makeup. Your daily going-to-the-office look is NOT enough. Slather it on so that the audience can tell that you actually have a face.

yep- put on too much, back up 10 feet and see if it still looks like too much. if not, put on more. and watch those blend lines & tan lines!

side note- don't go to the coffeeshop after dress rehearsal without toning it back down again. Oops.

practice in the shoes you are going to dance in! not a pair *like* them, the actual shoes.

Moleskin saves feet. There are different thicknesses, and you can do anything from prevent rubbing and cushioning your sole, to minor size adjustments (I have one foot bigger than the other- enough to make a difference, not enough to buy custom shoes!) You can even stick it straight to your feet for padding if you dance barefoot.

appropriate adhesives: lingerie glue, eyelash glue, sock glue, boob/fashion tape, liquid latex. inappropriate adhesives: rubber cement, super glue. Thought that would be self evident, but apparently not. You can duct tape your boobs if you really want to, but put something to protect those sensitive bits underneath (ie- if you duct tape your nips, you're just asking for it. don't take it off if I'm within hearing range of the dressing room)

As long as costuming is suitable for its' setting, I can't worry too much.
Of course in the end, that's subjective.
I recently attended a "hafla" where a performer wore a pair of jeans, woolly jumper and a hip scarf. Not her fault she was a new student..teacher..please make sure they know they are supposed to be entertaining and that means some kind of an effort in the costuming department. As simple as a long straight skirt with side split and leotard/close fitting top/crop top and some kind of hip accent. I also believe that groupdancers wearing pic-a-mix doesn't lend itself to the effect you hope to create.

Originally Posted by Lara L

inappropriate adhesives: rubber cement, super glue. You can duct tape your boobs if you really want to, but put something to protect those sensitive bits underneath (ie- if you duct tape your nips, you're just asking for it. don't take it off if I'm within hearing range of the dressing room)

Laura, I laughed right out loud with that one. And I don't know about Duct Tape, but I once saw a young lady use clear packing tape to smoosh her "girls" together for more cleavage. OUCH.

Originally Posted by lplmuk

I also believe that groupdancers wearing pic-a-mix doesn't lend itself to the effect you hope to create.

I agree with this if we're assuming that each dancer just shows up wearing whatever, but this can be done effectively with some planning. My troupe mates and I do not have any identical costume items, but we achieve a cohesive look through themes (if bedla are varied, wear the same skirt shape/color; if bedla are the same color, vary skirt color; if bra/skirt combos are used but colors vary, be sure all skirts are cut the same). This way each lady can feel like an individual, but we still look like a cohesive group.

Try to 'do' your hair, wear a sparkly headband, barrettes...something! It's disconcerting to see 'bellydancer' from the neck down and 'soccer mom' from the neck up.

If you have attack hair, pin (yes, cross bobby pins, each side of the nape) the sparkly headbands. Also, product is your friend.

Originally Posted by lplmuk

Caroline you moght have warned us on the Stella Star er...experience ..I now feel very queasy

and as for the last one..at least she can never be accused of spending too much on a costume

LOL, I was attemting to illustrate my point that different interpretations of the same subject matter may evoke different feelings and reactions through context, choice of costume and movement.

Originally Posted by Tourbeau

I'm not sure there is a lot of "temple music." Pharaonic and other ancient god/goddess styles are often hypothesized modern attempts to recreate what temple music may have sounded like, and since those religions are rarely practiced today, the prohibitions against blaspheming them are usually relaxed. This would be different from Quranic prayers that are chanted, ME Christian (Coptic, Maronite, etc.) service music, Sufi poetry set to classical Arabic music, or Ramadan-themed songs that popular musicians often record around that time of year. The first two aren't appropriate for dancing. Some of the last two types of music might be okay, under very limited and well understood circumstances, but as a general statement, it's best to avoid all of them.

In Turkey you'll find a LOT of Sufi music that is great but isn't exactly intended for secular dance.

Originally Posted by *Shira*

Don't bring a prayer rug on stage to use for your floor work. (Other types of rugs are fine, just not a prayer rug, please!)

Shira: what actually constitutes a prayer rug, anyway? Some of the prayer rugs sold in shops that sell such things have depictions of Mecca on them (some of them with built-in compasses that point toward Mecca) and others are plain or have ordinary (non-religious) decorative designs. Are all these rugs off-limits, or just the ones with obviously religious symbolism?

Thanks!

Originally Posted by Nabila-Nazem

Shira: what actually constitutes a prayer rug, anyway? Some of the prayer rugs sold in shops that sell such things have depictions of Mecca on them (some of them with built-in compasses that point toward Mecca) and others are plain or have ordinary (non-religious) decorative designs. Are all these rugs off-limits, or just the ones with obviously religious symbolism?

The ones with the obviously religious symbolism are the ones I was thinking to avoid. For example these prayer rugs show a design that represents the mihrab (the niche in a mosque that indicates the direction toward Mecca):





If you're not sure, one rule that will usually help is to avoid using any that has a one-way design, a distinctively different top and bottom. For example:




This wikipedia article shows a couple of other examples of motifs to beware of:

Prayer rug - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


This is an example of a secular rug that I bought in Turkey that would be perfectly fine to use in dance:

http://www.shira.net/costuming/photo...ift-detail.jpg

Shira, thanks! That is enormously helpful. The link to your secular rug example wouldn't work, but that's okay .... I get the idea. You've been very helpful.

Originally Posted by Nabila-Nazem

Shira, thanks! That is enormously helpful. The link to your secular rug example wouldn't work, but that's okay .... I get the idea. You've been very helpful.

You can find the secular one this way:

1. Go to this article: To the Tips of Your Toes: Belly Dance Costuming for Your Feet
2. In the table of contents at the top, click on "Footwear and Health" in the right-hand column.
3. Scroll down until you see a photo on the right of a cat sitting on a rug with a pair of Hermes sandals. You can click on the image to see a larger version of it.

In light of a performance I saw recently:

Breasts need support in proportion to their size!

I saw a dancer (a darn good dancer too) in a strapless dress. She was apparently wearing one of those bandeau type strapless bras. It was NOT ENOUGH because her shoulder shimmies were... scary. I strongly feel that you should not be drooping, wobbling, or bursting out of the top half of your costume -- it detracts from your dance!

It depends on the venue but I feel like wearing shoes when dancing in a restaurant, hookah bar or lounge is important. I've heard too many horror stories about dancers getting glass deep in their feet and others who talk about stepping in dropped food (the worst seems to be hummus.)

Originally Posted by _Tanya_

It depends on the venue but I feel like wearing shoes when dancing in a restaurant, hookah bar or lounge is important. I've heard too many horror stories about dancers getting glass deep in their feet and others who talk about stepping in dropped food (the worst seems to be hummus.)

It's really not just restaurants. We were in a theater performance, and I can't tell you how many times we swept and reswept that stage, and the back stage area, but one of our dancers still managed to find a sliver of glass to embed in her foot. When I helped with set for a local modern dance performance, they had a special roll of flooring they rolled out for the performance that *no one* else was allowed to step on, because their dancers needed to be barefoot. I've seen enough that that is about the only condition under which I would seriously dance barefoot for a performance at this point. Maybe for a studio show, where I know the no street shoes on the dance floor is very strictly enforced.

Originally Posted by Lara L

I've seen enough that that is about the only condition under which I would seriously dance barefoot for a performance at this point. Maybe for a studio show, where I know the no street shoes on the dance floor is very strictly enforced.

I personally don't like performing barefoot because:

1. Even if the floor is a "no street shoes" floor, it can still cause problems with your foot health: fungus, bacteria, etc.
2. Bare feet look very bizarre with beads and sequins. (I think they look fine with Tribal costumes, but not with sparklies.) You wouldn't go to opening night at the opera in an elegant gown with bare feet, so why would you perform barefoot when wearing sparklies?
3. If you're dancing in one of the Middle Eastern styles (Lebanese, Turkish, Egyptian), bare feet are not very accepted by ethnic audiences. Bare feet are more accepted with Egyptian style than with Lebanese and Turkish, but even then there's a risk of being thought of as low class because of your bare feet.

One thing I've always found a bit bizarre: many restaurants have a "shoes required" policy for people dining there, but let their dancers perform barefoot. Seems inconsistent.

Shira quotes;If you're dancing in one of the Middle Eastern styles (Lebanese, Turkish, Egyptian), bare feet are not very accepted by ethnic audiences. Bare feet are more accepted with Egyptian style than with Lebanese and Turkish, but even then there's a risk of being thought of as low class because of your bare feet.

I dont know about Lebanese and turkish styles and customs, but what you say definately does not apply to the the way most Egyptian dancers perform.

Much of the time, the barefoot is essential to the grounding of the style and it can be very frustrating teaching people in shoes if the style of dance does not lend itself. These days shoes have crept back into the Cairo performance circuit, but it is mostly foreign dancer like Soraya, Asmahan and Mona Ghazi.. many foreigners also dance barefoot like Lorna and Leila and Yasmina.

If you look at Zizi, Suheir, Nagwa and many dancers from the recent past, they very rarely wore shoes. I would put the 'barefoot offensive to Egyptians' in the myth category. BTW, many Sha'abi nightclub dancers wear shoes but this is supposed to add to the sexiness..not for any moral reasons.

Here are some clips of others..

YouTube - FIFI ABDOU at Mena House.Cairo-86. Part 2.

YouTube - Randa Kamel

YouTube - Lucy - Belly dance

YouTube - Dina

Originally Posted by caroline_afifi

If you look at Zizi, Suheir, Nagwa and many dancers from the recent past, they very rarely wore shoes. I would put the 'barefoot offensive to Egyptians' in the myth category. BTW, many Sha'abi nightclub dancers wear shoes but this is supposed to add to the

Caroline, I was thinking of the older dancers when I posted - Samia Gamal, Tahia Carioca, Naima Akef, etc. I'll have to take another look at my videos of Soheir, Nagwa, and the others you named....