Thread: buying used costumes associated w/ another dancer

I'm grateful for the swap meet forum, b/c I'm generally more comfortable buying a used costume than a brand new one -- I'm not a professional dancer, but like to have a good costume or two for the little performing I do (haflas, occassionally subbing for friends at restaurants, etc.).

There is a costume I like that another dancer owns and is willing to sell, but I worry that it is so much associated w/ her that if I wear it and other belly dancers see me in it they'll think, "Oh, that's so and so's costume. This new girl doesn't look as good / dance as well as the person who owned it before."

On the other hand, it's really pretty and looks great on me. But I worry about the baggage that it has. And the other dancer is quite advanced and well known (unlike me). Am I being too sensitive?

Curious to know what you all think. I know that some costumes develop histories, often well-loved and with good dance energy. But can't that cut both ways?

Let me say as a fellow dancer, I 've been dancing since 1998 and I still don't dance for a living or as a professional. I would wear any of Aziza, Orit, or Leila of Cairo dresses or bedlah. I don't care what any other dancer thinks b/c it is my turn to shine in that great costume. I think you should buy it, wear it and enjoy the hell out of it while you want to than put it up for someone else to love and cherish as you and the past dancer.

I think having the costume of a person you admire is Very Good BD Mojo. It's always been somewhat sad for me that there is no way in hell I could fit any of my teacher's old costumes, but I do have a pair of her harem pants and her studio veil, and they are precious because of the association.

If you love it, buy it. Yes, a few people may initially recognize that they've seen it somewhere before, but you will truly and honestly make it your own. :-) I have recognized costumes on dancers before, but usually it's been a delightful realization--discovering that a costume has found a beautiful second life on a new dancer...and it's not just "baby dancers" buying instructor/well-known dancers costumes--I've seen dancers of similar caliber buy costumes from one another when one discovers it doesn't suit her but the other discovers it DOES suit HER.

The other dancer is selling it because it no longer suits her or meets her needs. But if it DOES suit you and meet your needs, then it's your costume now. People will see that. Don't sweat it. ;-)

Couple of things off the top of my head -

1) if it looks good on you, fits well, etc, then by all means buy it. unless the costume is so individual that it is instantly recognizable as something which the other dancer made / had made for her / oewned, chances are no one is going to know. Or if they do and they choose to be catty, that is about them, not you.

2) If you are worried about bad mojo hangin onto the costume, take it home and smudge it with white sage. That might help.

3) And yes, there are costumes out there which have been through several owners some famous and some not so. There used to be a vendor at cairo Carnaval who brought costumes over from Egypt which had previously belimged to famous dancers there. I know several dancers here who have bought them and a few who have resold them.

{{{HUGS}}}

The only reason I would consider for not buying a used costume is when it comes from a dancer whose personality makes me very uncomfortable.

Thanks for all of the thoughtful input. The white sage is a great suggestion. I think if there was something I could do to honor the history of the costume, yet still make it my own, that might set my mind at ease. And, thanks for reminding me that she's selling it for a reason.

Hmmmm....I had no idea that other dancers were as superstitious about costuming as me!

I'd definitely recommend buying only from a dancer that you admire, and who makes you comfortable. Bad energy could definitely explain the odd phenomenon that is my Murphy's Law bedlah. Anything and everything that could possibly go wrong in a performance, seems to go wrong whenever I wear this set. (It's the common factor behind all my most humiliating contributions to the Performance Blunders thread). Belt falling off, veil getting caught in a tree, zills and/or arm bands sailing off into the crowd....you name it. Never happens when I wear any other costume. It is vintage, so God only knows who wore it first, and it also did belong to somebody with whom I had a very toxic dance relationship....so I'm thinking I'll either smudge it to death with white sage, or otherwise put it up on the Bhuz Swap Meet ..l;,

On the other hand, buying from a dancer you admire is nothing short of magical. Even if only superstitious, there's nothing quite like feeling connected to a great lineage, and being loaded with positive chi.

There is definitely something to be said about transferrable energy. This thread reminds me of this old study where they named a bunch of different famous people and asked subjects if they'd theoretically lick that person's ice cream cone. Everybody wanted to lick Albert Einstein's cone, but Hitler's had no takers ..l;,

Lisa

I believe in smudging, too........and as long as you are not trying to become the other dancer -- emulating her exact style, using her choreography, all that-- the costume will reflect your own unique style and personality. It will mold itself to your interpretation of the music you choose.....and eventually most will forget who it used to belong to .... go get some sage, girl!

I learn so much here on Bhuz!!! I need to know more: Can someone pretty-please explaiin "smudging" and the purpoe/significance of White Sage...?

Originally Posted by Lesgemini_Zafirah

I learn so much here on Bhuz!!! I need to know more: Can someone pretty-please explaiin "smudging" and the purpoe/significance of White Sage...?

You can get bundles of sage in any "new age" store ..... if you live in Marin, you can get it just about anywhere -- or at least used to be able to! It's a Native American ritual for cleansing, changing energy, protection...... the New Age movement adopted and adapted it and started to "cleanse" crystals by passing through the smoke and clearing away whatever energy the crystal acquired from a previous owner or prior experiences. It is also used to smudge yourself and others with the same intent. You light the end of the bundle which is usually a small bundle tied with string, and either pass the item through the smoke or "fluff yourself or someone else with it. It's often passed around in a circle. You can also burn in something like an abalone shell and use a large feather to waft it up and around you.....

See, this is why I periodically check Jillina's website to see what costumes she's getting rid of. Heck, I'd even wear that hideous pink snake of hers if she'd sell it to me complete with the good dance vibes. ..l;,

BTW..I don't usually notice costumes on dancers enough to associate the costume with them, if I were to see it on someone else. I think most people don't. The only ones that stand out in my mind are the pink snake, and Kaya and Sadie's feather costumes. I wouldn't worry about people making the costume connection.

Regards
Priscilla

Originally Posted by SatinWorship19

There is definitely something to be said about transferrable energy.

Originally Posted by naiyahayal

You can get bundles of sage in any "new age" store ..... if you live in Marin, you can get it just about anywhere -- or at least used to be able to! It's a Native American ritual for cleansing, changing energy, protection...... the New Age movement adopted and adapted it and started to "cleanse" crystals by passing through the smoke and clearing away whatever energy the crystal acquired from a previous owner or prior experiences. It is also used to smudge yourself and others with the same intent. You light the end of the bundle which is usually a small bundle tied with string, and either pass the item through the smoke or "fluff yourself or someone else with it. It's often passed around in a circle. You can also burn in something like an abalone shell and use a large feather to waft it up and around you.....

Thanks so much for the great 'splaination, Naiyahayal!!!!
P.S. I love-love-LOVE my teal pharaonics skirt set - Thanks again!