Thread: who pays for troupe costumes?

my instructor makes requests for certain looks or costumes, and we (the troupe) usually come up with the elements on our own. we also own our costumes, none owned or maintained by the studio.

the latest request from my instructor is to make a coin top (from a hip scarf and bra), which is easy for her. but i had to buy a new hip scarf and bra ($30) and it will take me quite a few hours to put it together with my non-existent sewing skills!

how do other instructors handle this? do you help your students pay for costume items if its something you ask for? do you donate stuff like old hip scarves and skirts to students? how do you get a uniform look without sending your students to the poor house?

If its a troupe performance and the student wants to be in the performance and its a requirement to perform.... then id say each member of the troupe pays for their own stuff...

Kinda like bridesmaids in a wedding... sure its the dress you asked for... but if they want to be in it they have to have it.

Personally, I keep student troupe costume requirements very simple, and then I am prepared to loan a few things if necessary.

For my pro troupe, everyone has their own things, but we also buy troupe items with troupe funds, that we save from gigs and from keeping a percentage back from class fees.

I know several troupes who have "troupe dues" and then use those dues to buy special costume items and pay for troupe travel.

For my group we also get together to make costume items together, which helps those of us with limited sewing skills,r:;

I was in a troupe that did both. Some dresses, pants, skirts, veils, etc were owned by the troupe and were used for specific performances-usually folkloric. Cabaret costumes were always personal.


The student troupe I direct now is just starting to get similar semi-pro costumes. I started with LRose stuff, but then required them to get bedlehs. Unfortunately, I merely suggested a set, and only one dancer got it. The others either made their own or bought cheaper sets. They all looked really nice, but they don't match and I regret that I didn't enforce my requirement.

I am now wondering if I can force this troupe to buy the required items or if I must create a new semi-pro troupe where there will be strict costume requirements. I really hate to put people in a financial bind or not let them "play", though. So I'm leaning towards the latter. It costs to be part of something beautiful.

As far as lending...I have never really been burned because I am really careful. If it is someone who really wants to perform and just can't get something, I will loan simple skirts, veils, cover-ups, and similar items. I wouldn't loan a bedleh or anything expensive. Also, I wouldn't loan something that I had not yet worn myself (a close friend asked me to, and it pained me to say no). However, that remind me that there was a choli and a veil (maybe more things ) from a show in June that I haven't gotten back yet...,m::


Oh, and I will help some people with some sewing, but it has to be someone very dedicated.

when i had a troupe, i made and paid for our
first costumes, and still have them in storage.

our second costumes, hallah designed them and made the difficult parts and taught us how to make them and we all had sewing parties to finish them. so we paid her for design and partial construction and each kept our own

our third costume, we designed together, paid for our own materials and had sewing parties and enlisted one of the girls mothers and aunties who were great at advanced sewing techniques.

each arrangement worked out fine, so there are a number of ways to do it and it doesn't always have to be the same arrangement within the troupe. it depends on how expensive the design is, etc. imo

The student troupe I direct now is just starting to get similar semi-pro costumes. I started with LRose stuff, but then required them to get bedlehs. Unfortunately, I merely suggested a set, and only one dancer got it. The others either made their own or bought cheaper sets. They all looked really nice, but they don't match and I regret that I didn't enforce my requirement.

I am now wondering if I can force this troupe to buy the required items or if I must create a new semi-pro troupe where there will be strict costume requirements. I really hate to put people in a financial bind or not let them "play", though. So I'm leaning towards the latter. It costs to be part of something beautiful.

Could you require one set, like an entirely gold or silver bra/belt set, and then change it up with cheaper accessories? I've seen some cabaret troupes do that with shrug tops, skirts, and gauntlets; it looks really good, the costumes look very different, and it has to defray the cost a lot.

Raks Halim in Texas has really nice troupe costumes. They all have a Pharaonics Great Loop in different colors and one member made matching skirts and accessories. The Great Loop is pricey, though.

timely thread... i'm trying to get my troupe in matching basic bedlah and it aint easy... either people do not have the money, or they do and have bought more expensive costumes and would prefer wearing those... but that of course those dont match, etc...

i think every troupe director struggles with this

so, its all across the board! i like the idea of troupe dues (thanks sabine!), or at least pooling money to buy things in quantity. and thats something i could coordinate with other dancers as needed. none of us are expert seamstresses, so that might be the best option for me. all those little things add up quick, and most of our shows either don't pay or don't pay much!

i see, though, how tough it is for my instructor to put together a uniform looking troupe when everyone purchases items to their own taste. the last show we did, we all wore fancy-ish bedlahs, but they didn't match. we all wore purple, and the unifying color made us look 'like a troupe' without us having to buy new bedlahs just for one show.

thanks for all the input ladies!

Have you also tried asking a seamstress for a discount? Obviously don't try to cheat someone but it wouldn't hurt to ask.

When I was in my 1st student troupe we were told where to go and shop but we ended up being all mish-mashed anyways. My teacher was charging $70 for 1 row coin belts and it was mandatory we bought one from her. Then I had to buy a $60 skirt from a local hippy shop. Plus a top, earrings...I spent about $150 and looked super amateur.

The next costume she had the troupe buy was about $200 I think and everyone bought them together.

The next costume was $400.

Right now I'm buying troupe costumes for my girls. They can get the top, belt and an earrings set for about $40. I also sell them skirts. The skirts start at $20 (I have almost all the colors of the rainbow) and the girls get a discount if they more than 1 or 2.

in our company our teacher owns and buys the costumes. when we wear mismatched things we can sometimes wear our own. she has just collected alot of costumes in differing sizes over the last 25 years. We've never been asked to buy anything for costuming.

The girls in my troupe buy their own costumes, but I do a lot of shopping around for good deals, get wholesale rates and order together to save on shipping where possible.

Eventually, we'll need to add a little variety to what we have, but there's no rush for that and the girls all have a say. Obviously, you can't please everyone so if needed we'll opt for a majority rules solution, but so far the girls have been just great.

As to why they pay for their own? Well, the troupe isn't earning any money yet, and I don't charge troupe dues. I'm not making any money off of this, so it's a labor of love for me just as much as it is them. I don't have the funds to pay for their costumes. Plus, then you get in the situation as to whether the costumes will fit new troupe members, whether or not people take off with them and leave me hanging... all these headaches I really don't want. So, what I've told them is that if they leave the troupe - I will buy back their costumes for half of what they paid if they don't care to keep them. If a new troupe member comes along, they could also wind up with a used set for half the price. For the most part, I think we'll continue to be LRose poster gals. They're simple, but fabulous quality, are flattering and custom made for each person for a great fit. Plus, if someone else comes in down the road, I know we can get more of the same costume.

I guess the bottom line is that these are issues you need to consider when joining a troupe and whether or not it will work for you.

I've always bought my own stuff for troupe work, and most directors have been careful to select costumes that flattered a range of figures and didn't break the bank. This works well for me: if I had to depend on borrowing pieces from a troupe costume inventory, I'd never get to do company work because I don't wear an easily shareable/stockable size. I'd much rather buy my own stuff and have it fitted and altered to suit than have to make do with ill-fitting costumes or be left out altogether.

Reselling hasn't generally been a problem except in the case of some very early class costuming that no one in her right mind would choose to wear on purpose. I've never been offered a "buyback program" like Adishakti's, but it's a very nice idea. Announcing a general range of expected costume costs at the time of application/audition helps smooth the way, too. People like to know what to expect.

I buy the costumes for my troupe. Costumes remain the property of the troupe, and any alterations have to be reversible. The reason I chose to go this route is that I never wanted to have to choose dancers for a particular dance based on who could afford to buy a costume.

The troupe costumes are mostly folkloric, which are pretty simple to alter. There are some oriental numbers for which my dancers wear their own bedlah, and we have a mix (although they try to coordinate colors and styles).

The troupe I belong to purchases their own costumes. Our instructor tries to keep things economical so that we don't go into the poorhouse! lol I guess my personal feelings are that if you want to be part of a troupe, then you need to be ready to purchase whatever is required to be part of that troupe.

The former troupe that I used to dance with, we all owned our own things. However, we did it so that it was cost effective. We all had required black harem pants, black skirts, and hip belts/hip scarves that were either silver, or black and silver.

Every season or two, we would add a new "top". Since the bottom half was neutral, we only had to change tops. We did hand decorated bras/Turkish vests once...and other times we bought tons of great fabric on sale, and we made tops for each dancer out of it. Once it was pink and mauve sparkly....another time it was fabric with lurex in it, etc. Instead of having everyone in the same top, we all wore the same FABRIC, and everyone made their top to flatter their figure. There were 5 of us that sewed out of 9 ladies, so the ones who weren't good at it had plenty of help. It looked great.

the troupe i was IN was mostly 'folkloric' and the director owned and provided the costumes (still does)

the one i RAN at the time was tribal, and each member got their own fabric for skirts, we had sewing parties to get it done, and i had specific looks for cholis, vests, etc...........each got their own embellishments and it wasn't expensive, and we all looked great and cohesive...........we were about to expand into other fusions and oriental, but by then, many had moved on, so hadn't had to deal with the more oriental issues yet.......

for oriental, when bedlahs are usually par for the course, i think it's feasible and fair for the members to get their own bedlahs, cuz of fit, sizing dimensions, etc........(and can even use them with varied skirts/veils for other things)tho the director can (and usually does) provide the accompaniments).....

i believe if people want to perform, a certain amount of investment on the part of the performer is to be expected....the expense should be realistic, but every performer puts out money in costumes, make-up, props, etc......

i actually think when investment is made, people take ownership of the performance and enjoy it more, AND get a sense of accomplishment......whenever you pull out that troupe bedlah for spring cleaning, you get the flash of that performance in your mind and relive it again and again.......

when i was in a troupe, i bought all my own stuff, and had another girl in the troupe make my costume. then there was a grand performance coming up, several routines to learn, new costumes, swords, wings etc to buy, it was getting quite expensive. i left before all that.

Originally Posted by Crystallia

when i was in a troupe, i bought all my own stuff, and had another girl in the troupe make my costume. then there was a grand performance coming up, several routines to learn, new costumes, swords, wings etc to buy, it was getting quite expensive. i left before all that.

my situation is similar. it seems like every new choreography involves getting some new items to wear. i should clarify that we do not get many paid gigs as a troupe (maybe 5 a year), and those don't pay a lot. so, we would never make enough money as a troupe to buy everyone's costumes. it just gets really expensive (and stressful) to buy or make new items for a show in 2 weeks!!!

i understand that if the my instructor owned the costumes, it would mean a lot of hassle for her. i do like the idea of telling students what basics to get, and then layering on top of those basic items. maybe i'll suggest that she give out a list to the up-and-coming troupe members, so they don't end up with a closet full of random stuff like i did!

My small group of die-hards want to perform and what are we doing, putting together the simplest costume with cheap jazz pants and tops that match their hip scarves with a view these can be used with circle skirts tucked in belts, extra sashes and jewellery in the future. Individuals pay for their own of course. At the opposite end of the scale our dance troupe recently had pro costumes made and now they are ours. Simple rule you pay or fund raise for them, they're yours..leader pays for them and loans them out, they are hers.
The important factor, they should suit everyone and everyone should be happy to keep on dancing in them.

If you look outside the typical belly dance way of doing things, in a professional dance company, the *company* owns the costumes, not the dancers. For example, the ensemble costumes in Bellydance Superstars (except for the Tribal ones) are all owned by Jillina herself. That's one reason BDSS has rigid rules regarding body shape and size - the dancer must be able to fit into the pre-existing costumes. I know a professional Middle Eastern dance company that owns all the folkloric costumes, but expects its members to furnish their own sparklies, but then that group's ensemble choreos are nearly all folkloric. They tend to reserve the sparkly look for solos.

Obviously, things can be different for a student troupe. All of my experiences with student troupes (both as a member and now as the teacher who directs one) have been that the members purchase their own costumes. Of course, it's helpful if the troupe director can choose things that aren't too expensive!

Originally Posted by suzyq52

I guess my personal feelings are that if you want to be part of a troupe, then you need to be ready to purchase whatever is required to be part of that troupe.

The dreaded ballet comparison:

12+ years ago, when my kids were young and taking dance lessons, if a child was going to dance in the big recital, he/she had to be costumed as prescribed by the teacher. By the time the tights, leotard/tutu/skirt, hair thingy and miscellaneous items were purchased, I ended up spending between $50-70. These were child's costumes and, for the most part, very simple ones. Well, there was that one rather fancy one for my oldest daughter's final recital; it was definitely "ballet-ic" . . .

<sigh>

. . . that same child is now entering grad school to study Middle Eastern History!

<sigh>

Oh! Sorry!

Most of our students are adults and should be able to understand the concept that they have to pay to play. That said, it's just as important for teachers to bear in mind what types of students they are costuming!

When a student group of mine first performed, none of them had bedlah. These ladies were intermediate beginners, not likely to become advanced dancers, and they performed simple choreos -- there was no way I was going to insist upon beaded bras and belts! Instead and wore very simple L Rose straight skirts and pinched tops. I also hand-beaded (!) trim for the hips and wrists; each gal attached the trim and provided her own jewelry. Costs for the skirt, top, and materials for the trim amounted to $113. Each student paid for her own and kept it. Since they are not a troupe, per se, and they paid for it, they may wear any part(s) of the costume. They wore these costumes several times over a few years.

For these just-getting-started students, many teachers, myself included, often just ask for a black skirt or pants, some type of black top and a coin hip scarf. Voila! Instant "costume" that looks good and has pieces that can be used for other things!

As students develop as dancers and decide to purchase their own bedlah, I usually steer them towards BD neutrals -- you know, gold or silver or gold/silver beaded sets. In this way, they have the perfect foundation for just about any costume color choice, whether for themselves or for any troupe work they might do.

So, IMO, it really all boils down to the constituency of the troupe/group. What students pay for, they keep. What teacher pays for, he/she keeps.

Deborah

Originally Posted by indigostars

Could you require one set, like an entirely gold or silver bra/belt set, and then change it up with cheaper accessories? I've seen some cabaret troupes do that with shrug tops, skirts, and gauntlets; it looks really good, the costumes look very different, and it has to defray the cost a lot.

That is honestly the most practical thing you can do. If you have a nice base bedleh in a metallic, you've got everything. You can change out the skirts and sleeves, add u-tops, shrugs, etc etc, almost limitlessly.

I would actually recommend, myself, that in addition to a nice metallic bedleh, you should do a circle skirt, straight or mermaid skirt, couple of different sleeve/gauntlet treatments, u-top or similar, and pants in two complimentary colours. With that lot you've got a huge dance wardrobe.

Where does one GET a nice base bedlah any more? I see fewer and fewer of them on the market.

Originally Posted by Lauren_

Where does one GET a nice base bedlah any more? I see fewer and fewer of them on the market.

I would like an answer to this as well! I have seen some basic gold/silver ones but they look a little, well, cheap. Maybe they are not but visually they just look like "oh, look at the little beginner. No one told her where to buy."

$30 is a fair price, I think, for a new costuming element for a student troupe. Face is, it costs money and time to be in a troupe, so start budgeting!

I agree that having a few staples set out, and only changing out occasional elements to make it fresh is the way to go with a student troupe. For instance, my student troupe "base" costume used to be pantaloons and a panel skirt, and we changed up the top and overlaying details. Two years later, we have switched up the base items to pantaloons and a tier skirt, because we have nearly all new membership and we could change it up without double-dinging the members who bought the original base costume.

I would think a metal bra and belt bedlah would be a perfect "base" for a cabaret troupe, and then change up with different skirts and accoutrement in different colors and fabrics as desired over the years.

I would like to also add that allowing the costumes to be slightly different is particularly good in student troupes, where you have all manner of dancers coming and going, of differing body sizes and shapes and fashion desires. So having a base look that is consistent, and allow them to work within that to add their own touches (colors, shapes), is a great compromise.

Well, I've worked from both extremes.

When I danced with Suhaila, we had MANY costumes, and they weren't inexpensive even though I sew. We paid for ALL our stuff, and if we didn't have something in time for a show, we weren't in it. We also paid for membership and required classes, so...it was very expensive.

With my troupe, I was always bending over backward in the other direction. I would BUY COSTUMES for all my girls, only asking them to be returned if they left the troupe, and two girls DIDN'T return them. Nice. Thanks!

I bought all the fabric for costumes we were making, and I cut and sewed most of them. I did special classes showing how to finish them.

Having been in both boats, here's my honest opinion:

If you can't afford inexpensive costumes, you should wait to perform. You should take responsibility for your own costumes and not expect to have it given to you. If you buy your own, it's yours and you can adjust it as needed, etc. If you need help, ask, but don't demand it. There also may be someone in your group with more sewing skills, but if you're willing to try, I'd bet your teacher will help as much as she can.

Amira

i should probably have clarified earlier that i'm not expecting to get everything for free. but i have spent hundreds of dollars on items specifically for troupe stuff. and some of it is stuff that i wouldn't necessarily wear if i had a choice (not my style, color, etc). various skirts, pants, tops, accessories... at some point i wish we would simply repeat costumes. we do not have a 'basic' costume, so it oftens means that everyone brings their stuff to a dress rehearsal, but then end up having to buy or make something anway. she now has a monthly show and i'm concerned that she'll be asking me to come up with new costumes every month (we have not repeated costumes in the past 3 shows). again, we are a student troupe and rarely get paid. i understand the 'pay to play' attitude, but it also sounds like many troupe directors try to minimize the cost to their students. also the time/stress of trying to get an item for a show in 3 weeks. i think i will pitch the idea of a 'basic' costume and see how it flies...

Emtink, basic costumes and recycling/recombining costume pieces is a great way to go. I know what it's like, as a troupe director, to have a certain vision of what the costumes should look like... but I also have troupe costumes hanging in my closet that have been worn for only one show.