Thread: Your Thoughts on Showing Tattoos

Starting in 2007 I started tailoring my performances to more "Cairo-esque" Egyptian styling. I am far from being a classical Egyptian style dancer but it is something to which I aspire; as well as the ability to turn on/off the fusion dancer that is naturally in me at will.

For me, personally, it doesn't seem like tattooes peeking out from underneath glitzy glamour costumes is appropriate. And I don't feel it's appropriate for them to be showing around "Oriental" (in our dance sense of the word) audiences, either.

Should I cover mine (with makeup or costuming) or let them show? The one I'm most concerned about is the dragon on my shoulder, which extends to my elbow. The others I can easily hide.

I love my tattoos but I think there are times and places better than others for them to be seen...

In this case, it is totally up to you. I dance primarily classical Egyptian raqs sharqi and the lebanese and american cabaret style variations and have never had any trouble with my tattoos and Arab audiences. Before I moved to my current location, most of my regular performances were for Egyptian, Lebanese, Moroccan, and Persian audiences and I never received any negative comments or lost any gigs over them.

If you decide that in your area that it would be best to cover them, you have a few options. You can use body make-up or you can create/purchase specially made shrugs/sleeves to cover your shoulder and arm piece. You could also use body stockings or flesh-toned lycra to create a bodysuit somewhat like those worn by ice skaters and latin-style ballroom dancers.

Good luck! I think your tattoo is lovely and you may want to try leaving it visible and see how the local audience reacts.

Would depend on your audience. I have heard that Arabs find tattoos offensive - but it may depend on which Arabs you are talking about. In NZ most Kiwis under 35s seem fine with them most over 45s are against them (associated with ex-convicts, tacky, cheap etc - even when they are actually pleasing to look at).

I have heard of only two occasions when tattoos were given as a reason for not hiring a dancer (one a belly dancer, the other cabaret). However, who knows if that was really the reason.

If it may be a problem - what about an asymmetrical look with a single sleeve?

Great suggestions (and thanks, Mahsati!). I had considered incorporating a "gladiator"-like shoulder patchy thing on my costumes for the purpose...

Bahaia is a cute little rockabilly girl who does classic/golden era style belly dance. Her tattoos show and I think she looks cool.

I love tattoos and I think if you're a good dancer with a professional image, you can rock them openly. If you look like Trashy Tina the Trailer Park Belly Dancer, then it's better to cover up the clawing panther and the I <3 Billy Wayne tattoos.

Plenty of women have ink these days.

hmmmm... I have a small and very old (20 years) tattoo on my shoulder blade. And I kinda wish I didn't. I love tattoos, but wish I had known I would get into belly dance when I had mine done - I might have thought about the position or even re-thought the whole idea. I can cover mine fairly easily if I need to, but the coolest thing I have done is highlight it with glitter!! I used nail polish that was loaded with gold glitter (had a gold costume) and a tiny thin brush for making lines with, and just painted over the lines and shadows. The tat isn't that big so it was easily do-able, and my sister actually had to do it cos I couldn't reach, but, wow, it looked great!! I wouldn't reccommend nail polish - a bit hard on the skin - but I havn't tried to find anything else. You would be in the know, Azhia. Can you think of anything?

*whew* then it's a good thing I decided against the unicorn! ;op
Mish you're right! And how could I forget Princess Farhana...

Khalila...
OOOOOOOooohhhh yeeeeeeeaaaaaaahhhhhh....

Let me introduce you to Eye Kandy.

Is there an Eye Kandy rep in the house???

It is beautiful shades of glitter makeup and the key is the Liquid Sugar. I'm sure there are others on the market like this, but I love the colour selection and the adherence of the glitter. It seems to be made specifically for the belly dancer. The Liquid Sugar is a safe, clear glue that holds the glitter in place. You cannot buy it but through reps at workshops and stuff. I'm sure there are reps here on Bhuz through whom you can place an order.

I would actually accentuate mine with glitter as well, I've even put a gold Swarovski crystal on the eye, but because that part of the tattoo is on my chest, the natural oils there render any adhesive useless. And I would want to do the entire thing (which would take me WAY longer than I need to do my face makeup!).

If you have Sephora in NZ, there are several lines in their store that make eyeliner glitter, which you could use and then spray over top with hair spray to keep it stuck on you till you wash it off.

Do you have a picture?? I'd love to see it!

I doubt there is Sephora in NZ, but I am currently living in Singapore, so I should have a look. Eyeliner glitter sounds fantastic for a thousand things....
.....and I got the unicorn....sniff...*woeful look*... dunno why? Must have been the rum and coke and the terrible unicorn movie I watched the night before. Dumb dumb dumb...

Sonya of Chicago has visible tattoos and it works for her

http://www.bubbygram.com/bellydancers/sonyachicago.jpg


I have heard that some Arabs find tattoos offensive but it's probably one of those things that depends on the individual and how conservative they are, you know?

"Trashy Tina the Trailer Park Belly Dancer"...............tina

You need to cover up that back piece with a camaro tattoo, Tina!

And wear the same ratty costume to every gig.

As a tattooed dancer who loves (and works in) traditional styles, I would advise you to have options. Be prepared to cover your ink (via creative costumes or make-up), but also be open to the fact that more and more it is not a big deal. Admittedly, I am a bit spoiled by the city I live in (were everyone, their brother, and their mom has or seems to secretly want a tattoo. Oh rebellion, how easy you are to buy! :broken_heart: ).

Due to my involvement in 1980s era punk rawk and a few various other western subcultures, I was tattooed quite young (and for the record have no regrets, I like my work, though I have not got anything new since I was (gulp) 17) . I also started performing professionally fairly young (by 19 I was working regularly as a dancer while also attending university). In my early 20s I received a complaint about my arm tattoo via a booking agent, and it was the best thing that could have happened. Most of the time I do not purposely cover anything (though I have been accused of being conservatively costumed now and again, but that is my style!), but sometimes I purposely do. I have learned to read clients and to decide what is best in a given situation. And I am prepared for it all!

I think the issue here is that *you* don't feel good about showing your tattoo when you dance classical. So you simply have to costume to hide the tattoo. It's not a question of acceptable or not acceptable, but what *you* feel best with.

*gasp* no disrespect to unicorn tattoo! my bad... i'm sure it looks adorable.
Mish, you're on your own with Tina... ;0)

Khalila, I can almost guarantee S'pore would have a Sephora. Ask Shasha (she's in my friends if you can't find her easily or not in your list). And while you're at it, can you pleeeaaase eat some chicken rice at a hawker center for me??? Thank you. I'll live vicariously through you since I don't eat meat anymore but DAMN I loved that chicken rice! (I lived for a time there, too). Why did this turn into a food response again...

I understand and feel that it's okay to judge by my own standard what would be appropriate. I just don't want to be inappropriate inappropriately.

I eat it ALL THE TIME!!!!! YUM YUM YUM!!!!!

Princess Farhana does wear shrugs which cover some of her tats when she feels it is appropriate. I have one which I got when I was orginally wearing my belts high because it wouldn't show. I switched styles and now when I wear bedlahs like to wear my belts low. Ergo, the tat shows. Sometimes I will wear a belly cover which helps to mitigate the visability.

I think, as said above, you simply have to be willing to accept the reality that soemtimes you will ahve to cover it when you preceive that you will have audience menbers who are uncomfortable with the tats. wheather that is via costuming or make up is up to you.

{{{HUGS}}}

When I got my cover-up done (it wasn't a horrible tattoo, but 18 year old me shouldn't have designed her own tattoo, art school or no) it was after I started dancing, so I thought about making sure it would not only suit me but would suit my costume sensibilties as well. Just dropped off flyers for the next Afet Collective bellydance for charity event with my artist...who keeps a lovely picture of me in his studio.

(not this one, but I haven't stopped showing off my Baxter shots yet...can't...stop...I am wearing a halter in this shot, you just can't see it. Art school was when I last posed nude.)


Although I do have to make sure all my work clothing hides it, it likes to sneak up out of wide necklines.

I rarely perform in traditional venues (like a Middle Eastern restaurant, or weddings), so in that respect, it doesn't matter much....though I would say that the majority of Middle Eastern people I've encountered at the performances "elsewhere" have been extremely complimentary regarding my ink. Otherwise, if someone didn't like it, they didn't say it.

I've had an idea though for piece that would take up most of my lower right leg/back of calf, and as much as I love the concept, I'm not exactly sure about it's effect visually with my dancing, especially since I do a lot of Turkish-style legwork. So maybe it will go on my right arm instead...but I have sooo many ideas for the other arm...

leg tattoos;. i think the only one of my tattoos that bother me when i'm in cossies is my leg tattoos. they just seem to stick out to me in a way my others don't.

i think theda needs a frwiend. tina

Originally Posted by tattood1

"Trashy Tina the Trailer Park Belly Dancer"...............tina

Show her yours..... heck, I want to see it again, too.

Originally Posted by tattood1

i think theda needs a frwiend. tina

LOL, yeah, I think so, but the idea is a 1920's bathing beauty with a parasol...and I can see it now, "so why do you have tattoos of yourself on your arms?" Then again, when I'm 80, and if I'm still in good shape, I could say, this is how I looked back in my 20's and 30's ;)

I really want a Japanese bat and an owl as well, they've been fighting for that same spot on my arm...I think they'll both have to go elsewhere.

I have a large piece on my shoulder, no one has ever commented negatively on it.

I dance AC/ Pan Arabic.

japanese bat: what does it look like?? i've googled & get zip. i want to connect japanese water/flowers with japanese fan & want something flying up my leg. tina

ps; fer ya newer folk go to my profile if you're curious what the heck i'm talking about??!!

Originally Posted by melania

She just used the Jedi mind power on him and said, "Oh no, there's no problem," and smiled.
He smiled back and said, "Oh! Ok!"
True story.

I can sooo see this happening. Stevie does use the force!

I haven't had to cover my teeny ones (bra line accent and a pinky finger ring are all that show in costume) but I've only done a few parties and work at the restaurant where Princess Farhana has worked for 16 years. I guess for the first 13, she had to make sleeves for ALL her costumes to cover her shoulder work, but now she's allowed to bare all. I don't mind seeing tattoos on dancers, especially if they're strategically placed and glamed up to match the sequins.

I have this awesome magazine from Ziba, featuring Sumita's body art (glitter mehndi ~ exotic shiny tattoos!!) that I think would be a great compliment to tattoos in cabaret outfits...if I can figure out my scanner I'll try to post some pics.

Please post Melania!

even better, found some online.
Ziba Media

supposed to last for 3 days (even the sparkles)

and available in 32 colors, to match every faded tattoo fill....

Originally Posted by Safiyah

I have heard that some Arabs find tattoos offensive but it's probably one of those things that depends on the individual and how conservative they are, you know?

Some Arabs find belly dancers offensive, with or without tattoos, so obviously there's no pleasing everybody.

FWIW I recently bought a VCD of Asmahan, and she has a tattoo of what looks to me like her name on her upper arm, the right I think. Doesn't seem to stop her from working in Cairo. So I won't let mine stop me from working in Boston. I do plan to have some costuming that would cover my work; all upper arms and upper back, so a sleeved costume would take care of that easily (well, there's a small one on my ankle, but I'm not going to worry about that, hopefully people are not paying as much attention to my ankles when I dance as the rest of me!). My hair covers them half the time anyway. I think it's like Monica said--just know your audiences. At the bar type restaurants, tattoos are fine (for Gothic gigs, a plus even). At a more upscale restaurant or a wedding, I'd cover the first time I danced there or worked for those clients and get a sense for the necessity in the future.

My tattoos are all black/grey/white, so I don't have to worry about colors, but if I had tattoos with a predominant color to them I would take care not to clash with myself ..g.:

Personally, I don't like them with cabaret style costumes. Maybe one or two smallish ones, but a whole chest full or sleeves, I don't care for them.

I find that they take away from my viewing the dance and all I focus on are what in the heck happened to her/him?

Just my opinion,

Azeeza

Originally Posted by Azhia

Let me introduce you to Eye Kandy.

Is there an Eye Kandy rep in the house???

Kimahri here on Bhuz is an Eye Kandy rep. ..g.:

Funny you should mention tattoos! I was eating dinner at a venue last night after a gig at another venue and the owner was chatting with my husband and I and he asked what I thought about another dancer, who recently auditioned there, and after we talked about her dancing and costume choice, he asked me what I thought about her tattoos. I shrugged and said, they don't bother me, but of course, I have two. He said really? I have never seen them. Ladies, I have a big old Celtic dragon tat on my lower back, and a Celtic knot up high between my shoulder blades, and I have danced at this venue for over a year now! To be fair, I have waist length hair that pretty much hides them, but it struck me as really funny! I have never been asked to cover them, but if I were asked respectfully to do so, I would.