Just Throw It In the Dance Bag

When it’s time to go to dance class, one thing every dancer needs is a dance bag.  There are many different styles to choose from.  First, a drawstring dance bag style can hold a couple of pairs of dance shoes and a few odds and ends; however, it doesn’t have extra pockets for any small items that you need to keep in your bag.  It is carried on your back and offers a great hands-free capability.  Another style is the dance duffel bag.  For younger dancers, a small duffel can hold all the necessary dance shoes as well as offer the option to carry the bag over your shoulder.  For older dancers, dance duffels begin to have pockets to separate shoes and accessories from one another.  Lastly, the messenger bag is another great option for dancers.  It has a large section for different shoes and usually sports an area for pens, business cards, iPods, or CDs.

Selecting the right one for you is important because these bags hold a lot of different must-have dance items.  Here is our list of what you may have (or want to have) in your dance bag:

• Extra hair-care items, including pony tails, bobby pins, and hairspray.  You always want to dance with your hair pulled away from your face for your own safety and the safety of those you dance with.  Also, while one class may call for a ponytail, you must always be ready to switch your hairstyle to a bun.  Having these items on hand will help you with this task.
• A second pair of tights because you never know when you might get a run in your tights.  Dancers always want to look their best, so having a pair of tights without holes in your bag will be helpful.
• All of your dance shoes.  This goes along with the first item above because you never know when you will need your tap or ballet shoes in an audition.  Be sure to bring all shoes to everything you attend to be ready for anything.
• A scented sachet or dryer sheet.  This is important to have in your bag because of the smell of dancers’ shoes.  Let’s face it — they smell pretty bad.  To help alleviate the odor, a dryer sheet or a small scented pouch or sachet can help with this.
• Rehearsal music.  Dancers should carry their music with them wherever they go to practice their routines.  Having your music and listening to it before a performance will be really helpful to your performance.
• A sewing kit because you never know when you may need it.  These kits come in handy a lot because anything can happen in the world of dance.  For example, your elastic on your ballet shoes may break, and with the sewing kit on hand, you can fix the problem in no time.

Some other items may include: water, snacks, first aid kit, or accessories.  What items do you feel we left out?  Please post them below!

The Many Faces of Belly Dance Performance Wear

Of all the types of dance, the belly dancing is the most colorful because of the many possible costumes that you can wear for this dance. The variety in the dance clothing could be attributed to the fact that belly dancing has many origins, and each of these origins have their own set of guiding principles when it comes to the dance style and the kind of dance clothes to wear. So if you are picking a style for your belly dancing clothes, here are some possibilities to choose from:

Belly Dancing in Egypt
If you are belly dancing in Egypt or performing in front of a crowd of Egypt origin, you need to pick out dancewear that covers the midriff or one that does not display too much skin. This is because since the 1950s, it has been made illegal for belly dancers to wear costumes that are too revealing. So it would be best to wear a long but figure-hugging one-piece gown of lycra. Of course, there would be some cut-outs involved but they should be filled with sheer, flesh-colored fabric.

You also need a belt or any additional embellishment that is directly embroidered on your skin if you were to choose a dance performance wear that has a separate bra and skirt. A body stocking must also be worn to cover the midsection and still pass the rather strict dance clothing rules of Egypt.

Belly Dancing in America
Although belly dancing originated in the Middle East, it is widely performed by American dancers today. Classic dance costume accessories worn by American ballet dancers include a headband with a fringe, bra that is decorated with coins and other metalwork and sheer harem pants or skirt. The idea is to create a soft tinkling sound as they move and also to create a mysterious illusion with their costume that enhances the effect of the dance.

Sometimes, full-length galabeyah or beledi dress is worn. But in almost all cases, belly dance supplies are imported from Turkey or Egypt. The only exception to this generalization is the American tribal style dancers, who create their own costumes by mix and matching. For instance, they use large pants and then cover them with one or more skirts and belts. Then they use a coin bra and topped with flowers, metal headdresses and other folkloric-inspired dance costume accessories.

Belly Dancing in Turkey
Turkey belly dancers wear bedleh style costumes. It is a stripper-like costume that was made popular in the 80s and the 90s characterized by skirts that display both legs up to the hip and bras with plunging bras. If you look at the Turkish-inspired belly dance costumes, you would easily see where the playful and flirty attributes of the dance came from.

Belly Dancing in Lebanon
Dance apparel for belly dancing in Lebanon is quite confusing. The skirts tend to be skimpier and there is no prohibition with regard to the use of more revealing costumes but dancers wear veils to cover their faces and hair. And instead of dancing barefoot, Lebanon belly dancers use high heels as their dance shoes.

Now, you have an idea of how belly dancers dress up. It’s now time for you to decide which culture will inspire you in your choice of dance attire?

Once you’ve made up your mind, see us at www.alycedancewear.com.

Practical Tips on How to Choose the Right Dance Apparel for Ballroom Dancing

Dancing is an intense activity that requires several muscles and parts of your body to work. Thus, you need to find the most suitable dance attire that will allow free and unrestricted movement for your entire body. There are no dress codes, however, that dancers should follow. But the general rule is to choose your dance apparel according to the type of dance you are performing.

If you are dancing alone, you want to choose a dance wear that is comfortable and does not restrict your performance of the dance. On the other hand, if you have a dance partner just like in a ballroom dance, you should take them into consideration when choosing your dancing clothes. Make sure that it is not only a suitable outfit to wear to dance in, but is also safe and easy for your partner. You need to try out a few outfits first before you settle for one. And whenever possible, perform a practice dance with your partner while wearing the costume you intend to wear to the actual dance.

One other component to your dance attire that you need to pay real close attention to are your dancing shoes. Several dancers have acquired injuries for wearing the wrong kind of shoes to a dance. You would not want that to happen to you, so it pays to invest on finding the right shoes that you can use.

In the case of ballroom dancing, the shoes are one of the most important parts of your outfit to look into. There is a lot of movement required for your feet so you have to learn about your dance shoes options.

There are specially made ballroom dance shoes that you can buy these days. These are designed to be lightweight so you can move freely. In addition, they can be made out of smooth leather soles or suede. Ballroom shoes for males and females have approximately 1 to 1.5 inch heels, although shoes for females can have heels up to 3 inches in height. The choice of heels height will depend on your preference and what you find comfortable dancing in. The cost for ballroom dancing shoes can run from $60 to $120, depending on the brand and the material.

Buying dance apparel for ballroom dancing should be given enough thought and consideration. After all, it will not only affect your performance but also your own safety. Ballroom dancing is specially demanding on your feet so you need to be thorough when shopping for dance shoes. There are four specific criteria that you need to look into when choosing: comfort, performance, protection, and support.

Refrain from buying cheap ballroom dancing shoes that are built poorly. They often lack the support that your feet needs when performing complex dance movements on your feet. Furthermore, there should be interior seams to provide cushioning on your feet so you will be as comfortable as you can be while dancing.

Closed-toed shoes for ballroom dancing are recommended over open-toed ones. After all, your feet are vulnerable to being stepped on by your partner as you are performing the dance sequence. Hence, you need to wear closed-toed shoes to protect your toes from this kind of impact.

Also, if you feel uncomfortable about wearing high heels for ballroom dancing, consider wearing flats instead. There are many dancers that wear flats as their ballroom dance shoes. This will help to minimize the impact on your feet while dancing and also make you feel more comfortable.

Dance Apparel Fashion Gets a Reinvention

Dance and fashion always seem to go together. In a way, dance has influenced fashion. And yet, fashion largely impacts what most dancers wear for their dance routines. These two art forms always go together and so this is only timely that for this upcoming spring, there is a wide array of dance apparel to harmonize with your dance movements and style.

The movies Flashdance and Fame were among the perfect epitome at how dance and fashion can intermingle. The silver screen further popularized dance clothing as something that is fashionable, not just functional. The moment these movies were released, women from all over the world dreamed of wearing a leotard and tutu. Of course, the popularity of Madonna during the 1980s helped to further push fashion as an integral part of dancing.

Soon enough, trendy retailers began shooting out and offering a wide range of dance clothes for the fashionable dancers. The products ranged from off-shoulder tops (which were very reminiscent of Flashdance), leotard, and loose crop pants. Dance wear are indeed getting a share of the spotlight this Spring with these classic dance clothes revisited with a new flair to them. Thus, fashion experts are predicting that the fashion runways for the upcoming Spring will be marked by designs that are taken off the dance studio.

There are many ways that you can incorporate dance fashion as part of your daily life, not just on the dance studio. The use of leotard under skinny jeans would go well for a casual look. Or, you may also layer your leotards with a sleeve-fitted top or sweaters. Indeed, the moment you step out of the studio, you can still use your dance clothes when you go shopping or meet up with pals. It is all about trying to mix and match various dance costume accessories for your daily wear. This has helped shape the dance wear fashion scene and it is therefore becoming more of a practical investment for female dancers since they can have more use for them, not just for dancing.

Finding dance apparel is therefore something that you need to give much thought to. Some classic dance wears aren’t readily accessible from your favorite retailers, such as pointed shoes or tutu. Thankfully, there are plenty of them via the internet so you can explore as many retailers for the perfect dance attire.

Since dance clothes are the new fashion rage this season, it should be easy to find the ideal retailer for the clothing pieces that you want. Fashion enthusiasts should opt for retailers that offer competitive pricing and have a wider selection. This will provide you with more flexibility in terms of finding the ideal attire that ensures comfort as you dance, while at the same time is fashionable enough to use for your casual wear.

It does not matter what specific area of dance art you are practicing, there is a way for you to find the right dance clothing while still reflecting your fashion sense. It is all about finding the right retailer that can provide you with clothing options to suit your needs and taste. Feel free to explore because finding fashionable dance apparel is now much more convenient.