Dance Costume
Belly Dance and the Feminine Image
History shows us through paintings that the veil came to the untouchable and tantalizing appeal of women in the Middle East to symbolize. To show only a small part of the body was alluring enough to cause men to pine for female affection. If we look at 19th century paintings various scenes of women dancing, the look of the belly dancer is quite refined. The distinctive folds in the belt or the accessories the only way to tell the headpiece the individual story of each dancer. This is how dancers from the past, the present distinguish themselves from their contemporaries.
I remember seeing "Cleopatra" with the starring Elizabeth Taylor for the first time and thinking how beautiful the costumes were and how much they would be to dance in. "Samson and Delilah" with Hedy Lamarr is my all time favorite biblical movie and her costumes inspire me even to this day. Claudette Colbert's costume in the 1934 "Cleopatra" looks like a costume today. Hollywood has very unusual ideas about what women wore in the Middle East. But if we look back through time the belly dance costume really has not changed much. This really surprised me, because as I did my research it became clear to me that if you have a good design is difficult to improve on.
Recently I danced with a wonderful group of performers Asian dancers. Their costumes were great and I must admit I felt a bit out of place in my cabaret costume. Their movements were very subtle and their gestures very soft and poetic. So I wonder what kind of poetry would belly dancing? When it was time for me to perform, I realized that our music really says a lot about our image. My costume was like magic because it made me free enough to dance and tell our story in my movements and gestures. In some ways I felt an obligation to relate to the audience that what I do as a dancer and performer is serious and respected. But I have to question why I need my costume and dance to defend felt. The dancers' movements seemed to speak to me teasingly asking me why I had not been covered. Maybe I was just hearing my own voice ask. After I finished my dance the response I received overwhelmed me. It became clear to me that as a result of the difference of my costume and dance the audience was able to appreciate the culture that I represented. Costuming makes all the difference to people. It's almost as if the public see the story within our movements all the time watching our costumes highlight each word danced through our bodies.
Years ago when I was in Cairo I was able to see Zuhair Zaki dance live and as I look back I realize how lucky I was to have seen a legend to perform. Zuhair Zaki is the sum total of what the belly dance picture for me. Every movement telling a story and helped me "hear" the music. I learned a very good lesson that night because I saw what a masterful dancer can do with music. I also saw Zuhair Zaki become the essence of belly dance as she performed. It would not have mattered what she wore or where she was. The spirit of dance in her and you could see and feel. These are those spiritual moments that you always change!
A few weeks later I saw Dina to perform and was totally amazed at the sexual innuendos that emanated from her dance. The image the belly dance changed that night for me because I had assumed that provocative gestures were not authorized. Actually let me go one step further, I do not think it was needed. But a Dina somehow made it work for her and when I looked I saw her performance that she has done a great job. Her sexuality was never in the way of her performance. The improved her movements and I understood then that Dina chose to dance free of inhibitions or restraints her world to her.
As a modern woman I often ask myself my view on how close it is to women back hundreds of years. Our evolution as women has never been clearer than in the belly dance world. If we look at the dance of seven veils disposal the veils represent seven earthly illusions fall away with each veil. In order for us to become all female archetype in myth these veils to fall to us so we can transcend into the Goddess. As with all myths I was wondering what the seven veils of illusion, because I had a suspicion that we can still be portrayed within this myth today. The became clear to me that each illusion had an opposite side. So here is my version of the seven illusions.
1. The Virgin-Temptress
Many dancers have two options to enchant their audiences by offering the untouchable innocence of movement combined with eye contact that teases with a fleeting glance.
2. Intrigue-deception
The possibility to captivate our audience is an important part of our story, but with all stories we have the audience that what intrigues them is only an illusion to tell. This in itself can be seen as a deception because we work so hard on the illusion that at moments it can become real.
3. Mother-Sex Goddess
Both describe the dilemma all women encounter through out their careers. While we dance as women who understand what it means to wear and life we expected to be adept in the art of love. The illusion for most people is that we can both, but they want to separate the two.
4. Wise woman-childlike innocence
The knowledge a dancer puts it states in its implementation regardless of the average dancer. Knowledge is power and our movements speak volumes about our history. The illusion is that while we dance with our audiences to experience a degree want a virtuous dancer that will give them an unsullied look at our dance.
5. Woman-Mistress
In our dance we are compelled to perform from places of the heart. At least some of our music, this passionate theme in certain songs. As women we feel the need to complete us why we are looking for our mate. The mistress, on the other hand, forced out looking for this achievement, which in itself is the mirror opposite women. Further distance ourselves from the mistress personification in the eyes of our admirers the hope to have a glimpse of her.
6. Muse-transmutation
Poetry and music speak of the dancer who takes her audience to places of sublime heights. As dancers we are the muses of our time. At the same time we feel the public does not understand our dance and they try to change their perception of the world fits. We then developed into a misunderstood version of our own poetry.
7. Diva-modest maid
A dancers self confidence should come over to the audience whether they will be severely disappointed. Many fans expect a confident woman during and after the shows. Yet I have found that dancers could almost too much in their personas that they make believe. We can get caught in an illusion as much as anyone. The catch here is to know when your dance persona on and off.
As belly dancers we inspire so much in our people and Allure is not only the pretty costume, it is what we do as women.
My question is whether we understand what it is that we represent so much? I worked with a few women who were separated from their body image. They had no idea how beautiful they were, because they bought into the mixed messages from the media and cultural attitudes. How comfortable we are in the position of the archetype for women today? If we can not get past the door of self-esteem, then I do not see us at the forefront of the female society of today. Let us not forget how immeasurable we are as women. Our dance helps us our own personal myth in which we can escape into our own feminine image.
I've often wondered that after creating our feminine image, we gradually transform her? Is not this really what belly dancing is doing? We heal and then the women we are intended to be. This is how I think the essence of belly dancing is alive and flourishing by each generation of women. If we can understand our own image we can live examples of what belly dance is and the veils of illusion than become nothing but invisible constraints disappearing from our own transformation. In this sense, we are reborn into women, comfortable in their own body, mind and soul. And there's no better way to express our dance then by choosing who we are and dancing with veils of our choice
About the Author
Leyla Najma is a professional belly dancer with 26 years experience teaching and performing as well as writing articles recently published in “The Chronicles” Belly Dance Magazine
Does anyone know a good dance costume company?
I have a costume for my solo competition, does anyone know any websites dance costumes for competition? with beautiful costumes around 60-80 U.S. dollars
costumegallery.net:)
A Wish Come True Dance 2010
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AMERICAN GIRL IRISH DANCE COSTUME~RETIRED~NIB $109.91 |
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American Girl Doll Retired Nellie Irish Dance Costume Dress Outfit Clothes Green $55.00 |
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Latin style dance costume $45.00 |
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NEW American Girl Doll Emily Tap Dance Costume Outfit $49.95 |
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American Girl Emily’s Tap Dance Costume NIB $48.99 |
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New American Girl Nellie Irish Dance Costume Outfit SHOES Molly Ruthie Samantha $43.99 |
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SWEDISH FOLK COSTUME DOLL COUPLE – Sweden – ethnic dolls folk dance HANTVERK art $45.00 |
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NEW NIB American Girl Emily TAP COSTUME no ‘x’ molly dance outfit stage theater $38.99 |
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NIB AMERICAN GIRL EMILY RETIRE TAP DANCE COSTUME OUTFIT w/TRADING CARDS 7-pc SET $38.98 |
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Modern Dance costume American Girl of Today doll clothing outfit bag bottle blue $36.50 |
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Doll Clothes fit 18″ American Girl Complete Irish Dance Costume New $26.99 |
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Vintage THAILAND Dancing Couple DOLLS Wood Base Traditional Costume Souvenir $19.99 |
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Angelina Ballerina CARNATION FAIRY Learn Dance Costume $19.95 |
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American Girl 18″ Doll White Ballet Ballerina Dance Dress Costume Slippers Lot $20.70 |
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American Girl 18″ Doll White Tap Dance Dress Outfit Lot w/ Shoes Dancing Costume $20.25 |
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BARBIE® FAMILY1961 Ken ‘s “VICTORY DANCE” REPRO ANNIVERSARY COSTUME! $19.99 |
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POLISH FOLK COSTUME DOLL – Lowicz Region – Poland ethnic peasant dancing girl $21.00 |
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American Girl 18″ doll Tap Dance Dress Lot Outfit Costume Tap Shoes dancing New $18.00 |
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2 GRACEFUL DANCING DOLLS THAILAND costume tall hats $20.25 |
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Angelina Ballerina PRINCESS AURORA Learn Dance Costume $15.95 |
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Doll Clothes Red Dress & Shawl & Headband Dance Costume Fits 18″ American Girl $16.99 |
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Angelina Ballerina Princess Aurora Mouse Doll learn to dance costume Sababa NISP $13.19 |
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KELLY-ANNE Irish Dancer 5 1/2″ Rag Doll Clip in Dance/Dancing Costume $6.26 |
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Barbie Clothes sparkly dance Costume Tights Skirt Shirt $12.99 |
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American Girl Battat 18″ Doll 1 Pc. White Bathing Suit Summer NEW Dance Costume $13.50 |
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Blue Gold Sparkle Dance Ice Skating Costume Kelly Doll Clothing $7.64 |
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BARBIE CLOTHES VIOLET METALLIC LEATHER DANCE COSTUME $7.99 |
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Modern Barbie Clothing ♥ Doll Clothes, Pink+ Lace Tutu Dance Fairy Costume $3.00 |
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Susan Wakeen 8″ Sweet Dance Fairy Doll in Ballet Costume w/ Box, COA $74.95 |
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NIB AMERICAN GIRL EMILY TAP COSTUME DANCE OUTFIT & TAP SHOES MOLLY $34.00 |
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RETIRED American Girl ~EMILY’S TAP DANCE COSTUME~ NIB Fits Molly & 18″ AG Dolls $32.99 |
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Vintage Hard Plastic Doll “MEXICAN DANCING COSTUME” $8.50 |
