In other words, there are almost as many versions of goth costuming as there are genres of bellydance itself.

Perhaps the best known Gothic style dancer is Tempest. She draws from all of the above styles with a dark and humourous twist — and she teaches a mean workshop on using film noir attitude in your dancing!

I have seen her dance in dark flapper attire with Doc Martin boots, pantaloons and lace in granny boots – and a very spooky Lovecraft inspired outfit.

Other Gothic dancers wear what could be mistaken for just dark colored bedlah of the Egyptian or Turkish varieties. Others use a dark tribal as a base — it’s really the mood of the dancing that makes something Gothic, rather than the costuming. (For example, Tempest’s ode to Theda Bara costume is white, but no les Goth for the color!)

Tempest’s 20s style routine to “Whatever Lola Wants”

Ariellah at Black Heart’s Ball…

For more, just search “Gothic Bellydance” on youtube and marvel at the variety!

Tribal style costuming, like “cabaret,” comes in many different flavors. Remember that there are always going to be variations, even with styles.

American Tribal Style

ATS, as created by Carolena Nericcio takes the standard vocabulary of bellydance and creates a strong, group-oriented vision. Troupes dancing in the ATS style often incorporate big swirly skirts, poofy cotton harem pants, velvet in black, rust or jewel tones, traditional Afghani coins, Indian embroideries, tassels and turbans. There has been movement over the last few years (decade?) to add woolen hair fals, hair picks with feathers and cowrie shells, and “hair gardens” which are full flower bouquets perched in braids and elaborate hairstyles, sometimes incorporating the bright wool hair falls.

Tribal Fusion

I always find the various genre names a bit amusing — ATS is also a fusion form in many ways. Tribal fusion, World Dance fusion  are all variants from the ATS branch of the bellydance tree. These are NOT always danced as a group, very often there is choreography involved, and costuming can go from basic to very far-out. Because tribal fusion is so personal, as is the costuming choices, I’ll take three fusion dancers’ styles and give examples:

Rachel Brice uses cowrie shells, tassels, flare leg pants and panel skirts to create her signature look. This look has been adopted by many of the fusion dancers – it’s very striking.

Donna Mejia‘s costume choices have been simpler, at least in the locations I’ve see, but in combination with her orientale/electronica/hip hop/Brazilian fusion moves are no less striking.Be sure to explore her site and her videos as well as gallery. She is an amazing, strong dancer with roots in many worlds.

< a href=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RtFgo2-NWk” target=”_blank”>Donna Mejia video

Dalia Carella, who may well be a bad choice to label “tribal” fusion, though her World Dance form is definitely fusion, leans more to simple reflections of the forms she is fusing. Huge skirts stand in for flamenco dresses, heavy veils for Indian influence. There is definitely a reason she played the part of Ruth St-Denis off Broadway!

Just a taste – right at the beginning…

Tribaret

I love the individuality of the fusion world. I love the options and the mis-and match mindset. I love coins and cowries – but I miss the beads if I’m performing in these styles. Which leads me to the cosumint/performance style known as “tribaret.” Take the fusion form, and then fuse *it*to what I earlier called Cabaret. Glitz and coins and shells! What more could a girl want? If the baroque era of gilt and overkill had produced a bellydance form (hah!) this would be it.

Conclusion

So there’s my homage to the coins and velvet and fusion of world dance. In later parts, we’ll go over Raqs Gothique, and I still promise a few beading techniques outside of my bedlah series! (the bedlah is progressing. Really it is. Just very very slowly as I have other projects that are more pressing right now…)

Yup. That little blurry area is all that's done.

Stalled. Stuck. Not moving at all.

So I have, theoretically, been building a turquoise bedlah, as several past posts have demonstrated. Right now, however, it’s stalled.

The fabric is over the bra, I’ve got the base shape for the belt found, but not cut out, and I’m supposed to be stitching the sequins onto the bra. But I just haven’t’ been able to bring myself to do it. It’s not like it’s all that difficult, either – or maybe it is. I’m a perfectionist. Spacing of sequins is NOT a perfect science. Nor is it supposed to be. They are, in this pattern, just supposed to cover the silly thing and sparkle.  But I keep expecting more – mostly, I think, because I’ve been doing appliques so much. And it’s driving me batty.

That is all. Hopefully more to report soon.

Related Posts:

• To design a Bedlah
• To build a plus size bedlah part 1
• To build a plus size bedlah part 2

But I got a reprieve as far as time goes because my troupe was asked to perform a specific routine at the show at the end of February. With everything that’s gone on in my life since Thanksgiving, I can’t say I’m sorry about that!

However, I was also included in the lineup as a solo act, which meant making sure my costume worked – I really don’ t like how my gold bedlah fits over the hips, so I chose a red bra I made a while back and a hip scarf. This is a great idea. But I have a caveat for those of you thinking about making one of these – OK, a couple of caveats.

1. If you are using gimp and /or pre-beaded ribbon to cover the cups, it WILL take more yardage of both than you think it will.
2. If you are using the pre-beaded decorator ribbon, run a sturdy thread through all the beadwork and knot each fringe individually! This stuff is not made to suffer the forces placed on it by sharp pops and shimmies, no matter how pretty it is – and reinforcing it will still be faster than making it new.

The Bra in question.

That second point is hard-learned for me. I put this read and black tribaret bra together in a hurry two years ago – and this year I went back and re-stitched all the fringe with a metal-core thread. I’ve only worn it once and already the threads in the fringes were breaking.

Doing this would have been much easier to do before it was stitched down to the bra in rows. Keeping the thread from wrapping around the other rows of fringe is a huge production! Ah well, learn something with every project! (And every performance… that story to come…) With this bra I thought I was also going to learn to pad the cups: but I ran out of time. I’ve shrunk since I’ve made it, though, so I ended up stuffing them the old fashioned way – with socks.

Note: I’ve got a friend who just told me last week to Dispense with the buckram altogether and just coat the whole bra in Liquid Stiffy fabric stiffener. I haven’t decided how I feel about this idea yet. I may try it on one, but frankly, I sweat like a horse when I dance and always have, and I’d be afraid it would melt through the fabric in the heat. I’ll do a little more research and then report back on this idea! (I’ve used it in small amounts on my professional bedlah, though, so maybe it would be ok… that MUCH though… that’s what’s throwing me for a loop!

I cut my buckram out to match the pattern I made earlier, without leaving any seam allowance. You really don’t want any overlap or it gets too bulky (I’m bulky enough on my own…). I have NEVER had this actually be completely accurate. I whipstitch the buckram together along the seam line in the middle, and then stuff it into the bra cup and baste it down with big basting stitches so that it won’t shift.

Next part – covering the bra with pretty fabric!!! The fun part starts!

There are many wonderful books and instructions for building a bedlah out there. At the end of these posts I’ll link to some of them. Most of them, however assume you are a C cup or smaller. I’m not, which means that some of the things they recommend simply do not work for me. This is NOT a detailed explanation, I’ll detail some of the specific things I do to make my bigger bras work, but I highly recommend some of the other resources out there for the details. This is actually the second bra I’ve made. I’m refining my techniques as I go. I’m a LOT better with the actual embellishment than the prep work, but that’s the case for me with any of my needlework!

This is the bra I’m using as a base. It’s molded foam, which isn’t remotely optimal, especially at my cup size, but it’s the best I could do.  Because there are no support seams, and it’s stretchy, step one is to make a buckram insert to give it some stability. Because of this, I think the next step after this bedlah is actually to buy a copy of the $90 book on building bras from scratch and start there. I really really would like a sturdier bra for my bedlahs, and if I can start from scratch I’ll know it’s going to hold up to what I put it through.

Step one is actually to wrap the thing in paper to create a pattern.

So. How to do what I did:

Take a lightweight paper, in my case, tissue paper, because I always have a stash of it for transferring embroidery patterns lying around.

Pin it to the top edge of the bra, folding it so that it covers smoothly. The fold lines will become your dart lines, so be very careful with this.

Draw in the lines, including both sides of the darts. On a large cup size like this one (I’m a 40 DD or a 42D. This one is a 40DD), sometimes it’s more effective to cut the pattern in two curved pieces rather than use darts. This is what I’ve done with the short line in the middle. (The darts almost meet in any case. Not quite, because then I’d have a “bullet bra” and I’m not quite THAT traditional!)

Basically, what that achieves is one long dart to curve over the bust point. (It also provides a nice marker for bust fringe, if you’re going that way, which I, being a traditionalist, am.)

When you unpin it and open it up, you get a paper pattern. Mark the top and the bottom pieces, and note which corner should meet which corner, because if you flip one of the pattern pieces like I did, you end up with all sorts of mismatching problems in step 2! Lesson learned. Since I had a full inch connecting the two parts, maybe I should have used two darts instead.

If you want to try this at home, buy this book:

I’ve managed to lose mine in two moves since I bought it, and I’m finding I really miss having it around as I’m trying to do this bra. Waaaaa! I may have to buy a new copy myself. If I do buy a new copy I’m sure I’ll find the old one. Every page is full of detailed photos and explanations of how to cover a bra. It’s a godsend.

Mr. Levy has been doing beadwork since World War II, and has become highly respected in the field, beading many of the costumes for British figure skaters — and later teaching beadwork for the City & Guilds program. It is this teaching background that is wonderfully evident in the book.

One of the first things Mr. Levy tells you is something he tells his students — “do it my way and then go on to do it your way.”Once the basics are known, experimentaiton is what develops good design and new technique.

What I like most about this book is is carefully designed excercises for learning how the materials work with the stitches he teaches. I highly recommend getting sequins and beads specifically to play with and create a sampler of these excercises. The rest of the book contains a chapter of designs you can use to embellish clothing or costumes, or just to practice and frame. The book wraps up with eye candy and inspirational pieces from Mr. Levy and his students.

Very very pretty, and a book I go back to repeatedly when I’m working on a beaded costume.

So. I have a bra to use as a base. My theme is “water.” I decided that I didnt’ have time to bead the fringe myself, although I have an appropriate pice started  – it’s just going to have to go on another costume because I’m not going to have time to finish it.

I found on ebay a set of 5 and 8 inch Egyptian beaded fringe in turquoise and snagged it. It’s not quite what I’d call turquoise – it has a greyish quality to it, but it will work. I also found two turquoise/teal valances at BigLots for $3.00 each.  Bought them, too. Yes, I am planning on working the beaded edge they came with into the design as well…

The fringe and valance (click to embiggen by lots!):

I’m going to cover my bra – I’ll actually have to start from scratch on the belt, which means that the shape is completely up to me! Great, yet more decisions. I think I’ll just use one I’ve got and that fits as a pattern.

So. The idea is currently to cover the bra and belt in the valance fabric: put a row of fringe across the bra at the bustline, and sequin/bead above that. The belt, because I get to start the design from scratch – will probably have a dip in the front, fringe around the bottom, and sequinning in easy wave patterns around.

I have a mottled evening blue silk skirt from a current performance, and am toying with the idea of adding a silk gauze overskirt in green & white dappling to make it look even more like water.

So. That’s the basic design. You’re actually not getting all the thoughts on it, because I’ve been wanting both a turquoise cosume and a water costume for a couple of years now. I’m combining two ideas into one, although in the long run I still want my ocean costume that’s dripping with glass fringe, swarovski crystal and pearls! (Yes, I’m already collecting the expensive parts for it!)

Modern cabaret costumes come in a variety of styles. If you are looking for something authentic to a specific time/ethnicity/dance style you need to be pretty knowledgeable. If you are American, and looking for an “American Cabaret” style costume, you have a LOT more leeway in decision making (and in embellishment).

For this reason, and because nothing I dance is likely to be completely authentic – as Saqra says, I will always dance with an American accent, I tend toward mixing and matching almost willy-nilly. There are still a few conventions I follow, however.

First, stylistically.

Egyptian Raqs Sharqi. This format is demure not so much by original nature, from what I can learn by reading, but by law. Egyptian law has mutated over the years to specify what dancers can wear, who can dance where, and how much leg can be displayed in Cairo. Stomach coverings and long skirts with very little slit (so as not to show much leg) are de rigeur. This does NOT preclude the “big names” such as Dina from fiddling with this and pushing the envelope.

Egyptian costuming has two different basic variations: the bedlah, or “uniform” which is generally the two-piece costume (with a stomach cover) that we know here – the bra and belt set over a skirt, whether straight or full, and the beledi dress which is a one-piece, evening-gown or caftan like garment used primarily for the more folkloric styles – for example, dancing with a cane.

Turkish Danse Orientale: This format can be much more “out there,” possibly because of the secular nature of the Turkish government, and possibly simply because the Turkish dancers have a more sexual take on the dance form. In my experience, movements are bigger, costumes are smaller. Music styles are different, there are more unique rhythms involved, including time signatures of 5/8, and 9/8, and the instrumentation is different.

American Cabaret: this format combines bits and pieces of all the other formats, and the costuming reflects that. Beads, side slits in the skirt, harem pants, heels or bare feet, and other shinies. The Americans added and expanded on the use of props in the dance. Here you’ll find sword work, veil work, candle dances in various formats, and all manner of gimmics. Costuming often varies depending on the prop used.

Tribal costuming and beadwork techniques covered later.

There is a wonderful description of various costumes at Atlanta Bellydance.

There’s a beautiful article at the LA Times about the designer Ahmed Diaa Eddin. In addition, there are some absolutely drop-dead creative people in the US creating their own costumes, and guaranteeing that they will be unique in the process. The Costume Goddess (Dina)  is a guru of hand-made costumes on the cheap.

And that’s just the cabaret costumes. When you get into American Tribal Style and Tribal Fusion you get funky pants, coins, folkloric patterns and so on and so on. Tribal costuming is still more likely to be made by the individual than purchased, so examples can be seen on the sites of the various dancers and dance troupes.

The costuming Blue Moon Dance company wears at the Renaissance Fairs is typical of ATS costuming (they are a fusion group and wander out of “traditional” tribal costuming quite often) and the Indigo for Tribal Fusion (their myspace site) costuming ideas can’t be beat.

Dance costuming is a treasure trove of needlework and embellishment techniques, as well as basic costume design. Exploring them can become a hobby in itself!

Later I’ll go into some of the dance costume styles in more detail, but this shoud get you started on some eye candy!