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Costume
Must-Haves
For
the New Troupe Performer
If you are starting to perform with a troupe or in group dances with your classmates, here are a few must-haves for you to begin collecting.
Many of the pieces can be used for different purposes and styles of bellydance.
Whaterver the costume, some kind of hip scarf is essential. This can be as simple as a scarf tied around the hips. It should be positioed below the hip bone.
A triangular fringed shawl is great for practice or many ehtnic looks. Coin hip scarves are nice for the sparkle and noise and are available through most bellydance suppliers.
The
beledi dress could be used for cane
dance, beledi, Persian Bandari, or in a pinch, used as a cover up. Try
it over harem pants or circle skirt for a different look.
The beledi dress can be loose fitting or darted, sleeveless, short or long-sleeved. Sleeves may be tight or full, bell shaped, ruffled or even bat-winged. Side slits generally go either to the knee or just below the hip. Fabric can be anything from plain cotton to sparkly lurex or see-through lace.
Aysheh
in beledi dress,
hip shawl, coin belt and
head scarf.
The Ghawzee coat, so named because
it was worn by Ghawazee dancers in the 19th centrury. It is worn over
full harem pants and a blouse. 
A
fringed shawl (or two) is worn overtop, around the hips.
A pillbox hat is often worn, and for more authenticity the hair would be plaited into many tiny braids with bells and beads worked into them.
This outfit is Turkish in origin but worn by Egyptian dancers (and Egyptian women generally) during the reign of the Ottoman Empire. This costume is ideal for outdoor dancing--much more appropriate than a 2-piece cabaret costume. It can be used for solo beledi dancing, Ghawazee style, or Turkish Karsilama (line dance).
Aysheh
in Ghawazee coat,
harem pants, blouse, fringed
shawl tied around hips, pillbox hat.
The combination of coin
belt and
bra, vest,
harem pants and skirt
or skirts, while not being authentically Egyptian, was a very popular
style of solo or group cabaret costuming in Vancouver
and along the West Coast in the 1970s-80s. It evolved out of desire to
create a less sexy, more "earthy"
look 
than
that of the typical chiffon/bead/sequin Arabic solo costume.
It can be a good compromise for new dancers not comfortable with a more revealing a costume. For an even more covered up look, a tunic can be worn over top and tucked in at the hips, or scarves and veils can be draped and tucked.
Lori
in harem pants, 2 skirts of different colours, hip scarf, coin belt, coin
bra, vest, hip drape
(small veil tucked in).
I believe that Tribal costume style may be one offshoot of this look,
by taking to extremes the combined use of many different types of ethnic
jewellry and clothing pieces (e.g. East Indian choli tops, fabric tassels
adn pom poms, coins and shells.
An
easy way to achieve a folkloric costume is to combine harem
pants with a tunic and
a hip belt. The belt is tied over the tunic and then the tunic is pulled
up over the belt for a blousing effect.
You could wear a coin or costume bra underneath if you have one but you could get by with a sports bra (please don't use an uncovered lingerie bra!).
Janet, Lisa, Michelle and Jill in harem pants, choli top, tunic, coin hip scarf pom pom head scarf and hankies.
Egyptian folk costumes often require a head scarf. This is essential a triangle with the ends crossed at the base of the skull and tied on the top of the head. Loose ends can then be wrapped around the parts lying against the head. Coins can be added along the edge of the kerchief and the ends of the ties.
An
option for an all-purpose and inexpensive troupe costume is to go to your
local East Indian sari shop and purchase a matching choli
top and saree length. The fabric can be made into harem
pants, as in the picture here, or a straight or circle skirt. These sets
can cost as little as $20. Matching accessories and hair can tie the look
together.
Venus Bellydance Students Cherilyn, Gladys, Allison, Sylvan, Faria and Audrey displaying their first place certirficate and high score medal from the 56th Annual Coquitlam Dance & Music Festival, 2005.
If
you plan to continue on with your dancing you will probably need to invest
in some kind of cabaret or
oriental costume. A typical example consists of a full
skirt and matching veil paired with a bedlah
- embellished hip belt and bra.
For inital student performances you can probably get away with variations on this them as in the group picture below. Some of the girls are wearing choli tops from the sari shops, some are wearing homemade beaded bedlahs, others are wearing sports bras or some kind of fashion halter top.
Egyptian
or Turkish bedlah sets can cost anywhere from $200 (typically belt and
bra only) to $1000 or more for a full costume with matching accessories.
For
a more pulled-together group look, you would want to create matching costumes,
like the ones shown below worn by Venus and students.
In
the 1980s in Egypt,
fundamentalist pressure
resulted in more covered
up costumes for dancers
such as this evening gown
style.
Modern
Egyptian glamour
Lisa, Michelle, Jill, Venus
Venus
in kerchief, transparent
tunic and vest made from pinning
and tying a small rectangular veil.
