Costuming A Belly Dancing Troupe

Once you've decided to form a troupe, you'll need to figure out whether you want to have official troupe costumes. Some troupes have them, others don't. You'll have to decide for yourself whether it makes sense for your group to have one.

Why Have Troupe Costumes?

• Having a consistent look can pull the act together. It makes the troupe look like a cohesive team instead of a bunch of individuals who all coincidentally memorized the same choreography and showed up in the same place at the same time to perform it.
• Troupe costumes can create a group identity. It gives the members a feeling of belonging.
• Different costume items move differently. For example, a spin looks very different in a circle skirt versus a straight skirt versus pantaloons. Standardizing the costume ensures that everyone will look as though they are indeed doing the same dance.

What Is The Argument Against It?

• Some people dislike the mere notion of being expected to conform to anything.
• No matter how great the costume design is, at least a third of the troupe members will probably think it looks horrible and whine about the color or the style.
• There's always the question of who will make the costumes. Many people don't sew--who will make theirs?
• Some people might not be able to afford a costume.

How Do You Achieve The Group Look?

Many troupes opt for the uniform look of dressing everyone in the same garments made of the same fabric, in the same colors, as shown in this photo of Troupe Wasila from 1994:

However, that is not the only way to achieve a unified group appearance. It's possible to have consistency while still allowing room for individuality. Here are some ideas on other ways to pull together a troupe look:

• Same Garments, Different Colors. Everybody wears the same articles of clothing, made from the same fabric, but each dancer wears whatever color s/he prefers.
• Color Theme. The troupe director selects two or three colors and distributes swatches to the troupe members. Everyone can make whatever style of garment is desired out of any fabric, but must adhere to the colors in the swatches. This can be particularly effective for a holiday show, such as orange, gold, and black for Halloween or red, green, and gold for Christmas.
• Fabric Theme. The troupe director designates a specific type of fabric, such as glitter dot or tissue lamé. Everyone can then make whatever garments they wish, in any color, as long as the designated fabric is the primary fabric used in the garment.

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