What should I wear to bellydance class.

One of the most common questions asked of me by prospective new dancers joining my class is "what should I wear" so it's probably high time I wrote a blog about it.

I'm going to start with the straight answer that I offer students, if that's what you are looking for:

Wear something you feel comfortable moving in, and can see your movements in. Leggings or yoga pants with a vest or t shirt is fine, you can wear a shimmy belt if you like (I lend them out) bare feet or soft dance shoes are good.

There. Done.

But there's a little more to it than that - because otherwise I wouldn't have started writing about it.

I'm not going to talk about footwear though, because I've done it before.

Dressing for class

What dancers wear to class depends upon a number of factors. The style of the class and the preference of the teacher (and other students) dictates much, the dancer's approach to dance and what they are getting out of it, what the dancer feels comfortable and functional in and what stage of their dance career they are at.

Vashti's short article on Shira's site is spot on. I have been through all these stages and I'm now at the point where I have to remind myself when I am teaching not to dress as I do when I am learning, because people tend not to recognise me as the teacher and think I am a scruffy stray who wandered into the wrong room! [I think I am going to have to write a whole other article about dressing as a teacher, because that's a whole new can of worms.]

Skirt or pants?

Some dancers like to come to class in a skirt, the right shape skirt can help emphasize hip movements and if you want to dress up a little for class a pretty skirt is a good option. I often wear a 25 yard skirt for ATS classes (wrapped and tucked) and occasionally a straight or basic fishtail skirt for Orientale classes too. The downside with skirts is that if the class involves floorwork, yoga or certain types of conditioning you might find a skirt impractical. A skirt also covers your legs and often your feet, which means your teacher can't keep an eye on your footwork.

Pants could be yoga/jazz pants, harem pants, leggings or specialist bellydance pants like Melodias. I find longer pants trip me up a bit, so I tend to go for calf length, leggings or harems with elasticated hems. Really full pantaloons can be a trip hazard, but they are OK for styles that don't involve too much fancy footwork.

Tops

Fitted/stretchy tops that allow the line of your body to be visible are really helpful when you are learning bellydance. Often your movements will be small to start with and they'll get lost under a voluminous t shirt or layers. A cropped layer for warmth over a normal vest top is great. You don't need to bare your midriff, in fact I don't think any of my current students do.

For the ladies, I would also recommend a sports bra. Especially for saiidi and suchlike. You might get away without but holding back for "lack of support" takes some of the fun out of your class. And while we are on it, for the chaps, Google "dance belt". You are welcome.

Shimmy belts

Noisy coin belts are sometimes a bone of contention. I encourage them in my classes, because my classes are small and I think the weight and auditory feedback is really useful for learners. In a large class or an echoey venue a lot of students with noisy belts and ants in their pants can be massively distracting (see Stork's sweary guide to sins in large workshops, if you are comfortable with sweary ranting). Also be aware that cheaper coin belts with stamped coins will "shed" as the sharp edges work through the thread. If this happens be sure to pick up your beads and coins before they cause injury.

Hipscarves and belts also serve the important purpose of making your hip movements clearly visible. So go for a colour that stands out. If you don't like the noise you can get quieter beaded ones, or just a bright fabric scarf. I have a habit of using my neckscarf (because we are back to the bit where I dress for class like I had to buy my clothes at a charity shop 5 minutes ago).

Remember that what you are wearing helps your teacher to see your dancing, so the clearer your attire is, the better feedback you will get.

Dressing for workshops

OK, there are probably 2 kinds of workshops, and they aren't always that clearly delineated, it's more of a sliding scale. I'm going to call them "fun" and "serious". Not because the fun ones aren't serious or the serious ones not fun, but for want of a better term.

"Fun" workshops are the ones aimed at dancers who dance "just" for fun. Often they happen before a local hafla or as part of an end of term celebration. They have descriptors like "try out a fun folk dance", "suitable for all levels" and tend to be a great laugh with a bit of a party atmosphere.

"Serious" workshops have descriptors that say things like "bring a yoga mat and water", they are aimed at dancers who want to be challenged and push their dance to the highest level.

There are instances where a workshop will have a clear mixture of "fun" and "serious" participants, and that's just fine too.

Fun workshops

For a lower impact, party atmosphere class, you can dress up a bit if you want to. Go for the skirts and your fancy tops, add a little bling (but make sure there's nothing sharp or spiky or generally health and safety  bothersome). Don't wear your performance kit, you'll likely still sweat in it, crumple it and generally shorten its lifespan.

Don't wear anything that is going to affect the learning of others in the room, like enormous headdresses (yes, I've seen that) or extremely noisy costuming - shimmy belts are usually still fine although some teachers will ask you to remove them. I usually go for a quiet belt if I don't know the teacher.

If you don't want to dress up, that's also fine. You can join me in the lost property bin club.

Serious workshops

If you know your workshop teacher has a thing for yoga/pilates. If they have asked you to bring a yoga mat. If the write up suggests it will be sweaty/physically challenging. If the focus is drilling or advanced technique. Then you need to dress for a workout/general dance class, not a bellydance party.

You are wasting your time and money if you can't take part in the class because you are hampered by your outfit. Avoid long/loose pants you will trip over. Make sure you can get down on the floor, sit in a straddle etc without being restricted or flashing everyone.

Go for leggings/pants and a vest, with layers, which you will need for warming up and cooling down, and a light, quiet hipscarf.

If there is floorwork you are going to need kneepads, if there is spinning/turns you will likely need shoes or dancepaws.



So there you go, question well and truly answered to death. I hope that takes some of the mystery/anxiety when preparing for a dance learning environment, and if in doubt, just keep it simple and functional, you will develop your own style and preferences as you go. .

What's in your gig bag?

I'm packing to go to Infusion Emporium at the moment (well, I'm procrastinating packing by writing a blog). It's a bit of a mammoth task because I have to have everything I need for attending workshops, being a bit fancy for the theatre show (by fancy I really mean, "not in sweaty leggings") travelling and staying overnight - Oh and because I love my students I am driving back early on Monday for my Glastonbury classes, so I need everything for that too. But the biggest obstacle is that I also need everything for performing at the Glitterball Shakedown.

When I do a performance, and often if I am teaching a hen party class or suchlike, I take my hallowed gig bag. It's a carry on size suitcase which has literally everything I could ever need in it. I carefully pack it beforehand, and "reset" it afterwards. Some of the contents is changeable, like costumes, props etc, and some of it is consistent.

For this weekend it doesn't make sense to take 2 suitcases, so I am having to decant the bits and bobs I need from my gig bag, into my weekend luggage. It's the little, consistent things that are the trick, because it has taken me a while to refine exactly what I need for any eventuality. Here's some of the stuff I carry around with me:

Hairgrips/bobby pins

I always have 2 packs of these, because the hairgrip pixies steal them at a frightening speed. Anyone who has hairgrips knows about the hairgrip pixies, they will take 80% of your stash every time you look away. Don't Blink.

If you buy in bulk, they just get lost faster, I have tried. So my rule is that I buy small packs, and there must be one in my dresser and 2 in my gig bag, all at least half full.

I carry 2 packs because one will be standard grips and the other heavy duty/wig grips, which can take the strain of pinning hairpieces, rats and bulky accessories.

Minirig

My Minirig is one of my favourite things ever, no exaggeration. It's a speaker about the size of a large mug of tea, which is rechargable and surprisingly loud. Loud enough to teach with, on high gain you can get enough sound to perform with, even outdoors. Not super noisy, but enough. I have a 500W tailgate speaker which is louder, but it's about the same size as my gig bag, and I'm only going to double my luggage if I absolutely have to.



Even if I know my venue has a sound system, it is no trouble at all to carry the Minirig and that means that if there is an issue with sound, I can still teach/perform.

MP3 player

I go absolutely nowhere without my MP3 player. It has *all* my dance music on and specific playlists for particular lessons, moods and performance sets.

Tin of gubbins

Used hairgrips, safety pins (essential for securing costumes and last minute fixes), hairbands. Anything small and vital goes in my tin.

My tin of gubbins, essential kit.

Sewing kit.

This little repair kit came from my local craft shop. It's important to be able to fix  costumes on the go because a loose hook can be the difference between a servicable costume and having nothing to wear, or worse, a costume malfunction! The scissors are also great for trimming lashes.

All the underwear

In case I happen to forget to pack the appropriate underpinnings for the particular costume (Shira has a great article on this), I always carry a pair of black and a pair of fleshtone "invisible" knickers (seamfree, but I like to call them that because I never get tired of saying "I can't find my invisible knickers"), which between them will work for most costumes. I also carry a normal pair because I was raised to be prepared.

I also carry a pair of Capezio dance tights in my bag all the time, and a fleshtone, sleeved bellystocking, both are transferable to almost any costume if need be.

Grooming

Body glitter, travel size hairspray, hairbrush, versatile red lipstick. These are necessities, so they stay in there. Also a spare shake and go wig, because nobody needs a hairmergency.

Eyelashes and glue

I always have a spare pair of eyelashes, just in case. Eyelash glue suffers in the same way as hairgrips. It's small and the pixies steal it. I use latex free eyelash glue, which isn't commonly available, so I buy lots of little bottles and secrete them in handy places (no use buying a large bottle, it dries up). Eyelash glue isn't just for eyelashes, I use a lot of little gems in my makeup and it's useful for wayward wig lace. Having spare glue is essential if any of the cornucopia of stuff stuck to my face comes loose.

Pre-gig war paint photo demonstrating how I might stick stuff on my face...

Health stuff

In case of emergency. Ibuprofen and paracetamol (for headaches or injuries), Tiger Balm and sanitary protection. More often than not I am lending this stuff to other dancers in need!

Wet wipes

Amazing all around for everything. You can wipe down the surface in the dressing room, before or after use. You can wipe the floor dirt off your feet, a smudge of hummus off your costume, take your make up off with them, all sorts of things.

Parking change.

Because there is nothing worse when you have somewhere to get to than finding yourself in a car park with no meter money... in costume.

Flyers and business cards

You never know where a networking opportunity might come up, so I try to keep a stock of class flyers and business cards on hand.

Video camera and tripod

One of the best ways to improve your dance is to video yourself and watch it critically. I do this in practice, but where I can, I try to do it for performances too, because sometimes stuff comes out under pressure. I carry a small video camera and a tabletop tripod for that purpose.

The changables

So all those things are a given, I might need them in most situations. I also have room in my bag for the items that are specific to a gig.

So if I am teaching a burlesque party, I will have half a case full of feather boas, spare gloves, party favours etc.

If I am doing a bellydance performance I have space for 2 complete costumes (providing only one of them is a bulky one) and a cover up, plus shoes, hairpieces etc.

Everyone's essentials are going to be different, and it has evolved over time as I have learned what I can do without and what I wished I had packed.

Diva skills - Keep your wig on

Continuing with my series about the stage skills we can learn from drag queens.

I like it when you don’t touch my hair.

Wigs are an important part of a drag queen’s arsenal. Although there are a few who style their own hair (not to mention Ongina, who is often bald in drag) wigs are so much a part of the drag queen deal that many even wear more than one at once!

Bellydancers often utilise hairpieces, usually in a more subtle or natural way, to enhance their look or give versatility between looks. On stage you need to be larger than life, and even if you have amazing hair, you may want to give it a bit of a boost. I also always carry an emergency wig in my gig bag, in case I run out of time to style my hair, get caught in the rain or otherwise might struggle to get a satisfactory ‘do for the performance.

I love hairpieces and I have an enormous collection in different colours and textures that reflects the evolution of my stage look. The range of hairpieces available is enormous and can be overwhelming. There’s a lot of great resources out there that provide you with a tonne of detail about different hairpieces, but I’m going to give you a quick rundown from a bellydancer’s perspective.

Real or synthetic.

In theory real human hair is the ultimate in terms of quality and look.

Human hair wigs can be washed, dyed or styled just like your own hair. Human hair falls or clip in extensions will blend well with your hair in terms of texture. As a performer though, you aren’t looking for up close, daytime realness.

On the downside this is a very expensive option. You aren’t going to save time with these, in fact you’ve got a whole extra bunch of hair to style and keep in good condition. If you have especially fine, or curly hair, you might find it hard to get a good match for partial hairpieces, most human hair for wigs is straight, thick and initially dark. Fine, lighter hair is even more expensive. There are also ethical issues with cheaper human hair.

There are different classes of synthetic hair. Traditional synthetic wigs tangle easily, don’t retain a style well and generally look like fancy dress accessories.

Can I just take a moment here to tell you, though it should not need saying: Never wear a fancy dress wig on stage. They are thin, poorly styled and generally awful.

“GO BACK TO PARTY CITY WHERE YOU BELONG” - Phi Phi O Hara.

No. Just no.

Japanese wig makers have more recently been using some excellent synthetics. The original is a fibre called Kankelon. It is soft and silky. The style is baked in, so even if you wash it, you just have to let it drip dry then run your fingers through it. You can stuff it in the bottom of your gig bag, shake it out and it’s ready to go. It’s as natural as you need for stage. There are also other fibres coming onto the market off the back of Kankelon's success, which really raise the bar in synthetic wigs.

Another benefit of synthetic fibre is that you can get it in any colour, or length you fancy. Down to your knees and bright blue if that’s your thing!

Which hairpiece is for you?

Depending on your natural hair and your needs you have a variety of choices:

Clip in extensions

These are wefts of hair with clips sewn on. If you want to add extra volume or a little extra length to your natural hair, this is a great option.

Apply them by parting your hair horizontally and clipping them in close to the scalp. Start at the nape and work up. A spritz of hairspray before you clip them in will stop them slipping.

You’ll need to match the colour and texture closely. It is possible to get a good finish with shorter hair and clips, but if you are not a whizz with hairpieces I would recommend that you either have natural hair past your shoulders, or only opt for a couple of inches extra length.

Falls

Falls are hairpieces that encompass only the “free” part of a ponytail. Some clip in with a crocodile clip, some have a drawstring that fits around a bun made of your own hair. Falls are also available as dreadlocks, which are popular among tribal style dancers for a temporary dreaded look.

You will need to style the rest of your hair as usual, then make sure you have a firm base to fix your fall onto. The colour match needs to be good, although you can get away with a texture difference. Hide the seam with flowers or hair decorations for ponytail realness.

This fall clips into a chignon or bun 

½ or ¾ wigs

Partial wigs are an excellent introduction to wig wearing as you don’t need to worry so much about your hairline.

These hairpieces fit onto the back part of your head, but the front inch or few of the style is formed from your own hair. You can sweep your hair back over the seam to cover it, or use a hairband. Usually you will use a wig that matches your hair colour, but it is also possible to use a broad hairband which comes right onto your brow, with no visible hairline to cover your hair for a completely different colour.

These wigs are easiest to style, but they are still quite heavy and hot to dance in.

In this image I am wearing a 3/4 wig, the hair in front of the band is my own.

Full wigs

If you are going for a full cap wig, your biggest challenge is going to be the hairline. I would recommend a lace front wig, unless your wig has a fringe/bangs, as the artificial hairline will give you away.

Lace front wigs come with a section of mesh at the hairline which firstly needs to be cut to a width you feel you can work with. The lace is fixed to the forehead with wig/toupee/body tape and you’ll need to use make up to blend it.

It’s a bit of a fuss to get right, and hot to dance in, but this is your best bet for a totally different look, or to avoid having to use your own hair at all.

Choosing your style

Traditional convention says that bellydancers have long, loose hair. This is still the case for some traditional styles such as khaleegi, but fashions in bellydance include updos and short hair too. Unless you are aiming for an authentic, culturally representative look, your choice is up to your personal aesthetic.

Drag queens wear enormous (and multiple wigs) to, as Courteney Act puts it “disguise their big man faces”.

The proportions of your hair need to be taken into account in balancing your face and your body. As Courteney explains, heavy, masculine features are balanced by voluminous hair-dos. Like any hairstyle, make sure that your wig compliments your features, play with sweeping back, trailing tendrils etc. Think about where the strands lie in terms of your cheek or jaw bone, see what works for you.

If you want to give an impression of height, you can add height to your hair in terms of high ponytails, tiaras, pomps, rolls or beehive style bumps.

You can balance a juicier figure with volume in the hair, though be wary that very long, very voluminous hair will swamp you, especially if you ar not tall, so keep it above the bra strap or even shoulders. Width up top will balance broader shoulders and emphasise the narrowing of your waist.

Long, straight hair elongates the body, especially with a little height on top.

Practical wig wearing

Make sure your hairpieces are secure. Use plenty of hairspray with clips, use more hairpins than you think you need. Beauty suppliers also sell wig hairpins, which are larger, to help secure wigs.

Secure your hair underneath, I usually pincurl under a wig for an even finish that the wig can be pinned to. Pin through the wig into your hair, all around the edges and through the centre of the cap.

Like any part of your costume, always stress test your hairpieces. If you are partial to hair tossing, make sure that you give your head a good shake, then check in the mirror before you hit the stage (and with enough time to set it right if it shifts!)

As Mama Ru says, it’s only acceptable to take your wig off on stage, if you have another on underneath.

Footwear for bellydance

Taking care of your body is an important part of being a dancer, and taking care of your feet is a good place to start.

When I am feeling a bit ethereal about such things, I talk about dance in terms of your relationship to the floor. Much of our basic movement vocabulary can be explained, or at least better understood in terms of where the weight is borne through the feet, or the force exerted (or not) when a part of the foot is pressed into the floor. At an intermediate level dancers learn to separate their hip movement from their feet, in order to layer and travel freely, but at a grass roots level, hip lifts, figure 8s, even camels can be broken down to the way your feet interact with the floor.

Many beginner bellydancers are advised to dance barefoot. The constriction of the feet (especially at the toes) by shoes affects your basic posture, and the ability to freely flex your foot and feel the floor can be very helpful. Good foot placement and weight distribution is literally the foundation of good posture. Get it right and the knock on effect protects your ankles, knees, back and even your neck while you dance. It is also the cheapest option, as beginning dancers often don't want to invest in specialist shoes. Many dancers choose to remain barefoot for all of their training and performances.

Barefoot is a healthy way to be, I rarely wear any footwear around the house. I find that the exercise barefoot walking gives my feet keeps them strong, and stops my flexible arches from falling.

So why wear shoes to dance?

Culture and etiquette

The lovely Samia Gamal,
who did dance barefoot often,
demonstrates the perils therein

It seems to be a common misconception that it is somehow "authentic" to bellydance barefoot. This is quite untrue. Dancing with dirty feet (and they are bound to become dirty) is very much frowned upon, and although it is not unheard of to dance barefoot, shoes are generally worn by dancers in the Middle East. Baring the sole of the foot deliberately "at" someone is an offensive gesture in the Arab world, although an accidentally visible sole mid-dance is unlikely to offend.

A few years back I was in a workshop taught by one of the great matriarchs of Egyptian dance, a fierce and formidable lady, she had a very angry rant about Western dancers assuming that it was authentic to dance barefoot. Her offence at how we "assumed" that her people were some kind of "barefoot primitives" was made clear to us all!

In a Western setting, unless you are dancing for an Arab audience (or instructor!), you are unlikely to bother anyone else by being barefoot.

Protection from the floor

It would be fabulous if every dance space we used, for class, practice and performance as a lovely clean, polished sprung wood floor, but that's never going to happen.

Sometimes we dance outside, sometimes in restaurants with dirty floors and possible shards of broken glass or crockery, so we need to protect our feet. In my dance career I have trodden on thistles, glass and broken a toe mid-performance when it caught in an uneven surface. Even a small cut can seriously effect your ability to bear weight evenly on your foot, if it becomes inflamed and sore, and that is going to inhibit your ability to dance for several days. A small injury on the sole of your foot can also affect how you bear your weight, causing knock-on effects on your posture and damage to your ankle, knee or back.

Sometimes it's not the state of the floor, but the floor itself. Dancing barefoot on carpet can make turns treacherous, as the grip wrenches your knees and the friction can literally tear your skin apart. Equally some dance studios have very slippy floors and good dance shoes will give you that extra purchase you need to keep you on your feet.

Style

When you are in costume, just as much as out, your footwear is part of your outfit. Glitsy shoes can finish your look and many dancers wear some variant of high heels when they are performing. Wearing heels also adjusts your centre of gravity and posture, which in turn alters the overall style of your dancing.

Select your shoe

Below is a summary of some of the most common shoes worn by bellydancers. All dancers have their own preferences, and may wear different shoes for different circumstances. I've tried to put some pros and cons for each type, but this is based on my own experience, your mileage may vary.

Ballet flats

There are several different types of shoes that might fit into this category. Standard ballet shoes, from dance suppliers are usually split sole, that is they have a hard leather pad on the toe and another on the heel.  Some have a single sole, that runs the length of the foot. These tend to be a tight fit. Personally I find the small sole (which is far narrower than my foot) unstable, and the narrow toe does not allow me to spread my toes into a stable base.

You can also get soft soled dance shoes, and many bellydance suppliers sell something similar with added bling. These are a great budget option for beginning dancers, they work well with costumes and protect the feet without restricting them too much. On the other hand they aren't very supportive and the sole is no good for outdoor performance. They do wear out, but they'll last long enough and they aren't too pricey to replace. I keep an old pair of these for performing on surfaces I don't really want to subject my more expensive shoes to.

For performance, or even class, you could try a soft pair of the ballet flats that are now commonly sold for fashion purposes. They often come in sparkly or decorated versions and they can be quite cheap. An advantage with these is that they have a good sole for outside the studio or stage. Decorated slippers of various other kinds are also available, beaded slippers from Egypt or India are a common choice. Make sure they are a good fit, and practice in them, properly, before you try and perform in them.

Dance paws/lyrical shoes

If you like the barefoot feeling, but would like to improve your traction on the floor for smooth spins and perhaps protect your feet a little, dance paws are an excellent option.

They come in full foot options, that have a light suede sole on the ball of the foot and the heel, or a half foot option that only covers the ball. There are various designs but generally the toes are left free and the pads are held in place with mesh fabric, like a partial sock, or straps. They are usually flesh coloured, to give the illusion of dancing barefoot, although some funky colourways are now available, including prints, mehndi patterns and diamanté.

In my experience, dance paws are a consumable piece of kit. Over time, sweat and use will harden the suede sole, and eventually they crack and rip, or the straps holding them in place tear.

Jazz shoes

Jazz shoes offer good support for the foot, and dancers who need insoles or arch supports often wear them to train in. Generally the aesthetic isn't right for performance.

My favoured shoes are actually a kind of jazz sneaker from Capezio, in a style that look more like a lyrical shoe, but a lot more durable than dance paws. I have these in flesh colour and I have added hotfix gems to them, they are subtle enough to wear on stage but very supportive. The downside is that the fabrics absorb a lot of sweat and they are not pleasant scented to say the least. I've been wearing the same pair for 2 years now and they are showing minimal wear, which has made them a worthwhile investment.

Heels

This is more for performance than training, though if you perform in heels you will have to practice in them.

Many dancers like the aesthetic of  high heeled shoes with a sparkly costume. They work best for Oriental styles where you dance on your toes a lot regardless. They don't work for earthy styles. Wearing heels shifts your centre out of your pelvis, up and forward which compromises your gooey hipwork, but looks elegant for graceful travelling.

If you are dancing in heels, it is best to buy shoes specially designed for dancing. Tango shoes are structurally spectacular, but very expensive. Character shoes are slightly less dainty looking, but more stable and less expensive.

Ballroom shoes often have suede soles, which is great for dancing on clean, dance-specific floors, but if you plan to dance outside, or on a potentially dirty surface, you might want to consider something more durable.

Sandals

Flat sandals such as Grecian sandals or ghillies (the shoes worn by Irish dancers) are also popular amongst bellydancers for performance and training. Personally I've never felt confident enough to try a pair as you need a good shoe with a good fit for security and safety, but it's worth being aware that the option is available to you.

Socks 

Sometimes students in my classes want to wear socks to dance. As a point of safety I generally advise against this as socks are very slippery on the studio floor and put you at risk of injury. If you are practising at home, on carpet however, socks might be a reasonable option.

Slipper socks, with grips, are sometimes suggested for those who want to dance in socks, but in general they tend to have a very sloppy fit and either the foot slides around inside them, or they start creeping off the toes.

Some contemporary dancers wear socks on their toes, rolled down to allow traction on the heels smooth spins on the toes. I'm not convinced even by this option for bellydance however, especially Oriental style which involves a lot of dancing en releve where using the heel for grip is not an option.

If you have poor circulation or just get cold feet when you dance, then you do need to find a way to keep your feet warm. Dancing with cold feet can lead to discomfort and injury. In this case I would suggest either wearing thin socks (or tights) with dance shoes, or wearing yoga socks, which are tight fitting, with separate toes, and have a fine, even grip pattern over the whole foot and toes. Don't wear yoga socks to dance on carpet though, it rips the grip nodules off. Another option is leg warmers, the ones that cover the instep but leave the toes and heels out.

Most bellydancers experiment with different types of shoes until they find something that works for them. I have been through several shoe "phases", but ultimately your choice needs to be based upon what is comfortable and safe for you. If you don't feel confident on your feet, you are not getting the most out of your dance.

Diva inspiration - beat that mug.

[A note to the uninitiated: "Beating your mug" is drag-speak for putting make-up on. In no way do I wish to encourage violence against crockery]

Continuing on my Drag Queen inspired series, today we are moving on to one of the most important things a bellydancer can learn from Drag Divas: Stage makeup!

Putting your game face on. Make up to dazzle your audience.

A really common issue for new performers, and many experienced ones, is learning how to create a stageworthy make-up look. I teach a workshop to help dancers create their performance face, but it's not something that usually comes into regular bellydance classes.

I developed my make up skills from a mixture of theatrical make up, character make up for LARP and fancy dress, inspiration from performers and sheer experimentation. Then I started looking more closely at not just the finished looks, but the process by which the look is created. There are literally thousands of tutorials on YouTube, with everything from subtle tricks to dramatic transformations. Drag queens are a brilliant resource for this. There are a lot of drag tutorials out there and they are useful to performers because:

• The make up is usually styled for performance, not everyday wear
• The make up is designed to last through sweating under lights
• It has to disguise superficial flaws (like skintone and 5 o' clock shadow) flawlessly
• It also has to adjust face shape and structure, emphasizing key features
• Facial expressions are highlighted and exaggerated 

A lady knows how to wear make up tastefully for daytime, dramatically for evening, and theatrically for the stage" - Dita Von Teese

Many dancers do great daytime or evening make up, but are not sure how, or nervous to ramp it up for the stage.

It's really important to adjust your make up for the setting. Daytime, evening, photography, close up performance and stage faces need to be adjusted to give the best result for the medium.

Everyday make up will wash out and disappear completely under stage lighting, or even just in subdued evening light, but close up and under natural lighting, stage make up can appear over the top or even clownish. It takes practice, judgement and nerve to do a good stage face when the lighting necessary to apply it is not the lighting it will be viewed under.

Beat for the back row

Image from http://www.dragofficial.com/

So here is your first Diva tip. It comes from Alyssa Edwards, who made her name of the pageant circuit.

It's no good if your make up is fabulous, but only the people sitting at the very front can see it. If you are dancing, and emoting with your face, you need your expressions to be clear, right to the back of the room. This means strong brows, open eyes, strong lips and deep contours.

Add a little extra if you need it to translate to video. It will feel like too much. If it feels like too much, it's probably almost enough.

Always do your 'brows

So carrying on from that, brows are compulsory. Always.

I have always done my brows, I have to because mine are white-blonde and as soon as I put on any make up they become invisible and I look like an alien, but even if you have good brows for daylight, you need extra for photos or stage.

It helps if you have a head start by shaping your brows well. If you are scared to take the tweezers to your face, get a beautician to, even just once, then maintain the shape yourself. If your brows are pale, you can dye them a little darker too.

Queens usually glue down their brows. Yes, with actual glue stick. Then they draw them on higher. Doing this gives a more open expression, allows you to really exaggerate the socket line of your eye make up. It also re-proportions manly facial features. You can try raising your brow level and see how it works for you. I usually draw my brows to the higher part of my natural browline, and I maintain a pretty high arch regardless. Go careful on this though, you want expressive eyes, not permanent surprise.

You can do your brows with pencil (sharp, little strokes to look like hairs) and/or powder pigment (narrow, angled brush, slightly damp). Powder is great for filling in brows that already have good shape.

Maybe she's born with it, maybe it's contouring

Image from http://ongina.tumblr.com/
Ongina's contouring, pre-blending

People are catching onto this more now, but the right shading can do wonders for your face. You can use contouring to completely change key features like jawline and nose shape, or just to enhance your natural bone structure so that it doesn't get "lost".

Flash photography or stage lighting will wash out the natural shadows in your face, making you look like a pale pancake. You can counter this by constructing artificial shadows and highlights that restore the 3 dimensional nature of your face. Take a look at these images if you aren't convinced yet.

It can be a case of applying a subtle, non-sparkly/shiny bronzer in the right areas, or going full on "cutting" lines with a dark pigment. Most queens seem to use several shades of panstick to create their contours from the foundation up. You need to highlight the areas that need to look "raised" and darken the areas that are in shadow.

It is usual to contour the sides of the nose, cheekbones, jawline and hairline. There is a tonne of resources on the internet to help you learn about contouring, but it also takes practice. Every unique face needs to be contoured differently, so you can gather tips and experiment, or book an appointment with a make up artist who can show you what works on you.

Let it cook

Cooking was something I had never heard of before Drag Race. Well, I knew that make up behaves differently at different temperatures, and often kept my pencils near my body heat prior to application, but the queens take it a step further by letting their make up sit on the skin to adjust before blending and shading, as in the image above. It makes it a bit easier to work with and gives it staying power. I have found it works for creams and powders, give it a try.

Flutter those lashes

"If you think you look good without lashes, imagine how good you will look with lashes" - Courtney Act

Image from www.thebiancadelrio.com/

Courtney is right, false lashes are amazing. Even if you have amazing natural lashes, and mascara, remember, you are beating for the back row. You don't need to go as far as Bianca here, who tends to wear at least 5 pairs.

Lashes come in all kinds of styles, you can get tiny bunches to just add a few extra, natural looking lashes, winged lashes that get longer to the outer corner (my favourite), thick lashes, spikey lashes, coloured lashes, lashes with gems or sequins built in.

It takes a bit of practice to get them right, but I bet you have a dance-friend who uses them already and can show you how. Pre-glued lashes are a bit easier to use, but be careful when you get them out of the packet as you can accidentally separate the lashes from the adhesive tape. Lash glue isn't too hard to get used to, if you have sensitive eyes though, be aware that most lash glue contains latex, but alternatives are widely available.

Adding the sparkle

Glitter and gems are part and parcel of the bellydancer's loadout, don't leave your face behind. In season one of Drag Race, I was immensely impressed with Shannel's ability to apply a large number of crystals to her face, in a relatively unobtrusive manner. The make up she designed for her team in episode 2 was beautiful and included around 10 AB gems, carefully positioned to add subtle sparkle as they performed. It's a good episode to watch because you get to see the process of designing make up for a group of performers.

If you aren't sure about gluing things on yet, try a little glitter to really bring out your highlights or eye make up. Use proper cosmetic glitter, not craft glitter though!

Now go and practice

Hopefully this has given you a bit of an idea where to start, but ultimately you need to go and do your homework now. Don't try a new look out an hour before a big performance, play about at home and do some practice runs until you are comfortable with your look.

If you are looking for inspiration, and arn't sure where to start, I'm going to recommend James St James Transformations, for some fabulous and often downright wacky makeovers, which allow you to see the process and get tips from some great make up artists.

Now, go beat that mug!

Another costume - a wedding dress conversion

I realised I haven't updated about costumes in a while. This isn't because I haven't made any, it's because I haven't had time to write about it!

I did this one several months back, it's not actually completely finished, in that the skirt is still to be dealt with, but I have worn it as a bra and belt set with a hipscarf.

This started life as a cheap wedding dress from ebay, it was too big for its original intended use, so I decided to butcher it for a white costume.

So here are my raw materials, a dress and a solid Egyptian bra base. These are available from costume vendors like Everything Egyptian. I got this as a job lot from and Egyptian costumer.

I unpicked the bodice from the dress 

Then I sewed it onto the bra base

The dress didn't completely cover the soup-bowl cups, so I added some large hotfix rhinestones, and filled in the gaps with smaller ones

Intermediate shot, the straps were extended with webbing (for a cross back) and covered in white satin ribbon. 

The belt part was made by taking a section from the top of the skirt, and using it to cover some wide elastic. The oval at the front is cut from a plastic container and covered in white fabric and hotfix. The large crystals on the front came from a buckle. I also added some crystal buckles to the front of the straps. The back is fastened with the old cross straps and rings method I used here

Dodgy selfie. The silver fringe is a separate piece.

Action shot from this video

I plan to finish the skirt at some point, I still have enough of the dress left to make a column skirt, with one or two slits. I just need to add a waistband and hem the edges of the slits, which will probably happen 2 days before I have the occasion to wear it.

A costume post

This post catalogs the process of making my teal bra and belt set...

Take one bra

Sew a reinforced band along the bottom (I also modified the straps here, but later decided to cut them off completely)

Cover the top half of the cups with large rectangles of fabric. Also pictured is the strip that will cover the bottom half of the cups.

The band is covered with fabric

Which is pleated. I am trying to create an illusion here that the band is broad to disguise the size of the cups.

The belt is a wide strip of upholstery fabric, covered with the pleated silk, which is pinned, pressed and stitched on.

The back bra fastening is removed and replaced with large rings

Then I sew an awful lot of beads on.

The shoulder straps are replaced with strong webbing, that is covered in the silk. The straps cross over at the top of the back, then pass through the opposite side ring before tying together centre back. This gives the look and support of a halter without the neck ache. The fabric on the top half of the cups is gathered and sewn onto the straps.

This is what it looks like on

The photos don't do it justice, the gems sparkle so much I am like a human discoball