Oriental belly dance costumes

Seductive swaying of the hips, wavy movements of the abdomen, mysterious eyes, gracefulness and plasticity - all this is about belly dancing, popular all over the world. The oriental costume of the dancer plays a special role in this emotional and bright show.

The showy outfit of the dancer determines half of the success of the oriental dance. It favorably presents the dignity of the figure and masks the flaws, visually increases the range of motion and accentuates all the curves of the body. An oriental costume always looks luxurious, bright, sparkles with many shiny decorations.

The style of the skirt has different options: wide (cut "sun" or "half sun") or straight model (silhouette "fish" or with cuts), with low or high waist. This detail of the outfit is sewn from a light flowing material. During the dance, she creates the effect of a train.

You can also choose harem pants as the bottom of the suit.that will emphasize the roundness of the hips. Classic trousers for oriental dance are wide, have a fit on the hips, and are pinned at the ankle.

The top of the dancer's outfit is the bodice, usually quite open, often with a push-up effect. It fits a woman's body tightly, so that the movements of the chest catch the attention of the audience during the dance. As a rule, bodices are decorated with various decorations: rhinestones, sequins, sequins, beads. An elegant fringe is often sewn to this part of the costume.

The belly in a classic oriental costume remains open, because the dance demonstrates it. But there are options for an outfit with a veil that covers this part of the body, especially designed for performances in front of a conservative audience.

A necessary item of clothing for a dancer is a belt or a scarf, decorated with monists and other rich decor. During the movements of the oriental beauty, these details of clothing, tied at the hips, ring out melodiously, enhancing the rhythm of the dance. A tight belt is usually sewn to a wide elastic band to fit well on the hips and not move. The scarf has a rectangular or triangular forum and is decorated with a beautiful fringe.

As for stage costume shoes, most dances are performed barefoot... Although today some modern oriental dances even allow high-heeled shoes.

An integral part of belly dancing is its attributes, or accessories, which give it a special unique piquancy. These are fans, canes, feathers, candelabra, a cascade of bracelets and much more. All these things fascinate the viewer, convey a characteristic meditating oriental flavor and have their own symbolism. For example, such an attribute as a saber personifies the rebelliousness of a woman. An unforgettable sight is a dance with a snake.

It should be noted that the chic seductive costumes of oriental dancers that we see on stage cannot be called traditional. They arose as a result of the popularity of belly dancing in European countries and the United States and created the image of a passionate seducer. For women of the East, however, such clothes are unacceptable, their ethnic costumes are much more modest. Performing a dance, they sometimes just tie a scarf on their hips, emphasizing the movements of the body.

Often, an oriental choreographic number is performed collectively, in this case, the outfits of all participants must be coordinated, performed in the same style.

A gorgeous performance is the result of the work of a professional dancer. But in order to master all the intricacies of belly dancing, of course, you need to train for a very long time. This is where a comfortable and functional training suit comes in handy. This outfit is a simplified stage outfit, but not as presentable. In the classroom, a scarf (belt) is especially needed in order to work out the rhythm of movements. During rehearsals, the dancer can wear soft ballet flats or gym shoes on her feet, although their color does not always match the clothes.

The Egyptian school is characterized by a more chaste version of the dance. The dancers' traditional outfits are usually closed - a long dress with an accessory in the form of a shawl tied at the hips. The modern version of the Egyptian outfit is more extravagant, accentuates the curves of the figure, has slits and an open neckline.

The Turkish version of the choreography is much more sensual, dances on tables and contact with the audience during the performance are common. Today, the typical Turkish oriental dance for us is a seductive composition with a pole. The outfits of the Turkish dancers are, of course, quite revealing.

A feature of the Arab school - it is called Khaliji (this word is translated as "gulf", meaning the countries of the Persian Gulf) are certain movements of loose hair (rotation, waving hair, their mesmerizing throws), clapping, shaking the chest, special steps. Initially, women performed such a dance for each other. And traditional clothing for him is a rather loose dress with traditionally wide sleeves and rich decor.

A separate choreographic direction today is the art-east, in which oriental motives are intertwined with the characteristic rhythms of other countries (Latin America, Spain, Africa and many others). In terms of music, traditional oriental rhythms recede into the background, often overshadowed by club-style musical electronic processing.The costumes for such dances are quite daring, using a range of traditional and unusual accessories. This modern European invention was created for its own viewer. But recently this boom has also affected our country.

Consider briefly the popular fabrics that are used when sewing oriental costumes:

• Light transparent chiffon is used for sewing wide flying skirts (for example, double or triple or "sun" style), veils on the face. As an option - chiffon, which has a sprinkling of sequins (only one side shines) or crepe-chiffon, more dense.
• Crepe satin is an opaque material reminiscent of satin. Appropriate for the stage because of its brilliance in the light of bright spotlights. However, its disadvantage is the tendency to puffs.
• Eye-catching sequin fabric, similar in appearance to scales, is used to decorate bodices and belts. The cheap option is tough and hot for the body, the expensive one is equipped with a knitted mesh.
• Velvet (the best option - also on a knitted mesh or stretch), which fits the bodices and belts. Chiffon wedges look spectacular on a skirt made of soft velvet.
• Supplex is a fairly dense knitted material that stretches well in all directions. Designed for the same purposes as velvet.
• Light sheer organza, smooth or embossed, meets 3D effect. This material is not suitable for a one-piece skirt, since it does not have softness.
• Sparkling brocade (hard or soft), mainly suitable for finishing suits.

If the performance is planned outside, do not wear synthetic materials - the skin will not breathe... Keep in mind that even small spots will be visible on a light outfit. Choose a material that will withstand hand wash.

The color scheme of oriental costumes is rich and varied. Always a win-win option - solid colors: especially if it is a chic gold, silver, emerald, pink, bright red. A black outfit with golden decor looks luxurious and mesmerizing. Various floral patterns look no less impressive.

In online stores, you can also purchase handmade outfits made in the best ateliers of the East - these are Yasser, Ahmed Omar, Mahmoud Abd el Ghaffar.

Noteworthy are models made in the USA and Great Britain (for example, the British company Bristol Novelty Ltd.

Russian manufacturers also offer charming costumes for oriental dances: Balagan, Vestifica, Karnivalof. The stage clothes from the designer "Polina Polinadcd" deserve attention.

It is impossible not to mention the only male designer of oriental costumes in our country. This is Anrey Buryninwith the stage name Caliph is the head of Amrita, a famous school of oriental dance, teacher and choreographer. In just three years of work, he created about 40 exclusive models of different styles. His outfits are distinguished by a complex embroidery technique, often decorated with semi-precious stones (for example, turquoise, coral) and rhinestones (Swarovski crystals). In general, the designer's outfits are made in a classic style.

Note that it is most convenient not to buy an outfit for an oriental dance, but to rent it. This will diversify the performances, you can choose a suit for each specific image (femme fatale or mysterious stranger), while saving money. In addition, if your skin color changes as a result of tanning, then a suit for rent will help you here, because pale and tanned young ladies are different shades.

They provide such a service in special salons, and at a reasonable price. (about 1000 rubles for several days). In addition, a huge plus - you do not have to take care of the stage costume, and in view of its specifics, this is a very time-consuming job.